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Will Animals be in Heaven?
- Thread starter evangelist6589
- Start date
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plain_n_simple
Active Member
Will Animals be in Heaven?
no
I think there is enough evidence to lean toward the conclusion that they will be in heaven but I cannot be for certain.
you can be certain that an animals spirit goes back into the earth
no
I think there is enough evidence to lean toward the conclusion that they will be in heaven but I cannot be for certain.
you can be certain that an animals spirit goes back into the earth
This is an excellent answer. Simple and to the point.
Earth and Heaven will be one. We will continue our role are caretakers of God's creation having dominion over all the animals of the earth.
HA HA HA HA HA! A good laugh is a nice way to start out a Friday.
Anyway, I agree with RevMitchell and Baptist Believer.
salzer mtn
Well-Known Member
If one animal goes to heaven for the simple reason they are animals then all animals must go because what basis would God judge the ones that didn't go. If animals go to heaven then man would have been better off being born an animal and having a solid hope of being in heaven than being born a man.
thisnumbersdisconnected
New Member
Oh, I'm sure DoGs will be there ... standing amazed at who else is, too.
Animals are not created in the image of God and do not have moral agency. The only created beings that appear to have moral agency are humans and angels.
You seem to think that attaining heaven is the focus of the faith. The focus of the Scriptures is the kingdom (the reign) of God. We are created to reign with God (Genesis 1) and those who enter His Kingdom (align their kingdom with His kingdom) will reign with Him forever as it teaches in the New Testament.
"Heaven" is merely part of that, not the focus.
salzer mtn
Well-Known Member
I like how you twist the meaning of my post as to appear I don't have enough sense to know that animals are not created in the image of God.
salzer mtn
Well-Known Member
it is apparent what heaven means to you is different than what heaven is to me. Heaven to me is worshipping the Lord for all eternality, not kicking a bunch of animals out from under my feet.
thisnumbersdisconnected
New Member
salzer mtn
Well-Known Member
Maybe, but I'm sure if my head was as swelled as yours, nothing would go over it.
thisnumbersdisconnected
New Member
Don't know about having a swelled head, but I do know my head is big enough my brain can accommodate opposing viewpoints, unlike some here.
That was not my intent. I am deeply sorry if it came across that way.
The point I was trying to make is that animals are not under moral judgement and they have not rejected God. Humankind is created to know God and take moral and creative action under His reign.
Your point about it "being better" to be an animal seemed odd to me. I would rather be human and work with God.
Other than saying it would have animals I didn't indicate what I thought Heaven would be like.
I'm sure you can find plenty of animals to kick here on Earth.
salzer mtn
Well-Known Member
In todays world people have pet's that are considered family to them and some people refer to their dog or cat as their children. So it comes to know surprise animal lovers search scripture to defend their position of animals being in heaven. Most people that can't get along with people in this life turn to some other form of life such as animals to get acceptance and love. In the place I am going there will not be anything such as a pet animal to get my attention off of the Lord. There will not be animal worship with God. I don't want the job of being a caretaker or having dominion over all the animals of the earth, I'd rather set at the feet of Jesus and worship Him.
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Sorry, but worship is creative work, not passivity.
Moreover, it's already your job to reign over the animals and tend the earth (see Genesis 1:26-30). That responsibility was not taken off our shoulders because of the fall. Moreover, it is going to continue to be your job in the future - if you are part of the kingdom (reign) of God - since you will be able to adequately fulfill the reason why you were created - to reign with God and rule over the earth, its life and anything else God gives you to do (Revelation 22:5).
salzer mtn
Well-Known Member
Post like this is the very reason I don't take revelation as literal but symbolic. The very idea that people would reduce heaven as a place of reigning over animals and growing crops is madness. Man was created to worship God not to climb up on the Throne and reign with God. Satan already tried that.
Just because something may be symbolic, doesn't make it meaningless. In fact, symbolism always points to something. The truth is that we will reign with Christ. That is straightforward. In this context (Revelation 22), the Tree of Life has reappeared in scripture (it has been missing since Genesis 3). This points back to humankind returning to our original purpose which was stated explicitly in Genesis 1 and reinforced somewhat in Genesis 2.
This is not "animal worship," but stewardship and creation care.
"Reduce heaven?" Nope. That's just part of what is means to reign with Christ. I would like to know where you are getting your ideas about heaven (especially if you don't build your theology off of "symbolic" parts of Revelation since you seem to have a problem with people doing that)?
Who said anything about "climbing up on the Throne?" The Father, Son, and Spirit are still in charge. We are simply serving the will of God (His effectual reign).
And I'm not getting my theology from obscure verses or from passages where the meaning of "reigning" is in question:
Genesis 1:26-31
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Luke 19:11-27
While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Do business with this until I come back.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done. The first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ The second came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’ And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’ Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’ I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”
2 Timothy 2:11-13
It is a trustworthy statement:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we deny Him, He also will deny us;
If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
No matter how you interpret Revelation, the theme of reigning with Christ occurs several times and is applied in Revelation 22 to all those who are not experience the second death in the Lake of Fire.
Revelation 5:9-10
And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
Revelation 20:5-6
The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
Revelation 22:5
And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
So where is your scriptural support for a passive never-ending worship service?
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