DO PETS GO TO HEAVEN?
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Will our pets be in Heaven with us? Do animals go to heaven when they die and if not, will they exist after Jesus returns to the earth?
a) Before we tackle the issue of pets and heaven, it is interesting to note that animals play a unique role in the Bible. After his creation, the first specific task graciously given to Adam was to name all the animals (including birds - Genesis 2:19). This task was also the very first project both God and man worked on together. The Bible records that not only did our loving Creator bring animals to Adam, he was willing to refer to the animals by whatever name the first man gave them!
b0 God certainly cared for the needs of the animals he created. When he gave his holy laws to the children of Israel, he specifically stated that they, as well as humans, were to rest on the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8 - 10). He also commanded that beasts used to help make food for man be allowed to eat some of the produce they worked on (Deuteronomy 25:4).
c) Regarding pets in heaven, we need to first consider whether or not HUMANS will be there! When Jesus gave his well-known message called the Sermon on the Mount, he stated the righteous ("meek") would inherit the EARTH (Matthew 5:5).
d) Jesus was the ONLY person who had ascended to heaven and had returned (John 3:13) at the time He spoke to Nicodemus. Even after the resurrection of Jesus, King David had not ascended to any heavenly realm, according to the message Peter gave on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:29, 34).
e) Another issue is that nature is not an end in itself, unlike what many religious and philosophical environmentalists believe. Rather, the world of plants and animals serves the purposes of the master plan of God, who created nature for His overriding purposes.
f) Notice, for example, that when the new heavens and new earth are made that there is no longer any sea.
i) "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was NO MORE SEA." (Revelation 21:1)
g) Presumably, then, there will be no more whales or even fish. It may be that "saving the whales" from men driving them into extinction (not to say that's a good idea!) would only give them (say) a 1,100 year or so reprieve.
h) Animals will exist during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Those that are carnivores will be made docile like pets and eat plant-based food ("Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats." - Isaiah 11:6). They will live on the earth, NOT in heaven, as only beings composed of spirit live there (see 1Corinthians 2:11). Men will live with them on the planet, but not in the eternal state after the new heavens and earth are created (which is one of the mysterious parts of the Bible).
The End ...
1. Will our pets be in Heaven with us? Do animals go to heaven when they die and if not, will they exist after Jesus returns to the earth? a) Before we tackle the issue of pets and heaven, it is interesting to note that animals play a unique role in the Bible. After his creation, the first specific task graciously given to Adam was to name all the animals (including birds - Genesis 2:19). This task was also the very first project both God and man worked on together. The Bible records that not only did our loving Creator bring animals to Adam, he was willing to refer to the animals by whatever name the first man gave them!
b0 God certainly cared for the needs of the animals he created. When he gave his holy laws to the children of Israel, he specifically stated that they, as well as humans, were to rest on the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8 - 10). He also commanded that beasts used to help make food for man be allowed to eat some of the produce they worked on (Deuteronomy 25:4).
c) Regarding pets in heaven, we need to first consider whether or not HUMANS will be there! When Jesus gave his well-known message called the Sermon on the Mount, he stated the righteous ("meek") would inherit the EARTH (Matthew 5:5).
d) Jesus was the ONLY person who had ascended to heaven and had returned (John 3:13) at the time He spoke to Nicodemus. Even after the resurrection of Jesus, King David had not ascended to any heavenly realm, according to the message Peter gave on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:29, 34).
e) Another issue is that nature is not an end in itself, unlike what many religious and philosophical environmentalists believe. Rather, the world of plants and animals serves the purposes of the master plan of God, who created nature for His overriding purposes.
f) Notice, for example, that when the new heavens and new earth are made that there is no longer any sea.
i) "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was NO MORE SEA." (Revelation 21:1)
g) Presumably, then, there will be no more whales or even fish. It may be that "saving the whales" from men driving them into extinction (not to say that's a good idea!) would only give them (say) a 1,100 year or so reprieve.
h) Animals will exist during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Those that are carnivores will be made docile like pets and eat plant-based food ("Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats." - Isaiah 11:6). They will live on the earth, NOT in heaven, as only beings composed of spirit live there (see 1Corinthians 2:11). Men will live with them on the planet, but not in the eternal state after the new heavens and earth are created (which is one of the mysterious parts of the Bible).
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