The New Earth
Heaven Bound • Sermon • Submitted
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Awakening Prayer
Awakening Prayer
Tonight and this week as a Student Ministry we are going to be praying for:
Your City and Nation
Your City and Nation
Specifically, we are praying that our nation and our town would praise God and not curse Him.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
Psalm
Father,
Your image that you created us with and formed in us, at one point in history, in the garden of Eden, when Adam and Even walked in innocence, has been severely damaged due to the fall. Not only do experience the hardship of a fallen world, but we also have an intimate knowledge of sin. We have inherited Adam’s sinful corruption and his guilt and now we even live after sin.
Father we know ourselves - even after you’ve rescued us from sin. We know how fragile our devotion is to you, how our passion for you wanes, how we love the things of this world - comfort, pleasure, power, fame - more than a life spent tethered to you. And so, we begin here, in the household of God - give us hearts that long after you. Forgive us for wandering away, for pursuing dead idols, and loving ourselves more than you. Recapture our hearts for your fame and glory. Let us again fall in love with your gospel and let us live in your gospel - let the good news of Jesus transform our youth group and church. So that we can be the fragrance of life and death to those around us.
God we finally pray for our lost town and nation. We pray, just like we’ve received, that they would come to know your mercy in Jesus Christ. We don’t want lost people to curse you. We desire to see the lost in Iowa Park and beyond lay down their weapons and raise up the white flag and surrender to King Jesus. I pray for those who claim “Atheism” and those who claim are “Pragmatic Naturalists”. For all who curse you I pray you’d break them and create in them new hearts like you’ve done in us. We want to see Iowa Park praise you for your goodness and love and might and wisdom.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Let us be the hands and feet to reach out to our dying world. We pray all of this in the mighty name of Jesus, and all of God’s people say “Amen”.
Introduction
Introduction
Well, for those who are playing catch up - meaning you haven’t been here for two weeks - we are in Part 3 of 6 in our series entitled “Heaven Bound”. The first week we talked about Heaven’s Door and we answered this question, “What is the doorway to Heaven?” And what was the answer we found?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ!
We looked at the fact that God is Great and God is good, that we’ve, all of collected humanity, rebelled against God and as a consequence we inherited a sinful nature from Adam and that is really bad news because the penalty for our sin is spiritual death in Hell, but the Scriptures testify that God was merciful and sent Christ:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
And what we found is that it’s not enough just to see the beauty of the cross - God commands us to run from our sin and to run to Christ by faith. We must respond to God putting forth Christ as our substitute. That was week one.
Last week we talked about the Present Heaven. The two main things we discussed is that The Present Heaven is temporary, it is where those who’ve placed their faith in Christ go when they die, but it is not our eternal home. I think this illustration was helpful:
Panama Illustration through Dallas
So in the same way the Present Heaven is like Dallas and Panama is like our true destination - the New Earth. That is the key to understanding the doctrine of Heaven. The secondly we learned that in the Present Heaven, like where your granddad is at, it is most likely physical in some way - which helps us hope and long for the Present Heaven.
Transition: tonight we turn the corner to introduce the New Earth - our eternal home. We are going to talk about the main guiding principle for understanding the New Earth how we see it apply to Earth and the Resurrection - and I’ll give you a taste of our next week sermon.
(1) New Earth’s Guiding Principle
(1) New Earth’s Guiding Principle
If you want to understand what life on the New Earth, our eternal home is like, then you must understand the principle of Renewal & Similarity. Theologians call this principle the Redemptive Continuity Principle. I think it’s easier to understand by the words: Renewal & Similarity. So to be renewed means: to give fresh life; to revive; to bring back to life or to restore. Then we have the word similarity, it means: alike or almost identical.
So this principle says when we try to understand the New Earth it is revived, restored and similar to what we know and experience. There are things about the New Earth we can know and understand. Now, I hope you understand that this principle actually flows from Scripture - it isn’t something that is man made and laid upon Scripture. So let’s look at it in light of our Earth that we know.
(2) Earth’s Redemption
(2) Earth’s Redemption
Play the first minute of “This World is not my home.”
The first line says “this world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through.” This old gospel song, as beautiful as it is, only tells a half truth. See what we must recognize is yes, we are passing through this Earth, but eventually, after the Present Heaven passes away with the return of Christ, believers in Christ will be back here on a renewed and restored Earth that is similar to what we now know.
Think about Earth in the beginning:
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
So, from the beginning God’s world was very good - but it didn’t stay that way. Adam and Eve rebelled against God by eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and in that moment sin entered the world. And God told them of the consequences that would result if they broke His good command:
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Because God is a good and just God He couldn’t let their sin go unpunished so He cursed man and the world. We read of this in :
And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
The Earth as we experience it is under the curse of God - it is not the home we were originally made for. Husbands and wives experience hardship in the home “your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” That means women will try to lead and men will unmercifully lead. It’ll be a fight. This was not God’s intention. Also, part of the curse is the hardship of work, it’s toil between the Garden of Eden and the New Earth to work. Death was another curse of God “you are dust and to dust you shall return” and so was the curse of the ground - that it wouldn’t produce bountifully any longer.
That’s why we feel homesick for our Eternal Home on the New Earth. People seem to think that “there’s nothing in our present experience that can help us to know what Heaven is like”. That may sound great, but it’s not what we see pictured in the Bible.
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Genesis
The Earth as we know it and experience it is under the curse of God - it is not our home, we are homesick, but the world as it was in the beginning, and as it will be in the end, is our home.
See the key to understanding the New Earth, the place believers will live forever after the Present Heaven is this:
One of the main reason’s people have a hard time with the Eternal Heaven or what the Bible calls the New Earth is because they think like this: “there’s nothing in our present experience that can suggest to us what Heaven is like.” Now that sounds great, but that’s not the picture the Bible gives us.
See the key to understanding the New Earth, the place believers will live forever after the Present Heaven is this:
“The biblical doctrine of the New Earth implies something startling: that if we want to know what the ultimate Heaven, our eternal home, will be like, the best place to start is by looking around us.” -Randy Alcorn.
We don’t close our eyes and try to imagine the unimaginable, no, rather we open our eyes and use the present Earth as a valid starting point for understanding the New Earth.
The New Earth will be a Renewed Old Earth.
The New Earth will be a Renewed Old Earth.
How?
By the lifting of the curse of God. It started with the cross. Listen to :
It started with the cross. Listen to :
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
So the price of going to the cross was Jesus becoming a curse. He became the curse to commence the beginning of the end of the curse of God on our world.
So Jesus began the work of undoing the curse - it’s what we call the “Already, but Not Yet” aspect of the kingdom of God. So think of the life of Jesus when he healed a blind person or brought a dead child back to life - it was only momentary. They all ended up dying. Though their bodies were momentarily “renewed” the wear and tear of this world broke in again ultimately.
See, the miracles worked primarily to prove Jesus to be the Son of God, but secondarily they worked to give us appetizers of the eternal heaven or life on the New Earth. This is what it will be like. No death. No blindness. No sickness. No disease. And with Jesus’ death and resurrection, we see the beginning of Jesus’ “Already but Not Yet Kingdom.”
We see this with His defeat of Satan:
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
Jesus took on flesh and blood, that through His death on the cross He would destroy Satan, and deliver us from Satan’s tyrannical reign. Now, the cross disarmed Satan - it was the beginning of the end for Satan. But he still has a God-given leash for this season of our world. The victory is sealed, it is just a matter of time, the cross secured the removal of sin, Satan, death and all remnants of the curse - ultimately. We will one day experience this victory full force but for now we await the end of this world. In we read of this:
But one day we will experience the full Renewal of this Earth with the lifting of the curse. In we read of this:
No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
The curse will be fully lifted at the end of this world.
Which leads us to ask: what will it look like for the Earth to be made new?
What will it be like for the the Curse of God to be lifted from our world?
No more painful labor - only happy and joyful work.
No more hardship in the marriage relationship - rather there will be one marriage - between us and Christ that will be perfect.
So the welfare of the New Earth and the welfare of Christian’s will be inseparable. Listen to what Jesus did when He died as the sin substitute and rose from the grave victoriously:
No more fruitless land, thorns, weeds and stickers - only fruitful land and bountiful produce.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
No more death, sin, Satan, and sorrow - only life, goodness, God, His angels and His people and happiness.
Jesus took on flesh and blood, that through His death on the cross He would certainly destroy Satan, and deliver us from Satan’s tyrannical reign. Now, the cross disarmed Satan - it was the beginning of the end for Satan. The victory is sealed, it is just a matter of time, the cross secured the removal of sin, Satan, death and all remnants of the curse - finally. We will one day experience this victory full force but for now we await the end of this world.
Remember, after Adam sinned God cursed the ground because of Him. One of the curses was “painful toil” for work. It will not be this way in the Present Heaven or the New Earth. Will be happy to take care of the world - it will not be hard. Part of the curse was that the Earth would produce thorns and thistles, but on the New Earth our work will not lead to failure, but rather joyful production and fruitfulness. The curse also included death, but on the New Earth there will be no more death.
The curse will be lifted. In fact that’s precisely what enacted on the cross:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—
That was the price of the beginning of the end of the curse - that Christ became cursed on our behalf. In the end when the curse is removed people, culture, the Earth, and the entire universe will be again as God intended.
Remember the song “Joy to the World”? Well one verse goes like this:
“No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow,
Far as the curse is found.”
Transition: The curse is real, but it is temporary. This Earth will be renewed and it will be like what we know, but better.
The New Earth will be Similar to the Old Earth
The New Earth will be Similar to the Old Earth
In fact, the we read in Hebrews that the New Earth will be like what we know here on this Earth:
16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
See there are two things we see from this passage - first, Heaven, that is the Eternal Heaven (the New Earth) is a country.
How do we know what a country is like?
Well, we understand it from our world - countries have states and territories, cities and provinces, rulers, etc. The New Earth will be a country - like what we know, but better. This is the principle of Similarity.
The New Earth will also have cities - specifically we know that it will have the New Jersualem.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
In the New Heaven there will be a new Jerusalem. A tangible, real, better city than the Jerusalem we know today.
We also know that Jesus is making us homes, real homes with rooms - physical and good:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
How do we know what a house is like?
We look at ours and others. Do you see what I’m getting at? This is the key to understand the New Earth (our eternal home). It is this Earth Renewed but Similar to what we know. This is the key to keeping yourself straight.
But, how will this process take place? How will the old Earth be renewed and made like what we know?
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
2 Peter
Some Bible teachers think that this means that the Earth will be completely destroyed and a different earth will be made from scratch. But the Bible teaches us that while the Earth will be destroyed for a while, it will be restored. God will make the same old earth into the “New Earth,” which will be better than it ever was!
Think about the Flood that happened during the time of Noah. Although the earth seemed “destroyed,” it really wasn’t. It continued to exist. God just made a new start from the old Earth.
We know the Bible says our bodies will die, but God will bring the same bodies back to life in a much better condition. In the same way, the Earth will die, but God will bring it back in a much better condition. That will be the New Earth.
You could compare the Earth’s future changes to that of a caterpillar. As you know, major changes happen to a caterpillar after it goes into a chrysalis (transitional state). It comes out a new creature—a butterfly. It hasn’t stopped existing. It’s the same, yet transformed. And it’s a real, lasting transformation. Not like transformer action figures that can be changed back and forth, the butterfly can’t be changed back to a caterpillar (nor would it want to be). Likewise, the New Earth will never change back to the old Earth.
Transition: now let’s apply Renewal & Similarity to the resurrection.
(3) Resurrection
(3) Resurrection
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
These verses teach us that the physical resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of redemption - both for mankind and for the Earth. Literally, without Christ’s resurrection, our hope of eternal life on a New and Better-Fashioned Earth is unavailable. And our hope of new resurrection bodies is unavailable. But, we understand that Jesus is the first-fruits of our resurrection - he is the pattern. What He is like after His resurrection is a proto-type of what we will be like with our resurrection bodies.
36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.
36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
Luke 24:36-
So, first they could see Jesus with their eyes and touch them with their hands. He was physical. He wasn’t a ghost. Neither will we be. With our new resurrected bodies we will be completely physical. Jesus also spoke - so will we. Jesus ate. So will we. But our bodies, unlike Jesus, will not have the wear and tear of the fallen world.
(3) Earth Restored
(3) Earth Restored
John 20:
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
See, even today Jesus still retains the marks of the cross upon His perfected body as a remembrance of His world altering, sin atoning, substitutionary death. Our bodies will not have these things. We will be with perfected bodies. Renewed and similar. We will be ourselves, but better in every way imaginable.
(4) A Taste of Next Week
(4) A Taste of Next Week
Will there be animals in Heaven?
Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot pulled by horses (). We’re told there are horses in heaven (; ). In fact, there are lots of horses, enough for the vast armies of heaven to ride (; ).
Other animals aren’t mentioned in the Revelation passages, presumably because they don’t play a role in Christ’s second coming (an army bringing deliverance rides horses, not Dalmatians or hedgehogs).
In God refers to creating a New Heavens and a New Earth.
Listen to this verse that is debatable about either the Millennium or the New Earth:
Listen to :
17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
And in following verses listen to what we read about:
25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
Now, depending on how you view the millenium this could be for it or for the New Earth. I tend to think this applies to the New Earth, but even if I’m wrong, well - there are at least horses on the New Earth.
And then once again we have to think about the Renewal & Similarity Principle. tells us all creation is awaiting the lifting of the curse and this includes the animals.
Think about Adam in the Garden - Animals are a central part of that creation, next to man himself the most significant part. After all, besides his wife, Adam was called upon to give names only to one other part of the creation–the animals (). He worked the garden, but he wasn’t invited to name the vegetation. Clearly, the animals had certain qualities that set them above other creation. They were to be special to man, and his naming them makes his connection with them personal.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
However, this doesn’t mean beloved animals won’t be in heaven. I once read Billy Graham’s response to a little girl’s question, “Will my dog who died this week be in heaven?” Graham replied, “If it would make you any happier, then yes, he will be.” Animals aren’t nearly as valuable as people, but God is their maker and has touched many people’s lives through them. It would be simple for Him to recreate a pet in heaven. I see no reason to believe he wouldn’t if it would bring his children pleasure.
However, this doesn’t mean beloved animals won’t be in heaven. I once read Billy Graham’s response to a little girl’s question, “Will my dog who died this week be in heaven?” Graham replied, “If it would make you any happier, then yes, he will be.” Animals aren’t nearly as valuable as people, but God is their maker and has touched many people’s lives through them. It would be simple for Him to recreate a pet in heaven. I see no reason to believe he wouldn’t if it would bring his children pleasure.
says that the whole creation was subject to suffering and futility because of human sin. The creation groans in longing for the liberation that will come to humans, and thereby to all creation itself. Creation is under man’s dominion and will share the rewards of his redemption just as it shared the punishment for his sin. Animals are a central part of that creation, next to man himself the most significant part. After all, besides his wife, Adam was called upon to give names only to one other part of the creation–the animals (). He worked the garden, but he wasn’t invited to name the vegetation. Clearly, the animals had certain qualities that set them above other creation. They were to be special to man, and his naming them makes his connection with them personal.
If the New Earth is all the best of the old earth and more, then we should expect it to contain animals. If animals weren’t part of the New Earth, this would seem an obvious oversight.
Would God take away from us in heaven what he gave, for delight and companionship and help, to Adam and Eve in Eden? Would he revoke his earlier decision to put animals with man, and under man’s care? If he remakes the New Earth with new men (who look very much like the old men, only perfect), wouldn’t we expect him also to make new animals (who will presumably look like the old animals, only perfect)?
Will extinct animals be on the New Earth (Dodo Bird, Dinosaur’s, etc.)?
Is this merely a child’s fantasy? I think it’s a question based on a rational conclusion. Were dinosaurs part of God’s original creation of a perfect animal world? Certainly. Will the restoration of Earth and the redemption of God’s creation be complete enough to bring back extinct animals? Will extinct animals be included in the “all things” Christ will make new? I see every reason to think so and no persuasive argument against it. I think we should fully expect that extinct animals and plants will be brought back to life. By resurrecting his original creation, God will show the totality of his victory over sin and death.
It’s apparent that the Curse that fell on the earth resulted in some species dying out. But God promises, “No longer will there be any curse” (). And because it seems that the Curse will not merely be nullified but reversed, it seems likely that God might restore extinct animals and plants on the New Earth.
Animals are created for God’s glory. What could speak more of his awesome power than a tyrannosaurus? When talking to Job, God pointed out his greatness revealed in the giant land and sea creatures behemoth and leviathan (). Why shouldn’t all people have the opportunity to enjoy these great wonders of God on the New Earth?
Imagine Jurassic Park with all of the awesome majesty of those huge creatures but none of their violence and hostility. Imagine riding a brontosaurus—or flying on the back of a pterodactyl. Unless God made a mistake when he created them—and clearly he didn’t—why wouldn’t he include them when he makes “everything new”?
What about my pets?
Lorelai, just had surgery on Monday and Emma Kate cried about dying and such at the table. Will our pets live on in Heaven?
Well, we do know that animals will be in Heaven, but there is no Scriptural evidence to say they will be there - it’s totally up to God. But think of this, wouldn’t it just be like the Lord to lovingly entrust to our care animals which He made and put into the world. Wouldn’t it just be like God to give us this delight?
I once read Billy Graham’s response to a little girl’s question, “Will my dog who died this week be in heaven?” Graham replied, “If it would make you any happier, then yes, he will be.” Animals aren’t nearly as valuable as people, but God is their maker and has touched many people’s lives through them. It would be simple for Him to recreate a pet in heaven. I see no reason to believe he wouldn’t if it would bring his children pleasure.
However, this doesn’t mean beloved animals won’t be in heaven. I once read Billy Graham’s response to a little girl’s question, “Will my dog who died this week be in heaven?” Graham replied, “If it would make you any happier, then yes, he will be.” Animals aren’t nearly as valuable as people, but God is their maker and has touched many people’s lives through them. It would be simple for Him to recreate a pet in heaven. I see no reason to believe he wouldn’t if it would bring his children pleasure.
Will animals be able to speak in Heaven?
We’re told that in Eden the serpent was “more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made” (). More crafty suggests that some of the other animals were also crafty. Animals were smart, probably smarter than we imagine; the most intelligent animals we see around us are but fallen remnants of what once was. The serpent’s intelligence was demonstrated in reasoning and persuasive speech. People typically imagine that Satan possessed a dumb animal, the snake, but the text doesn’t say that. Today Satan can speak through a human being but not an animal because people can talk and animals can’t. But the fact that he spoke through an animal in Eden suggests the animal had the capacity to speak. There’s no suggestion Eve was surprised to hear an animal speak, indicating other animals also may have spoken.
When God spoke through Balaam’s donkey, was he merely putting words into her mouth, or did he temporarily give the donkey the ability to verbalize her instinct, perceptions, and feelings? Whales and dolphins communicate in highly specific ways, as do many primates, in varying degrees. These are God-given abilities. We should assume they’ll be enhanced on the New Earth or at very least restored to the capabilities they had in Eden, where it’s possible more than one animal talked.
In a universe teeming with God’s creativity, should talking animals or intelligent non-human beings (such as angels that not only talk but worship) surprise us? If people will be smarter and more capable on the New Earth, should it surprise us that animals might also be smarter and more capable? Remember, both in the Fall (sin) and the rise (resurrection), as goes mankind, so goes creation.
When in John’s vision of Heaven he says, “I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice” (), it may be figurative language. But when the serpent spoke to Eve and when the donkey spoke to Balaam, the stories are recorded in historical narrative, not in apocalyptic literature. Nothing in the context of the Genesis account or the Balaam story indicates these shouldn’t be taken literally. Furthermore, living creatures— animals—verbalize praise to God. And “every creature” in the universe is said to sing and give praise to the Lamb (). The word for creature in that verse is ktisma, which clearly means “animals” in its only other appearance in Revelation (8:9). Just because these passages are in the book of Revelation doesn’t mean they cannot be literal.
C. S. Lewis gives us a creative glimpse of what the resurrected Earth might be like. In The Magician’s Nephew, King Aslan declares the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, now in Narnia on its first day, to be his kings and queens. The talking animals make crowns for the first king and queen and express their delight in being ruled by these humans.
One of the animals who watches this scene is a horse named Strawberry, who drew a London carriage on Earth. He toiled, and sometimes his master Frank, a cabbie and a good man, whipped him to make him move faster. Strawberry, whom Aslan renamed Fledge, marvels at the new King Frank in the New Narnia: “My old master’s been changed nearly as much as I have! Why, he’s a real master now.”
Aslan later says to King Frank and Queen Helen, “Be just and merciful and brave. The blessing is upon you.”
All the people celebrate.
All the animals rejoice.
Aslan, Lord of all, is pleased.
Pray