ANIMALS WILL BE JUDGED BY GOD

ANIMALS WILL BE JUDGED BY GOD.

ANIMALS WILL BE JUDGED BY GOD

GOD’S COVENANT IS WITH ANIMALS AS WELL AS WITH MAN

–  Mary A. LaClair

I’ve gotten so much activity on my DO DOGS GO TO HEAVEN article that I decided to see what others had posted on the same topic. Some think animals will not come before the judgment seat of Christ and therefore will not, or could not, pass into heaven, being without Christ.

I intend to dispel that theory by using Scripture itself, this time in Genesis chapter nine. Other Scripture references have already been noted in the article DO DOGS GO TO HEAVEN, which may be found by clicking this link.

I’ve read Scripture for over thirty years and the full impact of Genesis 9:1-17 seemed to elude me all those years; however, when reading these verses in the past I wasn’t concerned about connecting animals with Heaven. Now I see what I missed before.  

We all are probably so familiar with the Genesis account of the rainbow that we think we know what’s there. As a result, we skim it so quickly that we miss the rest, even when it’s not hidden. Could it be because we don’t really want to see more than just what applies to us as humans? I’ve had another one of those times when ‘the lights come on’, and I’d like to share that moment with you. Here is the Genesis account of the rainbow. If we read it with animals in mind, new things necessarily come to light. The emphasis within and following are mine.

Gen 9:1-17

9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.

6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.

7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you–the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you–every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring  clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”  (from New International Version)*       

What do you see in verses 5; 9-10; 12; 15; 17 concerning animals?

In verse five, does it not say that He will require a reckoning of every animal as well as man, if they kill a man?

In verses 9-10 and 17 does it not say that He establishes His covenant with every living creature – not just man – and in verse 5 that He will demand an accounting from every animal for the lifeblood of a human?  Will animals such animals  face judgment? We are told here, that, yes, they will. What do these verses say about animals as well as man? It would seem we are all in this together and that God has covenant even with the animals and all living creatures of every kind on earth.

For those people who have thought that animals have no need for Jesus Christ and therefore won’t be in heaven because only those with Christ will enter: animals will be judged; and animals DO praise God, and therefore WILL be there:

“Even the wild animals will honor me: jackels and ostriches will praise me when I make rivers flow in the desert to give water to my chosen people.”  Isaiah 43:20 NLT

What have you learned about animals from these verses?   

For more information on this topic see the article DO DOGS GO TO HEAVEN as listed in the right column.  Also see: WILL MY HORSE BE IN HEAVEN?

Added more recently on this site WWW.LookListenThink.wordpress.com is link to an article from a British Veterinarian about not trusting dogs or pets with babies/children, we think it is worth the read and it may be found herein titled GOOD DOGS GONE BAD.

https://looklistenthink.wordpress.com/category/animals/dogs/good-dogs-gone-bad/

The article on KILLING MICE IN MOUSETRAPS   might also be of interest as it establishes a balance and should be of interest as it relates to verse 2 of chapter 9 of Genesis, as seen above.  

As an aside: while the verses about the rainbow are before us, let’s briefly reflect on it also:  When I used to see a rainbow, I thought that God was reminding us that He wouldn’t again destroy the whole earth by flood. This could lead to complacency.

Now, however, when I see a rainbow I think that God is getting fed up with mankind so  that He tells us He is reminding Himself. And this should stir us out of complacency and move within us a desire not to anger a righteous God. I think that the Christmas tsunami in Thailand (2004); Katrina Hurricane in New Orleans immediately followed by Rita only weeks later (2005); the earthquake and great tsunami in Japan (2011); Hurricane Irene in NE-US (2011); and SuperStorm Sandy in NE-US (2012) immediately followed by a snowstorm before power was restored, are evidence that God is losing patience with mankind, and destroying part of the world by water; but, that He is reminding Himself that He said that He wouldn’t ever do it again to the whole world as before. See article JAPAN – A WARNING at this link.

I see much food for thought here, for both God’s love for man, in that He judges even animals who would harm us – and His anger with mankind for disregarding His rules, to the point that He toys with the idea of total destruction again, rather than put up with us.   

Let us try to get on His love side – and stay there!

Romans 8:19-22

^19” For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. ²⁰ Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, ²¹ the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.   ²² For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”    New Living Translation  emphasis mine.

P.S.  I’d like to refer readers to another site about dogs and animals in heaven – a lovely story in Guidepost’s Angels on Earth magazine on-line – it i a warm story, and the comments from their readers which follow their article are most interesting.

WILL MY HORSE BE IN HEAVEN?

      WILL MY HORSE BE IN HEAVEN?

1400 words:   –                                     by — Mary A. LaClair -www. LookListenAndThink.com

Will my horse be in heaven?

I’ve heard numerous people say animals don’t have a spirit and therefore can not go to heaven.  Let’s put that statement to a final rest, since we will see in this article that there is a Bible passage which admits that animals do have a spirit. If you have a horse, you know that they can sense your spirit. They know when a person has a spirit of fear and they know a gentle non-fearful spirit.

We are told in Scriptures, in the New Testament book of Titus, chapter three verse nine to “avoid foolish questions” (KJV)  The Living Bible puts it more directly:  “do not get involved in arguing over unanswerable questions and controversial theological ideas.” (TLB)

I don’t think asking whether horses or dogs go to heaven is a foolish question for anyone who asks, nor is it to me; nor do I believe it is unanswerable from Scriptures.

That settled, let’s proceed to further discover these Scriptures.

The writer of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament, asked this question thousands of years ago and his pondering of old gives clues for today’s positive answer.

He asked about the hereafter as it regards animals and people thousands of years ago.

Eccl 3:21

“Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth?” RSV  (emphasis mine)  Here he admits that the beast has a spirit.

Eccl 12:7

“Then shall dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”  NKJV   (humans for judgment at the judgment seat of Christ)

In addition, the Prophet Isaiah, in both chapter sixty-five and chapter eleven, seen below, each describe the new heaven and the new earth: he who dies at 100 will be considered a mere youth.

Isa 65:20

” …he who dies at a hundred

will be thought a mere youth;

he who fails to reach a hundred

will be considered accursed.”     (from New International Version)

Isa 11:6-9

6 “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.

7 The cow will feed with the bear,

their young will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,

and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest.

9 They will neither harm nor destroy

on all my holy mountain,                                               

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.”      (from New International Version) 

This obviously does not apply to this world; but it does apply to the next world and it tells us that animals will be at peace there.  To me, all this confirms that there are animals in heaven and that they are well.

^{Horses from heaven came to the prophet Elisha:} 

^{2 Kings 6:12-17}

¹² “None of us, my lord the king ,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

¹³ “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” ¹⁴ Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

¹⁵ When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  (New International Version)

Even Revelation mentions riders on horses coming from heaven. There are horses in heaven and animals in the new world.

It is Revelation chapter six which mentions the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It makes interesting reading. It gives the picture that there are definitely horses in Heaven.

In the Old Testament the Prophet Zechariah opens his book with a vision of Heavenly beings on horses, red horses, sorrel horses and white horses.

Zechariah 1:7-10  “7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechari’ah the son of Berechi’ah, son of Iddo, the prophet; and Zechari’ah said, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding upon a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.’”  Revised Standard Version

 In addition I pose two more theories:

First, there will be trees and rivers in Heaven, and many jewels form the foundations and Heaven’s gates are made of pearls.  Do non living jewels have spirits or a soul?  Does water?  Yet, Scripture tells us these things are in Heaven. Scripture also tells us trees will talk and sing. Hallelujah!!  That’s found in Isaiah 55:12.

Second, most animals are more in tune with the spirit world than a lot of people. In this life a dog can sense evil intent in man. A horse can sense the spirit of fear. Not all people like cats because they think some are ‘too spooky’.  Do animals know God?   What about the serpent in the Garden? What about Balaam’s donkey?  Animals grieve; they empathize with their owners when they are sad or when they are hurt; untrained animals often rescue their owners or other individuals.

Some suggested reading besides the Bible as outlined above, would be:

*Author Kim Meeder, who runs a horse rescue ranch, has written several non-fiction books of her experiences which prove that horses can understand the spirit of man, well -children in her books. Some of her horse books are HOPE RISING; A BRIDGE CALLED HOPE and FAITH TALKS

*Dr. David Dosa, a geriatrician at the Steere House Nursing and Rehab Centre in Providence, Rhode Island published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 about OSCAR THE CAT.” He finally published the non-fiction book by the same name. It is about Oscar the cat who predicted which patients were going to die and when and did so with more accuracy than experienced nurses.  His article may be found on line. His book may be found or ordered most anywhere.

*Book: Heaven Is For Real – an International Best Seller contains revelations from a four year old child who died, went to Heaven and came back tells of seeing Jesus’ horse, his Great-Grandfather’s dog and a sister who died in-utero before he himself was born.

Some animals today are even more obedient through instinct, than mankind is through intelligence! If you make it to heaven, I feel sure your horse will be there to meet you when your times comes. In the meantime, be consoled your horse is probably romping the fields of heaven with other horses, where he would be young in good health.

Our horses and other pets who have been more loyal and obedient to the voice of the Lord in the here and now, and more loving to others in this world than possibly we have been ourselves, do have a place in the more perfect world to come.   Scripture tells us so. 

My opinions on this topic however do not extend to rodents; for which please see the article on disobedient mice who enter our homes and resulting necessary mouse traps. (At the sidebar from the top, scroll down to ‘categories’ and click on “killing mice in mousetraps”. )

Third, the Scripture found in the Old Testament confirms itself in the New Testament.  The Old Testament tells us the trees cry (Zech 11:2); trees will clap their hands, the rivers and hills will rejoice (Is 55:12); Joshua’s rock was a witness because it heard (Josh 24:27); and Scripture in the New Testament confirms this by telling us:

Rom 8:18-22

“19 For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children (those humans which have been saved by Grace). 20 For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay –the things that overcame the world against its will at God’s command-will all disappear, 21 and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God’s children (humans saved by Grace) enjoy.  22 For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event.” TLB (emphasis mine)

With access to the Amplified Version of the Bible, one will find this statement reinforced as it regards the balance of creation. (www.BibleGateway.com) These statements confirm that God has a special place for all His creation; moreover He makes humans the vanguard of all that He created.

‘Study to show thyself approved, a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’ (2 Tim. 2:15)  Do horses go to heaven?  I believe the above study shows us that we will see in heaven those horses who were faithful to us here on earth. If you are afraid of horses here on earth, please be assured that only peaceful horses will be there, for in Heaven, all are at peace!

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, the wonders HE has prepared for those who love Him!” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

(clip art courtesy of ClassroomClipArt)

THE BIG ‘KISS’ at Chick-Fil-A

I recall peaceful R-T-L  demonstrators getting arrested in front of abortion clinics and sent to jail for nothing more than demonstrating.

If the pro-gay crowd even pickets or stages the BIG KISS at tables inside or outside at Chick-Fil-A or any other religious establishment on August 3rd or any other time, I would consider this equal to RTL members picketing. I expect the gays to be guilty of’disturbing the peace’ in such a way where they would need likewise to be arrested.  There are two sides to every coin and rules which fit one necessarily fit the other.

When it comes to arrests for hate crimes, it is time to give gays a dose of their own medicine.  Hate crimes do not just protect homosexuals, they will work for anyone and it is time they be initiated against those who initiated the bill when they themselves become guilty of demonstrating hate. By the definitions of hate which they set up, the gays are guilty of hate crimes themselves against Christians.

If police can carry off Right to Lifers for demonstration, then gays can be carried off for like demonstration, because gays are doing it to clearly irritate and carry out hatred against those who disagree with them by simply donating to causes which do not favor them.  How un-American.  Donating to a cause is hate?  Then what is entering someone elses establishment with intent to anger them?  It is worse than hate, it might even fit the legal definition of  ‘assault’ and ‘menacing’ under Tort Law.  Check PROSSER ON TORTS.

I think gays who hate Chick-Fil-A should be charged with hate crimes on the premises.  They CAN go other places to eat. But they wish to demonstrate hate at THIS place, and they should be arrested on the same grounds that RTL people were arrested in front of abortion clinics.

What Do You Think of Penn State’s Punishments?

What Do You Think of Penn State’s Punishments?

by –  Mary A. LaClair

Were Penn State punishments too severe, just right or too shallow?

The question may be asked: was the judgment fair to some assumed innocent players who played hard for past victories ?   

Haboring a criminal is guilt by association even if ‘the protector’ didn’t do the crime themselves. There are reasons for these laws.  It could be concluded that with knowledge of the alleged incidents which they refused to confront they continued to ‘harbor a criminal’. Worse than harboring a criminal, this case permitted ongoing wrongs.

In addition to harboring a criminal, guilt by association is often a part of American justice for all. It is put there as a safeguard.  If there are drugs found in a vehicle all occupants are guilty by association. Common sense says: ‘be careful of the friends you choose because you will be judged by the company you keep.’  It is always good advice ‘to keep oneself above suspicion’.

Further, law regulates there are such things as ‘accessory before the fact, accessory to the fact and accessory after the fact.’  One need not be guilty of the deed, only enabling the deed, to be considered guilty of contributing to the deed itself.

Philosophically, ‘what one permits, one approves’ and ‘silence means approval’.  Sadly, this concept has been lost in much of today’s ‘too permissive’ society.  Accepting everything that’s dumped on one’s doorstep is to live in a garbage heap. America seems to be accumulating a lot of random acts of garbage.  Proper selection and proper de-selection must be decided upon. Even ‘no decision’ is a decision.  It is a decision to continue in the present state. Lack of this sorting action may come from fear of  making a false accusation – however investigation done properly is never wrong. Note the words ‘done properly’ which has no room for coercion or threats or mistreatment.

There is a delicate balance to be maintained; but we seem to have lost that balance today in favor of erroneous acceptance of everything, and the pendulum sometimes has to swing to the extreme in order to bring it back to proper balance.

I think the punishment for Penn State is quite appropriate and not overdone.  All schools are on notice now that the NCAA will not tolerate the sort of things that took place at Penn State.

‘What you compromise to keep; you lose.’ Penn State Football compromised themselves for the sake of their football team …and money; it appears that they have lost a large portion of each.                                                                    
Perhaps the fine could have been higher? Perhaps banned from having a football team at all ….for a period of four years? In view of that, the current punishment could be considered light?

As to the innocent players in the past… well, they need to know that it is not whether one wins or loses, but how one plays the game. The victorious players in past years had the enjoyment of playing the game – but we all need to learn that some victories do not last forever.