Does The Bible Say Animals Will Be In Heaven

Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot pulled past horses (2 Kings 2:11). We're told there are horses in heaven (Revelation 6:2-8; 19:11). In fact, in that location are lots of horses, enough for the vast armies of heaven to ride (Revelation 19:11; two Kings 6:17).

Other animals aren't mentioned in the Revelation passages, presumably because they don't play a office in Christ'due south 2nd coming (an army bringing deliverance rides horses, non Dalmatians or hedgehogs). But isn't information technology likely that since there are innumerable horses in heaven there are all kinds of other animals too? Why wouldn't at that place be? Why would we expect horses to exist the only animals? If there were no other animals, there wouldn't be horses.

In Isaiah 65:17 God refers to creating a New Heavens and a New Globe. In subsequent verses the text seems to movement dorsum and forth from the millennial kingdom to the New Earth. God makes clear he volition take animals living there–either in the millennium or the New Earth or both (Isaiah 65:25).

Some also argue for animals being in heaven based on Ecclesiastes iii:19-21, which says "Human being's fate is like that of the animals...all go to the aforementioned place." However, in the larger context of Ecclesiastes Solomon is merely talking virtually the outward appearance of death. Men and animals both die and we can't encounter where they go. Scripture tells u.s. elsewhere, however, that homo has an eternal soul. Information technology tells us he goes i of two places at decease. Animals are not said to take eternal souls. They are not said to relocate when they dice. The presumption would be that at death they cease to exist.

All the same, this doesn't mean honey animals won't exist in heaven. I once read Billy Graham'southward response to a piffling girl's question, "Will my dog who died this calendar week be in heaven?" Graham replied, "If it would make yous any happier, and then yes, he volition be." Animals aren't about as valuable equally people, but God is their maker and has touched many people's lives through them. Information technology would be unproblematic for Him to recreate a pet in sky. I run into no reason to believe he wouldn't if it would bring his children pleasure.

Romans 8:eighteen-22 says that the whole creation was field of study to suffering and futility considering of human sin. The cosmos groans in longing for the liberation that will come to humans, and thereby to all creation itself. Creation is under man's dominion and will share the rewards of his redemption only as it shared the punishment for his sin. Animals are a central part of that creation, adjacent to man himself the most significant office. Later on all, besides his wife, Adam was called upon to give names only to one other office of the creation–the animals (Genesis 2:19-20). He worked the garden, but he wasn't invited to name the vegetation. Clearly, the animals had sure qualities that set them above other creation. They were to be special to man, and his naming them makes his connexion with them personal.

Heaven If the New World is all the all-time of the old earth and more than, then we should expect information technology to comprise animals. If animals weren't part of the New Earth, this would seem an obvious oversight. Eden was ruined through sin and will exist restored through Christ'south reign of righteousness. All that was part of Eden, and then made incorrect through the sin of the first Adam, we would expect to be office of the New Globe, made right through the virtue of the Second Adam.

Would God accept away from us in sky what he gave, for delight and companionship and assistance, to Adam and Eve in Eden? Would he revoke his earlier conclusion to put animals with human being, and under man's intendance? If he remakes the New Earth with new men (who look very much like the former men, only perfect), wouldn't we expect him also to brand new animals (who volition presumably look similar the old animals, only perfect)?

For more data on the subject of Heaven, see Randy Alcorn'due south book Heaven.

Source: https://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Feb/3/will-there-be-animals-heaven/

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