Banquet With The King: Pets in Heaven?

Clover - Precious Puppy

Prayer – Lord, will there be pets in heaven? Lots of people have pets that are like family and want the reassurance that “Yes, they will be in heaven!” Give us wisdom and understanding.

Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground." Genesis 1:26

Meditate. Do you reign over your pets...or do they reign over you? Pets are precious. Do you hope to see yours in eternity?

Authors like Randy Alcorn, who wrote “Heaven,” C.S. Lewis, and Billy Graham have indicated that pets will be in heaven. Randy Alcorn analyzes the Isaiah 65 passage where God describes the New Heaven and New Earth, man and animals. You can read an article by him on his website, but be sure to read the Isaiah passage of scripture for yourself in your own Bible. It is worthy to note that C.S. Lewis in particular indicated that animals will be in heaven due to the relationship of their owners to God—that is their owner’s faith. Billy Graham wrote that God wants us to be happy in heaven, so if our pets are necessary for our happiness—they will be there. We can have hope that pets will be in heaven.

There are references to animals throughout the Bible. God made the animals, and cared enough about them to save them in the Ark with Noah and his family, promising to never destroy them with a flood. He values even sparrows, which seem like insignificant little birds. God has promised that one day animals and people will safely live together in peace and harmony.

I also thought about the human condition—how God proves to people that they are like animals. For people and animals share the same fate—both breathe and both must die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust. For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth? Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 (Underlined for emphasis.)

God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25

Then God told Noah and his sons, "I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals--every living creature on earth. Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth." ... "When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth." Genesis 9:8-11, 16

What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. Luke 12:6

In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. Isaiah 11:6

Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:20-21

There will definitely be animals in Heaven. Jesus and His army are riding horses as recorded for us in the book of Revelation. These are wonderful, powerful, war horses. Do you have or have you ever had a horse? Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem—as a humble servant. He will ride a horse as the King of kings and Lord of lords, our conquering Savior.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. Revelation 19:11-14

Just as Jesus said several times…"Anything is possible if a person believes." Mark 9:23

Do you “believe” in Jesus as your Savior…and that He will welcome your beloved pets into His Heaven—which will be your heavenly home?

Verse of Salvation ~ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

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Saturday, October 21, 2023

Pets in Heaven?

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