So animals need a savior just like humans? This means they aren’t in a state of grace as they stalk each other? I was thinking to myself if it would actually be Heaven for dogs without cats to chase and if it would actually be Heaven for cats with dogs chasing them. If it could be heaven for fleas without rats to suck.

And then there’s the chickens. Picture the billions of chickens waiting for newcomers to tell them, “You sent me here for Sunday dinner 40 years ago!!” And what happens to all the boiled eggs which WOULD have been chickens?

There was the tale of a person who died and went to his eternal destination. He saw an old geezer with a beauty waiting on him hand and foot.

“Wow, Heaven sure is great if you get rewards like this!”

The lady turned to him and said, “Heaven??? Whatever made you think this was heaven? He’s MY punishment!!”

Creative theology certainly gets interesting when we add to what’s written and throw in our own prejudices, fears and desires.

David contemplating co-residents

I see no correlation to animals that can think and feel emotion and the scripture you just quoted.
And the desire you’re thinking of is a thing of the flesh – not the soul. All things of the flesh will no longer be. But I do understand you, being male, would see it that way. I understand it to mean the desire to go on in this life – the day to day things we do and call it living – we get old and tired and no longer desire to live – we’re ready to go on.
Now I don’t presume to know what grasshoppers, nor any animal is thinking, but I tend to believe some in the animal world will get to Heaven and some won’t. Just like us. I don’t believe cruelty to animals will send you to hell – I do believe not believing in Jesus will. The rest of it is just a test and will determine our closeness to God after we die.
Isn’t variety wonderful? All the “different” looking people, animals, opinions, religions,mountains,seas, insects,etc. And we are so lucky to live in this time – the earth is smaller, we see, get to travel, and know so much more of life and other peoples than our ansestors. We are truly blessed. It is such a shame some people choose to be evil and selfish and, by doing so, miss so many good things in life. Dogs were created to be our companion – to love us unconditionally – and some treat them so bad. It’s so sad – but then, C’est la vie.

So in Ecclesiastes 12:7 using your NIV we have the statement of Man “and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

And we have now decided that applies to dogs, cats, elephants, monkeys, apes too somehow. Moving right along we next address the question from chapter 12, verse 5 which says: “ when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets. “

And new questions arise: Does this imply impotence in Heaven? Do all grasshoppers go to Heaven? Fleas? What about almond trees? Frogs? Amoebas?

I can see why some don’t want to go there.

If some don’t make the cut but some do, how do you decide?

David trying to picture this vision
wondering if dogs will like their eternal neighbors

The 3rd chapter of Ecclesiates is where we all get that there is a time for everything under heaven. It is thought the book was written by ole wise King Solomon.

The NIV (I like it better ’cause I didn’t live back in the day the KJV was written and don’t talk that way so I’m confused at times as to what it is actually saying) says “18. I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[c](spirit); humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. 20. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

Verse 21, what you are basing your interputation from, is a question – not a statement, as you’re reading it.

Maybe it’s my tender heart that causes me to believe ‘thinking’,’ feeling’ animals go to heaven – but after all, that’s what humans are. Probably will be more dogs, cats, elephants, monkeys, apes, etc. in heaven than humans. They don’t have power, money, and greed to corrupt them. And I do believe God has a more tender heart than I because he gave his only Son to die for the likes of us humans. Guess the animals didn’t need Him to die for them.