The General Deliverance

Sermon 60

A message preached by John Wesley November 30, 1781

(With inserted comments and summaries by Randy Alcorn)

"The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that subjected it: Yet in hope that the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now." Romans 8:19-22

Wesley began his message by addressing the many passages that speak of God's provision for cattle, for the birds, for "feeding the young ravens when they cry to him," for giving drink to the beasts of the field, and not muzzling the ox that treads the corn, so he too-not just his master-may eat freely. Then Wesley asks,

"But how are these Scriptures reconcilable to the present state of things? How are they consistent with what we daily see round about us, in every part of the creation? If the Creator and Father of every living thing is rich in mercy towards all; if he does not overlook or despise any of the works of his own hands; if he wills even the meanest of them to be happy, according to their degree; how comes it to pass, that such a complication of evils oppresses, yea, overwhelms them? How is it that misery of all kinds overspreads the face of the earth?

Wesley then proposes three questions:

1.What was the original state of the brute creation?

2. In what state is it at present?

3. In what state will it be at the manifestation of the children of God?

This is an edited version of what follows (no words changed, only sections removed, indicated by elipsis: . . .).

All the beasts of the field, and all the fowls of the air, were with Adam in paradise. And there is no question but their state was suited to their place: It was paradisiacal; perfectly happy. Undoubtedly it bore a near resemblance to the state of man himself."

Wesley says of Adam, "He saw, with unspeakable pleasure, the order, the beauty, the harmony, of all the creatures.. . ."

"Man was God's vicegerent upon earth, the prince and governor of this lower world; and all the blessings of God flowed through him to the inferior creatures. Man was the channel of conveyance between his Creator and the whole brute creation.

"But what blessings were those that were then conveyed through man to the lower creatures? What was the original state of the brute creatures, when they were first created? This deserves a more attentive consideration than has been usually given it."

Wesley then argues that they had a degree of understanding, wills, passions, liberty, and the power of choice. He continues:

"For they had gratitude to man for benefits received, and a reverence for him. They had likewise a kind of benevolence to each other, unmixed with any contrary temper. How beautiful many of them were, we may conjecture from that which still remains; and that not only in the noblest creatures, but in those of the lowest order. And they were all surrounded, not only with plenteous food, but with every thing that could give them pleasure; pleasure unmixed with pain; for pain was not yet; it had not entered into paradise. And they too were immortal: For "God made not death; neither hath He pleasure in the death of any living.". . .

How true then is that word, "God saw everything that He had made: and behold it was very good!" But how far is this from being the present case! In what a condition is the whole lower world!-to say nothing of inanimate nature, wherein all the elements seem to be out of course, and by turns to fight against man. Since man rebelled against his Maker, in what a state is all animated nature! Well might the Apostle say of this: "The whole creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain until now." This directly refers to the brute creation in what state this is at present we are now to consider.

As all the blessings of God in paradise flowed through man to the inferior creatures; as man was the great channel of communication, between the Creator and the whole brute creation; so when man made himself incapable of transmitting those blessings, that communication was necessarily cut off. The intercourse between God and the inferior creatures being stopped, those blessings could no longer flow in upon them.. . .

But in what respect was "the creature," every creature, then "made subject to vanity?" What did the meaner creatures suffer, when man rebelled against God? It is probable they sustained much loss, even in the lower faculties; their vigour, strength, and swiftness. But undoubtedly they suffered far more in their understanding; more than we can easily conceive.... As man is deprived of his perfection, his loving obedience to God; so brutes are deprived of their perfection, their loving obedience to man. The far greater part of them flee from him; studiously avoid his hated presence. The most of the rest set him at open defiance; yea, destroy him, if it be in their power. A few only, those we commonly term domestic animals, retain more or less of their original disposition, (through the mercy of God) love him still, and pay obedience to him.

Setting these few aside, how little shadow of good, of gratitude, of benevolence, of any right temper, is now to be found in any part of the brute creation! On the contrary, what savage fierceness, what unrelenting cruelty; are invariably observed in thousands of creatures; yea, is inseparable from their natures!. . .

Pain of various kinds, weakness, sickness, diseases innumerable, come upon them; perhaps from within; perhaps from one another; perhaps from the inclemency of seasons; from fire, hail, snow, or storm; or from a thousand causes which they cannot foresee or prevent.

Thus, "as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; even so death passed upon all men;" and not on man only, but on those creatures also that "did not sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression." And not death alone came upon them, but all of its train of preparatory evils; pain, and ten thousand sufferings. . .

After recounting man's sad record of cruelty to the animal kingdom, Wesley asks:

But will "the creature, will even the brute creation, always remain in this deplorable condition? God forbid that we should affirm this; yea, or even entertain such a thought! While "the whole creation groaneth together," (whether men attend or not) their groans are not dispersed in idle air, but enter into the ears of Him that made them. While His creatures "travail together in pain," He knoweth all their pain, and is bringing them nearer and nearer to the birth, which shall be accomplished in its season. . . .

A general view of this is given us in the twenty-first chapter of the Revelation. When He that "sitteth on the great white throne" hath pronounced, "Behold, I make all things new;" when the word is fulfilled, "The tabernacle of God is with men, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God;"-then the following blessing shall take place (not only on the children of men; there is no such restriction in the text; but) on every creature according to its capacity: "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain: For the former things are passed away."

To descend to a few particulars: The whole brute creation will then, undoubtedly, be restored, not only to the vigour, strength, and swiftness which they had at their creation, but to a far higher degree of each than they ever enjoyed. They will be restored, not only to that measure of understanding which they had in paradise, but to a degree of it as much higher than that, as the understanding of an elephant is beyond that of a worm. And whatever affections they had in the garden of God, will be restored with vast increase; being exalted and refined in a manner which we ourselves are not now able to comprehend. The liberty they then had will be completely restored, and they will be free in all their motions. They will be delivered from all irregular appetites, from all unruly passions, from every disposition that is either evil in itself, or has any tendency to evil. No rage will be found in any creature, no fierceness, no cruelty, or thirst for blood. So far from it that "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain." (Isaiah 11:6; 65)

Thus, in that day. . .they will suffer no more, either from within or without; the days of their groaning are ended. At the same time, there can be no reasonable doubt, but all the horridness of their appearance, and all the deformity of their aspect, will vanish away, and be exchanged for their primeval beauty. And with their beauty their happiness will return; to which there can then be no obstruction. As there will be nothing within, so there will be nothing without, to give them any uneasiness: No heat or cold, no storm or tempest, but one perennial spring. In the new earth, as well as in the new heavens, there will be nothing to give pain, but everything that the wisdom and goodness of God can create to give happiness. As a recompence for what they once suffered, while under the "bondage of corruption," when God has "renewed the face of the earth," and their corruptible body has put on incorruption, they shall enjoy happiness suited to their state, without alloy, without interruption, and without end.

But though I doubt not that the Father of All has a tender regard for even His lowest creatures, and that, in consequence of this, He will make them large amends for all they suffer while under their present bondage; yet I dare not affirm that He has an equal regard for them and for the children of men. . .

May I be permitted to mention here a conjecture concerning the brute creation? What, if it should then please the all-wise, the all-gracious Creator to raise them higher in the scale of beings? What, if it should please Him, when He makes us "equal to angels," to make them what we are now,-creatures capable of God; capable of knowing and loving and enjoying the Author of their being? If it should be so, ought our eye to be evil because He is good? However this be, He will certainly do what will be most for His own glory.. . .

If it be objected to all this, (as very probably it will,) "But of what use will those creatures be in that future state?" I answer this by another question, What use are they of now? If there be (as has commonly been supposed) eight thousand species of insects, who is able to inform us of what use seven thousand of them are? If there are four thousand species of fishes, who can tell us of what use are more than three thousand of them? If there are six hundred sorts of birds, who can tell of what use five hundred of those species are? If there be four hundred sorts of beasts, to what use do three hundred of them serve? Consider this; consider how little we know of even the present designs of God; and then you will not wonder that we know still less of what He designs to do in the new heavens and the new earth.

In speaking of animals from the old earth being remade to populate the new earth, Wesley says:

May it not answer another end; namely, furnish us with a full answer to a plausible objection against the justice of God, in suffering numberless creatures that never had sinned to be so severely punished? They could not sin, for they were not moral agents. Yet how severely do they suffer!-yea, many of them, beasts of burden in particular, almost the whole time of their abode on earth; So that they can have no retribution here below. But the objection vanishes away, if we consider that something better remains after death for these poor creatures also; that these, likewise, shall one day be delivered from this bondage of corruption, and shall then receive an ample amends for all their present sufferings. . . .

It may enlarge our hearts towards those poor creatures, to reflect that, as vile as they appear in our eyes, not one of them is forgotten in the sight of our Father which is in heaven. Through all the vanity to which they are now subjected, let us look to what God hath prepared for them. Yea, let us habituate ourselves to look forward, beyond this present scene of bondage, to the happy time when they will be delivered therefrom into the liberty of the children of God.

Edited (reduction only) by Randy Alcorn from the full text of Wesley's message at

http://gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/serm-060.stm

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: by Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries, 2229 E. Burnside #23, Gresham, OR 97030, 503-663-6481, www.epm.org

Will there be animals in heaven?

by Randy Alcorn

Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot pulled by horses (2 Kings 2:11). We're told there are horses in heaven (Revelation 6:2-8; 19:11). In fact, there are lots of horses, enough for the vast armies of heaven to ride (Revelation 19:11; 2 Kings 6:17).

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). But isn't it likely that since there are innumerable horses in heaven there are all kinds of other animals too? Why wouldn't there be? Why would we expect horses to be the only animals? If there were no other animals, there wouldn't be horses.

In Isaiah 65:17 God refers to creating a New Heavens and a New Earth. In subsequent verses the text seems to move back and forth from the millennial kingdom to the New Earth. God makes clear he will have animals living there-either in the millennium or the New Earth or both (Isaiah 65:25).

Some also argue for animals being in heaven based on Ecclesiastes 3:19-21, which says "Man's fate is like that of the animals. . .all go to the same place." However, in the larger context of Ecclesiastes Solomon is simply talking about the outward appearance of death. Men and animals both die and we can't see where they go. Scripture tells us elsewhere, however, that man has an eternal soul. It tells us he goes one of two places at death. Animals are not said to have eternal souls. They are not said to relocate when they die. The presumption would be that at death they cease to exist.

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.

Romans 8:18-22 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 (Genesis 2:19-20). 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. Eden was ruined through sin and will be restored through Christ's reign of righteousness. All that was part of Eden, and then made wrong through the sin of the first Adam, we would expect to be part of the New Earth, made right through the virtue of the Second Adam.

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)?

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: by Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries, 2229 E. Burnside #23, Gresham, OR 97030, 503-663-6481, www.epm.org

Animals on the New Earth?

"You say that in your book, Heaven, that God will refashion the animal kingdom on the New Earth. But surely you can't believe there will be rats, spiders, and insects, and other creepy animals, such as mosquitoes? That sure wouldn't be Heaven for me!"

answered by Randy Alcorn

Asking how rats and spiders and insects could possibly be on the New Earth is like asking how they possibly could have been in Eden. The point is, they were, and it didn't diminish Eden, but somehow enhanced it. We've never seen rats and insects as they once were, and as they yet will be. (I've met some pretty creepy people, and I've been one myself from time to time, but that doesn't mean people won't inhabit the New Earth—just that they'll need to be changed.)

"The leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11)

Mosquitoes? Why not? If lions will no longer be carnivores, which we are told in Isaiah 11 and 65, does this imply that they weren't originally carnivores? If so, why couldn't mosquitoes have lived off vegetation rather than living beings, and/or why couldn't they do so again on the New Earth? We should not mistake all animals' current behaviors with their original design—think how misleading that would be if we did it with humans.

Some think otherwise, but I believe when Scripture says that death came through Adam, it means that God's creatures didn't die before people sinned—animal suffering came on the coat-tails of humanity's fall. (Note Paul's argument in Romans 8.) Prior to that they didn't hurt and devour and eat one another. There may have been what we might call the "death" of vegetation, as it could have been part of God's design for the eco-system, but I think suffering and death of living beings, animals included, wasn't. (Again, I know some think otherwise.) We tend to be uniformitarian in our assumptions, looking at the world as it is now and then projecting backward and looking forward and failing to see how radically different it once was and one day will be.

We often project our current revulsion to certain creatures (e.g. big hairy spiders give me the major creeps) on our eternal state—but this ignores two critical things: THEY will be changed and WE will be changed. They won't be worthy of revulsion and we won't be gripped by revulsion.

It's the same way people respond to verses demonstrating there will be culture on the New Earth. When I go to a number of texts, then follow by saying there's every reason to believe there will be art, crafts, science, research, technology, sports, etc., invariably someone says "but there can't be sports, because competition is sinful." Is it? Really? Would there have been no sports without the Fall? Do we enjoy sports because we're sinners or because we're human, and that's how God has designed us? Did humans invent playfulness, or did God invent it and build it into us and otters and dogs, etc.?

To argue against sports on the New Earth because some people are angry, hostile, arrogant and insecure when they're involved in sports now, as they live under sin and curse, is like arguing against art in heaven because some art is lewd, or against music because some music has immoral lyrics. The whole point is. . .sin will be absent and the curse will be lifted—including the curse on people, animals, the eco-system, culture, etc.

We have never known a world without sin (and therefore we view even the coming new world with sin-tainted glasses). We have never tasted with untainted taste buds a single bite of untainted fruit. When we do, we'll be startled at how good it tastes! When we behold for the first time an animal kingdom untainted by the curse we'll drop our jaws at what we see. Think flowers are beautiful now? Wait till we see flowers untouched by the curse, with eyesight undiminished by the curse. If we were to see Adam and Eve as they were in the garden we'd be stunned at how much humanity has deteriorated under the weight of sin and curse. When we see each other in the resurrection, we'll be seeing untainted uncursed human beings as God intended them/us for the first time. No wonder we're told "The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:43). "Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). How dull and lifeless we dying sin-struck people are—how bright and magnificent we untarnished image-bearers will one day be.

We've never known anything but the curse. . .therefore we've only seen glimmers and glimpses of what God first created. We are nostalgic for Eden and we long for the New Earth, but we live now in this brief unnatural state of sin and curse. No wonder we find it difficult to look backward to Eden and forward to the New Earth without imposing our curse-tainted perspective and expectations. May God free us to see the world as He originally made it, by His design, and as He will remake it as the climax of Christ's redemptive work, to His eternal glory—people and animals and natural wonders and art and science and planets and galaxies, and more besides than we can imagine. . .but it's sure fun (and healthy) to try!

Permissions: Feel free to reproduce and distribute any articles written by Randy Alcorn, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this information, not protect or restrict it.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: by Randy Alcorn, Eternal Perspective Ministries, 2229 E. Burnside #23, Gresham, OR 97030, 503-663-6481, www.epm.org 

©2005 Eternal Perspective Ministries. All rights reserved.

Well, if your curiosity has not gotten the better of you yet and you have not gone to Randy Alcorn's web site at http://www.epm.org, what are you waiting for? This is just a small sampling of Randy's articles that are available online. I first became familiar with him by reading his books and Deadline remains one of my favorites.