From a fictitious former member of Valley Brook who passed away and went to be with the Lord…
Dear Valley Brook Brothers and Sisters,
We are having an incredible time here with the Lord. I just wanted to drop you a few lines to encourage you to keep pressing on for Him. This place is really something else. In trying to describe it to you I feel like the queen of Sheba when she went to visit Solomon. She told him that she had heard about his words of wisdom but that she hadn’t really been told the half of it[1]. That’s how I feel. I’d read about heaven and being with the Lord but somehow words just can’t capture the experience. I’m sure you’ll feel the same way when you get here. But I have to hurry, the Lord is about to reveal to us more of His grace and kindness[2] and I want to experience it so I have to make this quick.
The city is called New Jerusalem[3]. It is 1500 miles high, wide and long, so it’s like a huge cube. There’s a wall about 72 yards high that surrounds the whole city. And there are magnificent stones decorating the foundation stones of the wall. Stones like I’ve never seen before. And you’ve heard about the pearly gates? Well, actually there are 12 gates and each gate is one huge pearl. And the gates are always open. There is one golden street right down the middle of the city, but its not cement, it’s like glass, and there’s not a single chuck hole. There’s no litter anywhere. This place my new, eternal home is immaculate.
When I was on earth (wow, that life seems like it was just a dream) I remember going to Washington D.C. to see the White House. But I was disappointed because it had its flaws. New Jerusalem is perfect. No gum on the street, no chipped paint. It’s always daytime, but it’s never hot. Even the temperature is perfect. I’ve already met and spoken to David, Paul and Elijah. You know that verse that talks about them being men just like us; I think it’s in James[4]. It’s really true. You would have expected them to be super-spiritual and supernatural, but they are, if you’ll pardon the expression, quite down to earth. And very friendly.
Everyone is friendly. There is no need to fear robbers or murderers or rapists, no ungodly newspapers, no racism, no perversion[5]. Everyone loves one another with a sincere godly love. There are angels everywhere – multitudes of them[6] and the cherubim and seraphim aren’t frightening at all the way I had imagined them. They are magnificent.
Let me tell you about God’s throne[7]. It’s fantastic. There is an emerald like rainbow around it. And surrounding it are twenty-four other thrones. I haven’t met the guys sitting on them yet. But inside the circle of the twenty-four thrones are four beautiful creatures that surround God’s throne. And they are constantly and beautifully proclaiming the Lord’s holiness. Then there’s lightning and thunder coming out from around the throne regularly – it’s awesome. And the river of life spans from the throne of God right down the middle of the street.
Well, I could talk forever about the city, but I want to close by telling you what the most fantastic thing about being here is: it’s seeing the Lord Jesus[8]. He is wonderful. His glory is overwhelming. His beauty is arresting. His power is awesome. His majesty is astonishing. His love is marvelous. His raiment is resplendent. He’s breathtaking, captivating. I’ve run out of words. He’s indescribably wonderful. He’s always surrounded by light. It’s so bright that from an earthly perspective it is unapproachable. He is so bright that He lights up the whole city[9].
I was shocked when I first met Him face-to-face. He greeted me by name, talk about chills! He gave me a white stone, with a new name on it[10] and then told me His new name[11]. I can’t tell you what it is however, that honor is reserved for the Lord. He allowed me to present to Himself the people whom I had influenced and led to the kingdom[12]. I was so happy, so filled with joy. Then we all received rewards[13] and there is no jealousy or envy. The Lord really did wipe away every tear[14]. There is no more sorrow. It’s just great. He is more than worthy of our rapturous praise – and the praise… there are no words. It is simply overwhelming and otherworldly. And to think it’s going to be this way forever… He’s never going away. We’re never going away either. We’re here forever, together.
But we’re not sitting around playing harps and singing all the time, God has given us each specific duties and responsibilities. And if you think you love your job now wait til you what God has picked out for you to do here. I mean, it doesn’t just fit like a glove it fits your very soul.
One final thing, you know where it says in Hebrews (I was never good with references) “don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward[15],” it’s really true. I’m so glad that I teamed up with you guys and invested my earthly life in eternity.
So you guys keep on trusting, it won’t be long before you’ll be here. And though it may seem long, believe me, your life there is like a dream – compared to eternity.
Well, gotta go now Eutychus[16] (you know the brother who fell asleep while Paul was preaching and then fell out the window in the book of Acts) he and I are going over together to see the Lord’s latest revelation of grace and kindness. This place is everything BUT boring!
Love, James LeSaint
P.S. I’m absolutely lovin’ my new body. It’s fantastic. I’ll tell you about it in my next letter.
(Written by Pastor Dan S. Baty)
[1] 1 Kings 10:6-7
[2] Ephesians 2:7
[3] Unless otherwise noted, all descriptions of New Jerusalem are from Revelation 21:9-26; 22:1-5
[4] James 5:17
[5] Revelation 22:15
[6] Revelation 5:11
[7] Revelation 4:1-11
[8] Revelation 1:12-18; 19:11-16
[9] Revelation 22:5
[10] Revelation 2:17
[11] Revelation 3:12
[12] 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
[13] 1 Corinthians 3:14; Luke 6:22-23
[14] Revelation 21:4
[15] Hebrews 10:35
[16] Acts 20:8-12
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