? for fellow Bible Thumpers
I'm not as versed in scripture as I should be, but I have a question about animals/pets. I know that the Bible says something about animals just being soulless beasts, so in theory they don't go to Heaven.
What do you think? Are there other verses that may support that, or the contrary? Will our beloved pets be waiting for us when we reach His kingdom? Personally, I hope so. But then again, I also know that when we're in Heaven, the things we cared about in this life will not matter anymore, so our "priorities" will be different (if we'll still have any).
What do you think? Are there other verses that may support that, or the contrary? Will our beloved pets be waiting for us when we reach His kingdom? Personally, I hope so. But then again, I also know that when we're in Heaven, the things we cared about in this life will not matter anymore, so our "priorities" will be different (if we'll still have any).
0
-
There is Heaven that Jesus spoke of that will eventually fade away as we reach the true heaven of Union with the Holy Spirit. Jesus will be waiting at the right hand of the Father until then. Since man is the only one created in the image of God... I'm guessing we won't see out pets till we reach the second heaven.[?]
Jesus said, in the end, many secrets will be revealed, but some... never.0 -
True that.[8D] 0 -
Revelation 4:6-8 tells of the "beasts" in heaven, living beings in the form of a lion, a ox, a eagle and a human.
Other than that mention of animals, I can't think of any "pets in heaven" references. I doubt a pet will be as important then as one maybe is now. IMHO.0 -
quote:Originally posted by ripley16
I doubt a pet will be as important then as one maybe is now. IMHO.
Yeah, that's what I figure, too.0 -
animals are GODS creation. im sure we will see all of GODS creations in heaven, afterall, they are his, not ours. everything on this earth is GODS. and is returned to GOD. and too, on the day of judgement, im reminded that even the mountains and trees will give account to GODS glory. so, to believe an animal can too, is not far fetched. what an interesting day it will be when animlas that we've encountered in life would give testimony and witness to GOD as to how they were treated by us while in our trust. as interesting as it might sound, it really isnt needed since GOD sees all and knows all already. pets on earth are GODS loaned property. they wont be ours in heaven. they will be returned.
interesting point is animals dont need blood salvation to return to the creator.
the bible does mention that "all of creation groans/longs for the unveiling of the son of GOD." its creator is who gave creation perfect order, but ever since the world was given over to the devil, that perfect order was lost.
ever wonder why wild animlas are wild? what use to be perfection in adam, became evil in our form. man, who was the likeness of GOD became the likeness of the devil and animals sensed it and flee from us. animals know their creators likeness better than us.
only after much training will an animals learn to trust us (their master.) they then see thru the cloak and see GODS LOVE coming thru and bond instantly to us.[;)]
there is a lesson here. i hope people will see it.[^]0 -
Yes dogs have souls, and they do go to heaven, many of them, way ahead of their owners [Mike Vick]. 0 -
If the earth is any indication, this universe is absolutely chockful to overflowing, with many millions of different life forms. After all, some scientists believe there to be at least 10 million different lifeforms right here on earth. And isn't it a tiny picture of the big picture called the universe?
And the answer to the question, "Is there life out there?" is a resounding YES! If nothing else, there is God, and multitudes of angels tooling around, building His Kingdom. So, what good are the angels, if they aren't serving as administrators of God's already existing, huge universal kingdom full of many different forms of life?
So, I don't see heaven as a place where we'll be sitting around, eating chocolate cake, drinking lemonade, and playing bluegrass on big old harps. I see heaven, as 1) Home office, from which God will administer the universe by His chosen and faithful people (us), who will serve as governors, administrators, law enforcement and so forth, and 2) as mentioned above, characterized by a fullness of oneness or unity.
But back to your question. No....the bible does not give any indication that pets will 'go to heaven'. It does however, draw very clear distinctions between animals and mankind. And that distinction lies in the very middle between the evolutionists and the creationists. In other words, put plainly, they're both way wrong.
You see, God, when creating heaven and earth, even the animals, fowls, cattle, all living creatures in fact but man, spoke, and it came to pass. All that was required of God to make dogs, cats, and so on, was to say, "Let the earth bring forth"! and it did, it surely did.
But man? Different kind of story altogether. In making man, God got His hands dirty, being personally involved to the point of not saying, "Let the earth bring forth man", but by saying, "Let us make man". So in all the creation, of all the living forms of life, man stands alone as having been 'hand-made' by God.
Here are two scriptural references to what I'm saying, "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." Gensis 1:24. That takes care of your dogs and cats, snakes and critters.
But, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.'
'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Gensis 1:26-27.
Yep, the animals evolved. Man did not. That's what accounts for the huge abyss set between man and animals. That's why there is no 'missing link' to man (unless you'd like to count unregenerated, unsaved man).
Man, animal, every creature on earth has faced the imperative of SURVIVAL. For every climatic extreme apes, dogs, hogs and eagles have faced, man has faced. For every need of animal life on earth, has been faced and experienced by man. Climate and evolution have forced beavers to build dams. But 10 million more years of evolution will not bring beavers to build hydroelectric dams capable of heating and cooling their little stick homes and making their microwave ovens to work heating leftovers for supper.
No other lifeform on earth has managed to bring forth a Rembrandt, or a symphony, or atomic power, or genetics, DNA, or electronics, or emotions that respond to great literature, tear-jerking movies, or professional wrestling. No other lifeform on earth, even though they've all faced the same forces of competition for survival, can even approach man in his accomplishments, and none ever will.
So why is this? Simple. God spoke all other forms of life into being. He made man personally. And the why of this? God has a purpose for man. How could it be any simpler?
"According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ephesians 3:11
And finally, I'm not a bible thumper, but rather an obtuse bible student, who knows way too little.
Sahagan0 -
Good posting, thanks!
And i didn't mean "Bible thumper" in a pejorative sense.0 -
humans have a "soul" and animals don't? no. humans have conceit, that's all. 0 -
all i can say is, if they dont welcome the dogs there i dont wanna go either! 0 -
Actually what we are talking about here is a spirit, not a soul.
The words have came to be used interchangeably, but your soul is made up of mind, emotions, and will. Animals have no sin neither have they need for salvation.0 -
Isa 11:6-10
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (KJV)
Isa 65:17-25
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. (KJV)0 -
Thank you all.
I've learned some things hear.
And some things require me to think more.
Doug0 -
If I may, a segue from the Old testament to the Twilight Zone.
There is a Twilight Zone episode where an old hillbilly is out hunting with his coon dog. The coon jumps into the pond, and the dog goes in after him. The hillbilly goes in after his dog.
The dog and the hillbilly drown.
In the next scene, the dog and the hillbilly, carrying his muzzleloader, are walking down a country road. The guy is a little confused, he is not sure what is going on. He comes upon a wooden gate with a man standing next to it.
The guy says, "Hello, stranger, welcome! You are in heaven and these are the Pearly Gates. Just tie up your dog to the fence and come on in."
The hillbilly says, "Can't my dog come in, too?"
The guy says, "No dogs allowed in heaven."
The hillbilly says, " I don't go anywhere without my dog. Believe we will walk on down the road."
In a minute they came to another gate, with another guy standing there. He said, "Hello strange, welcome! You are in heaven and these are the Pearly Gates."
The hillbilly says, "Can I bring my dog?"
The guy says, "Of course! Dogs are allowed in heaven."
The hillbilly tells him about the other gates.
The guys says, "Well, I know about that place. Good thing you didn't go in there, that wasn't heaven."0 -
I was raised where there was a pretty good commerce in dogs going on all the time. Not for dog fights, but for coon dogs, fox hunters, cattle dogs, and even passable squirrel dogs.
Thing is, if you're a church goer, do you pay some part of the price you got for your dog, to the church (and good dogs can run thousands of dollars)?
Apparently, it's a thing God doesn't care for...."Thou shalt not bring the hire of a fatlady, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God." Deuteronomy 23:18.
Not too sure about the fatlady part, but I expect a body oughta be careful in that regard to.
Sahagan
Edited to add....Wow! I guess 'forum' is a new language now, and the bible has been re-translated to remove the common BIBLICAL terminology used for ladies of the evening (to fatlady?!!?) and other suchlike. Progress is a wonderful thing, ain't it? I guess though, that dog is still dog, so not all is lost.0 -
Fat ladies need love, too.
Except Oprah.0 -
"Fat ladies need love, too."
Yeah....but in real life, I don't go around equating fat ladies with disreputable ladies of the night, with few socially redeeming values. But then again, the BED OF ROSES that Stattler Brothers guy was sleeping on wasn't so bad I guess. She helped him to grow up. Don't know though, if she was fat. Some things must remain a mystery, even in the electronic age.
Sahagan0 -
For future reference, try "Harlot" next time so as to not loose the intended meaning. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
18 comments