Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Heavenly account (Part 2) Message-ID: Date: 18 Mar 91 16:46:16 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA Lines: 93 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I now asked, "Are you really and truly angels of God, about whom we have read and sung and heard so much while in the world?" "Truly we are," they replied, "but of our birth you know nothing, for in fact we were not born but created; not in the earth but in the celestial regions. We have learned our lessons in the past eternities in the presence of God; but we are glad to be your servants and helpers now, and this has been our glad service ever since man was created upon the earth, but we can tell you more about ourselves at another time." [...] I looked abroad; we were just entering a region of bright clouds something like a glorious, glowing, earthly sunset, only far superior. The time had been very brief indeed, but we were actually showing up in the great suburbs of the eternal kingdom. "Listen a moment," I said to the angel, "what music do I hear? Is it real or am I in imagination?" "It is the song of the redeemed in heaven you hear. All the heavenly king- dom is full of music without a discord." No sweeter music ever fell on my ears. I was perfectly enraptured with delight. "Are we near the gates of the city?" "Very near to the portals of paradise," he said. At this the angels bowed their heads and covered their faces with their hands, while I fell flat on my face in the chariot. Stillness reigned in our souls, but deep emotions began to heave in my breast. I felt I must break the silence by shouting the praises of God. The angels now began to sing with a sweet voice, "Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are all thy ways, thou King of Saints." I sprang to my feet and for a moment seemed perfectly bewildered with what met my gaze in every direction. The light was so transparent and far ex- ceeding the most perfect day earth ever afforded. Clusters of heavenly flowers were growing everywhere. Groves of beautiful trees loaded with fruit, along with magnificent flowering shrubs beautiful beyond description met my eye in all directions. Roadways like winding streets arranged with exquisited taste and beauty, were penetrating this pleasure ground of glory. Loving souls were coming and going, passing and repassing each other with the salutations and courtesies that heaven only knows. The chariot was now slowing its speed and such raptures of glory filled my soul, I cannot describe them! I was simply lost in wonder, while I kept saying, "Surely I am home at last." The chariot seemed trembling as a thing of life and finally halted beside a grove of fruit laden trees. The doors were opened and the angels stepped out. I fairly sprang with one leap to the solid foundations of the heavenly kingdom. For a moment I stood perfectly entranced as I saw so many happy souls clothed in white garments of lovely patterns, and all with such bright and happy faces beaming with perfect contentment and satisfaction. [...] "This is the borderland, my son, of the heavenly domain. Your sacrifices on earth were little when compared to your great gains here." {Seneca meets many different souls}: It seemed most wonderful to me upon finding that I could converse with perfect ease and freedom with anyone I met, although we had been accustomed to different languages and tongues while on earth, and often speak through interpreters; but now I found, since I had laid aside the material for the spiritual, I could easily understand the thoughts of anyone. As rapidly as he could think I could read his thoughts. Matters of detailed explanation were not needed or required as I had been accustomed to while int the flesh, for if a subject was plain to any one with whom I was conversing, it seemed that at once it was just as clear to my own mind, so I was quite surprised to find how rapidly I could take in a knowledge of the spiritual realm, and yet a second surprise constantly met me: that of the great depth of divine truth. [...] My feelings were joyful beyond any power to describe to a mortal man of flesh and blood. It seemed that my entire spirit was in a perfect rapture of delight. I asked the elder, who seemed to take delight in remaining with me, how I was to account for this rapturous joy which was increasing so constantly in my soul, until I felt I would break out into shouting and hallelujahs. He said, "The Spirit of God is the atmosphere of heaven; His joy becomes ours on a larger scale than what we ever knew while in our flesh. The great joy that you feel now is only a little fortaste of what you will feel when you are ushered into the city and about the throne." Upon this I quickly remembered the Scripture where the prophet said: "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11) [continued in posting 3] John Emery emery@tc.fluke.COM