1 2 3 4 5 6 7 all good children go to heaven

A river and trees are also mentioned as being in heaven (Revelation 22:1–2), so the lack of a mention of animals appears to be either purposeful or far removed from the focus of Scripture on the subject. While the four living creatures mentioned in Revelation 4:6–8 are described using simile, as having some animal characteristics, they are not animals but clearly winged heavenly beings, possibly cherubim or seraphim (cf. Angelic beings, heavenly hosts, human beings, Satan, and even a lying spirit (likely referring to a rebellious angel in 1 Kings 22:21–23) are all mentioned. There is no definitive statement in any visons or descriptions of heaven (apart from the aforementioned white horses) that include animals. There is also no verse in Scripture stating that animals have eternal life. Considering that the horses in question carried Christ and the heavenly armies from heaven to earth (Revelation 19:19), it does not seem likely that these were merely ordinary earthly horses and may indeed be apocalyptic imagery for John’s benefit. However, we must remember that this was a vision given to the Apostle John concerning Christ’s judgment of the earth. The Bible never directly addresses the question of whether animals go to heaven when they die, although it does specifically mention at least one type of animal in heaven: white horses (Revelation 19:11–14). Here, we will discuss relevant Scripture, others’ interpretations, and biblically based insights into this complex issue. In England (and if the same study were done in the US over the same timeframe, the results would likely be similar), it seems that the church did not teach on the subject of animal resurrection, and if it did, it seems likely not to have embraced it theologically until a shift occurred in the post WW2 era. But by the mid-20th century, a greater proportion of animal gravestones suggest pet owners were not just hoping but were expecting and awaiting a reunion in the afterlife. Very few 19th-century gravestones reference an afterlife for their pets, although some expressed hope to see their loved ones again. Their findings showed the progressive shift in public (and one could argue theological shift as well) thought on the topic. Interestingly a recent journal paper decided to look at the subject by examining inscriptions on over 1,000 pet tombstones in pet cemeteries in England dating from the 1880s through the 1990s. Yet there are many others who come to the opposite conclusion, also based on Scripture. In 2012, Christianity Today published an article on the topic, and three different authors, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, a Christian university professor, and a Christian animal advocate all came to different conclusions, each providing their reasoning based on biblical inferences. Billy Graham also came to the same conclusion based on these texts and the “peaceful animals” and “New Earth” texts of Isaiah 11:6–8, 65:17 and Revelation 21:1. Going back to the time of the Reformation, even Martin Luther believed animals would be in heaven, basing his thought on the “restoration texts” of Acts 3:21 and Romans 8:18-22. One question that is increasingly asked (and discussed) among Christians is whether animals go to heaven when they die or will they be bodily resurrected.

Some however are subjects upon which even those who adhere to biblical authority in all matters reach different conclusions due to the limited amount of detail given on the subject in the Bible.

There are some topics that Scripture does not directly address, although many can be reasonably deduced from comparing Scripture with Scripture and applying principles gleaned from the text.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 all good children go to heaven