[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 01/Nov/2020]
A dear friend at HTB[1] has been regularly sending us Christian magazines during this year, and I was interested to read an article by the author and professor, Tom Wright, answering the question, “My daughter’s dog died recently and she is heartbroken. Will we see our pets again in heaven?”
Some time ago I discussed this question with a friend who was firmly of the opinion that there will be no animals in heaven. He based this view on the life of Job in the Old Testament. Satan wanted to attack him because he believed that Job was only faithful to God because God had given him great blessings. As a result Satan killed his many children and their families, and also his servants, took away his numerous flocks, and finally struck him down with a terrible illness, expecting him to turn against God. When he remained faithful, God restored Job and gave him back his health and possessions, as many children as before, but twice as many flocks of animals.
To my friend, this showed that God only gave back to him the same number of children because his first children were in heaven, and twice the animals because the previous animals were not in heaven. My own feeling was that God had doubly blessed Job with the increase in animals as a reward for his faithfulness.
Thinking about “heaven”, the Bible makes it clear at the end of Revelation that He will soon create a new heaven and earth, which will be our heaven and our eternal home. We shall live there with God in the New Jerusalem, but outside of the city will be a whole new world. Our present world is beautiful but spoilt by our failure to look after it. I am sure that the new earth will be perfect and overflowing with beautiful scenery, flora and magnificent animals because that is the nature of our creator God, and we shall be thrilled to enjoy them.
The Bible says,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” [1 Corinthians 2 v9]
Going back to what happens to our pets, because they meant so much to us in this life, it would not surprise me if God does recreate our pets for us to enjoy being with in that new creation. That’s the sort of loving God that He is.
I am glad to say that Tom Wright came to the same conclusion.
[1] Holy Trinity Church, Brompton Road, west London
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