Animals in heaven.

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C

CNikki

Guest
#1
#1
Do you believe animals go to heaven? If you're a pet owner or lover (like me), and you think about the way your pet one day will go or you have experienced dealing with the loss of a pet, does it come across your mind that you will also see them again when your time's done and you go to heaven?

I've thought of this for a long time and ever since especially when I lost my dog of fifteen years in 2009, I wondered if she is going to be up in heaven waiting for the day we will go and unite again. I think of this for all pets that we could ever own too... Almost a month ago I lost my Syrian hamster and I sort of knew when she started falling ill again that she would have her time cut short, and it happened while we were going to have her examined once again at the vet's. Of course I did the grieving of her passing but I also felt some peace knowing that she was going to enter heaven before her actual passing and was ready to accept the fact that it was probably the best option to put her down if she haven't died right when we were in the vet's office. I dealt with it better than probably what I would've normally done since I lost rodents before her too. Yesterday I was thinking about it and still question on it.

What do you think? What scriptures do you have to back up your claim?
 
E

Exoaria

Guest
#2
#2
There are absolutely no scriptures to back this up.
But animals were created for us, and Jesus talks about a special place that He is preparing for us.

I personally believe that I will see my precious pets again in heaven.
Surely if God is willing to come to earth and die for us so that we can know Him, create every animal we see for our survival and comfort and make a spot for us in heaven with everything He loves - He would take up the spirit of an animal we share a connection with for us to be with it again.
 
J

jimmydiggs

Guest
#3
#3
I heard once that all dogs go to heaven, so I assume cats don't. :)
 
J

john832

Senior Member
#5
May 31, 2013
11,365
186
63
#5
CNikki said:
Do you believe animals go to heaven? If you're a pet owner or lover (like me), and you think about the way your pet one day will go or you have experienced dealing with the loss of a pet, does it come across your mind that you will also see them again when your time's done and you go to heaven?

I've thought of this for a long time and ever since especially when I lost my dog of fifteen years in 2009, I wondered if she is going to be up in heaven waiting for the day we will go and unite again. I think of this for all pets that we could ever own too... Almost a month ago I lost my Syrian hamster and I sort of knew when she started falling ill again that she would have her time cut short, and it happened while we were going to have her examined once again at the vet's. Of course I did the grieving of her passing but I also felt some peace knowing that she was going to enter heaven before her actual passing and was ready to accept the fact that it was probably the best option to put her down if she haven't died right when we were in the vet's office. I dealt with it better than probably what I would've normally done since I lost rodents before her too. Yesterday I was thinking about it and still question on it.

What do you think? What scriptures do you have to back up your claim?
Click to expand...
No, animals do not go to heaven and niether do we...

Joh 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

Christ comes back to the earth...

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Joh 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

Our reward is here on the earth...

Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

And after the Millenium, the Father brings New Jerusalem to the earth...

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

We don't go there, God comes here.
 
C

CNikki

Guest
#6
#6
I agree. The difference with cats is they're more introverted and stick to one or two people they trust with. That's what I love about them. x3
 
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NiceneCreed

Guest
#7
#7
CNikki said:
Do you believe animals go to heaven? If you're a pet owner or lover (like me), and you think about the way your pet one day will go or you have experienced dealing with the loss of a pet, does it come across your mind that you will also see them again when your time's done and you go to heaven?

I've thought of this for a long time and ever since especially when I lost my dog of fifteen years in 2009, I wondered if she is going to be up in heaven waiting for the day we will go and unite again. I think of this for all pets that we could ever own too... Almost a month ago I lost my Syrian hamster and I sort of knew when she started falling ill again that she would have her time cut short, and it happened while we were going to have her examined once again at the vet's. Of course I did the grieving of her passing but I also felt some peace knowing that she was going to enter heaven before her actual passing and was ready to accept the fact that it was probably the best option to put her down if she haven't died right when we were in the vet's office. I dealt with it better than probably what I would've normally done since I lost rodents before her too. Yesterday I was thinking about it and still question on it.

What do you think? What scriptures do you have to back up your claim?
Click to expand...
I love animals, but they do not have souls and will not enter heaven.
 
notuptome

notuptome

Senior Member
#8
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#8
I wish I could say that animals will be raised again and that we enjoy their company in eternity. I cannot because there is no scriptural basis to make such a claim. I hope that the Lord will be merciful and will populate the new earth with the animals made like unto the animals in the garden of Eden. In any case all these things belong to the Lord and He will give understanding. For some animals are of more importance than people and that is a shame.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
S

Shiloah

Guest
#9
#9
NiceneCreed said:
I love animals, but they do not have souls and will not enter heaven.
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Well, since I believe souls are living beings then a cat is a soul as well as a human. A human; however, is made in the image of God. Whether or not God gives us eternal life is based on His promise to us and our acceptance of that promise. I've not seen such a relationship mentioned when it comes to animals. It does say that God sees the little sparrow fall, so God obviously loves the animals. I honestly believe that in the new world, He will give us what we ask, and if that involves animals, why wouldn't he restore to us our beloved pets? Also, there will be animals in the new world. The lion will lie down with the lamb. Remember?
 
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john832

Senior Member
#10
May 31, 2013
11,365
186
63
#10
NiceneCreed said:
I love animals, but they do not have souls and will not enter heaven.
Click to expand...
Well, as far as the soul thing...

Ecc 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The word for soul here is...

H5315
נפשׁ
nephesh
neh'-fesh
From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): - any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

So, wonder if that word is used anywhere else in this account?

Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

The word for life here is...

H5315
נפשׁ
nephesh
neh'-fesh
From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): - any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

And it refers in this passage to clams, crabs and oysters among other creatures in the waters.

Gen 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Again the word for creature is nephesh, the same word that refers to man in Gen 2:7 and here it refers to whales, sharks and catfish among other creatures.

Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Yep, same word, referring to cattle, skunks, lizards and snakes.

Gen 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Anything that breathes for a living is a soul. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul comes from this lie...

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

God said that if they ate of the tree they would die, Satan said "Ye shall not surely die".

The question is, who do you believe?
 
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enoch1nine

Guest
#11
#11
Become like a little child whose dog was just ran over and I think you will have your answer. :)

Applies to grandmas and grandpas too.

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."
 
M

MaggieMye

Guest
#12
#12
PETS require CARE. We will be SO IN LOVE with God that we will simply worship, worship, WORSHIP! There can be and will be no other 'CONCERN'...for that is a burden in heaven. And while some will say that their pets are not 'burdens', they were created for OUR purposes and we will have no need of them in heaven. One's love for God MUST override the affection for any animal or it is idolatry. Period. And if one has idolatry, one does not have heaven.
Maggie
 
S

Shiloah

Guest
#13
#13
john832 said:
Well, as far as the soul thing...

Ecc 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The word for soul here is...

H5315
נפשׁ
nephesh
neh'-fesh
From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): - any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

So, wonder if that word is used anywhere else in this account?

Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

The word for life here is...

H5315
נפשׁ
nephesh
neh'-fesh
From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): - any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

And it refers in this passage to clams, crabs and oysters among other creatures in the waters.

Gen 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Again the word for creature is nephesh, the same word that refers to man in Gen 2:7 and here it refers to whales, sharks and catfish among other creatures.

Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Yep, same word, referring to cattle, skunks, lizards and snakes.

Gen 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Anything that breathes for a living is a soul. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul comes from this lie...

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

God said that if they ate of the tree they would die, Satan said "Ye shall not surely die".

The question is, who do you believe?
Click to expand...
Boy, if this doesn't land the argument, don't know what will. Am copy/pasting this little jewel into my "why the concept of an immortal soul is bogus" file. Thanks.
 
C

CNikki

Guest
#14
#14
@MaggieMye

What about if our parents/guardians are older and require care. Are you saying they won't enter heaven because we have the "burden" to provide for them as well as they've provided for us?
 
FIRE_of_ELIJAH

FIRE_of_ELIJAH

Senior Member
#15
Feb 5, 2013
387
19
18
#15
It's possible although we can't back it up scripturally. But the Lord has promised us everything when we get to heaven...meaning to say .. He will give us according to our need. Heaven is great reunion of love ones. Who knows God will grant our need that we could be together again with our long lost pets once you were on earth.

as for me Ive got a golden labrador retriever . How I hope we could be together forever in heaven LoL
 
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notconformed2theworld

Guest
#16
#16
I always wonder when I'm raptured who will take care of my dog? It actually saddens me to know he would have to survive on his own and possibly go thru the tribulation. But who knows...
 
J

john832

Senior Member
#17
May 31, 2013
11,365
186
63
#17
notconformed2theworld said:
I always wonder when I'm raptured who will take care of my dog? It actually saddens me to know he would have to survive on his own and possibly go thru the tribulation. But who knows...
Click to expand...
My wife had one of those, but the doctor fixed it with a gore-tex patch and said it would never happen there again.
 
K

kenisyes

Guest
#19
#19
This comes up every so often. Here is what i wrote for my wife's newsletter, Believer's bulletin, Oct. 2006.


The apparent silence of Scripture on this question is somewhat surprising. People have had pets since the dawn of time. The Ancient Egyptian word for cat was “miu,” a name more suited to a cuddly friend than a mouse catching machine. Dogs as companions are mentioned in the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Century BC apocryphal Book of Tobit. And certainly, any shepherd who would leave the flock for one lost sheep (which Jesus treats as a well known occurrence) proves shepherds often felt more for their wards than pure economic value.


God made US with His own hands, but He made animals indirectly by ordering the earth to do the job (Gen. 1:24). In fact, in the Hebrew, we become “living creatures” when God blows the breath of life into us. The animals are “living creatures” as soon as they pop out of the earth. This is important: animals are to earth what we are to God. This is why many people believe that animals cannot go to heaven, as do we. They believe that animals go to their source as we go back to Him.


But this is to ignore that God then immediately gave the authority over animals to us. We name them in Hebrew (“shem” means the purpose as well as the name), have dominion over them (in Hebrew to “fulfill” them), through Noah save their lives, and eventually have the right to use them however we see fit.


People made in God’s image repeatedly are shown God’s dream for their fulfillment in terms of animals (Ez. 1:10, Rev. 4:7, this is the ancient interpretation). This is why we have pets: they minister love to us in a fundamental, though very physical way. It is this physicality that makes some people think that animals are unfit for heaven.


The defining Scriptures are Matt. 16:19 and 18:18. We have the authority, as followers of Jesus, to bind in heaven anything we choose to bind on earth. Animals were not originally made by God to go to heaven. Scripture is silent on the subject because He intended to leave that choice to us. If you name an animal “dinner” and let its blood flow to the earth, it goes back to earth which brought it forth. If you name an animal “loved” and you bind it to yourself, and you go to heaven, and want it there with you, it will be. It’s that simple.


So as far as I can see, there will be pets in heaven. Because there will be all love in heaven, and pets are part of the love that we exchanged on the earth.
 
notuptome

notuptome

Senior Member
#20
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#20
We should consider the sanitation issues associated with pet ownership.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
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