{"id":19399,"date":"2022-08-16T09:00:44","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T13:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=19399"},"modified":"2022-08-14T10:22:46","modified_gmt":"2022-08-14T14:22:46","slug":"will-i-see-my-pet-in-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2022\/08\/will-i-see-my-pet-in-heaven.html","title":{"rendered":"Will I See My Pet in Heaven?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Will I see my pets in Heaven? This is me with my beloved poodle Zoe who is no longer with me.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just a question children ask. It\u2019s one many of us think about and the subject of my podcast this coming weekend. We want the answer to be, YES!<\/p>\n

But I am not a\u00a0theologian. However, when my dad was dying, I read Randy Alcorn\u2019s book HEAVEN<\/a> and found it fascinating. In his book, he has two chapters on animals and heaven. Now, you can certainly take issue with anything he says,\u00a0but I found his writing quite thoughtful and balanced.<\/p>\n

Alcorn makes the point that Scripture has a lot to say about animals and that God entrusted them to us. Animals are referenced in God\u2019s eternal Kingdom. The Bible does say that mankind and animals will enjoy a redeemed and new earth.<\/p>\n

To be clear, Alcorn reminds us that animals don\u2019t have human souls or aren\u2019t made in God\u2019s image. Humans and animals are different. But he speaks to how God took care to save the animals on the Ark with Noah and points out that the new covenant included animals.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the Bible has references to the use of animals for God\u2019s purposes. For example, God used ravens to feed Elijah, a fish to swallow Jonah, and a donkey sees the angel God sends to Balaam.<\/p>\n

Alcorn contends that the biblical message is that God cares for animals and holds us accountable for that care. And it is because of their value, Alcorn asserts, that their sacrifice in the Old Testament reveals sin\u2019s horror and the cost of redemption\u2014pointing to Christ\u2019s redemptive work. It\u2019s an interesting perspective.<\/p>\n

Also, \u00a0think about this. Throughout Scripture we read that animals praise God. Alcorn admits he doesn\u2019t exactly know how this happens, but there are numerous references to creation praising God.<\/p>\n

Alcorn\u2019s reasoning is that when Christ proclaims from his throne on the New Earth, \u201cI am making ALL THINGS new\u201d, that ALL THINGS may include animals\u2014this is about restoring and enhancing the familiar. This made me think of humorist Will Rogers when he said, \u201cIf there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went!\u201d<\/p>\n

We do know that animals will be on the new earth, which is a redeemed and renewed old earth in which animals had a prominent role. Alcorn wonders if some of the old earth animals, including our pets, will be made new in the New Earth. He says God could do one of three things: 1) Create entirely new animals 2) Bring back life to animals that have suffered in our present world 3) Create new and bring some old.<\/p>\n

C.S. Lewis talked about animals as well. He asserts that if God agrees they should live again, they will! In the Great Divorce, Lewis has a character, Sarah, surrounded by animals she cared for on Earth in Heaven. And\u00a0John Wesley explained how animals benefitted from mankind\u2019s faithfulness to God and suffered in human rebellion. When asked, will the creatures be restored? He says, \u201cWhatever affection they (animals) had in the garden with God, will be restored with vast increase; being exalted and refined in a manner which we ourselves are not able to comprehend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Honestly, we really don\u2019t know how all of this will play out one day, so in the meantime, be kind to the animals. Treat them well as a reflection of your appreciation for God\u2019s creation.<\/p>\n

And I am hoping it’s true, that I will see my dogs in heaven.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Will I see my pets in Heaven? This is me with my beloved poodle Zoe who is no longer with me. It\u2019s not just a question children ask. It\u2019s one many of us think about and the subject of my podcast this coming weekend. We want the answer to be, YES! But I am not…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[916],"tags":[444,142,6553,6556,6559],"class_list":["post-19399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-god-relationship","tag-heaven","tag-pets","tag-pets-and-heaven","tag-pets-and-relationship","tag-when-a-pet-dies"],"yoast_head":"\nWill I See My Pet in Heaven?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Will I see my pets in Heaven?\u00a0It\u2019s not just a question children ask. It\u2019s one many of us think about. 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