Heaven (Part 23) – Will We Be Able to Fly in Heaven? Will There Be Animals in Heaven?

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Will we be able to fly in heaven? (Judy)

1. When we die it is said that “we fly away” (Psa 90:10).
   1. This could be a figure of speech.
   2. But in that our spirit and soul departs our body and goes to be with the Lord at death (Ecc 12:7; Gen 35:18), and given that there is a lot of sky between here and there, it is likely that our spirit and soul will be able to fly in heaven.
   3. The spirits of the elect are carried by the angels into heaven (Luk 16:22), so it’s also possible that they can’t fly on their own.

1. When Jesus returns He will bring the elect with Him (1Th 4:14).
   1. This means that they will travel from heaven through space to earth’s atmosphere.
      1. This would be flying by definition.
      2. This means that people in the present heaven are capable of flying, either on their own, or by the power of God when He wants them to be able to.
   2. When Christ returns, both the dead who will be resurrected at that time (1Th 4:16) and the living which will be changed and given glorified bodies (1Co 15:52) will meet the Lord in the air (1Th 4:17).
      1. This would be flying by definition.
      2. This means that people in their resurrected bodies (which they will have on the new earth) will be capable of flying, either on their own, or by the power of God when He wants them to be able to.
2. In the resurrection (on the new earth) we will be made as, and equal to, the angels (Mat 22:30; Luk 20:36).
   1. Angels can fly (Isa 6:2; Dan 9:21; Rev 14:6).
   2. They excel in strength (Psa 103:20).
   3. Therefore, it is certainly possible that we could fly like them.
3. Jesus’ resurrected body had supernatural capabilities such as being able to move through closed doors or walls (Joh 20:19, 26) and levitating from earth to heaven (which is flying) (Luk 24:51; Act 1:9-11).
4. 1. Our body will be made like unto His glorious body (Php 3:21; 1Jo 3:2).
   2. Therefore, it is certainly possible that will be able to fly in the new earth.
5. Man has always had a deep desire to be able to fly.
   1. David wished that he had wings like a dove that would enable him to fly away (Psa 55:6).
   2. Throughout history men have tried to fly.
   3. The elect will be given the desires of their hearts if they delight themselves in the Lord (Psa 37:4).
   4. Might the nearly universal desire to fly be granted men in their resurrected bodies on the new earth?
      1. Quite possibly it will be.
      2. “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

1. The streets and gates of the New Jerusalem imply that there will be normal ground traffic in the city (Rev 22:2; Rev 21:12), but that doesn’t mean that we won’t be able to fly as well as walk.
2. We will just have to wait and see whether we will be able to fly at will in heaven.

Will there be animals in heaven? (Karen, Carey, Austin)

1. God created animals on the original earth (Gen 1:20-25).
   1. The new earth and heavens will be a restoration and glorification of the original earth and heavens (see Section IX – The nature of the new earth).
   2. Therefore, it would be reasonable to conclude that there will be animals on the new earth.
   3. “This is a powerful picture of what Romans 8 states―mankind and animals and all creation are linked together not only in curse and judgment but also in blessing and deliverance. Together they will experience life on a New Earth.” (Randy Alcorn, Heaven, p. 389)

1. God preserved the animals through the flood to fill the post-flood world (Gen 7:2 c/w Gen 8:15-17).
   1. God even established His covenant to not flood the earth again with the animals as well as men (Gen 9:9-17).
   2. The destruction of the earth by the flood was a presage of the destruction of the earth by fire at the second coming of Christ (2Pe 3:6-7).
   3. God preserved a remnant of mankind through the flood to inhabit the post-flood earth (1Pe 3:20).
   4. God also preserved animals in the post-flood earth.
   5. God will likewise preserve a remnant of mankind to inhabit the new earth (Rev 21:1-3).
   6. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that God will likewise preserve the animals of the present earth on the new earth.
   7. “God’s plan for a renewed Earth after the Flood emphatically involved animals. Wouldn’t we expect his plan for a renewed Earth after the future judgment to likewise include animals?” (Randy Alcorn, Heaven, p. 389)

1. Not only can we deduce that there will be animals on the new earth, the Bible also plainly states it.
   1. In his description of the new heavens and the earth (Isa 65:17), Isaiah prophesied that there would be animals on the new earth including wolves, lambs, lions, bullocks, and serpents (Isa 65:25).
   2. Isaiah earlier prophesied of the same thing in more detail in Isa 11:6-9 in which he included leopards, kids (goats), calves, cows, bears, oxen, asps, and cockatrices.
   3. These animals will be restored to their unfallen state when there was no pain, destruction, and death (Gen 1:31 c/w Isa 11:9).
   4. They will all eat vegetation as they did in the original creation instead of killing and eating each other as they do now (Gen 1:30 c/w Isa 11:6-7).
   5. They will be friendly to men as it was in the beginning (Gen 2:19-20 c/w Isa 11:8-9).
   6. Animals were not fearful of man in the beginning when they came to Adam and when they came to Noah to board the ark (Gen 2:19-20; Gen 7:8-9).
      1. They only became fearful of men after the flood when they were given to men to eat (Gen 9:1-3).
      2. The harmonious relationship between men and animals will be restored on the new earth.

1. Man was given the authority over animals in the garden of Eden (Gen 1:28).
   1. There is good reason to conclude we will have authority over them on the new earth.
   2. We will care for them compassionately there as we are supposed to do here (Pro 12:10).
2. “Adam, Noah, and Jesus are the three heads of the three Earths.  When Adam was created, God surrounded him with animals.  When Noah was delivered from the Flood, God surrounded him with animals.  When Jesus was born, God surrounded him with animals.  When Jesus establishes the renewed Earth, with renewed men and women, don’t you think he’ll surround himself with renewed animals?” (Randy Alcorn, Heaven, p. 395)