Interesting stuff, how different versions of the Bible can say things in ways, which have very different meanings. I came across this subject, before,---- I think,---- on you tube, where, if I remember right, some guy was saying that animals do not go to Heaven, and citing some biblical verse, which seemed to support that opinion. So, when I saw a web page, called Now The End Begins, saying the same thing,-----claiming that the Bible clearly states that animals do not go to Heaven, I had to do a little digging. I watched a Jack Van Impe video, on you tube, where Jack dogmatically states that animals do, indeed go to Heaven. In this video, Jack cites several Bible verses to support his view, and I am going to include those biblical references in this post, but first, I want to deal with this one verse, ECC 3:21, which, in the opinion of at least a few people, clearly states that animals DO NOT go to Heaven. If you read the King James Bible, that verse, ECC 3:21, is as follows: “Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” If you read The New American Standard Bible, ECC 3:21 says: Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? Now both of these sentences are in the form of a question. After reading the verses, which came immediately before verse 21, I come to the conclusion that the author of these verses is trying to say that man is not better than the beasts, and that we are wrong for thinking of ourselves as better than beasts (animals). Verse 18 - “I said to myself, concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them, in order for them to see that they are but beasts”. Verse 19 - “For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.” Verse 20 - “All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.” Verse 21 - Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? To me, verse 21 makes much more sense if you read it as “Who says that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to earth?”, as if the author was challenging that notion,----making the point that anyone, who thinks this way, is wrong. But reading this same verse, from two different Bible translations, sure can lead to a different conclusion. I am anything but a Bible scholar, but in this case, with this verse, it sure seems like the translators of the New American Standard Bible did a much better job than the translators of the King James version. More, from Jack Van Impes video, on why he believes (and so do I) that animals go to Heaven: Matthew 10:29 – Jesus says “Are not two sparrows sold for one farthing, and yet not one of them shall fall on the ground, without your Heavenly Father, caring. So, if God cares about sparrows, falling on the ground, it would make sense that he might take them to Heaven, when they fall and die. Matthew 12:11 – Jesus talks about a man, lifting his sheep out of a pit, on the Sabbath, and someone says, hey, you shouldnt do that on the Sabbath, but Jesus says we must do good to animals, even on a Holy day. This shows that Jesus loves and cares about animals. Hebrews 9:23 says everything on earth is a duplication of the original, of what is in Heaven. Revelation, chapter 4, verses 6 through 9 and chapter 5, verses 11 through 14, where animals are literally praising the Lord in the third Heaven of II Corinthians, 12:3. Romans chapter 8, verses 19 through 23 – The creature, itself, also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of children of God. For we know that the whole creation, animal and human, groaneth and travaileth in pain, together, until now. Not only they, but ourselves, also, which have the first fruits of the spirit, even we, ourselves, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies. Based on these verses, Dr. E.D. Buckner, in 1903, wrote a book, “The Immortality of Animals”, in which he says “Saint Paul gives us to understand that this suffering of animals shall not be hopeless, but that they shall be delivered, together with man, from the bondage of corruption.” Isaiah 40, verse 6 – The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it. Luke 3:6 says that All flesh shall see the salvation of God. Revelation 5, verses 9, 10 and 11 says “And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels, round about the throne, AND THE ANIMALS, and the elders, and the number of them was 10 thousand times 10 thousand, and thousands and thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing, and every creature which is in Heaven....”. Psalm chapter 150, verse 6 says Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord. Psalm 148, verses 2 to 14 – Praise the Lord from the earth, all you dragons, and all in the deep. Praise the Lord, all beasts and all cattle and all creeping things. https://youtube/watch?v=TLm7OGkM0WQ
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 08:05:13 +0000
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