Hi friends,
Isn't it so that Eccl. 3:19 is explaining that humans are not superior to animals. That all are souls and that none "have souls" as a separate part of the person. A flesh and blood, air breathing body that reproduces in kind is simply a "soul". People, dogs, cats, cows, fish are all "souls". The difference is that dogs etc. live by God given instinct whereas people have taken of the fruit of the tree of knowledge and are able to decide to disobey or sin. Animals don't sin, do they?
The spirit (breath) mentioned here is simply the "life force" given by God to make us alive. It is God force in us which of course is no longer IN us when we die and our soul returns to dust from which it was made. Our soul does not return to God, it just reverts back to dust and remains here on the earth. The only hope of future life we have is that God remembers how we are put together and make a perfect copy in which to install our memory. Of course the elect will receive a body of God like composition, such as Jesus now has.
Pets: Why would we who may be the elect need or want pets? Those who live over into the next age as flesh may want pets but the elect will be busy, not needing sleep and fully occupied, with God's work and have billions of humans to lead and teach and care for. Our priorities will be changed along with our new positions and our need to learn continually the plans that God has for mankind.
Subject to correction, Indiana Bob
I don't think Ray ever touched on this . I would be surprised if anyone really knows exactly though we have spoken about the spirit in animals before. I use to think they have no soul so the end of their physical life was the end of their existence for all time, but in the past couple of years I see that they have a spirit so that changes things.
Ecclesiastes 3:19-20
For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.