The Living Word: A glimpse of the afterlife
By the late Leora Schmidt
Let us term what follows as “sanctified imagination.” In ecstasy I survey my surroundings. On my head rests a crown of victory, placed lovingly just now by my Saviour, Jesus Christ, and I am reveling in my new name just disclosed. (James 1:12; Revelation 3:12.) Memories of struggles, trials, tears, and earth troubles are forgotten in the perfection of heaven’s beauty. I happen to be in the location close to the martyr Stephen when he discovers the apostle Paul. A stunned look, followed by astonished delight crosses his radiant countenance. He embraces Paul and exclaims, “God did forgive you for your part in stoning me! You must update me, Saul. What happened after I died?” (Acts 6:8-8:4.)
In a group nearby, Enoch and Elijah are sharing what it was like to be transported to heaven without passing through the grave. (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5; 2 Kings 2:11.) Then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, embrace their family members and recount experiences, some of which I have treasured from reading the Bible on earth. It is exhilarating, and almost overwhelming to breathe the pure, holy atmosphere of heaven. Having left behind the shackles of earthly pain, sorrow and death, I am still unable to conceive of ongoing immortal life that stretches into eternity. The delight of these initial hours in paradise is absolutely blissful!
My senses are dazzled by it all. And to think, heaven has only begun!! I have just begun to live in the light of eternal day because of the brightness that shines from the throne of God. (Revelation 22:5.) The joy and gratitude spring up unbidden into a song of praise and gratitude to my Saviour. My heart almost bursts as I join the song of the angels in a soaring chorus: “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Revelation 5:13).
Can we possibly capture in our imagination what the realms of the blest will be like? Apparently not! Because those who have seen heaven in vision cannot describe it in human words. “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” (Isaiah 64:4 and I Corinthians 2:9)
It is surely delightful to imagine being an inhabitant of heaven which Jesus has gone to prepare for us. To dwell with our heavenly Father, with our Saviour, with the holy angels, and with the saints, our loved ones from all ages, is worth every struggle to overcome sin that we may face on earth.
Dear friend, I invite you to join me. Let’s make it our determined goal to prepare a character like that of Jesus, so that we, together, may be among that holy, happy, heavenly throng. We can then echo with joy and holy anticipation the words of John, the Revelator, “Even so come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20.)
