Question from a reader:
I am listening to Heaven on audio. While listening to the chapter on animals, I started to think about my strong distaste for snakes. I often use the word "hate" when talking about them.
How do we reconcile “hating” a creature God has made because of traumatic experiences with the role that animals (specifically snakes, or fireants, spiders, cockroaches, etc.) might well play in Heaven?
Answer from Kathy Norquist, EPM board:
I too “hate” certain animals such as snakes and slugs and spiders. However, if God created “the creatures that move along the ground” before He created man and said that it was very good, then when “all of creation” has been groaning and will be redeemed on the New Earth, we will only know the good of these animals and won’t have a distaste of them. We will see them differently and understand their purpose.
Who knows, we may be talking with snakes again!
For more on the New Earth, see Randy’s book Heaven. You can also browse our additional resources on Heaven.Photo by Mandy Choi on Unsplash
