The animals we love

Whatever first impressions might seem to suggest, the truth is that the Bible presents, both in the Old and New Testaments, a clear defence of and respect for the whole of creation, and especially, for animals.

However, some people refer to the bloody sacrifices required by the Law of Moses, as evidence that God is perverse, vindictive and unjust, and that he took delight in the shedding of innocent animal blood.

Deep down, what we actually find it difficult to accept is divine intolerance and utter repudiation of human sin.

There is no doubt that Yahweh did indeed command the people of Israel to perform numerous expiatory sacrifices to secure atonement for their sin. Sheep, bulls, goats, doves and pigeons were sacrificed on the altar as an offering for the errors, sins and injustices committed by human beings.

That was simply how sinners obtained divine forgiveness for their sin and were restored to peace with their Creator. As the ancient Hebrews knew very well that “the life of the flesh is in the blood”,

God had conceded these sacrifice rituals in order to bring about expiation for their own souls on the altar (Lev. 17:11). Seeing the scarlet blood of the very best domesticated animals offered as sacrifices taught people a very important lesson, and produced contrition in their hearts.

Why did innocent animals have to be sacrificed to effect propitiation for the wrongdoing of guilty men and women? Precisely for that reason. Because it was innocent blood. The animals were dying on behalf of their owners.

It was the latter who deserved to die, but they sacrificed their own animals in place of themselves. Likewise, the Lord Jesus Christ, who had never sinned and who was entirely innocent, offered himself up voluntarily for the sin of the whole of humankind.

As John the Baptist proclaimed before baptising Jesus: “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The Son of the Almighty God had never sinned, but he became sin, as it were, for each of us, and died in our place so that we could be declared righteous in God’s eyes.

Therefore, it is through faith in the sufficiency of this sacrifice that we can now receive forgiveness once for all. 

That period of Biblical history, when human beings were accepted into a relationship with God by means of animal sacrifice, was over. The death of Jesus Christon the cross was the supreme, perfect and definitive sacrifice for the domesticated animals the redemption of mankind.

At the same time, it was a liberation for all the animals that would no longer have to die, and whose sacrifice was a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.

As regards animals, another question is often raised nowadays. The connection that people feel with their pets, especially dogs and cats, results in deep affection for them, causing some Christians to ask questions about the possibility that they will transcend death.

Will our favourite pets be with us in the new creation? Could they also possibly be redeemed, resurrected and spend eternity with their owners? How is it possible that the love my dog feels for me and I for her will not continue in the heaven?

We must bear in mind the words of the apostle Paul when he said that “the gospel is the power of God for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). This means that whoever does not believe cannot be saved.

To be saved we must love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind (Matt. 23:37), which our pets are clearly incapable of doing. Therefore, salvation and eternal life are a privilege granted exclusively to people who believe in their heart and confess their faith in Jesus Christ with their mouth.

 That said, the Scriptures also speak of “times of restauration of all things” (Acts 3:21) and state that “creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:21).

This means that there will come a time when the whole natural world, with all the living things it comprises, will be restored to their condition before the fall. When Christ returns, natural evil will be eradicated and, as the prophet Isaiah foretold:

“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. The cow will feed with the bear,  their young will lie down together,  and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,  and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy   on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord  as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)

This implies that animals, as an essential part of nature, will also be present in the renewed creation.

Maybe our pets will not inherit eternal life for the reasons I have already pointed out, but the Bible makes it very clear that animals in general, just like the rest of creation, will be liberated from every form of decay and malignancy, and will form an integral part of the wonderful world that awaits us.