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In the Bible we have learned that God put animals on
the earth to be cared for by people. In Genesis first chapter the story of
creation and God's plan for us is explained. Let's look at the Old Testament,
Genesis Chapter One starting with verse 20:
Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of
living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the
firmament of the heavens." 21 So God created great sea creatures and
every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to
their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it
was good. 22 And
God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters
in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23 So the evening and the
morning were the fifth day. 24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living
creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the
earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of
the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything
that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said,
"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the
cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps
on the earth." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them. 28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be
fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the
fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that
moves on the earth." 29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that
yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit
yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30
Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of
the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I
have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that
He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were
the sixth day.
As we can see,
from the moment we were created we were given a job, to care for and be
responsible for the animals of this earth. This does not mean the animals are
equal to us as an animal activist might believe; it does mean that we are
responsible for the WELFARE of animals and their care as we have dominion over
them.
I don't know
about you, but for me dominion means what it means, Control or the exercise
of control; sovereignty, and does not include a word such as
"abuse", but rather means care and responsibility. What an awesome
job God gave us, intrusting us and providing us with not only a means to
pleasure, companionship, but also supplying the need of food.
This brings me
to my main goal in answering a question many have asked? Will animals be in
Heaven? Yes.
Since animals
were part of God's perfect original design for Earth and mankind, as we clearly
read above, it stands to reason that Heaven would not be Heaven without animals.
Also, in the New Testament, Romans 8:19-23 says:
19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to
frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected
it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated
from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom
of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning
as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we
ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons,
the redemption of our bodies.
Here we are
told that animals along with all creation, long for the deliverance that
will be theirs at the time of the redemption of our bodies, at the
resurrection. They await and long for it, because they will be part of it! As the entire
creation, including animals, plants, and nature itself, fell on humanity's
coat-tails, so shall the entire creation rise on our coat-tails, as
beneficiaries of Christ's redemptive work.
Also, Isaiah
11, 60, and 65 chapters depict animals on the New Earth. The fact that the
animals were rescued in the Ark is a picture of how God intends to rescue not
only people, but the animals as well.
I know this
continues to be a "Christian
controversy" but I choose to believe that My GOD has a Plan for all His
creatures both great and small.
(I write this for myself
and my belief in God's Plan for our lives, Peggy Rice)
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