Animal Gospel

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea. ~Isaiah 11:9

Frequently Asked Questions

Martin, do you expect animals to vanish in the rapture, were one to take place?

If we suffer with the Creation, we'll be glorified together according to Romans chapter 8. The word "Him" in the Authorized Version is in italics and contextually doesn't fit either the chapter nor Paul's other statements about being a partaker in the fellowship of His sufferings by receiving the imputed deliverance and sanctification that's ours from the things Jesus suffered. Contextually, suffering with the creation is all that'll legitimately work as the understanding of the passage because we're groaning together for the redemption of our bodies. Jesus Christ has already experienced His own personal resurrection. That's another reason why the Authorized Version's rendering won't contextually work. As the King James stands, it denies the resurrection of Christ has already taken place in Romans 8. Leaving that alone for now:

What befalls man befalls animals, according to Ecclesiastes.

Jesus, in foreshadowing His entrance into the earth, and into Jerusalem, as King of Kings rides a Colt. That necessitates that that animal is representative of the other animals. Were He to have ridden a chariot or some sort of waggon, then the intimacy of the "beast of the field" (i.e. a representative of the Hosea 2:18 covenant from the animal kingdom) accompanying Jesus on that monumentous day would have been watered down and perhaps brought to insignificance. But, Jesus remembers, identifies with, and isn't afraid to be seen with, but proudly/humbly enters Jerusalem on that Colt, knowing He's fulfilling the will of His heavenly Father.

While those who hold to a pre-tribulation rapture and a futuristic interpretation of Revelation would toss Revelation 6:8 at me as an alleged refutation, based on their system of interpreting Revelation, I would say that there's nothing that says that the beasts rising up against mankind can't be something done from heaven. There are living creatures around the throne of God, which some translations of the Bible will simply translate as "animals". There's nothing saying that those particular animals don't participate in that particular judgment and there's nothing designating exactly how long that that judgment is, or will take place. Also, dreams of animals have historically always had a much more profound impact on men's minds than physical encounters with animals.

Long-winded answer to simply say that "yes", I do see the potential for animals to vanish right along side of us if and when such a "catching away" takes place!

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Go on to What about interpretations of Scripture that seem to detail a continued case for animal exploitation into the distant future with the blessing of God?
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