Will there be animals in Heaven?

Some thoughts and ideas from Jack Van Impe's tape.

Perhaps one of the greatest passages in the Bible that concerns this, Romans 8:21-23

21 - that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 - We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
23 - Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Remember now, in Genesis 1 "In the Beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth....... (verse 24): And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good."

So if we believe that God created all the animals as well as ourselves, we are being told that ALL creation will be liberated from its bondage (brought up at the Rapture).  What?  You don't believe in a Rapture?

1 Corinthians 15
51- Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 - In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 - For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 - So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

The Bible tells us there will be a Rapture and it will include all of creation (animals too) who are right with Jesus.  Animals are not guilty of the original sin.  Only Adam, and therefore us humans, are and therefore we must confess our sins to Jesus and live for Him in order to be Raptured. 

Now this wasn't covered in Dr. Van Impe's message, but some people will argue that animals do not have souls so therefore they can't go to Heaven.    I dare someone to look at Fleece here and tell me she does not have a soul.    However, I digress.  Maybe animals do not go to Heaven when they die, like humans do, because they do not have a soul (according to some), but the Bible tells us in Romans 8, that they also will be caught up in the Rapture (those alive in Christ shall rise first, followed by those already dead) when Jesus calls us to Him.  I believe in that Scripture with all my heart. 

Revelation tells us there are animals in Heaven:

Revelation 4:
7 - In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8 - Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
9 - Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever 

Revelation 5:
11 - Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
13 - Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!"
14 - The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Luke 3 tells us:
6 - And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Animals are of flesh and bone too, right?

I Corinthians 15:
39 - All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

While we're not of the same type of flesh, we're still all flesh so animals will be redeemed with us in Heaven.

The Bible tells us that animals also praise God.

Psalm 148:
7 - Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8 - Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9 - Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10 - Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl

Psalm 150:
6 - Let everything that has breath praise the LORD

It states in Isaiah 11:
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.
11 - And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Jesus recovers His saints (us at the Rapture) and in order for the wolf to lay with the lamb, etc. there must be animals in Heaven.

I know we will see our pets in Heaven, God has revealed that so many times in the Bible. God included the animals in His covenant with Noah. In fact, each of the seven times He spoke of His covenant with Noah, He also included the animals.

Do animals have a soul and spirit?
Do animals have wisdom and insight?
Are they sinful or sinless?

The Bible tells us that, unlike man, the lesser creatures are innocent!

Romans 8:19 tells us the lesser creatures await Christ's return to redeem the sons of God so they, too, will be released from physical death to eternal life.

19 - For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

This tells us that the creatures (animals) are waiting for the Rapture too.

Though all creatures are subject to man's cruelty, God loves all His creation and has made plans for all His children and the lesser creatures to enjoy His eternal Kingdom. (see Psalm 145:-9-10,13,15-21)

God Never lies! So, having said that I believe 100% what the Bible tells me and one thing it tells me is that lessor creatures will be in heaven and they will be raptured away.

These are just some of the points that are made for the argument that not only will animals be in Heaven, they will also be Raptured with the Church.  Keep this in your mind and in your heart.....

Romans 8:21-23

21 - that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 - We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
23 - Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Amen and thank you Lord Jesus for that peace of mind about our beloved animals coming with us to worship you.

Copyright © Kelrobin Labradors All rights reserved.

You may freely link to this site, but do not have permission to add/copy the text/graphics to your homepage.