Lost Stories Gem #31
Heavenly Creatures and Our Pets
Ask any Christian if they think their pets are going to Heaven, and nine out of ten will probably tell you the same thing: “I guess not. The Bible says you need faith to get in, and how can animals have faith like we do? That's reserved for people with a personal relationship with God.”
On the surface, this sounds logical. But you might be falling far short of what the whole Book of God actually says about who gets into Heaven.
The Material Truth About Animals and Humans
The common assumption is that Scripture clearly separates humans from animals in God’s eyes. But consider what The Book of Genesis really tells us. In the opening chapters, God created the animals first, then mankind. When He finished, He looked at everything and declared it good.
More importantly, the Scriptures reveal that God created animals from the very same material He used for Adam. Genesis 2 records this moment: “The Lord said, 'It isn’t good that the man should be alone, so I’ll make companions for him.’ And out of the ground God formed every beast of the field, along with every fowl of the air.”
That word “ground” comes from the Hebrew “adamah,” which according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance derives from the root word “adam” itself. Think about that connection. The biblical word for the material God used to create these companions is actually a derivative of the word for Adam.
This isn’t coincidental. God specifically created animals as companions for humanity, not as tools or servants. Yet for centuries, tradition has insisted otherwise, leading believers to accept a distorted view of what Scripture actually teaches about the animal kingdom.
The Shared Fate of Creation
So, if animals and humans share the same created material, do they also share a common destiny? Paul’s letter to the Romans suggests they do:
“Every living creature waits expectantly for the manifestation of the children of God. Even the animals were made subject to corruption, not willingly, but because of Him Who subjected them in hope. Every creature will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of God’s family. The entire creation groans and agonizes in pain together.”
This passage makes an astounding claim: the animal kingdom’s suffering is linked to humanity’s fall. They suffer because of human sin, not because of anything they’ve done. And Paul goes further, declaring that just as humans will be redeemed, so too will the creatures who share in our curse.
If animals have no place in God’s redemptive plan, then why would Paul connect their fate so directly to ours? The text suggests something far different from the common teaching: animals and humans are bound together in both the curse and the cure.
Talking Animals and Divine Communication
Some dismiss biblical accounts of animals speaking as mere allegory. But consider how casually Scripture treats these encounters. When Eve encounters a talking serpent in Genesis, she shows no surprise. She simply carries on a conversation as if nothing unusual is happening.
Similarly, in The Book of Numbers, Balaam’s donkey speaks to him, and Balaam responds without shock, only anger. The ordinariness of these exchanges is itself remarkable. If animals were truly inferior creatures incapable of meaningful interaction, then why would Scripture portray them communicating as naturally as humans do?
Yet the most stunning animal communication happens in Heaven itself. In The Book of Revelation, John describes four living creatures standing before God’s throne. These beings:
Resemble a lion, a bull, an eagle, and a man
Speak with authority and purpose
Drive one of history’s most pivotal events—the opening of the seven seals
When the Lamb opens each seal, John hears one of these creatures command, “Come and see.” They announce the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These aren’t minor characters. They’re at the center of God’s unfolding plan for the ages.
Some argue these are merely angels disguised as animals. But that raises awkward questions. If angels and animals are so fundamentally different, then why would one of the creatures resemble a man? Why would heavenly beings need to take animal form at all?
The Passover Connection
One of the clearest proofs that animals matter in God’s redemptive order appears in The Book of Exodus. When God instituted the Passover, His promise covered not just human firstborns but animals too: “Consecrate to Me every firstborn male, whether human or animal. Every firstborn of every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me.”
God didn’t make a distinction. He redeemed them together. And the animal sacrificed, the Passover lamb, became the type and shadow of Christ Himself. The blood of that lamb saved both human and animal families from death.
If the blood of the Passover lamb could save animals, then how much more can the blood of the Lamb of God? This connection points to something profound: animals stand within the reach of redemption. They’re included in God’s plan, not excluded from it.
White Horses in Heaven
One more vision clinches the case. Near the end of Revelation, John sees Heaven opening:
“There was a white horse. He Who rode upon it was called Faithful and True... The armies of Heaven that follow Him are all upon white horses, clothed with fine linen, white and pure.”
These aren’t angels who happen to look like horses. Scripture explicitly describes them as actual horses. Jesus and the redeemed saints ride on flesh-and-blood animals into the final moments of history.
If no animals exist in Heaven, then how do we account for this scene? How do we explain Jesus Himself riding on a horse through the heavenly realm? The answer is simple: animals do exist in God’s eternal future. They are part of His complete and final order of things.
What This Means for Your Beloved Pets
The next time someone tells you that animals have no place in Heaven, you can respond with Scripture. Tell them The Bible teaches that:
Animals were created from the same material as humans
They share in both the curse and the redemption of creation
They communicate meaningfully with God and with us
They stand before God’s throne in Heaven
They ride alongside Christ in the culmination of all things
God’s word never says your beloved pet won’t be there when you arrive. Instead, it consistently suggests that the animal kingdom shares in humanity’s destiny. They were companions in the beginning. They suffer alongside us in the Fall. They’ll be delivered alongside us when Christ returns.
So don’t blame The Bible for the teaching that animals don’t go to Heaven. Blame the centuries of disinformation spread by those who insist on reducing Scripture to their own limited understanding. The whole Book of God tells a different story, one in which every creature, great and small, waits expectantly for the full manifestation of God’s redemption.
