All God's Creatures

If you have ever owned a pet, you know the feeling when they're alive. They're always there for you, without fail. Dogs, cats, birds, and horses show excitement at seeing you, and want attention as soon as you reach them. Quieter animals such as turtles, fish, and snakes aren't quite as able to show excitement, but they do sit and listen to you if you need to rant to someone - someone who can't talk back, or argue, or hurt (whether intentionally or not).

Sela, my best friend and big sister of eleven years; she passed away in February of 2012.

If there are going to be animals in Heaven (unless someone wants to dispute what this verse is saying?), why should our pets not be there as well? Does it matter whether they have souls or not? I don't think so - because there will clearly be animals in Heaven regardless, according to that verse. Why would God have regular, normal animals in Heaven, but not our pets whom we loved and whom - if He truly does have a hand in everything that happens, as so many people say - He gave us in the first place?

When they pass away it feels like, at the very least, you've lost a friend. With some who have no one else, it's as though they've lost their soulmate, their sister or brother. Before you tell me that's ridiculous, you can just stop. I've experienced it firsthand, as has my mom. We know our emotions, and anyone who tells me that the loss of an animal cannot hurt as much as losing a beloved family member doesn't understand my emotional structure or my mother's.

That said, when such a thing happens, many often wonder - will we see our pets again, in Heaven someday?

I believe we will. I believe they do go to Heaven.

I will be giving a Bible passage or two in order to back up my claims, and discuss each passage accordingly. I hope that it will be an encouragement to those missing the animals they love, and something to think about for people who believe pets will not be in Heaven.

One passage in the Bible is Isaiah 65:25:

The wolf and the lamb will feed together,

    and the lion will eat straw like the ox,

    and dust will be the serpent’s food.

They will neither harm nor destroy

    on all my holy mountain,”

says the Lord. (NASB)

Let's take a look at that verse for a few moments, shall we? There will be animals in the afterlife, whether it's Heaven or the New Earth (or both, if you're one of the people who consider them one and the same; I know some who think of them as different places).

Some people have said to me, "Your pets won't be in Heaven. Jesus did not die for rats, dogs, and other animals; they don't have souls!"

If animals don't have souls, then why do they have to be held to the law that says Jesus needed to die for you? Animals, since they are - as many people like to remind me - 'soulless and not human', should be held to different standards, should they not? Just something to think about. Also, since they cannot know 'what is right', as people say, then they also cannot know 'what is wrong'. Going off of this, I would imagine that this is somewhat (not totally) similar to an infant dying - it is too young to know right from wrong, so it must not be going to Heaven, right? Wrong.

(Please note that I am only comparing the concept of right and wrong between animals and infants, not the presence of a soul, before you rebuke me for comparing humans and animals [which I will continue to do in my own life, but shall keep out of this blog article].)

Another argument people use (though considerably less often) is that God does not love animals, and thus, they will not be in Heaven (or something like that). In response to that, I share this verse - Matthew 10:29:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. (NASB)

And then there is this verse, Matthew 6:26: 

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (NASB)

From those verses, I basically take away that God clearly cares enough about birds (and most likely other animals) to feed them, and take the time to see when one of them falls to the ground. 

So anyone who says that God doesn't care about animals or love them should re-think that idea. He clearly does care, otherwise He would leave them to die without watching them or feeding them. Not only that, but if He didn't care about them, why would He put them on Earth in the first place? Something to think about.

I have a few more Bible passages to share with you before you go. Take a look at Ecclesiastes 3:19-21:

 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? (NASB)

Looking at those verses, they seem to be telling us that we do not know whether animals will go to Heaven or not. The first part mentions that 'all have the same breath'. According to an article I've read, 'breath of life' has been translated to 'soul' before; just an interesting tidbit. And it says quite clearly - "There is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. All go to the same place."

Is that same place Heaven? Most of my mind believes that it is. Though that is disregarding Hell, so I am still considering the meaning of 'the same place' and whether it means the afterlife in general, Heaven, or just 'the dust'.

In that vein, Revelation 21:5 states:

 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true. (NASB)

"Behold, I am making all things new". All things would also include animals, would it not? I don't see why it wouldn't. What does 'all things' entail, if you believe that animals are not included?

And then there is Romans 8:20-21:

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (NASB)

"...that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God." Are animals a part of the creation or aren't they? You can't honestly believe that humans are the only part of Creation - and thus the only things, living or not, who will be set free from corruption.

I do believe that's all I have to say on the matter. I hope I made you think about the subject more than you normally would, whether you believe animals will be in Heaven or not. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Until next time,

Theodora Ashcraft