DO ANIMALS GO TO HEAVEN

.

The Following Article is Reprinted From the Website – What Christians Want To Know — https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com

Please note that for brevity purposes, some editing of the original article has been done. To view this article in its entirety, please visit the link above.

DO ANIMALS GO TO TO HEAVEN? A BIBLICAL ANALYSIS

Almost everyone has lost a beloved pet. They become part of the family and many couples who are childless consider their pets as their own children. So what happens to pets after they die? Do the go to heaven? Will we ever see our dearly departed pets again? What is their fate? What does the Bible say about animals after they die?

These precious loved animals include dogs, cats, horses, and even a few unorthodox pets that families have grown to love and grieve after they are gone. Let’s see what the Word of God says about whether or not animals or pets go to heaven?

PETS ARE PART OF OUR FAMILY

Are pets part of the family? This may seem like a trivial question for some people but for those who have pets, this is a question that has been asked particularly after the death of their pets. The Bible is clear that babies, young children, infants, or toddlers that die before they are able to accept Jesus as Savior go directly into the presence of the Lord. When a parent loses a child, they can be comforted with this fact, but this does not mean that they will not grieve them.

I can remember losing pets and losing them is painful; our family has grieved those who were lost too. Cats are part of the family. They are treated as a child and I have had a few pets that thought that they were human too in the way they acted.

Couples who were unable to have children were especially close to their pets and loved them as they would their very own children. Many elderly couples and those who have had a spouse die are left only with their pets and animal’s companionship has sustained them through many lonely days and long nights.

A pet’s love is so very often completely unconditional. They don’t care what your day was like, what went wrong at work, what your mood is when you come home.

Rather they are always ready to jump up into your lap and are so full of joy at seeing you that they display this love in their actions. How often I have come home from a hard day at work only to see my beloved dogs or cats run with joy to greet me. Their sheer joy at seeing me often makes me forget what a difficult day I had because they are there to meet with eager expectation.

WELL KNOWN CHRISTIANS WHO BELIEVE ANIMALS GO TO HEAVEN

Randy Alcorn in his book called “Heaven” believes that animals will be present in the Kingdom of Heaven. Famous Christian authors who believe that pets go to heaven include: C. S. Lewis, Peter Kreeft, Niki Behrikis Shanahan, James Herriot, and dozens and dozens of others; the list of Christian pastors, theologians, and clergy is too long to list here. Suffice it to say that a lot of Christians believe that pets do go to heaven and that there will be animals in heaven. God wants you to be in heaven too. All you have to do is come to Him and ask. God forces no one to come to him. The choice is yours.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ANIMALS

Let’s take a look at the scriptures that relate to animals and what is said of them:

Job 12:10 “In God’s hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”

Genesis 9:9-10 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals; all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth.”

Genesis 9:16 “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

Genesis 6:19-22 “You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”

Genesis 1:30 “And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it, I give every green plant for food.”

Hosea 2:18 “In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.”

Luke 12:6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.”

ANIMALS IN HEAVEN

The Bible indicates that animals will exist after His return and the beginning of the Kingdom as Isaiah 11:6-9 reads, “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Here is the Word of God declaring that animals will still exist in the future, after Christ’s reign begins. Ecclesiastes mentions that there is a “spirit” in man but also in animals in (3:19, 21) but this does not necessarily mean that it is an eternal spirit.

Revelation 19:11-14 tells us that in the end times, Jesus will return to the earth with His army of saints, riding on white horses.

The Apostle John writes in the Book of Revelation: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. (A reference to Jesus)

With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.”

CONCLUSION

It does appear that animals will exist in the Kingdom of heaven. (Isaiah 11:6-9)

If our pets will be resurrected or not, we just cannot say for sure, but the inference is there that all of creation, including humans and animals, belong to God. A more important question is if you, the reader, will be in heaven. It is pointless to ponder the question of whether your pet goes to heaven if you yourself are not there.

The only way to be sure is to make certain you can go there. Decide today and pray to the Lord to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and have the full assurance that you will go to heaven and receive eternal life.

As for your pets being in heaven or not, the only way to find out is to go there yourself. That is my prayer for you.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

The full article is posted here: https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com

Link: https://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/do-animals-or-pets-go-to-heaven-a-biblical-analysis/

Copyright © 2011 What Christians Want To Know. All rights reserved.

WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb (Jesus) that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard them saying: Blessing and honour and glory and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb of God for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, AMEN!

And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that lives for ever and ever.

And He that sat upon the throne said: Behold, I make all things new.
And he said unto me, Write: For these words are true and faithful.

A FEW REFERENCES TO ANIMALS IN THE BIBLE

Genesis 9:9-10 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth.”

Genesis 9:16 “Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

Hosea 2:18 “In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.”

Job 12:10 “In HIS hand is the life of every creature and the breath (literally “spirit”) of all mankind.”

Luke 12:6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.”

For a complete list of all the books of the Bible, here is a handy link: https://www.biblestudytools.com/books-of-the-bible/