Do pets go to heaven according to the Bible?
Followers of Christ don't believe that "going to heaven" happens automatically, as this is what the Word of God states; it's the result of conscious decisions made during one's life. While the Bible is very specific about the requirements for human salvation,it says nothing about salvation for animals. But don't lose hope!
That being said, I don't see why not, according to certain verses in the bible, but I will leave you to your own understanding. I could be wrong, but it is my personal belief that we will. The Bible says that Jesus wants to give us the desires of our hearts, and who wouldn't want their beloved pets with them, and the Bible does speak of animals in heaven in various verses. We do know there are horses in heaven, because Jesus comes back on one, as the redeemed, in the future.
In fact, several Bible verses depict animals in heaven. What are the four animals in heaven?
In the New Testament book of Revelation 4:6–8, four living beings (Greek: ζῷον, zōion) are seen in John's vision. These appear asa lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, much as in Ezekiel, but in a different order.
Did Isaiah 11:6 once say the lion shall lie down with the lamb?
The Scriptures we have today are written by the Holy Spirit and since Jesus has promised that they are unchanged, that means Isaiah 11:6 has not changed either.
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach 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 sea is full of water.”
The Bible says that the wolf will lie down with the lamb. In other words, the wolf (the lamb’s natural predator) will no longer be an enemy of the lamb. There is finally peace between the two creatures, as well as all the creatures mentioned in these verses. The question becomes: when will these events take place?
When will this take place?
This particular passage in Isaiah, is a prophecy about future events. Specifically, Isaiah is referring to the day when Christ will return to create a new heaven and new earth. The apostle John describes this glorious day in Revelation 21:1-4:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Again, just my opinion, but I believe that Jesus knows that we would be awfully sad if we would never see our beloved pets again. I know there have been experiences where one went to heaven and they saw their beloved pet during NDE's. Near-death experiences are a mystery, yes, but I remember that all things are possible with God and if He wants our pets in heaven with us, I'm sure He'll arrange it.
I can't, of course, be sure about NDE's, but I'll tell you why I tend to believe them. Some people have actually witnessed after their deaths, rising above and seeing themselves in the place they've died. If they died in a hospital, for example, they have reported listening to every word the doctors and nurses have said, that was confirmed by the doctors and nurses, after this person came back from being dead, verbatim!! And why not? The spirit is absolutely free from any earthly boundaries, when it dies. That event would never be possible, if we weren't aware of what's going on around us when we die, and even the Bible says we are definitely aware of what is going on around us after we die. The body dies, but our Spirit lives on, as it is eternal:
For believers, death means being “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Philippians 1:23). We're bound to know where we're AT and where we've gone! Jesus did!
