Will our beloved pets be in Heaven?

[fbc 6]

The Bible leaves no real defiinate answer to this question and it only seems normal for fundamentalists to believe that there won't be. I have really been giving this a lot of thought lately now that the pets that I have had for 17 years are now "checking out "(pardon the phrase ). I'm a single man of 49 years old  and my dearest companions have been those of the four-legged kind. I am not  sure what God has in store for us when we reach our final abode, and I have been resting on scripture like, "Eye hath not seen,nor ear heard..."and "...He will give us the desires of our heart"...etc. Is it wrong for me to hope like that ? Is there a possibility that we will be reunited with our pets if we so desire? What do you folks think?

[Alimantado 548]

If they are then quite a lot of cows, pigs, lambs, ducks, mice and insects are going to be wanting to have words with me when I get to heaven.

[John81 7,601]

Where Scripture is very silent on a particular matter we are likely best to be silent there too. Anything we say on this particular issue will be pure speculation. Far too often some Christians go so far as to try and dictate to God what they believe a "good God" would or should do in this matter. That's taking things to a dangerous place and yet many Christians do so.

We know from Scripture that heaven is perfect and we will be perfectly content there. Knowing that it should be clear that whether or not there are any pets in heaven, we will be content and joyful with all things.

Trust God to provide our perfect future home and let our minds rest in His perfect wisdom.

[fbc 6]

Great post sir, but not the answer I was looking for. Even  I don't think all creatures will be there. I just believe that with God ,nothing shall be impossible . Don't you think that He would fulfill this desire of His faithful stewards? I know Heaven is going to be awesome beyond our wildest dreams and we cannot even begin imagine what it's going to be like, but if it is a request of a saint either while here on earth or Heaven above is asked for, do you not think the Lord would not fulfill it?

[John81 7,601]

We ask lots of things that we think would be good or best for us but God knows better. There are also times we ask for things that are in agreement with God and He brings them to pass.

Scripture is silent as to whether pets are something that would make heaven better for us or not. If our heavenly existence would be enhanced by having pets then God knows this and will see to it. If pets would not be for the best, for whatever reason, God knows this too and He will see to it.

Simply knowing God will provide a perfect heaven for us should suffice. In heaven we will not be sad, not feel lack of anything, so whether there are some pets or no pets heaven will be perfect for us as God designed and we will be fully content.

So, maybe our favorite pet will be in heaven and maybe they won't. Either way, we will know perfect joy and contentment and wouldn't want heaven to be any other way.

Trust God that you will find heaven to be perfect.

[Ronda 495]

First of all, let me tell you I have 4 cats... yep a "herd" of cats, lol.  I also have had many pets die of old age over the years.  I've also pondered the same question you are now pondering.  There are many things about animals in the bible. However, I cannot find a verse devoted to the answer you seek.

There are scriptural arguments to make in either direction. Let me bring up just a couple:

In Ecclesiastes 3:21  " Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"  The "who", of course, is God. And if that were the only verse referencing animals we would likely come to the assumption that they don't go to heaven.

BUT... here's another verse to ponder: Revelation 19:14  "And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."  So here we see that in heaven there ARE horses! Have those horses been reborn into incorruptible bodies OR are they an entirely new creation of horses altogether? The bible doesn't give that answer. 

I wish I knew for a certainty what the answer is.  BUT here's where FAITH and TRUST come in.  I'd like to quote John81 above: "Simply knowing God will provide a perfect heaven for us should suffice. In heaven we will not be sad, not feel lack of anything, so whether there are some pets or no pets heaven will be perfect for us as God designed and we will be fully content."

so "FBC": Here's my answer... I love my pets a lot... but I don't love my pets ABOVE the Lord.  I trust the Lord will do the things He has promised, and I KNOW that heaven will be BETTER than my now-human-mind could comprehend. Will it include the pets which were beloved to us here on earth? I don't know, but I do know this... Psalm 119:137 "Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments."

So whatever He determines I know I will be more than happy with... 

 

 

 

[fbc 6]

Thanks everyone for your response. I am in agreement with you folks that God knows best and we will just have to wait to get there to see. Lord bless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Invicta 1,346]

I can just offer two places in scripture which suggest not.

Lev 11:27  And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.

Rev 22:15  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Some say the latter probably refers to human dogs, but even if so it relates dogs to the others mentioned, as in:

Phip 3:2  Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

I am not sure pets are mentioned in the bible, but I am probably wrong.

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Alaska 1,252]

This is slightly off topic, but close enough to on topic that I thought I would post it here.

Last night we had to put or beloved cat Missy down. She was with us for 18 years and had led a full meaningful life. She was a dear friend and will be missed. She was 18 years old and had gradually aged for the worst for the last couple of years. Yesterday she lost the use of her back legs and we knew that it was time for her to go.

 

[TheSword 880]

The question you really have to answer is whether or not animals have an eternal soul the way humans do. If so, then they must dwell forever somewhere. If not, then they cease to exist when they die.

I tend to think some do and some don't. Some exhibit a wide variety of emotions and thought processes that would indicate the existence of a soul (e.g. dogs) and others appear to operate solely on mechanical instinct (e.g. alligators). Like John said, it's pure speculation to say one way or the other, but something to ponder. Also, we know that there will be animals in the New Heaven/New Earth that we will live peaceably with as Adam and Eve did at the beginning of creation; though there is no indication whether they will be new beings or persist from the original creation like we will.

Edited September 14, 2015 by TheSword

[Invicta 1,346]

I don't think any animal has a soul.  The scripture says 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.  I don't read that any animal became a living soul.

Regarding alligators, There was a circus on TV where a man was an alligator hypnotist, (or it may be Crocodile). He had a number of them running around the circus ring, but when he pointed at them they stopped climbing over the ring into the crowd. They did what he wanted.  Was it hypnotism or were they trained? I don't know. I am glad I wasn't there.

 

 

[TheSword 880]

I don't think any animal has a soul.  The scripture says 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.  I don't read that any animal became a living soul.

Yeah, I thought about that, and it's certainly true. However, there's no focused account on the creation of any animal the way there is on Man so I wouldn't expect specific statement like that to be anywhere else. It's just not a point of interest for the purpose of Scripture. Since the Bible doesn't say that they definitively do or don't I can't make any dogmatic statement one way or the other.

[Alimantado 548]

This is slightly off topic, but close enough to on topic that I thought I would post it here.

Last night we had to put or beloved cat Missy down. She was with us for 18 years and had led a full meaningful life. She was a dear friend and will be missed. She was 18 years old and had gradually aged for the worst for the last couple of years. Yesterday she lost the use of her back legs and we knew that it was time for her to go.

 

Really sorry to hear about that, Jim. A beautiful cat.

[Ronda 495]

Sorry for the loss of your pet, "Jim-Alaska". What a beautiful cat too! I just don't know how any athiest can claim to truly deny God's existence.  Just look how beautiful He made some animals, the colors, the patterns, and the precision to detail with each one.  For instance, how cats have whiskers to help them determine what's close-by to them, and how they have ears shaped to sharpen their hearing capability,etc.  All around us are marvelous creations that couldn't have just "sprouted" from some amoeba in a pond scum, and "evolved" into more. Or even worse... the "big bang" nonsense... how an explosion just created perfect order, lol.  Have you ever known an explosion to cause order? No, it causes destruction and chaos.  Well, we know who the author of destruction and chaos is, and it's not the same One who created everything.  Sorry, went off on a tangent.                    But again, I'm sorry for your loss. 

 

[Invicta 1,346]

Sorry for the loss of your pet, "Jim-Alaska". What a beautiful cat too! I just don't know how any athiest can claim to truly deny God's existence.  Just look how beautiful He made some animals, the colors, the patterns, and the precision to detail with each one.  For instance, how cats have whiskers to help them determine what's close-by to them, and how they have ears shaped to sharpen their hearing capability,etc.  All around us are marvelous creations that couldn't have just "sprouted" from some amoeba in a pond scum, and "evolved" into more. Or even worse... the "big bang" nonsense... how an explosion just created perfect order, lol.  Have you ever known an explosion to cause order? No, it causes destruction and chaos.  Well, we know who the author of destruction and chaos is, and it's not the same One who created everything.  Sorry, went off on a tangent.                    But again, I'm sorry for your loss. 

 

When I look into any eyes, especially cats, I marvel what a wonderful creation they are.  They go from tiny slits in bright sunlight to practically full screen in the dark to take in the maximum amount of light. 

To get back to the original post.  No I don't think our beloved pets will be in heaven, I don't believe they will be resurrected,  

I have a cat.  She is a bit of a character.  When my wife and I are doing our bible study, she comes and sits on my lap,  If she misses that she comes when we start praying.  My wife feeds her in the morning, and I feed her about  6.00 pm.  When it gets near to that time, she comes and stares at me, very off putting.  If my wife sets up to go in the kitchen she ignores her, but jumps up as soon as I get up she rushes in front of me and either waits in the kitchen in front of the cupboard where her food is kept or in the utility room where her dishes are.  

[Ronda 495]

Invicta, Your cat sound a lot like one of mine, she expects the food bowl to be topped off at regular intervals.  She also decides she has to be near when I'm praying as well as when I'm studying.  She appears to not even notice I am in the same room unless I pray or study and then all of a sudden, she must sense something is different???  I didn't know anyone else's cat did the same!

As far as whether or not our pets will be in heaven... I gave a couple of biblical references above also.  There is no definitive answer scripturally one way or the other, so I'll just leave that up to the Lord... after all His wisdom far surpasses any of our own.

[Miss Daisy 576]

This is slightly off topic, but close enough to on topic that I thought I would post it here.

Last night we had to put or beloved cat Missy down. She was with us for 18 years and had led a full meaningful life. She was a dear friend and will be missed. She was 18 years old and had gradually aged for the worst for the last couple of years. Yesterday she lost the use of her back legs and we knew that it was time for her to go.

 

How sad. My condolences. I love my pets too.