Pen Pictures of the New Earth
Visions of Future Glory. --With Jesus at our head we all descended from the
city down to this earth, on a great and mighty mountain, which could not bear
Jesus up, and it parted asunder, and there was a mighty plain. Then we looked up
and saw the great city, with twelve foundations and twelve gates, three on each
side, and an angel at each gate. We all cried out, "The city, the great
city, it's coming, it's coming down from God out of heaven!" And it came
and settled on the place where we stood. Then we began to look at the glorious
things outside of the city. There I saw most glorious houses, that had the
appearance of silver, supported by four pillars set with pearls most glorious to
behold. These were to be inhabited by the saints. In each was a golden shelf. I
saw many of the saints go into the houses, take off their glittering crowns and
lay them on the shelf, then go out into the field by the houses to do something
with the earth; not as we have to do with the earth here--no, no. A glorious
light shone all about their heads, and they were continually shouting and
offering praises to God.
I saw another field full of all kinds of flowers, and as I plucked them, I
cried out, "They will never fade!" Next I saw a field of tall grass,
most glorious to behold; it was living green and had a reflection of silver and
gold as it waved proudly to the glory of King Jesus. Then we entered a field
full of all kinds of beasts--the lion, the lamb, the leopard, and the wolf, all
together in perfect union. We passed through the midst of them, and they
followed on peaceably after.
Then we entered a wood, not like the dark woods we have here--no, no; but
light, and all over glorious; the branches of the trees moved to and fro, and we
all cried out, "We will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the
woods."
Graduate Work in the Hereafter. --Do you think we shall not learn anything
there? We have not the slightest idea of what will then be opened before us.
With Christ we shall walk beside the living waters. He will unfold to us the
beauty and glory of nature. He will reveal what He is to us and what we are to
Him. Truth we cannot know now because of finite limitations, we shall know
hereafter.
The Christian family is to be a training school from which children are to
graduate to a higher school in the mansions of God.
Heaven is a school; its field of study, the universe; its teacher, the
Infinite One. A branch of this school was established in Eden; and, the plan of
redemption accomplished, education will again be taken up in the Eden school. .
. .
Between the school established in Eden at the beginning and the school of the
hereafter there lies the whole compass of this world's history--the history of
human transgression and suffering, of divine sacrifice, and of victory over
death and sin. . . . Restored to His presence, man will again, as at the
beginning, be taught of God: "My people shall know My name: . . . they
shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I." . .
.
There, when the veil that darkens our vision shall be removed and our eyes
shall behold that world of beauty of which we now catch glimpses through the
microscope; when we look on the glories of the heavens, now scanned afar through the
telescope; when, the blight of sin removed, the whole earth shall appear
"in the beauty of the Lord our God," what a field will be open to our
study!
Heavenly Knowledge Will Be Progressive. --All the treasures of the universe
will be open to the study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing
their tireless flight to worlds afar--worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the
spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a
ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy
and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and
understanding gained through the ages upon ages in contemplation of God's
handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation-- suns and
stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity.
Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator's name is written,
and in all are the riches of His power displayed.
And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more
glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will
love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater
will be their admiration of His character.
Social Life. --There we shall know even as also we are known. There the loves
and sympathies that God has planted in the soul will find truest and sweetest
exercise. The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with
the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages, the sacred fellowship
that binds together "the whole family in heaven and earth"--all are among the
experiences of the hereafter.
Occupations in the New Earth. --In the earth made new the redeemed will
engage in the occupations and pleasures that brought happiness to Adam and Eve
in the beginning. The Eden life will be lived, the life in garden and field.
"They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards,
and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall
not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of My people,
and Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."
There every power will be developed, every capability increased. The grandest
enterprises will be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations will be reached,
the highest ambitions realized. And still there will arise new heights to
surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call
forth the powers of body and mind and soul.
On the Verge of Fulfilment. --We are living in a most solemn period of this
earth's history. There is never time to sin; it is always perilous to continue
in transgression, but in a special sense is this true at the present time. We
are now upon the very borders of the eternal world and stand in a more solemn
relation to time and to eternity than ever before. Now let every person search
his own heart and plead for the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness to
expel all spiritual darkness and cleanse from defilement.
To us who are standing on the very verge of their fulfilment, of what deep
moment, what living interest, are these delineations of the things to
come--events for which, since our first parents turned their steps from Eden, God's children
have watched and waited, longed and prayed!
Fellow pilgrim, we are still amid the shadows and turmoil of earthly
activities, but soon our Saviour is to appear to bring deliverance and rest. Let
us by faith behold the blessed hereafter, as pictured by the hand of God.
An Appeal for Personal Preparation. --I urge you to prepare for the coming of
Christ in the clouds of heaven. Day by day cast the love of the world out of
your hearts. Understand by experience what it means to have fellowship with
Christ. Prepare for the judgement, that when Christ shall come to be admired in
all them that believe, you may be among those who will meet Him in peace. In
that day the redeemed will shine forth in the glory of the Father and the Son.
The angels, touching their golden harps, will welcome the King and His trophies
of victory--those who have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.
A song of triumph shall peal forth, filling all heaven. Christ has conquered. He
enters the heavenly courts, accompanied by His redeemed ones, the witnesses that
His mission of suffering and sacrifice has not been in vain.