Will There Be Animals in Heaven?

Pia (age 9) asked,

“Will there be animals in heaven?”

The Bible doesn’t give us a clear answer about whether animals will be in heaven. In Revelation 19:11–14, we read about white horses that will carry Christ and the heavenly armies from heaven to earth. But we have to remember that this scene is a vision that God gave to the Apostle John about God’s judgment on earth. So these white horses may not be ordinary horses like the ones we’re familiar with.

There is also no verse in the Bible that talks about animals having eternal life. Animals were not created in the image of God the way humans were, so they don’t have eternal souls like we do. They can’t ask God to forgive their sins and save them like we can.

Though we don’t know for sure if animals will be in heaven, we can be sure that God has a specific purpose for all of his creation. And one of the purposes God gave to humans is to care for his animals and delight in what he has made. We can enjoy our pets and the wild animals at our local zoos and aquariums here on earth. And maybe we will get to enjoy animals in heaven someday too. But if not, when we get to heaven, we will be filled with joy to be in the presence of God.

Do you have a question about God’s Word or his world that you want us to answer? Is there a topic you want to learn more about? Ask your parents to help you submit your question today. Watch for our answer here on the blog or in Kids Answers magazine. We’d love to hear from you!