Last time I looked at the responses to the question “Are pets in heaven?”
Most of those responses were not backed up with scripture, including mine.
One person mentioned Ecclesiastes which Solomon says, “I said in my heart, ‘Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.’ For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?” Eccl 3:18-22
I think that has more to do with the death of all creatures, more than animals going to heaven.
It indicates that people have no advantage over animals to keep life going.
Psalm 36 was also mentioned; Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man and beast. Ps 36:6
Again, I don’t believe this has a heavenly meaning but an earthly one about judgment and preservation on earth.
When judgment is upon mankind for his sin, the animal kingdom also suffers; famine and drought affect all.
My own opinion dealt more with historical fact than scriptural truth.
When God created man in His own likeness, He said, “Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Gen 1:26
So it seems that humanity is given dominion over animals, that is, to tread down or subjugate.
Two of the sweetest animals, in my opinion, are used for sacrifice as required by the Law.
There is the turtledove; …for his trespass which he has committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons: one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. And he shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not divide it completely. Lev 5:7-8
The little lamb; Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. Ex 12:21
Many other animals were also used for sacrifice or food; but nowhere in the Bible is the word ‘pet’ even mentioned, with the exception of the Living Bible, which is a paraphrase.
I’ll continue more on this topic next time.