I’m glad that
you liked my post. I just wanted to address your
questions. But with one caveat, I’m writing this
with a pro-animal bias. Please bear that in mind when you
decide if my interpretation of scripture is correct.
You asked if animals will get immortal bodies and what
will happen to the animals not owned by us?
The effect of an owner’s faith on an
animal
We already
know that the faith Noah exercised by building the Ark
saved the lives of countless animals. There may be a
principle here, but we need to be careful not to take it
too far. You may remember that during the time of
the plagues in Egypt, even the firstborn of animals were
killed by plague – except for the animals owned by the
Hebrews that were consecrated to God. Exodus
12:12-13; Exodus 13:2. I don’t think I can guarantee that
all animals living with or owned by Christians will be
saved, but there may be some hope.
“And they said, Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
house.” Acts 16:31. Remember that the
Hebrews took their animals with them during the
exodus. (Exodus 12:38.) And when the Ninevites
repented they even put sackcloth on their livestock (Jonah
7:7-11). As a result God showed mercy on their
livestock.
“And should not I spare Nineveh,
that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand
persons that cannot discern between their right hand and
their left hand;
and also much cattle?” Jonah
4:11.
I must
admit that I pray for God’s mercy on my pets and a few
feral cats and wildlife that I’ve come across. If
you see me in heaven with a menagerie of animals, then you
will know that He granted my prayers.
Consider the lilies
We know that God provides for animals
in this life. It they are worthy of His of
consideration now – and we know that He does not change –
they will still be worthy of His consideration in the next
age. “Therefore I say unto
you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat,
or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye
shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the
body than raiment? 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? Which of you by taking
thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And
why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in
all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,
which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall
he not much more
clothe you, O ye of little faith?” Matthew
6:25-30. If God takes care of His creation now, we
can rest assured that He will take care of all His
creation in eternity. I don’t think that any will be
left out. Clearly animals are important to God, he
had Adam name all the animals (Genesis 2:19-20.) and he
created man to be responsible for them (Genesis 1:26.).
Expectation of immortal bodies
I really think that Romans 8:20-25
shows that all created things have the expectation or hope
of immortal bodies, but only after we receive our new
bodies. “For the creature was made subject to
vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath
subjected
the same in hope, Because the creature itself also
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and
travaileth in pain together until now. And not only
they, but ourselves also, which have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our body. For we are saved by
hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man
seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for
that we see not,
then do we with patience wait for it.”
God cares for His creation and that
includes animals. I think we can hold onto that
truth. I think we are going to be pleasantly
surprised by the types of friends who will share eternity
with us.
Maranatha.
– Lisa Taylor