An Evolutionary Stumbling Block
One of the greatest phenomena witnessed in God’s underwater world is that of “cleaning stations”. These are where predatory fish such as groupers and moray eels go to have their mouths and even gills cleaned by small wrasses, gobies and/or shrimp. This is a type of symbiotic relationship called mutualism where both parties benefit; the cleaner derives nutrition and the cleaned has food debris and parasites removed.
The big question is how did this relationship originate? Evolutionists subscribing to Darwinian “survival of the fittest” maintain this relationship evolved from time, struggle and chance. Dr. Gary Parker, a former evolutionary professor turned creation scientist, claims that this cleaning symbiosis is from plan, purpose, and special acts of creation. Dr. Parker writes in his book, Creation Facts of Life:
“The major problem is using Darwinian fitness to explain traits with many interdependent parts when none of the separate parts has any survival value. There’s certainly no survival value in a small fish swimming into a large fish’s mouth on the hope that the big fish has somehow evolved the desire to let it back out!”
In Genesis 1:20, God created all the living creatures of the sea. This was by His design.
Genesis 1:20 Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”
21 God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” (NASV)
Note the beginnings of each verse above – “God said”, “God created”, and “God blessed”. As God created each “after their kind”, so is the beautiful balance of God’s creation. It is a creation that is purposeful and by design. And, it displays His majesty boldly. To subscribe to the belief that struggle and chance mixed together with some magic potion called time will ultimately lead to this symbiotic relationship, denies the infallibility, brilliance and sanctity of the Word of God.
Evidence of God’s design in His creation is all around us. I pray that you will see God’s underwater world from this point of view as it opens a beauty and wonderment that is awesome and inspiring.