Have you ever wondered if animals have souls, or if they will ever go to heaven after their death as righteous human beings will, as written in the holy books(Bible)? If yes, let's find out in this article what the scripture says about animals having souls and their journey after death.
Looking at the Bible today, are some topics that should be highly considered, but the Bible doesn't give a direct mention of or give an adequate source of information on. In such cases the ultimate decision is to make comparison with scriptures and apply them, so as solve life's deposited questions. For example the question of whether animals will or will not go to heaven stand to be a big pose among christians. Although there's no certain place or scripture where such question is answered or addressed.
The Bible made mention of animals having a soul but not an eternal one as attributed to humans, in (Job 12:10) " It is good who directs the lives of his creatures; everyone's life is in his power. In other words, the word "life" there refers to the soul . (Genesis 1:30) " And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, where in there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
(Genesis 9:10) And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
Both scriptures made mention of beast, the first scripture was about the first creation and the second one was about the covenant God had with Noah after the flood. In the beginning of creation God gave life to both humans and animals. But the quite difference is that where as our own soul lives for ever, the souls of animals is not eternal. Animals have both souls and spirits as suggested by the Hebrew word nephesh- meaning life and ruach- meaning soul, but since they weren't made in the image of God there soul only lives here on earth. Several scriptures of the Bible made mention of humans having eternal spirits but not animals. The plan of God in the very beginning is to make humans to live eternally, excluding beast and animals of any kind, salvation on the other side was designed properly for humans and not animals. Animals are not included in the plans of salvation since they can't outrightly make their own decisions or be responsible for their own actions, like we humans do .
John 3: 16 " For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe in him will not perish but shall have everlasting life". This biblical scripture never mentioned that God gave his only begotten son Jesus to die for animals but for us as humans, for the atonement of our own sins. It was for humans, because we as humans can exercise our faith in him as our Lord and savior, but animals can't .
Humans can reason and are able to make decisions but that is absolutely absent in animals, the inability for them to make wise decision is what makes them animals. Though both animals and humans were created from dust and are both living beings, animals can't decide between wrong and right but humans can.
The Bible explains clearly in the old testament by giving a clear synerio when the first man and woman was created he gave them the ability to decide what was right and evil. He gave them the ability to make choice. Genesis 2:8-9, " And the Lord God planted a garden Eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:17, " But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest there of thou shalt surely die.
Conclusion:
Animals and humans both come from the dust of the ground and will both go there in, whereas it is certain that man's soul belongs to God, and will definitely go back to him after death for the last judgement for things done, whether it be good or evil while on earth. The question of whether animals will as well face judgement after death or go to heaven stands tough. Though they both have souls since they are living creature, but the Bible doesn't give an answer concerning this question.