All Animals Will Be Allowed Into Heaven. By Dr. Chapman Chen
- Chapman Chen
- Jul 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 6
Many people wonder if their beloved animals and pets will eventually be able to enjoy themselves in Heaven. Well, according to Revelation 5 and Isaiah 11, all animals will be allowed into Heaven. But I am not sure about those humans who systematically use and abuse innocent creatures of God for food, for clothing, for entertainment, for labour, etc.
"That animals will be redeemed strikes me as rather obvious – after all they are morally innocent or blameless, not sinful, violent and wicked like human beings. The real question is not whether animals will be in heaven, but whether any humans will be there as well," asserts Rev. Prof. Andrew Linzey (2011).
A few Bible verses relevant to these two points are quoted below:
All Animals Welcome in Heaven
"Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13 NIV); "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them." (Isaiah 11:6 NIV)
Animal Abusers Denied Access to Heaven
“Thou shalt not kill!” (Exodus 20:13 KJV); " But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person” (Isaiah 66:3 NIV); "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,” says the Vegan Christ (Matthew 25:40 NIV).
Article link: https://www.hkbnews.net/post/all-animals-will-be-allowed-into-heaven-by-dr-chapman-chen
References
Linzey, Andrew (2011). "Address at Westminster Abbey." Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, Oct. 2. https://www.oxfordanimalethics.com/what-we-do/commentary/address-at-westminster-abbey/
Four Animals Worshipping the Lord in Heaven. By Dr. Chapman Chen
“In the center, grouped around the throne itself, were four animals…The first animal was like a lion, the second like a bull, the third animal had a human face, and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle… Every time the animals glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne…” (Revelation 4:7-8 Jerusalem Bible).
In Revelation 4:7-8, a lion, an ox, an eagle, and a man, as the four heads of animate creation, pay homage to the Lord. The lion represents wild animals, the ox tame animals, the eagle birds; the man all humanity. This signifies that all sentient beings have their place in the Kingdom of God.
Unfortunately, as pointed out by Pastor J.R. Hyland (200:60-61), many Bible translations tend to obscure the Bible’s message of animal restoration. Notably, King James Bible, the standard Bible for most Protestant readers, uses the derogative term “beast” in place of the neutral term “animal”. While the King James translation fails to distinguish between beast and animal, the Greek language does. Zoon is the Greek term for 'animal' and is used to describe nonhuman creatures as a general rule. Contrariwise, therion translates to 'beast' and carries the same connotation in English, implying a savage and rough creature.
Article link: https://www.vegantheology.net/post/four-animals-worshipping-the-lord-in-heaven-by-dr-chapman-chen
コメント