The Permian extinction - that which slew more of life than most of us can comprehend.
But, by the Grace of God, a remnant was preserved. The meek of this era - the Archosaurs scurrying beneath the feet of the great Synapsids and Therapsids - inherited the Earth, becoming the Dinosaurs.
But God did not abandon the Remnant of the Therapsids, either. Instead, they hid underground, changing over the course of many millions of years into the first true Mammals, our forefathers. Struck down, but not destroyed, they endured.
And when the fullness of time was come - when the earth had once more been scoured by mass extinction - the Lord restored the forgotten sons and daughters of the Permian to their former estate, even as He returned Israel and Judah to the Promised Land after the exile. In due time, the mammals ascended to heights of size, intelligence, and ability that their Synapsid and Therapsid ancestors could not even conceive of. They flew, they swam, and - in the lineage of the Primate named “Man” - they attained the highest degree of intellect yet seen on this world.
But by far, the highest honor given to this storied lineage came in the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. The fullness of the Godhead, given the flesh of an ape, of a mammal, of those who seemed to have lost everything in the Permian extinction. In this God is glorified, that Salvation should come from those who once were nearly lost to the dustbin of history.
So, in a sense, the agonies of the Permian extinction - the destruction of more than 83% of all life then living - laid the earliest of foundations for the Coming of our Lord. So did every other pain and joy which life has experienced in the billions of years it has lived upon this earth.
So let us take heart in the tribulations that trouble us today, knowing that God shall not let our suffering be in vain. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great are the glories which are yet to come.
Be of good cheer, for Christ has overcome this world of death and suffering.
Amen.