The vision
I found myself at the foot of the Throne. He was sitting there and all were being judged. His glory was so bright it was burning me. The closer I got, the worse it became. Some were cursing Him, others were cowering in fear. The closer I got, the more I saw myself. The more I saw myself, the worse I looked. I wanted to run away, for I saw myself and all my sins compared against His absolute holiness and righteousness. But I must stand trial and it was only right for me to take the punishment due. Besides, where could I run?
I approached Him and felt myself being blasted away by His incomparable glory. Now my life was spread before us in all its evil. I could no longer call it even imperfection, for I saw all the motivations I hid even from myself. Even what I called “good” deeds were marred and twisted by my motivations. I knew what had to be done, and I prepared myself for judgment... but then He suddenly showed me one bright spot... the time when I trusted His death as payment for all I was seeing.
That one spot shone brighter and brighter until it completely overshadowed all those evils I saw and Jesus reached down from His throne to lift me onto my feet. I looked back on my life and while no longer afraid, was now ashamed, for I still saw all the good I should have done, all I was set up to do and didn't. Then He wiped my tears of grief away and showed me everyone's life ...and I saw how I fit, where even my mistakes were used for His purposes (though I would still rather have done the good I could have done). Then I heard that most wonderful phrase imaginable “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
I stood for a moment in disbelief, then I understood and flung myself into His arms weeping tears of joy.
The gift
The next thing He did was equally amazing; He commanded me “ask me what you want”. I stood in disbelief and wonder. Did I really have the right to ask Him for anything? How could I disobey His order and not ask for anything? finally, I built up the courage; “I wish to know and see all your goodness... if I may.”
“Of course you may, for you are recreated and there is nothing sinful you desire now.”
Suddenly I saw all the other believers experiencing what I did and being given the same chance to ask for their hearts' desire.
Some asked to sing, others who were crippled asked to jump and dance. Each request was slightly different, but some were unexpected. One woman had a wish too presumptuous to ask. Finally she whispered “I wanted my legs most of my life, but now I don't want my legs, I see how my wheelchair was my blessing because it drew me to you.... but...... may I..... could you..... carry....... me?”
“Of course! Don't you remember that I already have been carrying you.” As He hoisted her to sit on one shoulder as I used to with my daughter, I saw not only her face, but Jesus' as well beaming with a joy never seen on earth.
Another surprised me more “The greatest pleasure for me has been fighting.... but how can I fight in Heaven?”
Jesus replied with a glint in His eye “Ever wrestled a lion?”
The Gates of New Jerusalem
I found myself guided by Jesus to New Jerusalem complete with giant pearls for gates “So it wasn't symbolic?” I asked.
“Of course it is symbolic, but it's also literal. Just like Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac was both a test of Abraham's faith as well as prophecy of my sacrifice, so the city is real and a constant reminder to you of all the symbols in it.”
“And there is our fighter” He said with a smile.
I saw the man who asked to fight wrestling with all sorts of humans, animals and even angels.
“how can this be?” I asked.
“Look closer, Their greatest joy is the contest of strength and their greatest fulfillment is getting better. See how they temper their strength and come within millimeters of harming the other. Before you say it, yes, angels don't have bodies, except when I give them.”
Not only was there a friendly camaraderie between all of them, but their dance of battle was somehow a praise to Jesus for their strength, agility and cunning. I could feel their appreciation to Jesus as they danced the dance of battle.
Jesus continued walking towards the city (still carrying that woman from the wheelchair) and I saw painters using colors unimaginable and sculptors working in four dimensions or more, each one with his own theme of God's goodness to them. Some stopped to show Jesus their work while others kept going because they knew that Jesus saw them and their work of praise to Him.
A group of scientists came up to Him asking about some subatomic particles they were trying to understand and He pointed out a small part of their work, smiled warmly, and said “take a closer look here”
Around the city walls were gathered singers each singing their own song which blended perfectly with all the other singers. At Jesus' approach, they turned to face Him and sing directly to Him.
Dancing around the singers were gymnasts ranging in age from the elderly and crippled (not anymore) to those who danced professionally all their years of life and down to those who died as young as could be.
At the four corners were four people standing and calling out the day and hour. Jesus explained to me that they each wished to remind us all of the last verse of “Amazing Grace”.
“What about when we get to numbers never named? I asked.
“There's a group just out of sight deciding on new numbers for when we've surpassed those you've already named.” He said with a grin.
Inside New Jerusalem
As I entered the gates I saw scribes with rolls and rolls of parchment. I looked at Him and He responded “Yes,
'could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made,
were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade,
to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry,
nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky'.
They seek to put this to the test.” He pointed to the sky where it was truly being hung and laughed “Don't worry, they already know the answer.”
When I looked at the thrones in the center of the city, I saw people cuddled up on the thrones, wrapped in an almost visible and definitely tangible feeling o the presence of God the Father.
Suddenly, I was caught by something seriously wrong. “Those women are crying!”
I exclaimed as I pointed next to the thrones at the center of the city.
“Of course they are. They are at my throne and are crying the river that waters the tree of life.”
“But there are no tears in Heaven!” I cried “How can they be weeping with all the goodness you have given us?”
“Do you not remember the woman that anointed me before my sacrifice? She leads them in tears of joy for all they have been given and forgiven and it is the Holy Spirit welling up these tears of joy in them.”
As I was trying to understand this, trumpets sounded and there were brought out tables and chairs beyond number and foods beyond my imagination. To top it off, children (well, at least they looked like children, but I had the feeling some of them lived a long and full life) were climbing the tree of life and picking the fruit to toss down to others who put it on platters for the middle of all the tables.
Finally, when all was set up, (led, of course, by Martha) we sat down and Jesus called up a small man bent by hard work and lined with care. He stood this man at the head of all the tables and proceeded to tell everyone, including the man, what his diligence accomplished and how unknown to him, his care and dedication had been what Jesus used to save hundreds of people and motivate thousands to save hundreds of thousands, all of which came up to thank him personally.
When the feast was over, yet another group started humming a song of praise while they cleared the feast away until the next day.
As I watched this, I was concerned and asked Jesus “this seems too focused on us, why aren't we focusing more on praising you?”
“First, remember, this isn't heaven, this is New Jerusalem, which is my paradise prepared for you.
Second, listen closer and you will feel every one of you casting your crown at my feet with every word, every action, just as those twenty four elders were.
Lastly, this isn't even New Jerusalem, but merely the best you can imagine it until you are truly here. The truth of it will be as far beyond this as My creativity is above yours.
And now to you: what do you think you will be doing in Heaven?
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