Animals Deserve Heavenly Peace
An all-creatures Bible Message

Animals Deserve Heavenly Peace
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
7 June 2020
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Animals Deserve Heavenly Peace
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
7 June 2020
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor
 
Scripture References:
 
Psalm 8:1-9
Matthew 28:16-20
Romans 8:18-22
2 Corinthians 13:11-14
 
Animals deserve heavenly peace just as much as we do, because Jesus charged us with being peacemaking children of God, and with it comes a blessing, not only for us, but for the whole of creation.
 
Think about what Paul tells us in Romans 8:18-22…
 
18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
 
Some people may thrive on the violent ways of this earth with all its suffering and death, but we believe that the vast majority of people in the world want this peace and glory, even if they are still part of this world system.
 
But we can never have this peace if we fail to help free creation from its present corruption, which begins with us freeing ourselves from the violent and corrupt ways of this world.
 
We cannot have it both ways, we are either peacemaking children of God, or we are part of the world system that continues to further corrupt the earth which in turn deprives us all of the glory and peace we want.
 
19. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
 
We believe that most of us know that the whole of creation is suffering, but only a relatively few of us truly face the fact that we humans are mostly responsible for this corruption and violence either directly or indirectly.
 
20. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
 
God gave the whole of earth to us to protect and care for, because He loved us, but we failed to love Him back and care for His creation, the whole of His creation.
 
21. that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
 
So, it is up to us to end our part, every part, in the corruption and violence of this world, and remember even if we are just buying products of violence, such as leather shoes or milk, we are still contributing to the corruption of this earth, because our money encourages others to continue their violent activities that produce these products.
 
22. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
NASB
 
And now is the time to be the true peacemaking children of God for both we and all the animals deserve heavenly peace.
 
With these things in mind, let’s take a look at Psalm 8:1-9…
 
1. O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Thy name in all the earth,
Who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens!
 
God’s name may be majestic in all the earth, but most people don’t accept it even if they see the splendor of creation all around us, and this needs to change.
 
2. From the mouth of infants and nursing babes Thou hast established strength,
Because of Thine adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
 
The enemy is the devil, and all those who follow him in the corrupt and violent ways of this earth, and we all need to face this fact, either we are for God or we are for Satan.
 
3. When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers,
The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained;
 
David recognized this fact even if he sinned against God, but he at least had a repentant heart and soul.


We need to be the same way, but today the earth is far more corrupted and needs a lot more work to free it from its present corruption, for both we and the animals deserve heavenly peace.
 
4. What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him?
And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?
 
All we have to do is look around the world at all the violence and corruption and we wonder way God still cares for us, but He does, but we also believe that His patience is wearing very thin.
 
5. Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God,
And dost crown him with glory and majesty!
 
If this doesn’t show us God’s love, we don’t know what will, and most people continue to throw it back in His face.
 
6. Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands;
Thou hast put all things under his feet,
 
And most humans have shown their contempt for God by further corrupting His creation.
 
7. All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,
 
8. The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
 
And most people are causing billions of animals to suffer and die every year; animals deserve heavenly peace just as much as we do.
 
9. O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Thy name in all the earth!
NASB
 
Yes it is, and we all need to recognize this fact, particularly if we believe that we and the animals deserve heavenly peace.
 
Let’s think about how Matthew 28:16-20 applies to why we and the animals deserve heavenly peace…
 
16. But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.
 
17. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.
 
Even of the eleven, some were doubtful; we are not told who or how many, but this is a problem that still exists to this very day, and probably explains why so many people continue to corrupt creation.
 
18. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
 
And then Jesus gives them a commandment.
 
19. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
 
20. teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." 
NASB
 
In other words, everyone who claims to believe and everyone who becomes a disciple (a believer and follower of Jesus) should be doing everything that Jesus commanded us to do, which includes being peacemaking children of God and doing everything we can to free creation from its present corruption.
 
Therefore, if we are these people, we and the animals will have the God given peace we deserve.
 
Let’s close our discussion about how we and the animals deserve heavenly peace by looking at 2 Corinthians 13:11-14…
 
11. Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
 
If this is the way we are all living in peace, then it obviously means that we have gone a long way in freeing creation from its present corruption, and that at least most of us have become true peacemaking children of God who live in His heavenly will.
 
12. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
 
We only can give a truly holy kiss if we love one another and the whole of God’s creation, which also means that since animals deserve heavenly peace, we are giving them what they and everyone else deserves.
 
13. All the saints greet you.
 
When it’s not just fellow born again believers who greet us, but everyone or nearly everyone, then we will begin to experience what it means to live in the peaceable kingdom where both we humans and all the animals greet one another, and they will no longer hurt or destroy in all of God’s creation.
 
This is when we will once again be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea, and there will be peace on earth as it was in Eden before the Fall.
 
14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
NASB
 
And if the all includes the whole of God’s creation, then we and the animals will have the peace we all deserve.
 
Amen?
 
Amen.

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