What Does The Bible Say About Animals And If They Go To Heaven Or Not

Many of the articles I write come from questions I have been asked. The topic of this discourse was made possible by a woman who asked me: "Volition my pet go to heaven, besides?" Apparently she expected to get to that heavenly paradise and actually wanted to meet her pet when the inevitable happened. She said that over the years, she had asked other religious leaders that question, but got varying answers, ranging from 'yes' to 'no' and everything in between. "So," she asked, "what exercise you think?"

I tin can sympathise that she got varying answers. Even the Vatican tin can't seem to give a straight answer. Pope Benedict Sixteen insisted animals did not go to heaven, whereas Pope Paul VI said they did, stating that "paradise is open to all of God'south creatures."¹ I finally answered her and explained my own biblical opinions, but it took a while. The following thoughts, based upon enquiry, are what I said, only hopefully improve organized now, than when she asked that question and caught me off guard. Since some think God'southward coming paradise is not in heaven, just hither on a renewed earthⁱⁱ where they will spend an everlasting life, possibly that question would be better restated equally, "Volition animals have a chance for everlasting life, similar we practice?"

Some people may be coming to this article considering they accept lost an animal to death and are looking for comfort. As a Christian, people want to believe they will see their dear pet once more, when they get to heaven, or wherever they will be. This is a mutual reaction to a Christian's loss of a pet and the question they inquire is an appropriate one, but the answer is non an like shooting fish in a barrel ane to give.

I take grieved over several deaths of pets throughout my life and know that this grief is the same as that felt for any loved 1 whose life has ended. If you are grieving over the death of a pet, too, the concluding part of this discourse is especially for yous. I have counseled many who have lost their animal companions and was one time a member of an organization defended to pet loss and bereavement issues, so I am  unlikely to dismiss the bailiwick lightly. Just I will tell the biblical truth and not twist scripture just to tell someone only what they wish to hear.

People dear their pets and want them present in whatever new life they, themselves, may have after death. Just this question opens up a 'can of worms'^three as we say in the United States. In other words, the question is complicated and demands that many other wiggly questions be answered earlier we come to a conclusion. The various other questions Christians tend to ask are: "Were animals created the same as humans?", "Do animals have souls?", "What prerequisites are needed for animals to proceeds everlasting life?". Nosotros must reply all these to get a complete understanding.

If someone is looking for an commodity featuring rainbows and glitter, or they want cute and whimsical answers, it is best to go somewhere else. To the best of my ability, I will be truthful and authentic, rather than saying something just to delight someone. I've been fighting that trouble in churches for a long time. That is why our 'catch phrase' at The Outlaw Bible Student is: "We are committed to writing about what God wants you lot to know – not what some churches just want you to hear." Anyway, let's get started.

Were animals created the same as humans?

God made the pond creatures and the flying creatures on the fifth day (period, age, time) of creation (Genesis 1:xx-23). And on the sixth twenty-four hours, God created the earth's state animals. Beasts and livestock first (Genesis 1:24-25), and so humans. "So God said, 'Let us make human being in our prototype, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the body of water and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the world and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'" (Genesis one:26, ESV).

God's purpose in creating human life in his epitome was functional, for homo was to dominion or have dominion; humans were to be God's representatives.⁴ This establishes that humans were created to exist a higher form of life than the other animals and have dominance over them. They were commanded to multiply and subdue the world. The Hebrew word for 'subdue' (kâbash) ways to conquer or bring into subjection.⁵ This would imply that, if non semi-gods of the earth, humans would, at least, act equally loving supervisors of the domain. We were to be considered at the top of God's hierarchical system of life upon the whole planet, taking orders only from him.

Equally we all know, things, kind of, went wrong with this programme when Adam and Eve sinned and got kicked-out of the Garden of Eden. But, since then the whole Bible points to a fourth dimension of restitution, when this messed-upwardly world will be restored to its original pristine condition. Then once again, we will be given dominion over world, under Jesus' leadership.

Then, what does all of this hateful? It means that we were created differently from the animals. Simply more than information can be gleaned from the details given in Genesis, chapter ii. There it tells u.s. that to create the human, God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living animal." (Genesis 2:7b, ESV). He did not do this with any other creature.

Biblical scholar Robert Beren gives more significant to this scripture. He wrote "the Bible makes information technology very clear that people are more than than just textile beings. Information technology was only when God breathed into the man'southward nostrils the breath of life that Adam became alive. God is Spirit (John 4:24); thus, when God breathed into him, Adam and all later humans became a unique mix of the concrete and the spiritual."⁶

This is the main difference betwixt humans and other animals; nosotros take God'southward spirit within us, but animals do not. Charles Darwin⁷ may have been partly correct when he stated that behavior is adaptive through natural choice, but that does not account for ethics. What he missed was that human ability aims to produce moral beliefs that are as truthful every bit they would exist if designed within the very material of gild.^viii In short, Darwin'due south theory does not explain ideals, which can be said to have been embedded inside our Deoxyribonucleic acid⁹ by God.

Do animals take souls?

The answer to whether animals have a soul is yes, but only because of a technicality. All living humans and animals have a soul, although it isn't what most people call up it means. There is a divergence between the soul and the spirit and since most don't understand what that divergence is, they become the two confused. At that place are many philosophical descriptions of the soul, both from ancient literature and from new-age books, merely what we demand to know is what does God'south word, the Bible, tell u.s.a..

The two words translated as 'soul' in the Bible are the Hebrew nephesh and the Greek psuchē and they tin can refer to people, animals, or the lives of people and animals.¹⁰ Basically, the Israelites' view of life and soul was merged and anything after death was rather indistinct, because they had a difficult time understanding how a person could exist without a body. "In the Quondam Testament the soul signifies that which is vital to homo in the broadest sense."^xi

A scholar writing in A Dictionary of the Bible said that throughout the Bible, 'soul' is "simply the equivalent of 'life' embodied in living creatures. In the earlier usage of the OT it has no reference to the later philosophical meaning, the animating principle, and still less to the thought of an 'immaterial nature' which will survive the body. 'A living soul' in Genesis and other records is only an 'blithe being,' and the word is applied equally to the lower animals and to man."¹²

The Bible also tells us the soul dies, so it isn't some wisp of smoke-like material that floats off to heaven or anywhere else later death. During Ezekiel's time, many believed they were not suffering for their own sins, but for their parent's sins and were blaming God for punishing them unjustly. God reasserts the truth of the matter, that all souls belong to him and all who are guilty volition receive their deserved penalty.¹³ Then he states, "Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the male parent besides as the soul of the son is mine; the soul who sins shall dice." (Ezekiel 18:4, ESV). We are all sinners and God says that we all die; in God'southward own words, the soul dies, it cannot go anywhere afterwards expiry.

If the soul dies, why practice then many Christian sects imply that information technology doesn't? Could it exist, that "soul" sometimes gets confused with "spirit?" Yes, the Bible says the soul dies with its human being body, simply information technology too says that upon death "then the grit will return to the globe equally it was, and the spirit will render to God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7, NKJV). This does suggest that the soul and spirit are two dissimilar things.

Scholar Carl Schultz wrote, "Man returns to the ground from whence he came. While the trunk returns to dust, the spirit returns to God . . . Note that man has no control over the deviation of the spirit. God gave and he has the power to remove the spirit . . . While the trunk is mortal, the spirit is immortal."¹⁴

In the Garden of Eden, God fabricated the animals, but when he fabricated humans, he gave them two special attributes not given to the animals. First, he fabricated humans in his own image: "So God created humankind in his prototype, in the paradigm of God he created them." (Genesis ane:27, NRSV). Second, he gave them his spirit: "Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath [spirit] of life into the homo's nostrils, and the man became a living person." (Genesis two:vii, NLT). This word jiff, in this case, ways spirit.¹⁵

What prerequisites are needed to gain everlasting life?

The New Testament is filled with this subject field affair, merely there are three scripture selections useful to express a short respond of what we demand before receiving everlasting life. The first 1 is from John 3 and it is in Jesus' own words when he spoke to Nicodemus. "For God and so loved the world that he gave his simply Son, and then that anybody who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (John 3:16, NRSV).

The second choice, written past the campaigner Paul, is from his alphabetic character to the Romans, in chapter vi. "Now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you lot get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:22-23, NRSV).

And the third, also from Romans, is "if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, y'all will exist saved." (Romans 10:9, NRSV). The only way to gain eternal life in a restored paradise, whether in heaven or upon the earth, is through Jesus Christ.

We take the attributes of God, just the animals don't, therefore, animals have a life that, when information technology ends, it dies forever. They weren't created in God's epitome, nor do they have an immortal spirit that has any possibility for eternal life. When an animal dies, it is the stop of their existence. So animals were not created the same equally humans.

Animals do not have the spirit of God. They take an animated life (soul), but not an immortal spirit that returns to God upon decease. Adam and Eve were originally created to take eternal life, but animals were non. Humans sin and die; animals practice not sin, merely they die just the same, so they weren't created to live forever. If someone, in error, uses the term soul instead of spirit, then the respond is they practise not have an immortal soul, equally used in that respect.

And animals are not capable of assertive in and accepting Jesus equally their savior from a life of inherited sin. And Jesus, in fact, never one time mentioned any statement about animals being saved from death. So, as much every bit many would prefer a more pleasing answer to the question of "volition animals have a risk for everlasting life?", the answer is no, they will not.

What about those Creature verses in Isaiah?

In speaking about a new covenant in a futurity world with a restored Israel, the writer of Isaiah mentions animals and humans living peacefully together. "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall prevarication down with the young caprine animal, and the dogie and the panthera leo and the fattened calf together, and a fiddling child shall lead them." Isaiah xi:vi, ESV). And at that place is more, read also Isaiah 11:seven-ix. Besides, see Isaiah 65:25.

These verses certainly depict the righteous kingdom past which the Messiah will establish. "The expletive will exist lifted, peace and harmony volition be present, and wildlife volition again exist tame and harmless to domesticated animals and humans."¹⁶ Realize that this full Isaiah scripture, taken every bit a whole, does non say that this will be in sky, nor that those animals are living an eternal life. People merely assume that is what it means, and so wrongly imply the Bible states animals will go to sky.

What it does hateful is that during the Millennium, after Jesus returns, people everywhere will live according to God's principles and original intentions, including the animals, every bit they did in the Garden of Eden. Remember it is the earth that volition exist full of the knowledge of the LORD (Isaiah 11:9). For a full study of a new paradise on globe instead of in heaven, read "Our Future After Death — Resurrection on World or Life in Heaven?" listed at the cease of this article under References & Notes.¹⁷

Doesn't God Care most our Animals and Pets?

Kindness to animals is demanded in the Bible. The give-and-take 'pet' cannot exist found in scripture, because it only came into use within the One-time Northern England and Scottish languages. It began as a term for a favored domesticated animal treated with indulgence or fondness or both.¹⁸ But sentiment for an beast kept as a pet is recognized in the Bible, also as grief for losing ane.

A close, friendly, and loving relationship with animals is adequate with God. There is a story, an analogy, worth reading that expresses God'south dearest for animals as companions to people. Read 2 Samuel 12:i-6, well-nigh a man and his children, who were heartbroken, considering they had their pet taken abroad for slaughter.

In another story, when a Gentile woman asked Jesus for help, the term 'feeding of dogs' was used equally an analogy (Matthew 15:21-28; Marker 7:26-thirty). Some believe that Jesus was commenting about vile, scavenger dogs, when he was really referring to pets within the home. An interesting report has been published titled "Did Jesus really telephone call that Canaanite woman a dog?" which explains the story in detail. Encounter References & Notes at the end of this commodity for a link.¹⁹

In the starting time of our world, when life was start created, God didn't give us animals to feed upon; he gave united states of america every light-green plant for food (Genesis 1:29-30). We were instructed to take care of the animals, not kill them. It wasn't until after the flood that he made the animals afraid of humans (Genesis nine:1-two) and allowed the eating of them for food (Genesis ix:two-4). Why?

Some suggestions I've heard, about why God changed his heed, mention a lack of agriculture available for a while after the inundation, or the implication that the pre-inundation earth was and then sinful that they were already eating animals. Yet reasonable those suggestions may be, they are withal only suggestions. What we practice know is that the new decree provided a new food source (minus its blood). But God never changed his mind nigh his love of animals, throughout the Bible.

In the Old Testament, it states, "For every beast of the wood is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine." (Psalm fifty:ten-xi, ESV). And in the New Testament, "Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor befouled, and all the same God feeds them." (Luke 12:24a, ESV).

And as far every bit taking care of the animals, God provided rules for their well-beingness. Deuteronomy v:xiii-14 shows they need residue, just as do humans. Exodus 23:4-v tells u.s.a. that if we find a lost animal, nosotros need to return it to the owner. Proverbs 12:ten tells us that nosotros demand concern for animals' welfare. We can acquire from them (Job 12:7-ten), we are held answerable for them (Exodus 21:28-30), and we must be careful breeding them (Leviticus nineteen:19).

This report may not take answered everyone's questions near life after death of animals, but surely provides 'food for thought' and enough of biblical and other references about our pets and other animals. Is it enough for you to make up your ain mind? I promise so. "You are truly my disciples if you remain true-blue to my teachings. And yous will know the truth, and the truth will prepare you free." (John 8:31-32, NLT ).

My music video pick for this article is directed to those who may have in one case lost a beloved pet and grieved. If this describes you lot, or someone you know, take a look. If yous were to hear this on the radio, you may not know it is about pet loss, but it is. This fantabulous song is dedicated to anyone who has lost an fauna companion and grieved in silence. This vocal, "Without Words", was recorded in Canada; be enlightened it may bring on a tear or two. Selected lyrics are below; see the link in References & Notes.^twenty

Without words
Y'all taught me to feel
Without words
You showed me what's existent
Without words
You helped me to heal,

Who'south gonna heal me at present?
I gotta movement on simply I don't know how
I wish y'all were even so around
Without words.

Copyright © 2020, Dr. Ray Hermann
OutlawBibleStudent.org

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Reference & Notes

1. NOTE: the story of pets going to heaven was originally inaccurately attributed to Pope Francis in news stories during 2014, just corrected subsequently to Pope Paul VI.
   Gibson, David, "Sorry, Fido. Pope Francis did Non say our pets are going to heaven", (Religion News Service, 12 December 2014), https://religionnews.com/2014/12/12/sorry-fido-pope-francis-not-say-pets-going-heaven/
2. Hermann, Ray, "Our Future Later on Death — Resurrection on Earth or Life in Sky?" (The Outlaw Bible Student, OBS, 20 January 2020), https://outlawbiblestudent.org/our-futurity-after-death-resurrection-on-earth-or-life-in-heaven/
3. open a can of worms: Metaphorically speaking, to open a can of worms is to examine or attempt to solve some problem, only to inadvertently complicate it and create even more trouble. Literally speaking, opening a tin can of worms, equally about fishermen tin can attest, can also hateful more trouble than you bargained for.
   Soniak, Matt, "How Did the Term 'Open a Can of Worms' Originate?" (Mental Floss, 28 June 2012), https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/31039/how-did-term-open-can-worms-originate
4. Ross, Allen P. "Genesis," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, (Eds.) J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), vol. 1, p. 29.
5. Strong's Hebrew #3533: כָּבַש, kâbash; a prim. root; to tread downward; hence, neg. to disregard; pos. to conquer, subjugate, violate:— bring into bondage, force, keep nether, subdue, bring into subjection.
   Potent, James, The New Strong'due south Lexicon of Hebrew and Greek Words, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).
6. Bergen, Robert D. "Genesis," in CSB Written report Bible: Notes, (Eds.) Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax, (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), p. 7.
7. Charles Robert Darwin, (built-in February 12, 1809 in England—died April nineteen, 1882), English naturalist whose scientific theory of evolution by natural choice became the foundation of mod evolutionary studies.
   Desmond, Adrian J., "Charles Darwin", (Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., xv April 2020), https://world wide web.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Darwin
8. Mathews, Kenneth A., and Luter, A. Boyd, Jr., "Genesis," in CSB Apologetics Study Bible, (Ed.) Ted Cabal (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), pp. five-6.
9. Dna: Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule carrying genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known organisms.
   "DNA", (Wikipedia, Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 16 May 2020), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deoxyribonucleic acid
10. A) nephesh – life, being
    Durst, Dennis, "Soul," John D. Barry et al., (Ed.) The Lexham Bible Dictionary, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
    B) psuchē (Greek #5590) – the animal sentient, life
    Strong, James, The New Stiff'south Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).
    Note: In the New Testament often translated every bit "life" in some translations (Mark 10:45; Acts xx:24; Rev 12:11); in the Sometime Testament major usages communicate: 1) indicate meanings of want (Ps 25:1; 42:ii), 2) personal or individual being (Gen 12:5; Lev 2:1), 3) a witting self (Lev 11:44–45), 4) emotional land (Gen 26:35; Job 21:4; Eccl 7:nine).
11. Elwell, Walter A. and Beitzel, Barry J., "Soul," Bakery Encyclopedia of the Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book Firm, 1988), vol. 2, pp. 1987-1988.
12. Laidlaw, John, "SOUL," (Ed.) James Hastings, A Lexicon of the Bible: Dealing with Its Language, Literature, and Contents Including the Biblical Theology, (New York; Edinburgh: Charles Scribner'southward Sons; T. & T. Clark, 1911–1912), p. 608.
13. Dyer, Charles H., "Ezekiel," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, (Eds.) J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), vol. 1, p. 1260.
14. Schultz, Carl, "Ecclesiastes," in Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, Baker Reference Library, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book Firm, 1995), vol. 3, pp. 450–451.
15. Strong'due south Greek #5397, נְשָׁמָה, neshâmâh; divine inspiration, intellect, spirit.
    Strong, James, The New Strong'due south Lexicon of Hebrew and Greek Words, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996).
16. Martin, John A., "Isaiah," in The Bible Noesis Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, (Eds.) J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), vol. 1, p. 1057.
17. Hermann, Ray, "Our Futurity After Expiry — Resurrection on Globe or Life in Heaven?", (come across Reference #i, above).
18. Sife, Wallace, The Loss of a Pet, (New York: Howell Volume House, 1998), p. three.
19. Hermann, Ray, "Did Jesus really call that Canaanite woman a dog?", (The Outlaw Bible Student, OBS, xx January 2019), https://outlawbiblestudent.org/did-jesus-really-phone call-that-canaanite-woman-a-dog/
20. "Without Words," Artist: Spectra 2014 Singers; Authors: Mark Zubek, Ralph Hamelmann, Paul Bellini; Availability: streaming and download merely – MP3, FLAC; (Ontario SPCA, Rainbow Association of Canadian Artists, uploaded 21 June 2014) – MUSIC VIDEO, https://youtu.be/vjw_HnDlPmA

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