Posted on 03/19/2010 7:41:00 PM PDT by beebuster2000
A neighbor's horse just died. They sent out an e mail saying they would see the horse again in Heaven. Leaving aside the issue of wether this particular neighbor will get to Heaven anyway (of which i have my doubts), but it made me think: do Horses go to Heaven? I dont recall anything in the Bible about animals in Heaven.
Just because I want something to be true does not make it so.
I don’t fully understand Scripture. This does not give me license to fill in the gray areas with my flawed human reasoning and call it God’s Word.
But our suspicions do make sense.
I thought about that immediately and figured several FReepers would post it, so I looked for the Kipling poem to post.
; )
“You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us.”
- Robert LouisStevenson
There’s an old cowboy prayer that says, If they’s no horses in heaven, I ain’t going.”
I’m certain horses are up there, or it wouldn’t be heaven.
There's the horse (of course). There are four "beasts" before the throne (not exactly "animals") described as like a lion, like a calf, like a flying eagle and one with a face as a man.
Also, the book mentions goats and lambs.
Did I pass the test?
If the only things in Heaven are what we read about in the Bible, it's going to be a very spare place. But God tells us that we can't even imagine Heaven's wonders.
I don't believe God brings glorious creatures into existence, allows them to be loved (or treated cruelly) on earth, then snuffs them out for eternity. You might want to read C.S. Lewis and his mentor, Scottish preacher George McDonald, on this subject (both believed in animals in Heaven).
The “spirit” is the life force that inhabits all living creatures. It is what makes it “alive”. The “soul” is the morally aware essence of mankind. It’s what allows us free will to do what is good or what is evil.
This “soul” is what determines whether or not a person is under grace. We cannot save our own soul, but luckily, we don’t need to. Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross covered all sins and our belief and faith in his death and resurrection is what puts our souls under the grace of God.
So an animal has a body, mind and spirit, but humans have an extra component given to us by God and his gift of free will: the soul.
I wasn’t questioning your knowledge or intent. I was just saying whether you believe or disbelieve a particular thing about Christianity is based on your understanding of the Bible.
According to my understanding of the Bible you are correct, some people do not make it to Heaven. As for animals, I have never seen the subject mentioned in the Bible. That leads me to believe that God provided them for our use on earth and to complete the self-sustainability of this very complex system of ours.
I hope my eldest horse Jack will make it to 30. He is 20 this spring. My other, Sunny, is a youthful 10 years old.
Upon more thought on the thread’s question of horses going to Heaven, I think they kind of do because they leave such an imprint on the soul of the person who loves them, and that part of the horse’s life spirit is with the person’s soul forever.
Whoa. That was too deep.
Happy Trails...TCP
What a beautiful poem.. Thank you for posting it. Brings tears to my eyes.
You’re welcome. It has the same effect on me
We come from differentg traditions. I do not `fill in holes` on wishful thinking. I was taught this by my mother years ago. And her source was a clergyman (Presbyterian) from when she was growing up, and her favorite horse died. My grandfather had a small cattle ranch in NW Colorado.
“If there are mosquitoes or flies it ain’t heaven...look around and you’ll see Ted Kennedy (D-HELL) sipping a on-alcoholic beverage with a lesbian on his arm.”
Don’t want to go there!
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