Do all liviging things go to heaven? Pets? Animals?

[rhawk]

ChristianForCats said something in another tread that gave me pause for thought and I did not feel it was right to post it in the original thread as it starts to go off topic of the original subject and post. So here is my spin off of it.

FWIW know that all animals go to heaven. Whether you give Daisy to God or He takes her away, you will see her again when your time comes.

I generally agree, but I am still trying to reconcile some questions. If I believe all pets/wanted animals go to heaven I am satisfied. My issues and questions come into play with "all animals". Then I have to ask, what about all living things? Do trees go to heaven? How about the fly I just slapped? How about the 300,000 bacterium I just killed by taking my medication? The 10,000 member ant colony the exterminator killed? All the random and unknown things I have stepped on and killed without knowing?

I just do not see value for everything going to heaven unless it was wanted and loved by a human.​

 

[Mel333]

Maybe think about it in terms of restoration. Maybe heaven is about restoring what was meant to be without death. So what was once created, he could revive and restore back to its intended purpose.

Maybe the fly does come back. Maybe your fav cat does. I would assume God can do anything. Afterall, he made the sun and all those huge crazy planets floating out there and air and all the things that one cannot explain.

I'm sure he could invent new things too or bring anything back to life anything as he is life itself.

 

[GodsGrace101]

ChristianForCats said something in another tread that gave me pause for thought and I did not feel it was right to post it in the original thread as it starts to go off topic of the original subject and post. So here is my spin off of it.


I generally agree, but I am still trying to reconcile some questions. If I believe all pets/wanted animals go to heaven I am satisfied. My issues and questions come into play with "all animals". Then I have to ask, what about all living things? Do trees go to heaven? How about the fly I just slapped? How about the 300,000 bacterium I just killed by taking my medication? The 10,000 member ant colony the exterminator killed? All the random and unknown things I have stepped on and killed without knowing?

I just do not see value for everything going to heaven unless it was wanted and loved by a human.​

Hi R,

I wish animals went to heaven.
I have two cats I really like a lot and they like me back.

I do believe that only living things with a spirit could go to heaven since that is what connects us with God.

Everything has a body, and a soul. Even animals have souls; that's why each one is different.

But animals do not have a spirit...we do.
They don't know about God.

OTOH, who can know for sure?
Maybe if it makes us happier God will let them in?

However, I DID have a cat once that is DEFINITELY NOT going to heaven!
LOL

 

[Jeshu]

People have a hard time letting go of what they love so they take it with them to heaven, pets are no different. The bible however does not teach that animals go to heaven the opposite is true.

Psalm 49:20
People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.

2 Peter2:12
But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.

 

[carp614]

Maybe, maybe not. I don't know.

I do think they could be with us in the Millennial Kingdom. Imagine cleaning a litter box for a thousand years. Yuck. My cat is about 20 and I will miss her terribly when she is gone. But the day the litter box goes in the trash will be a good day indeed.

Pets can are idols for some people. If they distract from the Lord, it probably says something about our fallen nature. When our nature changes in heaven, perhaps our desire for pets will be washed away with our sin?

I know I will have a chance to find out!

 

[Stranger36147]

Imagine if there was a Hell for animals, particularly dogs. :O

 

[Albion]

ChristianForCats said something in another tread that gave me pause for thought and I did not feel it was right to post it in the original thread as it starts to go off topic of the original subject and post. So here is my spin off of it.

I generally agree, but I am still trying to reconcile some questions. If I believe all pets/wanted animals go to heaven I am satisfied. My issues and questions come into play with "all animals". Then I have to ask, what about all living things? Do trees go to heaven? How about the fly I just slapped? How about the 300,000 bacterium I just killed by taking my medication? The 10,000 member ant colony the exterminator killed? All the random and unknown things I have stepped on and killed without knowing?

I just do not see value for everything going to heaven unless it was wanted and loved by a human.​

We believe that humans have an eternal soul because we are told in Genesis that Man was created in the image and likeness of God. There is no comparable statement in Scripture about other forms of life.

 

[rhawk]

I do think that our loved pets will be with us. Not much else. It gets too muddied if you include all living things and that would imply that a cold virus is in heaven and thus colds exist there. Sort of ruins the idea of heaven.

IF you also think our pets will be in heaven as well, how might that work? Do they gain intelligence and become as smart as us? If so, that would seem to change the relationship you had with the pet moving forward.

I just know that my pets will join me one day, but the details are confusing enough to cause me headaches.

 

[Andrew77]

There is nothing to suggest that Animals were made in the image of G-d, or that animals will have a specific eternity that they go to.

 

[Joined2krist]

I think they will. In the book of Job, God proudly spoke about them, it was clear that animals are loved by Him as well. Even for their sake, a city wasn't destroyed because God said there were innocent animals and kids there, Noah was also asked to rescue animals while humans died because they didn't listen. I think God has a special place for them in heaven

 

[GodLovesCats]

We believe that humans have an eternal soul because we are told in Genesis that Man was created in the image and likeness of God. There is no comparable statement in Scripture about other forms of life.

Does the Bible specifically state only creatures with souls can go to heaven?
Does the Bible expressly limit animals with souls to humans?

 

[GodLovesCats]

I think they will. In the book of Job, God proudly spoke about them, it was clear that animals are loved by Him as well. Even for their sake, a city wasn't destroyed because God said there were innocent animals and kids there, Noah was also asked to rescue animals while humans died because they didn't listen. I think God has a special place for them in heaven

A common belief is all animals are innocent except humans because only people know what sins are. The only creatures who committed sins in the Garden of Eden were two people and a serpent. What do you as a Christian and animal lover think?

 

[LoricaLady]

Solomon himself could not fully answer that question. He said we don't know if people go up (to Heaven) or animals go down (to the pit.) We can't see inside their souls. And he used the word "nephesh" which means a spirit, for both people and humans.

In Heaven we see animals are there. For one thing, when Messiah returns He does so on a white horse with with an army behind Him riding white horses. In Revelation we see an eagle in Heaven making a verbal pronouncement.

Many people,including children, who have been revived in near death (sometimes just dead, clinically) experiences say animals are in Heaven and that they saw former pets there. Some report that they talk, just like that eagle!

The best description, and Biblical support for that,which I have seen, is from Dean Braxton. He was dead for 1 3/4 hours, with well documented absence of any heart beat or respiration during that time. In a CBN vid you can hear his emergency care doctor saying "It is a miracle...." that he is now alive and normal in every way. His most extensive report on animals, and Heaven in general, is seen on the Prophecy Club You Tube channel (not a channel I generally take seriously, but this guy has the documentation to back up what he says, plus Biblical references.)

If anyone wants to argue about any of this, sorry, not interested This isn't a debate forum. I've probably already heard your disclaimers and, frankly, don't believe them anyway.

The Bible tells us to be considerate of our animals. Braxton said that if you make it to Heaven and maltreated any animal "You are going to hear about it."

 

[hedrick]

We believe that humans have an eternal soul because we are told in Genesis that Man was created in the image and likeness of God. There is no comparable statement in Scripture about other forms of life.

I'll give you an argument that's not completely convincing but suggestive: In the prophets there are visions of the new earth. In most of the Bible, including the Rev, we end up with a new earth rather than "going to heaven." One attribute of the new earth is that the lion and lamb lie together. Now this may be symbolic, obviously, but it could mean there are animals there.

 

[Albion]

Does the Bible specifically state only creatures with souls can go to heaven?
Does the Bible expressly limit animals with souls to humans?

You can always hope.

There just isn't anything that suggests that your pet will be reunited with you in the afterlife. However, what may be the most often cited Biblical 'proof' for the idea that animals will be in the afterlife when we get there...is related to what Hedrick has just pointed to..

In the Book of Revelation, John sees and describes heaven. There are animals. The mounts of the four horsemen, for instance.

 

[GodLovesCats]

You can always hope.

There just isn't anything that suggests that your pet will be reunited with you in the afterlife. However, what may be the most often cited Biblical 'proof' for the idea that animals (although not necessarily our pets) will be in the afterlife when we get there...and Hedrick has just name it.

In the Book of Revelation, John sees and describes heaven. There are animals.

If any animals go from Earth to heaven our pets certainly would be included. It would make no sense if an all-loving God who created all animals left my kitties behind, giving me only things like worms and bugs. A few Bible verses would definitely help me because right now hope is all I have.

 

[hedrick]

I'll give you another passage that is also suggestive but not a proof. In Gen 2, God puts man in a garden with animals. This is before the Fall. Paul, and in some sense the Rev, see redemption as reversing the Fall. If that's true, we go back to a garden with animals.

 

[LoricaLady]

If any animals go from Earth to heaven our pets certainly would be included. It would make no sense if an all-loving God who created all animals left my kitties behind, giving me only things like worms and bugs. A few Bible verses would definitely help me because right now hope is all I have.

In the vid I referenced above, Braxton gives some Bible verses.

 

[Albion]

If any animals go from Earth to heaven our pets certainly would be included. It would make no sense if an all-loving God who created all animals left my kitties behind, giving me only things like worms and bugs. A few Bible verses would definitely help me because right now hope is all I have.

It seems to me that it would be all or none. The fact that some of us have a special liking for some animals wouldn't seem to be what determines anything like a soul.

 

[LoricaLady]

P.S. I looked up the vid for you, or anyway part 1. This is just the audio. You can also see a very short version of Braxton's medical story on a CBN vid, with the doctor I mentioned. I think Part 2 or Part 3 will have the Bible verses you want.