Will there be animals in heaven?
Isaiah 11:6-9
6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
New International Version (NIV)
The answer
Yes—Scripture gives strong reason to expect animals in God’s renewed creation, but it does not specifically promise that every animal, or a particular beloved pet, will be resurrected. The clearest promises concern the earth God renews, rather than describing animals in heaven as it is now.
Animals in God’s peaceful kingdom
Isaiah explicitly pictures animals living without predation or fear: “The wolf will live with the lamb,” and even children will be safe among formerly dangerous creatures (Isaiah 11:6-8). The reason is that “They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain” (Isaiah 11:9).
Isaiah later repeats this hope: “The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 65:25). This comes in a prophecy that begins with God creating “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17). Whatever the full prophetic sequence, animals plainly belong to God’s vision of a world freed from violence.
The renewal of the whole creation
This hope extends beyond animals alone. Creation itself waits to be “delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). The present creation suffers corruption and death, but God’s saving purpose includes its liberation, not merely the rescue of human souls.
Revelation likewise places humanity’s eternal home within “a new heaven and a new earth,” where God dwells with His people and declares, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:1-5). Read together with Isaiah and Romans, this gives a solid biblical basis for expecting animal life in the renewed world.
What Scripture leaves unanswered
These passages do not explain whether animals experience death as humans do, whether individual animals will be raised, or whether a particular pet will be present. It would go beyond Scripture either to guarantee that outcome or to deny that God could restore an animal He created.
A faithful response is therefore expectant but humble: anticipate the renewed creation God has promised, thank Him for the goodness of His creatures, and entrust every unanswered detail to Him.
Answered from Scripture · reviewed November 11, 2026
Scripture reveals that God’s redemptive purpose does not discard the physical creation, but fully renews it under the reign of Jesus Christ. From the prophetic portraits of the Messianic kingdom to the final visions of the new heaven and new earth, the biblical witness consistently affirms that animals inhabit God's restored and glorified world.
The Peaceable Kingdom
Prophets Foresee Predators and Prey United in Peace
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
Isaiah 11:6 (NIV)
It vividly depicts the total reconciliation of the animal kingdom under the reign of the Branch of Jesse.
The prophet Isaiah paints a magnificent picture of redemption in Isaiah 11:6, where the wolf dwells with the lamb, the leopard lies down with the young goat, and a little child leads them without fear. Under the righteous scepter of the Root of Jesse, the violent curse that fractured the animal world is completely overturned. In Isaiah 11:7, the cow and the bear graze side by side while their young rest together in undisturbed safety, and the apex predator feeds on straw like an ox. The reconciliation extends to the most venomous serpents in Isaiah 11:8, where nursing infants play safely over the hole of the cobra and weaned toddlers reach their hands into the viper's nest without harm. The reason for this pervasive tranquility is given in Isaiah 11:9: nothing will hurt or destroy on God's holy mountain, because the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. This is not mere allegorical poetry; it reveals God's tangible design for His renewed creation. Isaiah returns to this promise in Isaiah 65:25, setting the coexistence of the wolf and the lamb firmly within the context of the new heavens and the new earth. On the Highway of Holiness prophesied in Isaiah 35:9, no ravenous beast will threaten or devour the redeemed as they journey into Zion. God's ultimate kingdom is not an ethereal disembodied realm, but a physical creation where predatory violence is forever replaced with holy peace.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Isaiah 11:6 | Wolves live with lambs, leopards lie with goats, and a small child leads predatory and domestic beasts together. |
| Isaiah 11:7 | Cows graze alongside bears, their young rest together, and lions eat straw like oxen. |
| Isaiah 11:8 | Infants play harmlessly near the cobras hole, and young children reach into vipers dens without harm. |
| Isaiah 11:9 | Nothing hurts or destroys on God's holy mountain, because knowledge of Yahweh covers the earth like water. |
| Isaiah 65:25 | In the new heavens and earth, wolves and lambs feed together, lions eat straw, and violence ceases. |
| Isaiah 35:9 | No predatory beasts will threaten the redeemed walking on the Highway of Holiness in Zion. |
Covenants of Peace
God Enfolds the Creaturely World in Covenant Promises
In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.
Hosea 2:18 (NIV)
God explicitly establishes a covenant with beasts, birds, and creeping things to secure an earth free from conflict.
God’s redemptive love has never excluded the creaturely world, a truth made abundantly plain in Hosea 2:18, where the Lord promises to make an explicit covenant with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. By banishing the bow, the sword, and war from the land, God pledges that all living things will lie down in safety. This creaturely inclusion mirrors the foundational Noahic covenant in Genesis 9:9-10, where God establishes His everlasting bond not merely with humanity, but with every living creature that stepped out of the ark. God repeats this binding pledge in Genesis 9:12-17, setting His rainbow in the clouds as an eternal sign to every living soul of all flesh upon the earth. The covenant faithfulness of Yahweh guards this order, as Psalms 36:6 exclaims that the Lord preserves both man and beast alike through His righteous judgments. In Ezekiel 34:25, Yahweh announces a covenant of peace in which wild beasts are purged from harmful enmity, allowing His flock to dwell securely even in dense woods and forests. As Ezekiel 34:28 assures, the people will no longer be prey, nor will the beasts devour them, but all will live free from dread. Even in His rebuke of Jonah, God reveals His heart in Jonah 4:11, showing profound compassion not only for the repentant city of Nineveh but also for its many innocent cattle. The Lord values the creatures He formed.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Genesis 9:9-10 | God establishes His everlasting covenant not only with Noah’s seed, but with every living creature that came out of the ark. |
| Hosea 2:18 | God establishes a covenant with the beasts of the field and birds of heaven, abolishing weapons so creation lies down safely. |
| Ezekiel 34:25 | Yahweh cuts a covenant of peace, removing dangerous beasts from the land so His flock dwells securely in forests. |
| Ezekiel 34:28 | God promises His people will no longer be prey, nor will beasts devour them, but all will dwell without fear. |
| Genesis 9:12-17 | God establishes His everlasting covenant with every living creature of all flesh upon the earth. |
| Jonah 4:11 | God expresses His merciful concern not only for people but also for the many animals of Nineveh. |
| Psalms 36:6 | The psalmist declares that the Lord preserves both man and beast through His righteousness and judgments. |
Creation Restored
All Creation Longs for the Deliverance of God's Children
that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
Romans 8:21 (NIV)
Paul directly links the liberation of the non-human creation from corruption to the bodily resurrection and glory of believers.
The resurrection of believers carries cosmic implications, as the apostle Paul declares in Romans 8:21 that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Because non-human creatures did not choose sin, Romans 8:20 explains that creation was subjected to futility in hope, awaiting the day of divine rescue. Until that hour, according to Romans 8:19, creation waits with outstretched neck and eager longing for the revealing of God’s sons, groaning together as in childbirth throughout this present age (Romans 8:22). This groaning points directly back to Eden, where in Genesis 1:30-31 God pronounced His creation very good, giving every green plant to beasts and birds for food without bloodshed or death. The psalmist celebrates this ongoing creaturely life in Psalms 104:24-30, declaring that when the Lord sends forth His Spirit, the face of the ground is renewed. When Jesus returns, Acts 3:21 promises a universal restoration of all things spoken by the holy prophets since ancient times. This vast scope is confirmed in Colossians 1:20, which proclaims that through the blood of the cross, God reconciled all things to Himself, whether things on earth or in heaven. In Ephesians 1:10, the divine purpose unites all creation under the lordship of Christ. Finally, in Revelation 21:1-5, God does not make brand new things from scratch, but makes all things new, dwelling forever with His people upon a renewed physical earth.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Psalms 104:24-30 | God forms innumerable creatures of earth and sea, sustaining their breath and renewing the face of the ground by His Spirit. |
| Romans 8:19 | The creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. |
| Romans 8:20 | Creation was subjected to futility not by its own will, but in hope of divine liberation. |
| Romans 8:21 | Creation itself will obtain freedom from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God's children. |
| Romans 8:22 | The whole creation groans together in the pains of childbirth until the present hour. |
| Genesis 1:30-31 | In the original good creation, every green plant was given for food to every beast and bird. |
| Acts 3:21 | Heaven receives Christ until the promised period of universal restoration spoken of by the holy prophets. |
| Colossians 1:20 | Through Christ, God reconciles all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven. |
| Ephesians 1:10 | The divine plan unites all things in Christ, both things in the heavens and things on the earth. |
| Revelation 21:1-5 | God makes all things new in the new heaven and new earth where He dwells with His people. |
The Heavenly Realm
Living Creatures and Celestial Hosts Fill the Throne Room
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
Revelation 5:13 (NIV)
Every creature in heaven, earth, sea, and under the earth joins in the triumphant praise of the Lamb.
The presence of animal life is not an earthly afterthought, for in Revelation 5:13, the apostle John hears every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea singing united praise and honor to the Lamb upon the throne. Before the heavenly throne itself, Revelation 4:6-8 reveals four living creatures bearing the likenesses of a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, offering unceasing worship to the eternal King. Throughout Scripture, the veil separating the celestial realm from the earthly reveals living creatures actively serving God's purposes. In 2 Kings 2:11, fiery chariots pulled by horses of fire split the air as Elijah is carried up into heaven by a whirlwind. When Elisha prays for his terrified servant in 2 Kings 6:17, the young man’s eyes are opened to behold the mountain surrounded by horses and chariots of fire defending the prophet. Zechariah is similarly granted visions of celestial steeds: in Zechariah 1:8, a man stands among myrtle trees amid red, sorrel, and white horses patrolling the earth, while in Zechariah 6:1-5, four chariots drawn by varied horses go out as the spirits of heaven before the Lord of all the earth. At the climax of history in Revelation 19:11, heaven opens to reveal Jesus Christ descending on a white horse, followed in Revelation 19:14 by the armies of heaven mounted on white horses. Animals praise God in Psalms 148:10, and they belong around His throne.
| Passage | What it says |
|---|---|
| Psalms 148:10 | Wild beasts, cattle, creeping things, and flying birds are summoned to praise the name of Yahweh. |
| Revelation 4:6-8 | Four living creatures bearing faces of a lion, ox, man, and eagle offer ceaseless worship before God's throne. |
| Revelation 5:13 | Every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea sings blessing and honor to the Lamb. |
| Revelation 19:11 | The heavens open to reveal Christ riding upon a faithful and true white horse to judge and wage war. |
| Revelation 19:14 | The armies of heaven follow Christ, clothed in fine linen and riding upon white horses. |
| 2 Kings 2:11 | Chariots of fire and horses of fire appear as Elijah is taken up into heaven by a whirlwind. |
| 2 Kings 6:17 | Elisha's servant sees the heavenly mountain full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding them. |
| Zechariah 1:8 | Zechariah sees a man riding a red horse among myrtles with red, sorrel, and white horses. |
| Zechariah 6:1-5 | Four heavenly chariots with horses of varied colors patrol the earth as spirits of heaven. |
Where in the Bible
| Book | Passages |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 3 · Genesis 9:9-10, Genesis 9:12-17, Genesis 1:30-31 |
| 2 Kings | 2 · 2 Kings 2:11, 2 Kings 6:17 |
| Psalms | 3 · Psalms 36:6, Psalms 104:24-30, Psalms 148:10 |
| Isaiah | 6 · Isaiah 11:6, Isaiah 11:7, Isaiah 11:8, Isaiah 11:9, Isaiah 65:25, Isaiah 35:9 |
| Ezekiel | 2 · Ezekiel 34:25, Ezekiel 34:28 |
| Hosea | 1 · Hosea 2:18 |
| Jonah | 1 · Jonah 4:11 |
| Zechariah | 2 · Zechariah 1:8, Zechariah 6:1-5 |
| Acts | 1 · Acts 3:21 |
| Romans | 4 · Romans 8:19, Romans 8:20, Romans 8:21, Romans 8:22 |
| Ephesians | 1 · Ephesians 1:10 |
| Colossians | 1 · Colossians 1:20 |
| Revelation | 5 · Revelation 21:1-5, Revelation 4:6-8, Revelation 5:13, Revelation 19:11, Revelation 19:14 |
The story in order
- Original Good Creation (c. 4000 BC) · Genesis 1:30-31 · God gave plants for food to all creatures.
- Noahic Covenant (c. 2400 BC) · Genesis 9:9-10 · God's covenant includes every living creature.
- Davidic Kingdom Prophesied (c. 700 BC) · Isaiah 11:6 · Prophets foresaw predators and prey united in peace.
- Elijah Taken to Heaven (c. 850 BC) · 2 Kings 2:11 · Chariots of fire and horses of fire appeared.
- Heavenly Vision of Horses (c. 500 BC) · Zechariah 1:8 · Vision of horses patrolling the earth.
- Creation Groans in Futility (AD 55) · Romans 8:22 · All creation awaits liberation from decay.
- Christ Reconciles All Things (AD 60) · Colossians 1:20 · God reconciles all things through Christ.
- Heavenly Throne Room (AD 95) · Revelation 4:6-8 · Living creatures worship before God's throne.
- New Heavens and New Earth (AD 95) · Revelation 21:1-5 · God makes all things new.
- Christ Returns (End Times) · Revelation 19:11 · Christ returns with the armies of heaven.
Prophetic Peaceable Kingdom
| Predator | Prey | Outcome | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf | Lamb | Live together | Isaiah 11:6 |
| Leopard | Goat | Lie down together | Isaiah 11:6 |
| Cow | Bear | Graze together | Isaiah 11:7 |
| Lion | Ox | Eat straw | Isaiah 11:7 |
| Infant | Cobra | Play harmlessly | Isaiah 11:8 |
| Child | Viper | Reach in without harm | Isaiah 11:8 |
Covenant with Creation
| Covenant Partner | Promise | Passage |
|---|---|---|
| Noah's descendants and every living creature | Everlasting covenant | Genesis 9:9-10 |
| Beasts of the field, birds of heaven | Covenant of peace, lie down safely | Hosea 2:18 |
| Dangerous beasts | Removed from the land | Ezekiel 34:25 |
| People and beasts | No longer prey to each other | Ezekiel 34:28 |
| Every living creature of all flesh | Everlasting covenant | Genesis 9:12-17 |
Creation's Hope and Restoration
| Creation's State | Hope | Restoration | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groans in bondage | Revealing of sons of God | Freedom from decay | Romans 8:19-22 |
| Subjected to futility | Divine liberation | Glorious freedom | Romans 8:20-21 |
| Inhabited by creatures | Knowledge of Yahweh | Nothing hurts or destroys | Isaiah 11:9 |
| Under Christ's reign | Reconciliation | All things united | Colossians 1:20 |
| Existing | God dwells with His people | All things made new | Revelation 21:1-5 |
Key words
- Peaceable Kingdom
- A future era where predators and prey live in harmony. · Isaiah 11:6
- Covenant
- A solemn agreement or promise, often involving God and creation. · Genesis 9:9-10
- Creation
- The entirety of the physical world, including animals. · Romans 8:19
- Restoration
- The renewal and redemption of all things by God. · Acts 3:21
- New Heavens and New Earth
- The ultimate, renewed creation where God dwells with His people. · Revelation 21:1-5
God’s plan of salvation culminates not in an ethereal escape, but in the total renewal of creation under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Believers can rejoice knowing that the God who delights in every creature He formed will fill His eternal kingdom with life, peace, and unhindered worship.
32 passages, each cited once.
Scripture cited
- Isaiah 11:6-9
- Isaiah 65:25
- Romans 8:18-23
- Isaiah 65:17-25
- Revelation 21:1-5