Early Writings Excerpt
Reaction Paper Source
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a woman that lost a coin
--Jesus the Christ
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Entire Section: "God's Love for His People" (pg
39) [requested use for REL 10:SEM 2)
I have seen the tender love that God has for His people, and it is very
great. I saw angels over the saints with their wings spread about
them. Each saint had an attending angel. If the saints wept
through discouragement, or were in danger, the angels that ever attended
them would fly quickly upward to carry the tidings, and the angels in the
city would cease to sing. Then Jesus would commission another angel
to descend to encourage, watch over, and try to keep them from going out
of the narrow path; but if they did not take heed to the watchful care of
these angels, and would not be comforted by them, but continued to go
astray, the angels would look sad and weep. They would bear the
tidings upward, and all the angels in the city would weep, and then with a
loud voice say, “Amen.” But if the saints fixed their eyes upon the
prize before them and glorified God by praising Him, then the angels would
bear the glad tidings to the city, and the angels in the city would touch
their golden harps and sing with a loud voice, “Alleluia!” and the
heavenly arches would ring with their lovely songs. {EW 39.1}
There is perfect order and harmony in the Holy City. All the angels
that are commissioned to visit the earth hold a golden card, which they
present to the angels at the gates of the city as they pass in and out.
Heaven is a good place. I long to be there and behold my
lovely Jesus, who gave His life for me, and be changed into His glorious
image. Oh, for language to express the glory of the bright world to
come! I thirst for the living streams that make glad the city of our
God. {EW 39.2}
The Lord has given me a view of other worlds. Wings were given me,
and an angel attended me from the city to a place that was bright and
glorious. The grass of the place was living green, and the birds
there warbled a sweet song. The inhabitants of the place were of all
sizes; they were noble, majestic, and lovely. They bore the express
image of Jesus, and their countenances beamed with holy joy, expressive of
the freedom and happiness of the place. I asked one of them why they
were so much more lovely than those on the earth. The reply was, “We
have lived in strict obedience to the commandments of God, and have not
fallen by disobedience, like those on the earth.” Then I saw two
trees, one looked much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit
of both looked beautiful, but of one they could not eat. They had power to
eat of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel
said to me, “None in this place have tasted of the forbidden tree; but if
they should eat, they would fall.” Then I was taken to a world which
had seven moons. There I saw good old Enoch, who had been
translated. On his right arm he bore a glorious palm, and on each leaf was
written “Victory.” Around his head was a dazzling white wreath, and
leaves on the wreath, and in the middle of each leaf was written “Purity,”
and around the wreath were stones of various colors, that shone brighter
than the stars, and cast a reflection upon the letters and magnified them.
On the back part of his head was a bow that confined the wreath, and
upon the bow was written “Holiness.” Above the wreath was a lovely crown
that shone brighter than the sun. I asked him if this was the place
he was taken to from the earth. He said, “It is not; the city is my home,
and I have come to visit this place.” He moved about the place as if
perfectly at home. I begged of my attending angel to let me remain
in that place. I could not bear the thought of coming back to this
dark world again. Then the angel said, “You must go back, and if you
are faithful, you, with the 144,000, shall have the privilege of visiting
all the worlds and viewing the handiwork of God.” {EW 39.3}
Note: Though this passage is short, i would expect more to be
written as a reaction because its content is so significantly expansive
on the Biblical Cannon i would want your reaction to that as well.
last updated February 2012