Forgive me for starting yet another thread, but this is something I've been wondering about since I was a child, and I would love to get different opinions and perspectives on it. As a big animal lover, I always found it troubling when I heard various places that animals do not go to heaven. Is this Biblical? And if they don't, why don't they go to heaven, aren't they God's creations as well? Finally, where do they go if not heaven? I've heard it say that they don't have souls (which I strongly disagree with, if there is such a thing as a soul, animals have them as much as we do). Should they be cast into hell for not being human and thus having no way of understanding the Gospel?
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Do animals go to heaven, if not, why not?
- Thread starter Chanya
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MrPolo
Woe those who call evil good + good evil. Is 5:20
I think animals don't have "eternal" souls that merit reward/punishment to "heaven" or "hell" like humans or angels.
As to animals in the afterlife, there may not be those in the beatific vision (which is the heaven where people are now in spirit before the "New Jerusalem" takes effect), but if God deems your pet or some animal necessary for your bliss or edification then they will be there for you.
Also, maybe someone else can recall the passage, but I want to say that Scripture says that all of creation will be restored in the New Jerusalem---if I remember correctly, that may be evidence that animals will be in the eternal heaven because they are part of creation.
As to animals in the afterlife, there may not be those in the beatific vision (which is the heaven where people are now in spirit before the "New Jerusalem" takes effect), but if God deems your pet or some animal necessary for your bliss or edification then they will be there for you.
Also, maybe someone else can recall the passage, but I want to say that Scripture says that all of creation will be restored in the New Jerusalem---if I remember correctly, that may be evidence that animals will be in the eternal heaven because they are part of creation.
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jeffweeder
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I really hope they do .
God thought it was a good idea that we live with animals when all was good in the world before death.
The wolf and the sheep will play together along with the lion and the deer....
It appears they are a part of Gods redemptive purposes when you read scriptures like this.
God thought it was a good idea that we live with animals when all was good in the world before death.
The wolf and the sheep will play together along with the lion and the deer....
It appears they are a part of Gods redemptive purposes when you read scriptures like this.
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PaladinValer
Traditional Orthodox Anglican
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If something lives, it has a soul.
Only humanity has a spirit however; an ability to have a relationship with the Creator.
Still, the Bible often reminds us that God indeed cares about not just humans but the entirety of His Creation, which would includes rest of the animal kingdom and indeed all the other kingdoms of life: God calls their creation good and wants them to multiple and fill the world. God specifically says he cared about the animals in Ninevah to Jonah. But the most important is perhaps the fact that he brought all species of animals into the ark.
The ark is the Church. The Church will be saved.
Seems pretty clear that we'll be seeing our pets and the rest of the animal kingdom (and probably the rest of all living things) when New Jerusalem comes and our material plane is transfigured and made eternal.
Only humanity has a spirit however; an ability to have a relationship with the Creator.
Still, the Bible often reminds us that God indeed cares about not just humans but the entirety of His Creation, which would includes rest of the animal kingdom and indeed all the other kingdoms of life: God calls their creation good and wants them to multiple and fill the world. God specifically says he cared about the animals in Ninevah to Jonah. But the most important is perhaps the fact that he brought all species of animals into the ark.
The ark is the Church. The Church will be saved.
Seems pretty clear that we'll be seeing our pets and the rest of the animal kingdom (and probably the rest of all living things) when New Jerusalem comes and our material plane is transfigured and made eternal.
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CryptoLutheran
Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman
I think it's relevant that the Prophet Isaiah in imagining the future time of restoration mentions animal life in these new heavens and new earth.
"The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair." - Isaiah 11:6-8
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Well, Revelations and other places teaches us that there are horses in heaven of which the Angels will be riding on...so maybe. I don't think that matters as much as we know we'll be there to see them.
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You have a serious attitude problem. You know perfectly well what she meant.
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2 Kings 2, Ezekiel (I think that's the right book, not sure) and Revelations all speak of horses coming from heaven.
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CryptoLutheran
Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman
Perhaps. We'll never really know until it's time.
I agree. However, the idea that God is restoring all of creation is and that might include T-Rex, Mittens and Fido is an idea that while definitely in the realm of theological speculation is, I think, congruent with the central thrust that this world is God's good creation, He loves it, and in and through Christ He has not left it to decay but has purposed it all for His eternal glory.
In that vein, the Acts of Paul, a 2nd century apocryphal work which combined numerous stories about Paul, both historical and legendary, contains a fascinating story about Paul baptizing a lion, and later when Paul was sent to contend with beasts in the amphitheater the same lion, rather than mauling the apostle, comes beside him to pray and worship the Lord Jesus together.
It's, at the very least, a rather fascinating story concerning the depths and reach of the power of Christ to reach to even the wild beasts of creation. Some discussion on the topic can be found here (Note: It's a PDF file).
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I like horses!
http://www.christianforums.com/t7390875-13/#post54587660
Rotherham) Jeremiah 4:13 Lo! like clouds shall he come up, Even as a storm-wind his chariots, Swifter than eagles his horses,--Woe to us for we are laid waste!
YouTube - ‪The Chariot Race Scene From Ben Hur, Now With Yakety Sax‬‏
It also mentions dogs
http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=Lazarus
Philip 3:2 Beware of the dogs! beware of-the evil workers! beware of the circumcision!
[Psalm 22:16/Isaiah 56:11/Revelation 22:15]
Reve 22:15 Outside the dogs and the sorcerers and the prostituters and the muderers and the idolaters and every one being fond of and doing falseness.
[Philipp 3:2]
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@LLOJ but those dogs aren't mentioned as being in heaven lol.
Since it seem as if I'm confusing people, I'll quote the scriptures.
Since it seem as if I'm confusing people, I'll quote the scriptures.
2 Kings 2:11
Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Revelations 6:1-8
1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Revelations 6:1-8
1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
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