What does the Bible say about animals and heaven?
The Bible never promises that a specific animal is raised or restored in heaven, and it is honest about that silence. What it does say is clear: God made the animals and called them good, He cares for them and keeps covenant with them, the animal world shares in the groaning of a fallen creation and will be set free with it, and the healed new creation ends the violence of the animal kingdom, so that every creature can praise God together.
This question arose from studying What is the new heaven and new earth? and What will we do in the new creation?.
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What the Scripture says
God made the animals and called them good
God called the living creatures into being out of the ground and the sea, blessed them, and when He finished, 'God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.' Animals are not an accident or an afterthought; they are God's deliberate, good creation, made before sin entered the world.
God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind”; and it was so.And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
God cares for animals and keeps covenant with them
After the flood, God's covenant, His bound promise, was made not only with Noah but 'with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth.' Jesus says the heavenly Father feeds the birds, and the righteous are marked by respect for the life of their animal. God's care for animals runs through all of Scripture.
and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth.And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
God said, “This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
The animal world shares in the groaning of a fallen creation
Paul says the creation was subjected to vanity and 'groans and travails in pain together until now,' waiting to be set free from its bondage to decay. Animals suffer in our fallen world, and they are not written out of the story of redemption; the creation itself waits for the revealing of the children of God.
For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hopeFor the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The new creation heals the animal world
The prophets picture the healed creation in unmistakably animal terms: 'The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat,' and 'the wolf and the lamb shall feed together... They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.' The violence of the animal kingdom is undone. God does not scrap His creation; He renews it, and animals are part of that renewal.
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; The calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.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.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain,” says Yahweh.The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Every creature will praise God
John heard 'every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them' saying blessing, honor, glory, and dominion to God and to the Lamb. The psalmists call the wild animals, livestock, and creeping things to praise the Lord. The animal creation is part of the music of the new heavens and new earth.
I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Praise Yahweh from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths!Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
wild animals and all livestock; small creatures and flying birds;Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
And here is what the Bible does not say
The Bible never promises that a specific, individual animal is raised or restored in heaven. The clear promises of resurrection and eternal life belong to people made in God's image, to those who believe in Christ. This silence is not denial; it is honesty. We can trust a God who cares for animals and who heals creation, even for the part of the story He does not spell out for us.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body.So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth.And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
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Why does God allow suffering and evil?→Suffering & God's Will trail“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”What does it mean to be made in God's image?→Who We Are trail“God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth.And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; The calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.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.
I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
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