Good Grief!
A Booklet of Inspiration and Hope!! |
God's Glory - Our Gift
The Human-Animal Bond is a gift from God whereby people and animals are loved just for being. When we love one another as God loves us; we are reminded that we are in His very presence, because God is the essence of love {1 John 4:8}. Animals have always been important to God; He thought about them often, this is clearly demonstrated throughout the Bible {Example: See Genesis 6:19}. The Holy Bible often refers to animals to reveal spiritual truths about God and Jesus, while conveying spiritual principles such as the message of Jonah who lived in the belly of a whale for three days {Matthew 12:39-41} or Moses and the bronze serpent in John 3:14. All Creation Reveals His Majesty |
Genesis 2:19-24 Mankind was made with a special connection to God's creatures and nature.
Do animals have a spirit and a soul?
mankind's Psalm 36:7 "Your charity is like the mighty mountains; Your judgments are [like] the vast deep. You save both man and beast, O Lord." The Bible makes the distinction between and the roles of mankind’s' physical body, spirit, and soul. The soul is summed up as being man's mind, will, and emotions. Since man was made in the image of God and animals were not some people argue that animals do not possess a spirit or a soul. The Spirit of God reflects the heart of God. Authentic religion is the perfect union between God and the precious souls He Created. That being said, let's take dogs as an example almost without exception most dogs face life with a sense of adventure, joy, and goodwill rooted in the spirit of their God-given temperament with a compelling desire to please their master. They possess a divine ability to love (express unconditional affection, acceptance, respect, willingness to please...) because God created them to be that way. What man serves God with such loyalty? Our eternal companions show us how to enjoy the present. Unlike humans they do not regret the past or fear the future, they are innocent bystanders affected by the fall of mankind. They have no sins to confess only a divine connection to their loving Creator. See also Genesis 1:22-25, Genesis 7:15, and Ecclesiastes 3:20-22 {animals have a soul and spirit}. They too were created from the earth (dust) the same as the man was. The difference is that man was created in God's image. |
The Great Chain of Being
Typically when we love someone we talk about them often. God mentions animals throughout the Bible from beginning to end. In the Old Testament animals were sacrificed to pay the penalty for sin, but thanks to Jesus Christ - the once for all sacrificial Lamb of God - animal sacrifices were put to an end. This was the one sacrifice that conformed to God's Will - the sacrifice of obedience which resulted in true and lasting forgiveness. Read more... Will our pets and service animals be in Heaven? Jim Venable's book called Do Animals Go to Heaven? is one good source that reveals the Biblical perspective and response to this age-old question. The Book of Job 12:7-10 is a prime example, "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Proverbs 12:10 tells us, "A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel." 
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The Restoration of All Creation
Animals are part of God's magnificent creation; therefore, we have every reason to hold fast to our belief that our furry companions will be in Heaven with us because God will restore all of His divine creation to its original intended state. Romans 8:21 tells us that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God {Genesis 1:25} and {Revelation 21:1}. There will also be animals during the millennial kingdom {Isaiah 11:6; 65:25}. God purposed to show for eternity that His redemptive plan for mankind included removing the curse for all His Creation, including the animal kingdom. Although the Bible does not specifically say that our pets and service animals will be in Heaven (New Eternal Kingdom), we can trust that God is just in all He does and has planned for those who love Him. "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD." {Psalm 36:6} God's Promise - Our Hope! Paul tells us, “‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’—these things has God revealed to us through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9–10a). The Bible tells us exactly what we have to look forward to when we trust in Jesus—eternal life in a perfect resurrection body, in a physically restored body, in perfect sinless fellowship with God. "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together, and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra hole, and the young child puts his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my Holy Mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:6-9) “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him alone belongs the glory forever and ever. Amen!" {Romans 11:36 and Genesis 9:8-16 - The Rainbow Covenant} 
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Circle of Support and Resources
Animal Behaviour Acts and Facts Magazine Claire Place Veterinary Hospice Cold Noses at The Pearly Gates Eden Publications LLC Bereavement Resources Animals, Immortal Beings - Evidence of the Immortality of Animals by Mary Buddemeyer-Porter And more... Ministries Answers in Genesis Ark Encounter Museum Canines for Christ Creation Viewpoint What does the Bible say about pets? Circle of Support Joanne Moss A Faithful Servant and Disciple of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Jesus Messiah/Yeshua Hamashiach Niki Behrikis Shanahan Niki is the author of the following Bible-based books, "There Is Eternal Life For Animals," "The Rainbow Bridge: Pet Loss Is Heaven's Gain," "Animal Prayer Guide," and “Who Says Animals Go To Heaven.” She has a very unique Christian animal ministry. Prayer requests for sick and lost pets and animal companion loss is gladly received by emailing her eternalanimals@comcast.net. For more information, please visit www.eternalanimals.com. |
