Heaven (45 page)

Passages in Revelation also indicate that the animals will praise their cre­ator: "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!'" (Revelation 5:13). What are these "creatures" said to do? To
sing praises to God in worship. If "every creature in heaven and on earth" includes animals, then an­imals praise God.

The most striking example of animals praising God in Heaven is often overlooked because of word selection in our Bible translations.
We're told eight times in Revelation of "living creatures" in the present Heaven: "Day and night they never stop saying: 'Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'. . . The living creatures give glory, honor and thanks
to him who sits on the throne" (Revelation 4:8-9).

The word translated "living creatures" is
zoon.
Throughout most of the New Testament the word is translated "animal" and is used to indicate animals sacri­ficed in the Temple
and wild, irrational animals (Hebrews 13:11; 2 Peter 2:12; Jude 1:10). In the Old Testament, the Septuagintused
zoon
to translate the He­brew words for animals, including the "living creatures" of the sea (Genesis 1:21; Ezekiel 47:9). In extrabiblical
writings,
zoon
commonly referred to ordi­nary animals and was used of the Egyptians' divine animals and the mytho­logical bird called the
Phoenix (1 Clement 25:2-3). In virtually every case inside and outside of Scripture, this word means not a person, not , ,
. , The whole brute creation will then, an angel, but an
animal.

The whole brute creation will then,

undoubtedly, be restored, not only to the

vigour, strength, and swiftness which they had

at their creation, but to a far higher degree of

each than they ever enjoyed.

JOHN WESLEY

The King James Version trans-undoubtedly, be restored, not only to the lates
zoon
"beasts" in Revelation, vigour, strength, and swiftness which they had but the negative connotations of at their creation,
but to a far higher degree of that word led subsequent translators to settle on living creatures."The most natural translation
would be simply "animals." That word would likely have been chosen by translators if it didn't sound so strange for read­ers
to envision talking animals praising God around his throne! The "living crea­tures" look like a lion, an ox, a man, and an
eagle (Revelation 4:7). They appear to be the same creatures of Ezekiel 1:5-14 and Ezekiel 10:10-14, also called the cherubim,
who are distinguished from angels (Revelation 15:7). The cherubim are first mentioned in Genesis 3:24, as Eden's guardians.
Their images were carved out of gold and placed on the Ark of the Covenant, indicating their close­ness to God.

Somehow we have failed to grasp that the "living creatures" who cry out "Holy, holy, holy" are
animals
—living, breathing, intelligent and articulate
ani­mals
who dwell in God's presence, worshiping and praising him. They pre­existed and are greater than the animals we know. Perhaps
they're the prototype creatures of Heaven after whom God designed Earth's animals. But even though they're highly intelligent
and expressive, they're still animals; that's what Scripture calls them.

When we grasp these passages, we'll see the error of one writer's statement, "Clearly animals do not fit into the main purpose
of heaven, which is the articu­lation of God's praise."
²⁹⁴
On the contrary, the
primary
beings shown articulat­ing God's praise in Heaven, along with angels and humans (the elders), are animals!

Although earthly animals aren't capable of verbalizing praise as these animals in Heaven do, the passages speaking of earthly
animals praising God and the story of Balaam's donkey clearly suggest that animals have a spiritual dimension far beyond our
understanding. The Bible tells us that animals, in their own way, praise God. By extending to them the blessings of mankind's
re­demption, just as he extended to them the curses of mankind's sin, God will grant them an important role on the New Earth.

Once we recognize that the living creatures are animals, we need not see other references to animals in the present Heaven
as figurative. For instance, Elijah was taken up to Heaven in a chariot pulled by horses (2 Kings 2:11). Revelation suggests
there are horses in the present Heaven (Revelation 6:2-8); in fact, there are enough horses for the vast armies of Heaven
to ride (Revela­tion 19:11-14). There are also invisible horses in angelic armies dispatched to Earth (2 Kings 6:17).

These horses could be symbolic, but as we saw in chapter 6, we find many other references to physical objects in the present
Heaven, including Christ's resurrection body. It's therefore possible that besides the "living creatures," horses as well
as other animals could be in the present Heaven. Even if this isn't the case, however, we have every reason to expect animals
will find their ulti­mate home on the New Earth.

WILL WE SEE GOD'S ATTRIBUTES IN ANIMALS?

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen,
being understood from what has been made" (Romans 1:20). Often this verse is understood to refer to stars, mountains, lakes,
and natural wonders. But we shouldn't overlook God's su­preme creation besides mankind: animals. God's invisible qualities,
his divine attributes, are evident in animals.

If this is true even now, how much more will it be true on the New Earth? What will it be like to look at lions, study them,
touch them, and see their power, nobility, and royalty—
and see God in them}
What will it be like to look at lambs and see their loving gentleness, meekness, and servanthood, to ponder their role in
first covenant sacrifices—
and see God in them}

In the Old Testament God asks Job, "Do you give the horse his strength . . . ? Do you make him leap like a locust . . . ?
He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength. . . . He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing" (Job 39:19-22). The horse's strength,
courage, and determination testify to those virtues in its Maker.

What qualities of loyalty, devotion, ingenuity, and single-mindedness will we see in animals on the New Earth? What will we
learn from mice, iguanas, or armadillos? Certainly we'll praise God for his creativity and humor (consider the duckbill platypus).

Once the Curse is lifted, we'll see more attributes of God in animals than we've ever thought about. Consider what's visible
in otters, dogs, and countless other animals: God's playfulness. (Did you think human beings invented play on our own?) I
for one have praised God for and been drawn to him by the play­fulness, exuberance, love, and devotion in the dogs I've had
over the years. They communicate the beauty of their Maker.

Adam, Noah, and Jesus are the three heads of the three Earths. When Adam was created, God surrounded him with animals. When
Noah was deliv­ered from the Flood, God surrounded him with animals. When Jesus was born, God surrounded him with animals.
When Jesus establishes the renewed Earth, with renewed men and women, don't you think he'll surround himself with re­newed
animals?

CHAPTER 40

WILL ANIMALS, INCLUDING OUR PETS, LIVE AGAIN?

C
hrist proclaims from his throne on the New Earth: "Behold, I am making all things new" (Revelation 21:5, ESV). It's not just
people who will be re­newed but also the earth and "all things" in it. Do "all things" include animals? Yes. Horses, cats,
dogs, deer, dolphins, and squirrels—as well as the inanimate creation—will be beneficiaries of Christ's death and resurrection.

Christ's emphasis isn't on making new things but on making old things new. It's not about inventing the unfamiliar but about
restoring and enhancing the familiar. Jesus seems to be saying, "I'll take all I made the first time, including people and
nature and animals and the earth itself, and bring it back as new, fresh, and indestructible."

HOW CLOSELY ARE ANIMALS TIED TO OUR RESURRECTION?

Did Christ die for animals? Certainly not in the way he died for mankind. Peo­ple are made in God's image, animals aren't.
People sinned, animals didn't. Be­cause animals didn't sin, they don't need a redeemer in the same way.

But in another sense, Christ died for animals indirectly because his death for humanity purchased redemption for what was
brought down by humanity's sin, including animals. Romans 8 is explicit on this point: "The creation itself will be liberated
from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has
been groaning as in the pains of childbirth.... We ourselves . . . groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for . . . the redemption
of our bodies" (Romans 8:21-23).

This is a clear statement that our resurrection, the redemption of our bodies, will bring deliverance not only to us
but also to the rest of creation, which has been groaning in its suffering.
This seems to indicate that on the New Earth, after mankind's resurrection, animals who once suffered on the old Earth will
join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay.

If God created a new race of humans on the New Earth—rather than raising the people who had lived on the old Earth—would it
fulfill the promise in Romans 8 of redemption, deliverance, and resurrection? No. Why? To have meaning, the people who are
redeemed and resurrected into the new world must be the same people who suffered in the old world. Otherwise, their long­ing
for redemption would go unmet. As goes mankind, so go the animals. If we take to its logical conclusions the parallel Paul
makes between humans' and ani­mals' groaning, then at least some of those animals who suffered on the old Earth must be made
whole on the New Earth.

It's not some abstract "animalkind" that cries out. The creatures that groan and cry out for their resurrection are specific
suffering people and specific ani­mals. They cry out for their deliverance, not another's. I believe this suggests that God
may remake certain animals that lived on the old Earth.

Many passages indicate that God will bring judgment on "men and animals" or "man and beast" because of mankind's sin (Exodus
9:22-25; Jeremiah 7:20; 21:6; Ezekiel 14:12-13,17). God's blessings on the righteous include blessings not only on their children
but also on the offspring of their animals (Deuteron­omy 7:13-14; 28:1-4).

This fits the words anticipating Christ's coming: "And all flesh will see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:6, NASB). The Greek
word translated "flesh" is
sarx.
Some Bible versions translate this as "all people" or "all mankind," but the word is more inclusive. "All flesh" includes
animals. They too will behold and benefit from Christ's redemptive work.

Psalm 104 demonstrates God's intimate involvement with the lives of his animals and his purposes for them. The psalm speaks
of birds, cattle, wild don­keys, rock badgers, and lions, saying "the earth is full of your creatures" (v. 24). It speaks
of "the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small" (v. 25). It says,
"These all look to you" (v. 27). Then the psalm writer adds, "When you take away their breath, they die and re­turn to the
dust" (v. 29). But then we're told something amazing: "When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face
of the earth" (v. 30). The "they" seems to refer to the animals who've died and returned to the dust. What does God mean that
he sends his Spirit and creates them? It appears that he's talking about re-creating animals after they've died. Why? To "renew
the face of the earth." The same "they" who die are the "they" who are created or re­created as part of the earth's renewal
(Matthew 19:28).

WILL EXTINCT ANIMALS LIVE ON THE NEW EARTH?

Someone wrote to me, "My children are hoping extinct animals will be in Heaven, maybe even dinosaurs." Is this merely a child's
fantasy? I think it's a question based on a rational conclusion. Were dinosaurs part of God's original creation of a perfect
animal world? Certainly. Will the restoration of Earth and the redemption of God's creation be complete enough to bring back
extinct ani­mals? Will extinct animals be included in the "all things" Christ will make new? I see every reason to think so
and no persuasive argument against it. I think we should fully expect that extinct animals and plants will be brought back
to life. By resurrecting his original creation, God will show the totality of his victory over sin and death.

It's apparent that the Curse that fell on the earth resulted in some species dying out. But God promises, "No longer will
there be any curse" (Revelation 22:3). And because it seems that the Curse will not merely be nullified but re­versed, it
seems likely that God might restore extinct animals and plants on the New Earth.

Animals are created for God's glory. What could speak more of his awesome power than a tyrannosaurus? When talking to Job,
God pointed out his great­ness revealed in the giant land and sea creatures behemoth and leviathan (Job 40-41). Why shouldn't
all people have the opportunity to enjoy these great wonders of God on the New Earth?

Imagine Jurassic Park with all of the awesome majesty of those huge creatures but none of their violence and hostility. Imagine
riding a brontosaurus—or flying on the back of a pterodactyl. Unless God made a mistake when he created them—and clearly he
didn't—why wouldn't he include them when he makes "everything new"?

WILL OUR PETS BE RESTORED ON THE NEW EARTH?

Humorist Will Rogers said, "If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." This statement
was, of course, based on sentiment, not theology. However, it reflects something biblical: a God-given affection for animals.
I've often thanked God for my golden retriever, who, when I was a boy, crawled into my sleeping bag as I lay in my backyard
gazing up at the stars. Although I didn't know God then, he touched my life through that dog. Nanci and I have experienced
many hours of laughter and joy in ani­mals.

Certainly people can go to unhealthy extremes with their animals. Still, though we understandably roll our eyes at pet psychologists
or estates left to Siamese cats, we should ask ourselves why so many people find such compan­ionship, solace, and joy in their
pets. Is it because of sin? I believe it's because of how God has made animals, and us.

That's why the question of whether pets will be in Heaven is not, as some as­sume, stupid. Animals aren't nearly as valuable
as people, but God is their Maker and has touched many people's lives through them. It would be simple for him to re-create
a pet in Heaven if he wants to. He's the
giver
of all good gifts, not the
taker
of them. If it would please us to have a pet restored to the New Earth, that may be sufficient reason. Consider parents who've
acquired a pet because of their child's request. God is better than we are at giving good gifts to his children (Matthew 7:9-11).
And if we object that animals won't make us happy in Heaven, we betray our Christoplatonism again—for by find­ing happiness
in God's creation, we will find happiness in him.

We know animals will be on the New Earth, which is a redeemed and re­newed old Earth, in which animals had a prominent role.
People will be resur­rected to inhabit this world. As we saw, Romans 8:21-23 assumes animals as part of a suffering creation
eagerly awaiting deliverance through humanity's resurrection. This seems to require that some animals who lived, sufsuffered,
and died on the old Earth must be made whole on the New Earth. Wouldn’t some of those likely be our pets?

Somethinq better remains after death for

these poor creatures . . . that these, likewise,

shall one day be delivered from this bondage

of corruption, and shall then receive an ample

amends for all their present sufferings.

JOHN WESLEY

It seems God could do one of three things on the New Earth: (1) create entirely new animal s ; (2) bring back to life animals
that have suffered in our present world, giving them immortal bodies (this could be re-cre­ating, not necessarily resurrecting);
(3) create some animals brand-new, "from scratch,"
and
bring back to life some old ones.
²⁹⁵

I'm avoiding the term
resurrection
for fear that it could lead to theological er­ror that fails to recognize the fundamental differences between people and ani­mals—something
that certain "animal rights" advocates are guilty of. However, in the broad sense of the terms, the words
redemption
and
resurrection
can appro­priately apply not only to mankind but also to Earth, vegetation, and animals. A resurrected field, meadow, flower,
or animal, of course, would in no sense be equal to resurrected humans; it's simply that just as Creation and the Fall rode
on the coattails of mankind, so will redemption and resurrection.

In many of his writings, C. S. Lewis commented on the future of animals. He said, "It seems to me possible that certain animals
may have an immortality, not in themselves, but in the immortality of their masters. . . . Very few animals in­deed, in their
wild state, attain to a 'self' or ego. But if any do, and if it is agreeable to the goodness of God that they should live
again, their immortality would also be related to man—not, this time, to individual masters, but to humanity"
²⁹⁶
In
The Great Divorce,
Lewis portrayed Sarah Smith, a woman ordinary on Earth, as great in Heaven. On Earth she loved both people and animals. In
Heaven she's surrounded by the very animals she cared for on Earth.
²⁹⁷

In her excellent book about Heaven, Joni Eareckson Tada says, "If God brings our pets back to life, it wouldn't surprise me.
It would be just like Him. It would be totally in keeping with His generous character.... Exorbitant. Exces­sive. Extravagant
in grace after grace. Of all the dazzling discoveries and ec­static pleasures heaven will hold for us, the potential of seeing
Scrappy would be pure whimsy—utterly, joyfully, surprisingly superfluous. . . . Heaven is going to be a place that will refract
and reflect in as many ways as possible the goodness and joy of our great God, who delights in lavishing love on His children."
²⁹⁸

In a poem about the world to come, theologian John Piper writes,

IS IT WRONG TO GRIEVE A PET'S DEATH?

Many people grieve deeply when their pets die. Some have told me they're em­barrassed or even ashamed at this. Their loss
is great, and they long for hope that they'll see their pets again.

If we regard pets as God-created companions entrusted to our care, it's only right that we should experience grief at their
loss. Who made these endearing qualities in animals? God. Who made us to be touched by them? God. Do we love animals because
of sin and the Curse? No. We love animals because God created us—and them—to love each other. We can turn people into idols,
but it doesn't mean it's wrong to love people. The same is true of animals.

We know the stories of pets who've risked their lives and died for their own­ers because the animals' instinct for love and
loyalty outweighed their instinct for self-preservation. It's noble for a person to lay down his or her life for others, so
animals who do the same must also be noble. We needn't be embarrassed ei­ther to grieve their loss or to want to see them
again. If we believe God is their creator, that he loves us and them, that he intends to restore his creatures from the bondage
they experienced because of our sin, then we have biblical grounds for not only wanting but also expecting that we may be
with them again on the New Earth.

Let's not "correct" our children and grandchildren when they pray that they'll be able to see their pets again. The answer
to that prayer is up to God. But he loves to hear the prayers of his children, and there is scriptural reason to believe he
may answer those prayers. Remember too that our children's instinc­tive grasp of Heaven—and what we should look forward to
there—is some­times better than ours. (Christoplatonism hasn't gripped them yet.)

WHAT FUTURE IS GOD PLANNING FOR ANIMALS?

On November 30, 1781, John Wesley, who spent a large part of his life on horseback, preached a remarkable message. He began
by addressing the many passages that speak of God's provision for cattle and birds, and not muzzling the ox that treads the
corn. Wesley asked, "If the Creator and Father of every living thing is rich in mercy towards all . . . how is it that misery
of all kinds overspreads the face of the earth? . . . All the beasts of the field, and all the fowls of the air, were with
Adam in paradise. And there is no question but their state was suited to their place: It was paradisiacal; perfectly happy"
³⁰⁰