Posted By: Claudia Thompson
Animals and the use of Force - 05/09/05 09:20 PM
Well I don't know about the animals having to be "born again". Perhaps so but then again, perhaps not.
Part of being "born again" has to do with making a conscious choice to accept God and His ways and animals don't have that capability of resoning.
When it comes to animals God sometimes did things with them to force them to do things without their choice such as the animals marching two by two into Noah's Ark, and Balaam's donkey, and shutting the mouths of the otherwise "sinful" lions in the lion's den where Daniel was.
What I mean is that they became "holy, obedient" animals on command, without having to go through any conversion process
So I'm thinking maybe when it comes to the otherwise "sinful" lions being able to dwell with the lamb in heaven peacefully, perhaps they could be some of the same lions that were here on earth in our world.
...of course that's all just speculation though. I do very much hope that our pets can be in Heaven.
Notice that we are told that it is only the selfish heart of man that lives unto itself...
Desire of Ages pg 20,21
"In the beginning, God was revealed in all the works of creation. It was Christ that spread the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. It was His hand that hung the worlds in space, and fashioned the flowers of the field. "His strength setteth fast the mountains." "The sea is His, and He made it." Ps. 65:6; 95:5. It was He that filled the earth with beauty, and the air with song. And upon all things in earth, and air, and sky, He wrote the message of the Father's love.
Now sin has marred God's perfect work, yet that handwriting remains. Even now all created things declare the glory of His excellence. There is nothing, save the selfish heart of man, that lives unto itself. No bird that cleaves the air, no animal that moves upon the ground, but ministers to some other life. There is no leaf of the forest, or lowly blade of grass, but has its ministry. Every tree and shrub and leaf pours forth that element of life without which neither man nor animal could live; and man and animal, in turn, minister to the life of tree and shrub and leaf. The flowers breathe fragrance and unfold their beauty in blessing to the world. The sun sheds its light to gladden a thousand worlds. The ocean, itself the source of all our springs and fountains, receives the streams from every land, but takes to give. The mists ascending from its bosom fall in showers to water the earth, that it may bring forth and bud."
I forgot to add the money in the fish's mouth when Jesus needed it and also the Whale in the Jonah's story. Even the fishes did what God told them to when God wanted them to.
Part of being "born again" has to do with making a conscious choice to accept God and His ways and animals don't have that capability of resoning.
When it comes to animals God sometimes did things with them to force them to do things without their choice such as the animals marching two by two into Noah's Ark, and Balaam's donkey, and shutting the mouths of the otherwise "sinful" lions in the lion's den where Daniel was.
What I mean is that they became "holy, obedient" animals on command, without having to go through any conversion process
So I'm thinking maybe when it comes to the otherwise "sinful" lions being able to dwell with the lamb in heaven peacefully, perhaps they could be some of the same lions that were here on earth in our world.
...of course that's all just speculation though. I do very much hope that our pets can be in Heaven.
Notice that we are told that it is only the selfish heart of man that lives unto itself...
Desire of Ages pg 20,21
"In the beginning, God was revealed in all the works of creation. It was Christ that spread the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. It was His hand that hung the worlds in space, and fashioned the flowers of the field. "His strength setteth fast the mountains." "The sea is His, and He made it." Ps. 65:6; 95:5. It was He that filled the earth with beauty, and the air with song. And upon all things in earth, and air, and sky, He wrote the message of the Father's love.
Now sin has marred God's perfect work, yet that handwriting remains. Even now all created things declare the glory of His excellence. There is nothing, save the selfish heart of man, that lives unto itself. No bird that cleaves the air, no animal that moves upon the ground, but ministers to some other life. There is no leaf of the forest, or lowly blade of grass, but has its ministry. Every tree and shrub and leaf pours forth that element of life without which neither man nor animal could live; and man and animal, in turn, minister to the life of tree and shrub and leaf. The flowers breathe fragrance and unfold their beauty in blessing to the world. The sun sheds its light to gladden a thousand worlds. The ocean, itself the source of all our springs and fountains, receives the streams from every land, but takes to give. The mists ascending from its bosom fall in showers to water the earth, that it may bring forth and bud."
I forgot to add the money in the fish's mouth when Jesus needed it and also the Whale in the Jonah's story. Even the fishes did what God told them to when God wanted them to.