I thought for this PS’s Pondering I would address a question that has be asked a few times. One thing I wonder about Heaven is… Will there be animals in Heaven, Is there a Pet Heaven (from little Hazel Miller :), Will my pet be in Heaven with me?
Will there be animals in Heaven? You betcha! Animals are mentioned often in the Bible in relation to Heaven. Horses are mentioned repeatedly. Isaiah tells us: “In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow.” Isaiah 11:6-7 NLT
I find it compelling that God inspired Isaiah to name specific animals as being part of Heaven, as well as including that in some cases, their nature would be changed. The Lion eating grass… the wolf not hunting the lamb… cows not afraid of bears. Remember, God is going to redeem ALL of His Creation — and since animals are part of His Creation, then they will be part of the New Earth. If God saved animals from the Great Flood, then it only makes sense that he will save and restore animals in Heaven. He could have just started all over again with animals like he did everything else… but he saved them.
Did you know this? In the Genesis 2 account of the creation of people the Hebrew word NEPHESH is used to communicate that God breathed life into people. The idea of God breathing life into people is one of the reasons we understand that people have an eternal soul. But interestingly enough, God uses the same word in Genesis 1, NEPHESH, to describe that he breathed life into animals when he created them.
Animals are the second highest form of life that God created on Earth, and He has breathed life into them just as he did people. Now, animals are not created in the image of God like people are… but is it possible that animals have a soul?
Actually it wasn’t until the 18th century that animals having souls was ever questioned in the Church. Is it possible that God planted a soul within animals? Certainly — although we cannot say that definitively.
Now the Bible is clear that humans and animals are different. God has made Humanity in his image to know and worship Him, but I think it is a safe assumption to say that God values animals more highly than we do — and the New Heaven and the New Earth will be teeming with them!
How about my Pet? I had a pet — my sweet Lab, Molly, that I would love to see again in Heaven. Is that possible? (I also have one or two that I would be happy to let you have, he he) Naturally the Bible doesn’t say anything about someone’s pet being in Heaven, and so we cannot answer that question with certainty.
But, just out of curiosity and wonder, ponder this… “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:9-11 NLT
Ok, time out, PS! Are you saying that Jesus was talking about PETS in His sermon on the Mount? Of course not. He was talking about His gracious Father loving to give good gifts to His Children. Wouldn’t it be just like the gracious, loving, giving and compassionate God to restore a pet to one of His children in Heaven someday… if they but asked?
C.S. Lewis has a very interesting take on this thought. “It seems to me possible that certain animals may have an immortality, not in themselves, but in the immortality of their masters… if any do, and if it is agreeable to the goodness of God… they should live again…” C.S. Lewis — The Great Divorce
Past Pets in Heaven? Who knows… but I wouldn’t put it past our ABBA Father.
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