A few weeks ago, my husband and I decided to put our twelve-year-old boxer to sleep.  He went through a few months of suffering through inexplicable seizures and had apparently suffered brain damage.  He had been in my life over six years.  A week and a half ago, my fifteen-year-old cat died.  The vet told me she had pancreatitis.  She wasn't sick very long, but you could tell she was not well, and I knew in my heart she wouldn't be with me much longer.  She was a very important part of my twenty-seven years here.  I'm having a very difficult time dealing with it all.  I think they will both be in heaven, and a lot of my friends agree. Is there something in the Bible that verifies (or disproves) this?

Sincerely,
Mourning

Dear Mourning,

Dogs and cats don’t go to heaven, but we can really sympathize with your loss.  One of our AYP writers still has pictures of his hunting dogs up in his office, and another is deeply attached to his family dog.  Animals are a blessing from God (Gen 1:26).  Animals have the “breath of life” just like humans do (Gen 2:7, Gen 6:17).  This “breath of life” is also sometimes referred to as the “spirit” of a man or animal (Gen 7:22).  Animals have spirits, and humans have spirits, but humans were also made in the image of God (Gen 1:26).  Our spirits are eternal and will go up to be with the Father, and animal spirits are temporary and will return to the dust of the earth (Eccl 3:21).  God made our spirit of a different caliber than He made those of the animal.  This can feel like a very harsh truth after losing beloved family pets, but we can feel confident that God has decided wisely on this issue like all others.  We may not always understand His reasons, but He always makes good decisions. We are so sorry for your loss, but we want you to know that God comforts us through all our sorrow… and He will bring you through this loss (2 Cor 13:11).

     There's a gal at work who is praying for Satan's salvation.  I told her that this is a lost cause; however, I could not provide biblical reference to his eternal fallen nature.  Will you please provide me with a biblical reference to study and pray over to help her in this area?  Thanks and God Bless!

Sincerely,
Rootin’ For The Good Guys

Dear Rootin’ For The Good Guys,

The Bible makes it clear that the devil’s fate is already sealed.  Matt 25:41 says that the eternal fires of hell are prepared for the devil and his angels… which humans join them is still up for grabs (Matt 7:13-14).  Rev 20:10 says the same thing.  Satan has already chosen his path, and he either has no opportunity or no desire to change course.

When family members have passed, can they hear us or see us from heaven?  Do they remember us?

Sincerely,
Still Here

Dear Still Here,

Within Hades, there are two areas where people wait for the final judgment. All of the faithful who die wait in the good part of Hades called ‘Paradise’ (2 Cor 12:4, Lk 23:43). All of the wicked who die wait in a part of Hades known only as ‘torments’ (Lk 16:23). We cannot say with entire certainty whether people can look down on the affairs of Earth while in Hades, but the story of the rich man and Lazarus implies that they can’t. When the rich man died, he was in the ‘torments’ of Hades. He then began to inquire about his brothers in a way that leads us to believe he couldn’t see what was going on in their lives (Lk 16:27-31).  However, the rich man remembered remembered his brothers, even though he couldn’t see what they were doing.

     Hi, and thank you for listening.  I always wondered what exactly heaven will be like.  Will we have our memory from this life to the next?  Also, when Jesus returns, will that be the end to this existence?  No Earth, no solar system, and so on?  Thank you and God bless.

Sincerely,
Still On This Side

Dear Still On This Side,

Even those in torments remember their lives and families after death.  The story of Lazarus and the rich man shows that the rich man awoke in torments and remembered his brothers (Lk 16:27-28).  We have every reason to believe that after we die, we will still remember who we are, the relationships we have built, and the lives that we have touched on this planet.

When Jesus returns, this universe will be totally destroyed by intense heat (2 Pet 3:10-13), and this earthly age will pass away and be replaced by a spiritual one for all eternity (1 Cor 15:49-54).  Read “Through The Fire” for more details on what happens to the Earth on the judgment day.

     In heaven, are there animals?

Sincerely,
Pets In Mind

Dear Pets In Mind,

If you’re wondering whether or not animals go to heaven when they die, the answer is ‘no’.  Animals have spirits, and humans have spirits, but humans were also made in the image of God (Gen 1:26).  Our spirit is eternal and will go up to be with the Father, and animal spirits are temporary and will return to the dust of the earth (Eccl 3:21).  God made our spirit of a different caliber than He made those of the animals.

However, if you are wondering whether there will be creatures in heaven for us to enjoy just like there is animal life on this planet that brings us joy and wonder… the only way to find the answer to that question is to make sure to go to heaven and see it for yourself.