I know this is a humor thread, but still thought I would weigh in on animals and spirituality.
Every creature has a soul and will certainly be resurrected. There will even be new animals in heaven. The Bible depicts various kinds of animals in heaven and on the new earth. The prophet Isaiah says that on the new earth the wolf will dwell with the lamb (
Isaiah 11:6-9). The book of Revelations speaks of horses descending from heaven and every creature singing praises to God (Revelation 5:13). Every creature can receive the Gospel and praise God (Psalm 69:34, Psalm 150:6, Mark 16:15, Psalm 148:10-13). Someday God will make a covenant of safety with every creature (Hosea 2:18).
I have been wanting to make a thread about animals and the resurrection for a while but was not sure if it would be controversial and I was not (and kind of still am not) in a good place with God. For centuries there has been a
HORRIBLE misconception (and to an extent blasphemous) that animals don't matter to God and that they simply cease after death. Sadly this very incorrect belief still plagues Christianity and those who spout these untruths (even innocently) give people of other religions and atheists fine arguments against Christianity.
Fortunately there are several verses that outright tell us that every creature will exist forever, despite what so many people have incorrectly believed throughout the centuries.
Every creature will be resurrected as told in Romans 8:19-22: "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."
Jesus's own cousin John the Baptist confirms that animals too will see salvation in Luke 3:6: "and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
Ecclesiastes 3:18-21: "I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"
Unfortunately the last verse has been misinterpreted by people who were unaware that prior to Christ, every soul went down into the earth. With better hindsight, it confirms that animals go on after death.
Animals were forced into the state they are in and will be redeemed by Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22: "21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
Finally, let us not forget that He will make everything new "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new."— Revelation 21:5
