By John Thiel, mp3

We are to sanctify ourselves before we can cross the river Jordan otherwise known as the time of trouble.  The work our high priest is chronicled in reference to our preparation.  We are to prepare not only to cross the river but so we can be introduced into the society of heaven.

Zechariah 3:1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: [is] not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. 5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. 6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

In this vision is portrayed to us the preparation that is needed and it is depicted in the picture of the high priest who is standing before his people and he himself is the representation of what the people are like. They are in need of having their character changed, their garments changed, their guilt to be taken away from them.  I have caused their iniquity to be taken away.  God causes things to happen.

Zechariah 3:7 …If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

In the heavenly courts are those that stand by the angels, those who will be purified will be given places to walk among those angels. This is the work of Jesus as our high priest now to prepare a place for us there now.  We are called upon to be fitted, to be able to walk among the angels that stand by.

Prepare to Meet Thy God

Prepare to be able to walk amongst these angels. What is God like that we should be prepared to meet him?  What are the angels like?  Hereby we can gain an appreciation of what we need to be to be able to walk amongst them.  What is God like?  If we want to know what God is like Jesus tells us.  It is imperative to know what God and the angels are like to be prepare to be among them.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Show us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

If we want to know what the father is like, how can we know?  We need to know Jesus because Jesus is like the father.  What God is like, is what Jesus Christ is like.  The angels that stand by so that we may walk among them, what are they like? Jesus came to this earth to come and save us and to deal with us sinners in such a way that he became part of us in the atonement. This is what God is like, like Jesus is.

Hebrews 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

What are the angels like?  They are beings that come to minister to sinners such as me and you.  They are ministering spirits interested for your and my wellbeing.  To be saved, they will put up with people like you and me and lovingly and caringly minister to us.  What sort of people are they ministering to?  Have a good look at yourselves with all our frailties and character defects they love us and want to see us being saved.  These are the angels.  These ones we are going to be walking amongst some day if we will be ready for them.

Watching God Continually

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

What is Jesus saying here?  These ministering spirits are watching God and they are the ones ministering to the little ones.  They are watching God continually to gain instruction to care for you and me.  Think of that, the angels have got a keen intense interest in us and they are looking to God to gain the right kind of instruction from him.

Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Joy among the angels over whom?  Over one sinner that repenteth.  What is the attitude of the angels?  What kind of character and personality do they have?  They see a sinner, someone who has defiled himself.  As they are ministering to defiled human beings, they rejoice when there is repentance in the life of a defiled sinner.  They see the defilements and they are waiting with anxiety for people to repent and when they see them repenting they rejoice.  There are still people sinning and repenting and they rejoice. Ponder the society of heaven that we are called upon to walk amongst.

No unpleasant words are spoken in heaven. There no unkind thoughts are cherished. There envy, evil surmising, hatred, and strife find no place. Perfect harmony pervades the heavenly courts.  {UL 163.3}

That is where you and I want to dwell.  Think about it.  We need to be prepared to dwell in such a society where there are no unpleasant words spoken or unkind thoughts cherished, envy, evil surmising or strife but perfect harmony.  If we are going to walk among them, how do you think we need to be prepared?  Does it suggest we need to be like them to spend time among them?  They are ministering to us for salvation and we have been bought by a price.  We imperfect defiled people are called the sons of God.

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

We will be like Jesus.  We will be like God.  We will be like the heavenly angels.  Are we like that now?  How do we speak and how do we react?  How are we relating in the family and church circle?  What are we like?

Pure religion is an imitation of Christ. 6BC 1101.2} To be a Christian is to be Christlike.  {6BC 1097.6}

Are We Christians?

To prepare to dwell with God and the holy angels, to prepare to meet him as he is we need to;

Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

What is the Holy Spirit doing?  The Comforter of Israel sent of the Father to bless us.  How?  To work within us and to change us.  What is the Holy Spirit doing?  He is working to save us. What is God like?  He has given us Jesus Christ so he can forgive us.  As we see what God is like and the angels are like in ministering to us, to produce inside of us their nature, we are called upon to adopt their kindness.  Their tender heartedness and their forgiving ways toward one another.  That is not our natural condition.

We are not naturally inclined to forgive one another.  We are not naturally inclined to be tender hearted and to forgive someone against me.  But that is what heaven is like.  If I want to have a place there on that beautiful shore on the other side of Jordan, here is where our preparation applies to be in character like that. We are to look into the kindness from heaven to sinners as we are.  The society of heaven is of a different calibre that we are used to.  Our presence there must not mar that harmony.  We must learn to have that harmony here.

Could those whose lives have been spent in rebellion against God be suddenly transported to heaven and witness the high, the holy state of perfection that ever exists there,– every soul filled with love, every countenance beaming with joy, enrapturing music in melodious strains rising in honor of God and the Lamb, and ceaseless streams of light flowing upon the redeemed from the face of Him who sitteth upon the throne,–could those whose hearts are filled with hatred of God, of truth and holiness, mingle with the heavenly throng and join their songs of praise? Could they endure the glory of God and the Lamb? No, no; years of probation were granted them, that they might form characters for heaven; but they have never trained the mind to love purity; they have never learned the language of heaven, and now it is too late. A life of rebellion against God has unfitted them for heaven. Its purity, holiness, and peace would be torture to them; the glory of God would be a consuming fire. They would long to flee from that holy place. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them. The destiny of the wicked is fixed by their own choice. Their exclusion from heaven is voluntary with themselves, and just and merciful on the part of God.  {GC 542.2}

In heaven there is no disharmonious note of unkindness, no evil surmising, no unkindness of any nature.  Could we endure at this very moment to live there and not to mar that harmony? I marvel at the interest of heaven in ministering to help us have a place there that they would love us in this time of preparation to embrace the purity, the love, the beaming countenance, joy, purity of light from Jesus constantly affecting us.  They would like us to embrace us and very quickly as Jesus is coming very soon. As we meditate on this may we apply ourselves of the very work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit so we may be able to walk among them. Do what the angels are doing and be kind to one another, forgiving one another.  Oh that God would help us to focus our full attention on this so that in this year there would be such a change in our personal, home and church life that the angels would be delighted to be among us.  There is joy in heaven because we are repenting as we are prepared to let these unclean iniquitous behaviours be removed from us. May we make the angels rejoice so they can report back to heaven.  The angels are holding back the four winds of strife because one angel said hold, don’t let them go until what?  Until we the angels have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads. This is the work of the angels and they have been holding those four winds back, they are holding their hands around the globe, holding back the fierceness of mans that Satan has been stirring up to destroy.  The first and second world wars are over and wars are rampaging everywhere and there is this hatred that has to be held back because the angels are ministering to try and prepare we who are yearning to be with God and who are not yet perfectly fitted for heaven so that we may not mar the heavenly harmony. God grant us resolve to be in tune with their work.

Amen.