Will Pets (and Other Animals) Greet Us in Heaven?

Dan Story photograph
 

Part Four:  “If the Bible Says Animals Will Inhabit Heaven, Will More

                           People Be Drawn to Christ?”

A friend recently told me about a pastor who declared to his congregation, during a Sunday sermon, that animals will not be in heaven. This bothered me for several reasons. For one, the pastor’s comment was unnecessary and insensitive—considering the millions of people who grieve over the possibility of never seeing their pets again. But it was also without biblical justification (as this series will show). It was merely an assumption. But in this case even worse; his comment chased away a spiritual seeker who was attending the service. This person was an environmental scientist, so obviously had strong feelings about the animal world.

This may not be a very good reason to walk away from church, and I pray this person will reconsider and return. But this account did cause me to reflect on why I’m writing this series of articles. And because of this, I’m taking a short detour in this article to explain why the eternal destiny of animals is important to me.  I actually have several reasons for writing this series, but there are two in particular.

First, I want an answer to the question of animal immortality myself. Little has been written on this subject and, to be honest, what I’ve read has been mostly fluff: personal opinions and assumptions with little theological justification. Most people who comment on this issue are like the pastor above—but with the opposite view. Instead of stating emphatically that animals will not be in heaven, as the pastor did, they state emphatically that animals (pets in particular) will be in heaven. But like the pastor, their opinion has little or no biblical justification. So, one of my goals for writing this series of articles is to provide a comprehensive, well-researched, theological, and even scientific study of this issue.

But there is another reason I’m writing these articles, and the incident of a person  leaving church because a pastor denied animal immortality opened my eyes to it.

For most of the past thirty years, my ministry has been Christian apologetics. Through my books and articles, and occasional classes and talks, I answer the tough questions that critics raise to challenge Christianity. I also try to remove the doubts of genuine spiritual seekers. So almost everything I write is related to apologetics, even if it’s not my specific purpose. Moreover, if you read the brief biography in my website, you will also see that I  have had a great love for nature and all things wild, lonely, and beautifully since I was a child. This has played out in dozens of articles on wildlife and even a book (Where Wild Things Live). More recently, I’ve written articles and a book on Christian environmentalism (Should Christians Be Environmentalists?). So, in retrospect, it seems natural to me that I took up the case of animal immortality—but with an apologetic slant.

Here’s why I’m sharing this. As a Christian apologist, I understand that there are myriad reasons why non-Christians fail to give Christianity a fair hearing. More often than not, they reject it even before considering the incredible amount of objective and historical facts supporting it. The above story of a spiritual seeker’s disillusion with church because the pastor said animals will not be in heaven may seem trivial to some Christians, but it was this person’s particular issue. It was real and important to her. And in light of the fact that millions and millions of other Americans are also concerned with the eternal destiny of their beloved pets (and for nature lovers like myself, all animals) this isn’t a trivial issue—it’s a huge issue.

Evangelists and apologists in today’s postmodern world are seeking culturally relevant points of contact with unbelievers. By “points of contact” I mean areas of common concern and interest that both Christians and non-Christians share. These points of contact can be starting points for dialogue, stepping stone that can lead to sharing the Christian world and life view. For example, my writings and talks on Christian environmentalism is a point of contact because global environmental degradation is “top of the list” of concerns for young people today. I likewise believe the question of the eternal fate of pets and other animals can serve a similar apologetic and evangelistic point of contact. Hence, the other reason I’m writing this series of articles. I believe that people who love their pets and wildlife may be moved to consider Christianity if they understand we have something relevant to say on this issue. We have the probable answer to the eternal fate of their pets and other animals.

By pointing out that a strong biblical case can be made that God’s people (i.e. Christians) will be reunited with their beloved pets in heaven (and that wild animals will inhabit it too) just may be the point of contact some people need to open the door for productive dialogue with Christians. So, my hope is that readers will take this topic seriously. It just may prevent someone else from walking away from church—or draw a spiritual seeker to consider Jesus Christ. (I’ll give Jesus’ view of animals in a later article.)

Next week I’ll get back on topic and give specific examples of how God shows His love for animals. This biblical insight will help skeptics see that animals—both wild and domestic (including pets)—are important to God, and because of this there is every reason to believe He will extend His love for them into the next life.

^*  The blog articles in this series are adapted from copyrighted material and may not  be reproduced in book or article form, either electronically or in print, without my written permission. But feel free to send links to these articles, with a brief introduction, to your personal email list, Facebook friends and groups, or other people who may enjoy them. Or post a link on your own website. If you would like to be added to my personal blog email list (people who receive an email notice whenever I post a new blog article), contact me through my website: www.danstory.net.

Will Our Pets (and other Animals) Greet Us in Heaven?

Steve McSparran photograph

Part Three: 

“Does God Love Animals As Much As He Loves Humans?”

Let’s be clear about this up front. The answer is no; God does not love animals as much as He loves humans. Only people were created in God’s image (Gen. 1:27). We are the “crown” of creation (Ps. 8:4-6) and of more value to God than animals (Matt. 12:11-12; Luke 12:6-7). But the psalmist also points out that God preserves both man and beast (Ps. 36:6). And Jesus said that not a sparrow falls to the ground that God isn’t aware of it (Matt. 10:29). God tells us that He feeds the ravens of the field and all the other creatures on earth (Ps. 145:16; 147:9).

If the title question above is, “Does God Loves Animals Independently of Humans?” the answer would be an emphatic, yes! And understanding this is the first step in developing a comprehensive theology affirming the likelihood of animal immortality; that is, today’s earthbound animals will inhabit the “new heavens and earth” prophesized in both the Old and New Testaments (Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:1; cf. Isa. 11:6-9).

Look at it like this. If God created, loves, provides for, enjoys, and bestows (at least on sentient animals) immortal souls—and I will show in a future blog article that He does—it seems likely God will redeemed them along with His people at the end of this present age. Certainly Paul seems to imply as much in Romans 8: 21: “All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay” (i.e. the “curse,” NLT). This seems even more likely when we consider that animals were cursed as part of the consequences of mankind’s rebellion against God and technically not fallen (Gen. 3:17). Rather they are victims of human sin. Thus, they have no need for a savior, at least in the sense that humans do. Again, Paul implies this in the Romans 8:19-23 passage.

I’ll explain all this in more detail later. For now, I need to lay a foundation for the following couple of articles, which will show that God does love animals independently of humans. The best way to do this is to survey God’s perspective on non-human life. My goal is to demonstrate in Scripture that God does indeed love, provide for, and enjoy earthly animals independent (but not equal to or above) His love, provision, and joy in humans. If so, why would He not continue this love on into the next life, as He does with His people? There is no biblical or rational reason He won’t!

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it”

This statement in Psalm 24:1 is key to understanding God’s perspective on non-human life. People do not own the earth. God does—and everything else He created. This is plainly stated in other passages in the Bible. Centuries before David penned Psalm 24, Moses wrote in Deuteronomy, “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it” (10:14). Everything means everything, and everything includes animals. In fact God specifically emphasized his ownership of the animal kingdom: “Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine” (Ps. 50:10-11).

The Bible mentions dozens of animals by name, and even in antiquity biblical characters recognized their inherent value. King Solomon “taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish” (1 Kings 4:33). Job told his accusers that people can learn from fish, birds, and other animals (12:7–8). Furthermore, God often used animals for His own purposes. When He instructed the prophet Elijah to go into hiding, He used ravens to bring him food (1 Kings 17:1–6). God used a great fish to save Jonah’s life (Jon. 1:17) and a small fish to provide the money for Jesus and Peter to pay the temple tax (Matt. 17:24–27). In the account of Balaam and his donkey, it was the donkey—not Balaam—that saw the angel sent to prevent Balaam from doing evil (Num. 22). Jesus used the sparrow and raven as illustrations in spiritual lessons (Luke 12: 6-7, 24). It’s noteworthy that Jesus chose birds for His illustrations that people generally considered insignificant (the sparrow) or devious (the raven). Perhaps most remarkable of all, wild animals accompanied Jesus during His temptation in the wilderness (Mark 1:13). We’ll examine this amazing passage in a later article.          

This is all the space for now. Next week we’ll see more specific examples of how God oversees and provides for wild animals, and we’ll discover that much of what occurs in the lives of wildlife is beyond human observation or awareness. Only God is present to observe the events in animal lives. All this biblical data will help you to see that animals—both wild and domesticated (including pets)—are important to God. But the question remains, are they important enough that they will “greet” us in heaven? I’ll continue to build my case that they are—which is the thesis of this entire series.

^*  The blog articles in this series are adapted from copyrighted material and may not  be reproduced in book or article form, either electronically or in print, without my written permission. But feel free to send links to these articles, with a brief introduction, to your personal email list, Facebook friends and groups, or other people who may enjoy them. Or post a link on your own website. If you would like to be added to my personal blog email list (people who receive an email notice whenever I post a new blog article), contact me through my website: www.danstory.net.

Will Our Pets (and other Animals) Greet Us in Heaven?

Dan Story photograph

Part Two:  “Why Did God Create So Many Animals if Only a 

                      Few of Them Benefit People?”  *

           

I recently heard the host of a well-known, nationally broadcast, talk radio program make this statement: “There is no reason for animals to exist unless people exist.”  Although there is no doubt that God had the human race in mind when He created the earth (Ps. 115:16) and that humans are the “crown” of creation (Ps. 8:4-8), his comment was both  presumptuous and overly human-centered. Nor can it be substantiated in Scripture. As we move along in this series, I will demonstrate that animals are extremely important to God. In fact much of the earth was created to be a home for wild animals.

Nevertheless, the pundit’s remark does raise a valid question. Did God create all the animals that inhabit the planet solely for human use and pleasure? To it put differently, if animals have no purpose except to serve people, why did God create so many varieties that have absolutely no instrumental value for humans?

To answer these questions, we must begin with the Bible’s earliest comments on the relationship between humans and animals.

According to the biblical narrative, God created animals and the first humans on the same day—and in that order. Sometime afterwards He placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to “work it and take care of it” (Gen. 2:15). Because it was “not good for the man to be alone,” God brought “all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air” for Adam to name and to be his “helper” (18-19). We’re not told how long, but for a spell animals were Adam’s only companions. God knew all along, however, that animals would not be a “suitable helper” for Adam, so God created Eve (20b-22).

At this point in incipient human history, assuming the Genesis narrative is in chronological order, animals continued to be the first couple’s only companions, until Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden and had children (3:23 - 4:2). In fact humans and animals probably continued to enjoy peaceful relationships for many generations beyond Adam and Eve. There is no biblical record of antagonism between humans and wild animals in the first eight chapters of Genesis. It wasn’t until after the worldwide flood, which occurred during Noah’s generation, that humans began to eat animals—and that animals began to fear humans (Gen. 9:2-3). 

There are two significant things revealed in this account. First, God’s intended relationship between people and animals was one of companionship and peaceful co-existence. Second, animals were not only companions they were also “helpers.” Apparently, God intended for some animals to become domesticated and serve the human race: “Abel kept flocks,” Genesis 4:2 tells us, probably to provide wool for clothing and perhaps milk for food.

Domestication reached new heights when wild canines became more than helpers, when they became our friends. They initiated a remarkably new relationship between humans and animals; the first of an amazing menagerie of creature that over the centuries would become our pets: cats, horses, hamsters, rats, monkeys, rabbits, parakeets, parrots, fish, turtles, lizards, snakes, and even insects (think ant “farms”) have been welcomed into our homes. Some of you can add to this list.  

Nevertheless, the Genesis account doesn’t explain why God created so many “kinds” of animals that are of no benefit to humanity—and sometimes a nuisance. The animals most of us are familiar with represent only a tiny fraction of the total number of creatures that inhabit the earth. Tens of thousands of incredibly amazing and wonderfully diverse animal species have so far been scientifically named, and it is estimated there may be many millions more yet to be discovered. Considering these statistics, it seems evident that God had other purposes in mind than just serving humanity and providing us pleasure when He created so many animals. I believe He also created them for His own good pleasure, His own enjoyment (Ps. 104:31).

The Bible clearly teaches that God loves, finds joy in, and carefully provides for the survival and welfare of non-human life—not above, but independent of His even greater love, joy in, and provision for human life (Ps. 36:6). We’ll look at the biblical evidence for this beginning in my next article. ©

^*  The blog articles in this series are adapted from copyrighted material and may not  be reproduced in book or article form, either electronically or in print, without my written permission. But feel free to send links to these articles, with a brief introduction, to your personal email list, Facebook friends and groups, or other people who may enjoy them. Or post a link on your own website. If you would like to be added to my personal blog email list (people who receive an email notice whenever I post a new blog article), contact me through my website: www.danstory.net.

Will Our Pets (and other Animals) Greet Us in Heaven?

Dan Story photograph (my forever friend Sam)
 

Part One: “ What Does Snoopy Say about Pets Going to Heaven?” *

In a 1989 cartoon in the Sunday paper, the late Charles Schultz let us in on a conversation between Lucy and Snoopy. Lucy is reviewing something Snoopy had written:

Lucy:  “ I don’t think your subject is serious enough. You should write something that is really thought-provoking. Write about something that has been a puzzle since the world began.”

Snoopy’s new title: “Are There Dogs in Heaven?”

I don’t know if Snoopy every finished his book, so I’ll try to do it for him because it’s my heartfelt belief that we will see our pets and wild animals in Heaven. And I’m not alone in believing this. According to an ABC poll, forty-seven percent of pet owners believe that after death they will be reunited with their beloved pets in heaven. Of course, polls and cartoons do not determine truth. The ultimate answer to the question of animal immorality is what the Bible reveals.

Theologically, this raises two issues. The less controversial is whether or not animals will inhabit the redeemed and restored “new” earth prophesied by Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Peter, John, and others. The Bible makes it abundantly clear they will—and there is ample biblical evidence to support this, as we’ll see as we move along.

The more thorny issue is whether or not the non-human inhabitants of the future “new heaven and earth” (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-4) will include pets, domesticated animals, and wild creatures that presently dwell on this earth.  In other words, when Jesus returns at the end of this present age to set up His eternal kingdom, and populate it with redeemed, resurrected humans, will animals be part of that redemption (Rom. 8:19-23)?

This is a provocative and, admittedly, baffling question—one even Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, apparently pondered: “Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of animals goes down into the earth?” (Eccles. 3:21). In the following blog articles, I will present as much biblical evidences as I can muster to support my belief that animals alive on earth today will dwell in the eschatological Peaceable Kingdom described in Isaiah chapter eleven and elsewhere. To strengthen my case, we will examine two areas of scientific studies that I believe supports this view: recent studies in animal behaviors that point to greater cognitive and emotional states in animals than previously thought and new studies in brain science .

Now, admittedly, there is a necessary measure of speculation involved here. The Bible does not explicitly reveal the ultimate destiny of animals that die before Jesus returns to establish the redeemed new heaven and earth (Rom. 8:19-23). Nevertheless, I believe that by carefully and systematically analyzing relevant passages in Scripture, a compelling case can be made that at least sentient non-humans (animals able to perceive or feel things) will continue to exist after physical death in the future new heaven and earth, along with redeemed humanity.  Moreover, I’ll demonstrate that arguments against the immortality of non-human life are merely assumptions without legitimate biblical support. As C. S. Lewis put it in his book, The Problem of Pain, rejecting animal immortality because we lack full understanding of “God’s method in the revelation” is an argument from silence, which, Lewis points out, is “very weak”( p. 137).

Now, let me add this. Some readers will disagree with my conclusions, fair enough. But nothing I suggest in this book is outside biblical possibilities or contrary to established, orthodox biblical truths.

And, finally, please understand this: I am not elevating animals to human status, either on this earth or the age to come. Only humans were created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27), and we are far more valuable to God than non-human life (Matt. 6:26; 10:31; 12:11-12). Nor am I attempting to impart more intrinsic worth on animals than what God Himself does (Gen. 1:31). This will become clear in the next couple articles. Finally, what I conclude in this study is not out of character of the love, compassion, grace, and creativity of “our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). ©

^*  The blog articles in this series are adapted from copyrighted material and may not  be reproduced in book or article form, either electronically or in print, without my written permission. But feel free to link this blog with a brief introduction to your own website, personal email list, Facebook friends and groups, or other people who may enjoy it.