~ Dogs in Heaven? ~

[CoolDude68]

I think I saw a post on this a while back, or even commented on it but I can't recall now. Anyway, we had to put down our dog recently who's been with us many years. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. My wife and I were both by her side as they administered the medication and she went peacefully and it was a rather quick process.

We were both tore up for most of the night and the following day but as each day passes it becomes a little easier to cope with.

My wife asked me if we'd see her again and I wasn't sure how to respond. She mentioned a "Rainbow Bridge" apparently where pets cross but I've never heard of that.

Is there anything in scripture that talks about animals, or pets in Heaven? I certainly hope so! If not, why does God place animals in our life that we love, only to pass away, never to be seen again? That is what I struggle with.

 

[Hammster]

My thoughts, though I don't have anything scriptural per se.

God is a great Father. And I wouldn't be surprised to see beloved pets in heaven. I honestly think Christ will be enough. But I also don't think there's any scripture that says that He can't resurrect our pets, either.

 

[“Paisios”]

I am sorry for your loss. We just lost our dog and one of our cats within a week of each other a few months ago. It can be a very tough time, and my heart goes out to you. I don't have an answer to your question (though would like to hear others' opinions), but wanted to express my prayers and sympathy to you and your wife.

 

[Kerensa]

The "Rainbow Bridge" is a sentimental little prose poem that describes a happy place where pets go to be cared for until their human friends join them in heaven. It doesn't have any basis in the Bible (or any other religious text that I know of), but it's a nice thought.

My thoughts are with you and your wife as well, as I also know how hard it is to have to say goodbye to a beloved dog or cat. As for "what happens" to our animal friends, I can only say, God doesn't create anything that lives — and loves — for nothing. He won't let them be lost, any more than any of His human children. I can't "prove" it, any more than anyone else can, but I do believe we'll see them again.

 

[Dave-W]

A few months ago we had to put down our cat. He was experiencing multiple organ failures. He was the ripe old age of 21, and we got him as a kitten. That is a lot of time with this one. So I do understand your grief.

Revelation does talk about horses and Isaiah talks about lions (cats) and lambs eating and sleeping together. It is unclear if that is heaven or the New Earth. But there seems to be animals of some sort on the other side.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I think I saw a post on this a while back, or even commented on it but I can't recall now. Anyway, we had to put down our dog recently who's been with us many years. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. My wife and I were both by her side as they administered the medication and she went peacefully and it was a rather quick process.

We were both tore up for most of the night and the following day but as each day passes it becomes a little easier to cope with.

My wife asked me if we'd see her again and I wasn't sure how to respond. She mentioned a "Rainbow Bridge" apparently where pets cross but I've never heard of that.

Is there anything in scripture that talks about animals, or pets in Heaven? I certainly hope so! If not, why does God place animals in our life that we love, only to pass away, never to be seen again? That is what I struggle with.

My brother, I know where you and your wife are. I had to put down my black lab about a year or so ago, and I balled like a child in front of the entire vets office. NOT an easy thing to go through.

About scripture reference, there is none. In fact, scripture itself begs the question (Ecclesiastes 3:21), making it apparent that the Lord does not answer the question directly in His word. But I have read in one heavenly vision of a little girl who went to Heaven being reunited with a little kitten that had died not long before she did.

I can give you the book title if you like. It's still on sale at Amazon. Very famous vision from the late 1800s.

 

[CoolDude68]

Once we reach Heaven it's going to be so spectacular and joyful (words cannot describe) with zero sorrow, pain or suffering that I'm sure our pets on earth as we lived won't cross our minds. Or, will they?

What about loved ones who never make it to Heaven? Will we even be aware?

These are difficult to know but in my personal opinion (for what it's worth) I can't understand how God could create such a magnificent companion that loves us unconditionally and allows them to pass within 10-20 years (if we're lucky) and never allow us to be reacquainted.

Unless, He uses animals like canines for instance as a catalyst in our lifetimes to show us what unconditional love is. I've pondered this as well.

 

[“Paisios”]

Once we reach Heaven it's going to be so spectacular and joyful (words cannot describe) with zero sorrow, pain or suffering that I'm sure our pets on earth as we lived won't cross our minds. Or, will they?

What about loved ones who never make it to Heaven? Will we even be aware?

These are difficult to know but in my personal opinion (for what it's worth) I can't understand how God could create such a magnificent companion that loves us unconditionally and allows them to pass within 10-20 years (if we're lucky) and never allow us to be reacquainted.

Unless, He uses animals like canines for instance as a catalyst in our lifetimes to show us what unconditional love is. I've pondered this as well.

CS Lewis talks about some of this in The Great Divorce. He points out (paraphrasing) that God won't allow Hell to blackmail Heaven with grief, sorrow, etc. over those loved ones not there. I don't know what kind of awareness we will have of them.

Pets can certainly give us an awareness of unconditional love, and that is good, no matter how long it lasts.

 

[Hidden In Him]

These are difficult to know but in my personal opinion (for what it's worth) I can't understand how God could create such a magnificent companion that loves us unconditionally and allows them to pass within 10-20 years (if we're lucky) and never allow us to be reacquainted.

I fully agree, and this (along with the vision I referenced) is why I believe we will be reunited.

What about loved ones who never make it to Heaven? Will we even be aware?

Yes, I think we will, but only momentarily. I believe the command of God will be in accordance with Philippians 4:8, and obedience to this command on the part of all Heaven will be the principle behind how He wipes away all the tears from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). There will be too much to be wonderfully joyous and happy about in eternity to be sad for too long.

 

[Hidden In Him]

In case anyone else was interested, I checked and the heavenly vision I was referring to in Post #6 is right here. The actual quote is on P.60 (in the hardcover).

The paperback can be purchased here for under $10:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/13254803...75035&wl11=online&wl12=13254803&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[bbbbbbb]

Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

 

[dreadnought]

I think I saw a post on this a while back, or even commented on it but I can't recall now. Anyway, we had to put down our dog recently who's been with us many years. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. My wife and I were both by her side as they administered the medication and she went peacefully and it was a rather quick process.

We were both tore up for most of the night and the following day but as each day passes it becomes a little easier to cope with.

My wife asked me if we'd see her again and I wasn't sure how to respond. She mentioned a "Rainbow Bridge" apparently where pets cross but I've never heard of that.

Is there anything in scripture that talks about animals, or pets in Heaven? I certainly hope so! If not, why does God place animals in our life that we love, only to pass away, never to be seen again? That is what I struggle with.

I'm not aware of any scriptures about animals living in the resurrection, but I find it hard to believe our pets don't go there.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

There will be animals in heaven but probably not the ones that we knew here at home but we will be happy with these new animals and not miss the old ones.

M-Bob

 

[Dave Watchman]

I think I saw a post on this a while back, or even commented on it but I can't recall now. Anyway, we had to put down our dog recently who's been with us many years. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. My wife and I were both by her side as they administered the medication and she went peacefully and it was a rather quick process.

We were both tore up for most of the night and the following day but as each day passes it becomes a little easier to cope with.

My wife asked me if we'd see her again and I wasn't sure how to respond. She mentioned a "Rainbow Bridge" apparently where pets cross but I've never heard of that.

I am sorry for your loss Dude. I hear of the "rainbow bridge" on cat forums. But if there is a bridge it has to be made by the Creator of the rain bow. I think that we'll see our animals again. I think that it will be elementary for the Lord to get them back for us. With God "all things" are possible.

Is there anything in scripture that talks about animals, or pets in Heaven? I certainly hope so! If not, why does God place animals in our life that we love, only to pass away, never to be seen again? That is what I struggle with.

I don't know of any proof text in scripture to show that our animals will be in Heaven, the Bible is, as they say, silent on the issue. I once downloaded a book from Amazon called "Cold noses at the pearly gates", written by a retired Coast Guard captain who became a Baptist minister. It was very good, very comforting, but at the conclusion there still couldn't be found the illusive proof text.

"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"​

And some people get irritated by the subject. Not even all humans are going to heaven so there's some people that think we should be worried about working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. And it can also become a heated argument about the nature of a man's soul. Do we have an immortal soul, are we a created nephesh, or are we a living creature. The soul that sinneth it shall die.

"Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?"​

I think that we are going to be surprised. Heaven will be unimaginable, the things that God has prepared for us the human mind can't even begin to think of. God is Spirit, but He has made a physical world for us to live in. Remember when Jesus said:

"I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”​

We're not going to be like ghostly spirits floating around playing harps. We're going to be in a real physical environment with real fruit of the vine and real animals and real streets paved with gold. In the Earth made new, the Lord is going to make "all things" new again. Making my cat and all our animals new again will be easy for Him. He can just reach back through time itself and get the same creatures back again. And I'm sure I'll have the time for a horse or two on my farm. They'll be even more enjoyable than now with the tree of life nearby. They won't get any older, they'll never get sick and they won't ever die.

This portion of Romans probably deserves some unpacking, by the real theologians, and may hint at the answer to our questions here as well:

"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.​

Wouldn't your dog and my cat be included in "the creation"? Wouldn't this imply that "the creation" will be "set free" from "it's bondage to corruption" at the revelation of the sons of God.

My cat would like to obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. She didn't have anything to do with bringing a curse on the earth.

Here is a very good chapter from a book by C.S.Lewis that was recently posted in another thread: Why do animals do suffer?

I like the author's theory, it sure is unique.

IX. ANIMAL PAIN

"Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

 

[SeventyOne]

I think I saw a post on this a while back, or even commented on it but I can't recall now. Anyway, we had to put down our dog recently who's been with us many years. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. My wife and I were both by her side as they administered the medication and she went peacefully and it was a rather quick process.

We were both tore up for most of the night and the following day but as each day passes it becomes a little easier to cope with.

My wife asked me if we'd see her again and I wasn't sure how to respond. She mentioned a "Rainbow Bridge" apparently where pets cross but I've never heard of that.

Is there anything in scripture that talks about animals, or pets in Heaven? I certainly hope so! If not, why does God place animals in our life that we love, only to pass away, never to be seen again? That is what I struggle with.

It doesn't say anything about our pets, and that's neither good or bad. We simply don't know. Maybe He'll give them back to us in the new earth, maybe not. No one can say definitively one way or the other.

 

[“Paisios”]

In case anyone else was interested, I checked and the heavenly vision I was referring to in Post #6 is right here. The actual quote is on P.60 (in the hardcover).

The paperback can be purchased here for under $10:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/13254803...75035&wl11=online&wl12=13254803&wl13=&veh=sem

Thank you for that reference.

 

[Dave Watchman]

Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

Do you think this is talking about literal dogs? That would be like saying "outside are the cats", or "outside are the parakeets". It doesn't make any sense. What did the canines do wrong?

Didn't the old time Jews used to call the gentiles "dogs"?

"For dogs encompass me;
a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—​

Were literal dogs circled around Jesus?

That up there looks like a Hebrew couplet.

The "dogs" and the "evildoers" are the same thing.

Here's an easier one.

"Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.​

It's a Hebrew couplet. The gates and the doors are the same thing.

“Do not give dogs what is holy,
and do not throw your pearls before pigs,
lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.​

Again, I don't think Jesus is talking about farm animals here.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Thank you for that reference.

You're welcome.

 

[Hidden In Him]

This portion of Romans probably deserves some unpacking, by the real theologians, and may hint at the answer to our questions here as well:

"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
Wouldn't your dog and my cat be included in "the creation"? Wouldn't this imply that "the creation" will be "set free" from "it's bondage to corruption" at the revelation of the sons of God.

Enjoyed your posts. And I do have to agree that @bbbbbbb's post was kinda begging to be addressed. He normally reads fairly sound in his theology (I read through some of his posts), but in that one he comes off like a closet Muslim or something, LoL.

Should you read this post, no offense bbbbbbb. I have no problems with anyone taking a contrary position. As stated, the scriptures don't actually say one way or the other. But using that passage of scripture to prove your argument was a real stretch.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

It's just a dog. It's not hard at all for God to give you your dog back. If you really want your dog when you get to Heaven, do you really think God will keep it from you? He can build you a mansion in Heaven, and he can rebuild your dog.