to leave vengeance to Jehovah. (Rom. 12:19) One cannot be used as an overseer in the congregation of God if he is prone to wrath.—Titus 1:7.

While one may on occasion be angry and sometimes justifiably so, he should not let it become sin to him by harboring it or maintaining a provoked state. He should not let the sun set with him in such a condition, for he would thereby allow place for the Devil to take advantage of him. (Eph. 4:26, 27) Especially if it is a case of anger between Christian brothers, he should take proper steps to make peace or get the matter settled in the God-provided way. (Lev. 19:17, 18; Matt. 5:23, 24; 18:15; Luke 17:3, 4) The Scriptures counsel that we should watch our associations in this regard, not having companionship with anyone given to anger or fits of rage, thereby avoiding a snare for our souls.—Prov. 22:24, 25.

Jesus Christ, when a man on earth, gave us the perfect example. The records of his life do not recount one occasion where he had a fit of uncontrolled anger or where he allowed the lawlessness, rebelliousness and harassment of the enemies of God to upset his spirit and cause him to reflect such a thing toward his followers or others. On one occasion he was “thoroughly grieved” at the insensibility of the hearts of the Pharisees and looked upon them with indignation. His next act was an act of healing. (Mark 3:5) When he, in another instance, drove out those who were defiling God’s temple as well as violating the law of Moses by making Jehovah’s house a house of merchandise, it was through no uncontrolled, unjustified fit of anger. Rather, the Scriptures show that it was properly directed zeal for the house of Jehovah.—John 2:13-17.

Avoiding the damaging effects

Not only does anger have an adverse effect upon our spiritual health, but it produces profound effects on the physical organism. It can cause rise in blood pressure, arterial changes, respiratory trouble, liver upsets, changes in the secretion of gall, effects on the pancreas. Anger and rage, as strong emotions, have been listed by physicians as contributing to, aggravating or even causing such ailments as asthma, eye afflictions, skin diseases, hives, ulcers and dental and digestive troubles. Rage and fury can upset thinking processes so that one cannot form logical conclusions or pass sound judgment. The aftermath of a fit of rage is often a period of extreme mental depression. It is therefore wisdom not only in a religious sense but in a physical sense to keep anger under control and to pursue peace and love.—Prov. 14:29, 30; Rom. 14:19; Jas. 3:17; 1 Pet. 3:11.

According to the Scriptures, the “time of the end” is a time of rage and fury, with the nations becoming angry at Jehovah’s taking over his power to reign, and the Devil being hurled to the earth, “having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Rev. 11:17, 18; 12:10-12) With such strenuous conditions, the Christian will do well to control his spirit, avoiding the destructive emotion of anger.—Prov. 14:29; Eccl. 7:9.

ANIAM

(A·niʹam) [lament of the people, or I am kinsman].

A son of Shemida of the tribe of Manasseh.—1 Chron. 7:14, 19.

ANIM

(Aʹnim) [fountains].

A city in the mountainous region of southern Judah, mentioned in the distribution of land in the days of Joshua. (Josh. 15:48, 50) It has been identified with Khirbet Ghuwein, a double ruin situated about three miles (c. 5 kilometers) S of Eshtemoa and about eleven miles (c. 18 kilometers) S of Hebron.

ANIMALS

Jehovah God formed all the animals, each family kind having its own originally created representatives, for the record assures us that God made them each one “according to its kind.” (Gen. 1:25) In this article we shall consider particularly land animals.

In view of God’s granting perfect man dominion over the various creatures of the earth, it was most appropriate that Adam was privileged to name these creatures. (Gen. 1:26; 2:19, 20) Man’s having the animals in subjection placed upon him a stewardship for which he would always be accountable to God.—Luke 12:48.

Animals were so created that they would have a fear and dread of man as their superior. (Gen. 9:2, 3) According to naturalists, wild creatures, such as the leopard and the king cobra, normally prefer to retreat from man’s presence, although attacking when provoked, wounded, cornered or suddenly surprised. It has been suggested that man-eating tigers, for example, have become such by force of circumstances, among such being old age or injury that greatly limit the tiger’s ability to procure its normal game, and the depletion of the tiger’s game through man’s hunting.

Already prior to the Flood, animals were killed to provide clothing for man and for sacrificial purposes. (Gen. 3:21; 4:4) However, not until after the Deluge did Noah and his family receive permission from Jehovah to add to their diet flesh, with the stipulation that it must be drained of its blood. (Gen. 9:3, 4) While this made it proper for man to kill animals for necessary food, he was not authorized thereby to indulge in needless slaughter for the sheer thrill of the hunt or to display personal prowess, as Nimrod, the rebel against God, undoubtedly did.—Gen. 10:9.

Some have contended that the presence of animals in isolated islands like Australia and New Zealand is an indication that not all land animals outside the ark perished in the Deluge. However, the findings of oceanographers indicate that there is a basis for believing that at one time land ridges connected what are now isolated land areas. For example, oceanographic studies reported on by Dr. René Malaise tell of findings that indicate that there was once a “Mid-Atlantic Ridge,” crossing that ocean above the surface. Possibly there were also other ridges, and animals could have migrated by means of these before such ridges sank below the surface of the ocean. Other oceanographic studies have turned up evidence that once there existed a huge South Pacific continent that took in Australia and many of the South Sea isles. If such was the case, then, of course, the animals had no difficulty in migrating to these lands.

CLEAN AND UNCLEAN ANIMALS

A classification of animals is to be noted in God’s instructions to Noah to take with him into the ark seven of each clean animal and two of each unclean animal. (Gen. 7:2, 3, 8, 9) Since a flesh diet had not yet been authorized, this distinction between clean and unclean was probably determined upon the basis of what was acceptable to Jehovah as a sacrifice. Hence, upon emerging from the ark Noah knew which creatures were clean and suitable for offering upon the altar. (Gen. 8:20) At that time no restriction existed with respect to the type of animals that Noah and his family could eat, as indicated by Jehovah’s words: “Every moving animal that is alive may serve as food for you.”—Gen. 9:3.

God’s law to the Israelites, therefore, introduced a new distinction when it ruled certain animals to be fit for food and others as unclean and prohibited as food. The scripture specifies: “Every creature that splits the hoof and forms a cleft in the hoofs and chews the cud among the beasts, that is what you may eat.” (Lev. 11:3) And again: “You must eat no detestable thing of any sort. This is the sort of beast that you may eat: the bull, one of the flock of sheep and one of the flock of goats, the stag and gazelle and roebuck and wild goat and antelope and wild bull and chamois; and every beast that splits