What does the Bible say about our pets and Heaven?
Q: Dr. Mike, we simply love our pets (dog & cat)! What does the Bible say about our pets and Heaven?
A: The answer to this question [sort of] takes the same path as a previous one, on whether God abhors ‘Cremation’ ” as opposed to ceremonial burial? The Word of God doesn’t speak for or against the soul of an animal, nor whether or not “ALL” pets go to Heaven!
However, we do find throughout sacred Scripture that God breathed the “breath of life” into all living creatures – small and great, with the major difference being that human beings (mankind) is made in the image and likeness of our creator God (Himself), as outlined in Genesis 1:26-27. God is a triune God: Father in creation, Son in redemption, and Holy Spirit operating in the church. And mankind is a triune being: consisting of three parts—spirit, soul, and body. The soul of mankind consists of the will, mind, emotions, and intellect; and the Bible talks in detail about the spirit of man, living on beyond the grave. Nowhere in Scripture does it talk about the spirit, soul and will of an animal.
In past years, when this question was very prevalent throughout Christendom, I remembered reading a Bible passage in one of the translations, about God and animals, and it stated, “At death, the spirit of animals return back to the mind of God.” My thought became, I can understand the reasoning behind that interpretation, because animals/pets wouldn’t add any benefit nor serve any purpose, in the New Jerusalem—the City of God, where the saints will reside at the end of this age. Animals add joy to our lives here on this physical earth; but, once we receive our resurrected glorified bodies, we won’t need animals to add joy to our lives, because the word of God said, the glory of God will be our joy.
In conclusion, the most we can say is this: since animals were a part of God’s original creative process, in the Book of Genesis, therein lies the possibility that animals will be a part of the new recreated earth outlined in Revelation 21.
Comments (2)
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Paul A. Moye
Amen I agree Dr. Mike. The bible talks about non human creatures in heaven. We see in Ezekiel the 4 living creatures. Although they are a type and shadow of new testament ministries possibly-with all the things we see that God has created it wouldn’t surprise me if there were a variety non human creatures that could be assigned to those who desired them for pets. John saw horses coming out of heaven. I know it’s a prophetic picture but think about it God is not only creator and maker He is perpetually creator and maker. We may not be able to have marriage n it’s accommodations to give us joy but we may have a host of other things to occupy throughout eternity.U never know.
Michael W. Waithe
Great question and answer Dr. Mike. I can agree that everything that we see on earth that was originally created by God BEFORE the fall of man was a part of God’s original plan for a perfect world and therefore the animals existed in that world and will be in the new earth.