John Thiel mp3
Our meditation continues “Preparation to Enter the Heavenly Canaan” and we are considering now what it is in reference to the practices of that society that we want to be amongst one day
As we were just singing, ‘What Must It Be to Be There’; The Attitudes of Heaven’s Society’ is what we are here to consider. Just to trigger our minds we come to the words of Psalms.
Psalms 103:20-21 Bless the Lord ye His angels that excel in strength, that do His commandments hearkening unto the voice of His Word. Bless ye the Lord all ye His hosts, ye ministers of His that do His pleasure.
In these beautiful words our minds are already prepared what we are here to consider the kind of an attitude of the angels that surround God. Angels that excel in strength and yet are so submissive doing His commandments listening to the voice of His Word ready to do His pleasure. This is the society of heaven.
In our introduction this morning we have already established the foremost principle in our preparation to be in this society is to have, to develop a character, an attitude that we are to adopt. The attitude that God has to sinners, the attitude we are to have amongst one another.
We read that the attitude of heaven is a love towards sinners.
1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
The attitude of heaven, of the king of the universe lowering to lay down His life for us. That attitude is to be ours that God loved us while we were yet sinners and so we are to love one another even though we are not yet perfect. It is that the attitude of the heaven society towards sinners is what we are here trying to explore. The attitude that the holy beings of heaven have toward sinners so that we can be affected by this attitude towards even each other while we may see mistakes and errors in each other’s lives. We read in regard to Christ the attitude of heaven.
Angels are watching with intense interest to see how man is dealing with his fellow man. COL 148
The angels are watching with intense interest how we are dealing with each other. As I’m reading these statements, there are so many interesting meditations that are aroused in our minds.
When they see one manifest Christ like sympathy for the erring, they press to his side and bring to His remembrance words to speak that will be as the bread of life to the soul. COL 148.
Isn’t that beautiful? Angels are watching with intense interest to see how we are dealing with each other and when they see someone manifesting Christ-like sympathy for the erring one, the angels press to the side of that person to influence their words towards that erring one.
This is already a precious meditation to just stop right there and appreciate the attitude of heaven towards sinners. As soon as somebody on earth has sympathy for the erring one, the angels come right in there and help that person to speak a word to comfort them to help them. Such an amazing picture. Remember we read also angels pity these wandering ones and weep while human eyes are dry and hearts are closed to pity. What we want to do therefore is to explore together some more depth of this kind of mentality and hopefully as we do this that this will rub off on us remember we are beholding something to cause us to prepare to be able to be among this society. We want their attitude partly to rub off on us.
Angels are sent from the heavenly courts not to destroy but to watch over and guard imperilled souls. To save the lost to bring the straying ones back to the fold. The Ministry of Angels 20.2
Angels are trying to do that. When somebody is straying, to bring them back to the fold, isn’t that a beautiful thought? As some the people are straying, as we’re just experiencing some people have strayed away. The Lord has brought them back, is bringing them back, the angels are doing that. When we see people straying, we have an attitude, let’s see whether we can actually pray for them and bring them back. This is the mentality of heaven.
God desires to fulfill for us His purpose of grace by the power of his love through obedience. Fallen man a worm of the dust is to be transformed, fitted to be a member of the heavenly family. A member of the heavenly family, a companion through eternal ages of God and Christ and the holy angels, this is now that which we are really to reflect upon because we are here to concentrate on preparation for entrance into the heavenly Canaan. UL 61.7
What is this by the power of God’s grace? By His love through obedience fallen man a worm of the dust is to be transformed, fitted. We are to be fitted to be a member of the heavenly family. A companion through eternal ages of God and Christ and the holy angels, companions of God and Christ and the holy angels. What an amazing privilege, heaven will triumph for the vacancies made by the fall of Satan and his host will be filled by the redeemed of the Lord. The third of the angels that were that fell and were thrown out of heaven are to be replaced by us. There is a huge field of appreciation.
Worms
We worms, to be transformed into companions of God the Father, Jesus and the holy angels. What a story. Companions and that transformation as we know well in 2 Corinthians 3:18. By beholding as in the mirror, the glory of the Lord, we are to be changed into the same image. We are to closely look at God. Closely look how God so loved us, He gave Jesus, He gave himself in Jesus. There we have a never-ending source of amazement, the attitude of God towards sinners. He the majesty of heaven who could have just wiped us out just like that when you stop to realise the God who rules the entire universe, you look out into these beautiful scarred stars and out here at night time, the vastness of it, He is the ruler of that and we are just like little ants He could just have wiped us off because we sinned against Him. No that’s not His attitude, He so loved us that He gave Jesus with such a
A glorious powerful background and He brings Jesus to us. Unbelievable, these are occupations of mind that as I said hopefully will rub off on us. God gave himself and then even though they crucified Him, even though they denied Him it says:
2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Here it is, He will have to wipe off the sinful planet, the sinful people but can you see His attitude again, He does not want anyone to die. He is delaying, we often wonder why hasn’t He come? Yet here is the reason, because of His attitude. His attitude is He doesn’t want anyone to be lost not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. However He’s not going to ??? eternally because it says, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
He will do it. He can do it, just you know when you see the catastrophes of the world at the moment, that’s only small fry. It’s going to be the whole planet. The whole planet is going to be on in flames but seeing verse 11, seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness.
As we’re looking at the holy godliness and conversation of the society of heaven we are learning by beholding them what we should be seeing that God is going to deal with the corruption of this planet. He gave His only begotten Son that nobody should perish but the day is coming for the people that are turning away and paying no attention to it that. He’s been waiting long enough. We have the day of destruction coming which represents the coming of Jesus as well and to save us in our tardy response. People are so slow in responding to really go all the way, we see this around us today. It’s just so heart sickening but God is waiting and He’s holding back these winds of strife to save us.
God will test the character on every point. He has a Father’s heart and He bears long with His children. In His dealings with the children of Israel he pleaded with them in mercy and love patiently. He set their sins before them and in forbearance waited for them to see and acknowledge their wrongs when they repented and confessed their sins, He forgave them and though the offence was oft repeated, there were no taunting words spoken, no resentment expressed. UL 298.2
Can you see the attitude of God how different to what we do when we get impatient with somebody’s mistakes and errors? He patiently set their sins before them and then in forbearance waited for them to see and acknowledge their wrongs. When you experience this kind of a mind, and as you wake up and you turn to the Lord in repentance as they did, then he joyfully forgave them. He didn’t taunt them. He didn’t say, well you took pretty long before you came around didn’t you. He didn’t say anything that’s a taunting word. No such attitude in His mind. Just a wonderful attitude of rejoicing that they have seen their darkness and their sin and He can now save them. This is the mentality of the king of the universe and if we turn over to John 16, the Holy Spirit of whom we haven’t said anything here as yet, the patient work of the Holy Spirit working with us continually. The attitude is just so endearing to our soul. Jesus is speaking to the disciples and He says:
John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.
That’s an attitude in itself. God is very patient. If you can’t bear something, He doesn’t bombard you with it. He waits and as He says here:
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
We’re reading all this to pick up on the mentality the attitude the character of the society of heaven. Jesus doesn’t hasten us, He waits patiently and the Holy Spirit slowly guides us and this is what endears our hearts to God.
As we often refer to that in Revelation 7 1-4, the winds of strife are being held by the angels and one angel says hold the winds until we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads. The angels are being told by the other angel, there’s something here that’s interesting. Don’t let go of the winds of strife because our God is telling us we have to work to help these people. This is the mentality here. One angel telling all the other angels that are affecting the world; hold the winds don’t let them go.
There’s a beautiful quote from Sister White where she says they are binding the earth, holding everything because God’s people are not quite ready yet. Let’s explore this a bit more. What are they like and what is their task? What is their mission? Remember we read it in Psalm 103, the plea to pledge the pleasure of God. To do God’s pleasure. That’s what they’re there to do and it’s God’s pleasure that they are holding back the winds of strife. The whole teamwork of heaven is governed by the mentality of God himself and these angels are just willing to do his bidding. The shepherds were approached by the angel:
Luke 2:9 And lo the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone around about them and they were sore afraid.
The angels came there to tell the shepherds that Jesus was born. They were singing and rejoicing in heaven that Jesus was born. The angel came there, this mighty angel and in his brightness, he frightened the shepherds but he came them to tell them about the good news
Luke 2:10 The angel said unto them, fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people. Don’t be afraid, I’m here to bless you.
Realise here what are they like, that was the question. What are they like? As the angel came to the shepherds, the shepherds were afraid because this mighty angel and here we see another story. When David had numbered Israel and because he did this, the angel came, this mighty angel who said:
1 Chronicles 21:15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand.
God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it and as He was destroying:
1 Chronicles 21:15.. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. 16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
What are the angels like? They are no weaklings. They excel in strength as we read in Psalm 103. They do God’s bidding and when God says destroy, that’s what happens, they do what God says. As I mentioned, they are no weaklings. We are dealing with a society that is super powerful and realising these powerful beings that they are observing their gentleness at the same time.
A single angel destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians and filled the land with mourning. When David offended against God by numbering the people, one angel caused that terrible destruction by which his sin was punished. The same destructive power exercised by holy angels when God commands, will be exercised by evil angels when He permits. There are forces now ready, and only waiting the divine permission, to spread desolation everywhere. GC 614.2
It’s a horrible experience to meet these powerful angels. One angel can destroy all the firstborn of Egypt. One angel can destroy all those people in Jerusalem that they’ll be commissioned to do. We are dealing with angels who are super powerful, so powerful that if one angel touches something, though we can have a terrible earthquake, a whole city can be destroyed just by one angel. While this is the case, we observe something very interesting about these angels. What is their mentality, their makeup in mind?
2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. This is what the human race is like. They can talk. You can see it. People who have governing positions in the world, people talk down on them. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries but what are the angels like? Whereas angels which are greater in power and might, bring no railing accusation against them before the Lord. That’s interesting.
The angels know all the corruptions that the people are doing but with their power to be able to destroy with a stroke of one hand as it were, they bring no railing accusations against what they can see is happening on this earth. They don’t go to God to tattle saying, oh look at this look and that. They don’t even do that. All they’re interested in is helping and doing what God says. That’s all. Can you pick up the mind attitude here that’s to rub off on us? Just have a close relationship with the Lord, just wait on the Lord to tell us what to do and don’t.
Look at all the corruption around. The angels don’t even talk about it. They bring no railing accusation about what they can see. The power that these angels have, if we are given any power, we are learning here, what power and position do to us? We’ve seen it in the churches haven’t we? When somebody is in a leading position, he can exercise power over other people that the angels don’t even do. Not forgetting these are powerful beings that are pure and they are looking at evil men and they’ve got in this amazing attitude.
Matthew 18:10 Take heed that you 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.
These are angels that look after the little ones, they’re just waiting for whatever God says. They’re not making any judgments about anything on earth, just waiting for what God says. Can you pick up the mentality? Can you pick up and let it rub off on us that we have nothing to consider about what we see. That we have to get reactive. Just like the angels, what is it Lord? How do I deal with this? What do you want me to do? That’s all. This is the mentality of heaven.”
There are lots of things the angels could be doing but they are just occupied with glorifying God – Isaiah 6:1-3.
Seraphim
We have the story of the seraphim in in the heavenly sanctuary. They are just a glorifying God. That’s all they’re doing. There’s lots of things that they could be occupied with but they’re just concentrating on glorifying God.
The angels love to bow before God. They love to be near Him. They regard communion with God as their highest joy. SC 94
That’s all they’re interested in. They are told by God to take care of these little ones, to take care of God’s people they are worms. They’re all the people on this earth are frail beings, they will do just whatever God says.
The angels of heaven attain unto no higher knowledge than to know the will of God, and to do His will is the highest service that can engage their powers. MB 109.1
But in heaven, service is not rendered in the spirit of legality. When Satan rebelled against the law of Jehovah, the thought that there was a law came to the angels almost as an awakening to something unthought of. In their ministry the angels are not as servants, but as sons. There is perfect unity between them and their Creator. Obedience is to them no drudgery. Love for God makes their service a joy. So in every soul wherein Christ, the hope of glory, dwells, His words are re-echoed, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Psalm 40:8. MB 109.2
Can you see our preparation for heaven here? Our mentality that like the holy angels, we serve Him as sons and all we’re doing is not rationalising and trying to work out our own reactions to things, just; what is God? That’s all. If God doesn’t tell us to do any harm to anybody, but look after people, that’s what they do. That’s what we do. That’s all. Even if they’re not worthy, the angels are helping. Even if we’re not worthy. We’ll see this in more detail now. It gets more and more amazing the deeper you look at it and as I said, we’re not just getting information, we’re trying to pick up the psychological mindset that we are to let rub off on us from these amazing beings.
Psalm 24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
The answer comes back. These are the ones that are crying to the doors and now from the doors comes the word. What happens? Those gatekeepers now cry out again they want to hear it again.
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
You can’t just go in and out. You’ve got to have a golden card and as they come to the gates here with Jesus after He had been resurrected and gone back to heaven, they are crying to the angels of the gate; ‘Open the gates’ and the mentality of these angels as you see it here; ‘Let the king of glory come in and say. who’s this king of glory?’
They knew who it was, but they wanted to hear the glorious expression of who this person was. They wanted to hear it twice and then they opened the gate. The mind of these beings is child like. Beautiful. I ove to meditate on these things and it rubs off on me in their precise obedience to God they can exercise perfect submission to Him and to one another. I want to really bring this out; the attitude of these angels in submitting to God and now in the order of heaven, each one of these angels has a particular role to play and how they relate to one another is also an object lesson for us as we prepare to ourselves to meet that society.
Gethsemane
Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane.
The angels in heaven cast their crowns and harps from them, and with the deepest interest silently watched Jesus. There was no joy in heaven. They wished to surround the Son of God, but the commanding angels suffered them not, lest, as they should behold his betrayal, they would deliver him; for the plan was laid out, and it must be fulfilled. 1SG 48.2
The commanding angels prevented the other angels to surround the Son of God when He was in Gethsemane. The commanding angel said, no don’t, because you’re going to be in danger of stepping in to prevent Jesus from having to go through this. The good angels in heaven, they don’t want to see Jesus suffering.
There’s Jesus surrounded by the infuriated multitude while they offered Him the meanest abuse. They spit in his face, that face which they which they will one day and desire to be hid from. As the angels were watching this angry mob doing these terrible things to Jesus, It says there was commotion among the angels. They were watching this happening and can you imagine? There was this was their King. They knew who He was and what would they want to do now? There was commotion amongst them. They would have rescued Him instantly, but their commanding angel restrained them. There is so much material here to affect us. The commanding angel had to stop them from reacting to try and save Jesus as though they didn’t know that already. They obviously depended on the commanding angel to do what God had told Him to do. Don’t touch, don’t let them help Him, they’ve got to sit this through.
This all for our preparation for our attitudes that we may want to sometimes do something when God says no, through the avenue of another commanding person. The attitude in God’s order in God’s church is to be understood here through these angels example.
In the final tribulation when God’s people are going through their final terrible struggles, in the time of the end of persecution, as Gods people are going through this terrible time, through the time of Jacob’s trouble, it goes on to say:
Soon after they had commenced their earnest cry, the angels, in sympathy would have gone to their deliverance. But a tall, commanding angel suffered them not. Said he, The will of God is not yet fulfilled. They must drink of the cup. They must be baptized with the baptism. SG 187.1
Just like the angels would have liked to step in to save Jesus, the commanding angel prevented them so in the as we go through our time, the commanding angel has to tell the other angels no, no don’t help them.
Can you get your mind around this? This is the attitude and the willingness to submit to each other because the commanding angel is directed by God, didn’t tell the other angels, he commanded. He told the commanding angel and the commanding angel had to tell the other angels. This is the attitude of heaven.
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
The commanding angels, the other angels submit to. ‘Who are you telling me? I can go direct to God.’ Nothing like that. How many people today, if some minister comes to them and tells them what the Lord is telling them to be, say; ‘I go to my God myself thank you very much, I don’t have to hear you.’ The angels don’t talk like that. They listen to each other as they know that they’re all following God’s direction.
There is our mental exercise. As we know, the angels are ministering spirits sent to minister to us. Now comes another very interesting meditation. They are there to minister to us.
The work of these heavenly beings is to prepare the inhabitants of this world to become children of God, pure, holy, undefiled. But men, though professing to be followers of Christ, do not place themselves in a position where they can understand this ministry, and thus the work of the heavenly messengers is made hard. The angels, who do always behold the face of the Father in heaven, would prefer to remain close by the side of God, in the pure and holy atmosphere of heaven; but a work must be done in bringing this heavenly atmosphere to the souls who are tempted and tried, that Satan may not disqualify them for the place the Lord would have them fill in the heavenly courts. 7BC 923.2
Here is a direct meditation of all that we have been studying so far. The angels are ministering spirits to help us to prepare us to have a place with them.
As we reflect on this, they are preparing us to have a deep relationship with the heavenly society in a manner which is written of in Desire of Ages.
The angels of glory find their joy in giving love and tireless watch care to souls that are fallen and unholy. Heavenly beings woo the hearts of men. They bring to this dark world, light from the courts above by gentle and patient ministry they move upon the human spirit to bring the lost into a fellowship with Christ which is even closer than they themselves can know. DA 21.1
This brings me to tears every time. They are serving us to bring us in their preparation to have a relationship with Jesus in eternity that they themselves can never know.
Those who are striving earnestly to overcome, are brought into a oneness with Christ that the angels in heaven can never know. 7BC 926
The angels in heaven are working with us to get there. What an unselfish state of mind.
The angels of God are communicating with and guarding His people and are pressing back the powers of darkness, that they shall not have any control over those who should be heirs of salvation. Are we working in harmony with the angels? This is the line of communication the Lord has established with the children of men (Manuscript 1, 1890). 7BC 923.6
The Lord Jesus has a special work appointed for each of the angelic family. Human agencies have also an appointed work to do in behalf of their own souls and the souls of others saved through their influence. The angels of God will make effectual the work of men…. 7BC 923.7
Angels are working through human agents who will be worked, to bring sinners to God…. 7BC 923.8
This is this whole teamwork of us working also like the angels to help other people who are erring around us and the attitude is amazing. As we come to the conclusion of our meditation, our deliberation of heart that we will pick up the mentality of these angels and deliberate together with them with their attitude toward each other. As we reflect upon this, how can we become impatient with each other if the angels who are holy, mighty and powerful, if they’ve forgot themselves, they might be acting like we would do. But no, they selflessly care for others bringing us into a relationship that they cannot even enjoy.
Everywhere the effects of the curse are seen. Let us praise God that in the earth made new “there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him” (Revelation 22:3). Some little know what true service means. Those who expect to sing in an entertainment spend time in practicing, to familiarize themselves with the music and the words. That we may learn how to serve the Lord in heaven, we must enter His service now, becoming acquainted with Him and learning to be faithful servants…. UL 292.3
This is the theme of our conference. You cannot learn unless you’re watching what the angels of heaven are like as we’ve just done now. This is what we have to learn. Just like somebody is going to sing a beautiful rendition. They practice. We are now practicing so that we can serve as the angels serve
Let none suppose that they can live a life of selfishness and then having served their own interests, enter into the joy of their Lord. COL 364
As we serve, each one of us serves in a different way. Never become tired of serving here because it says, In the joy of unselfish love we could not.
In the joy of unselfish love they could not participate. They would not be fitted for the heavenly courts. They could not appreciate the pure atmosphere of love that pervades heaven. The voices of the angels and the music of their harps would not satisfy them. To their minds the science of heaven would be as an enigma. COL 364.2
The science of heaven would be as an enigma. The unselfish service of the angels, we are to learn here because if we get to heaven one day, we’re going to be surprised if we are not learning. Whatever service we are doing in the cause of God, we are to pick up the mind of the angels now so that when we get to heaven it will not be an enigma. It will not be a terrible shock. We are learning here the mentality of the angels and unless we are learning this here on earth, if we don’t learn this mentality of heaven:
Envy and jealousy are diseases which disorder all the faculties of the being. They originated with Satan in paradise. He tempted them to sin, and they yielded, but they repented of their sin, received Christ, and returned to their loyalty. So the enemy tempts men and women today. Those who listen to his voice will demerit others, and will misrepresent and falsify in order to build up themselves. RH September 14, 1897, par. 7
Envy and jealousy are diseases which disorder all the faculties of the being they originated with Satan. He tempted them to sin and they yielded but they repented of their sin received Christ and returned to their loyalty so the enemy tempts men and women today those who listen to his voice will demerit others now notice here now those who listen to the voice of Satan will demerit others and will misrepresent and falsify in order to build up themselves
Have you ever thought about that? If you demerit somebody else? You’re actually making yourself feel better because you’re better than them. If this is the case, we’re not in a prepared state to enter heaven because it goes on to say:
Those who listen to his voice will demerit others and will misrepresent and falsify in order to build themselves up but nothing that defiles can enter heaven and unless those who cherish this spirit are changed, they can never enter there for they would criticize the angels. RH September 14, 1897, par. 7
Do you ever criticise somebody in your thoughts in the church? Demerit? Do you ever talk to anybody else about somebody else’s bad way of behaving? We would criticise the angels if we don’t change because this mentality will be taken to heaven if we were able to get there like that. Here we are learning from the angels to have a change of mind totally. We would criticise the angels. The interest and fellowship that we are to learn here on earth with each other, is to be observed by us of the angels in heaven because we have to learn here what the society of heaven is like.
With the word of God in his hands, every human being, wherever his lot in life may be cast, may have such companionship as he shall choose. In its pages he may hold converse with the noblest and best of the human race, and may listen to the voice of the Eternal as He speaks with men. As he studies and meditates upon the themes into which “the angels desire to look” (1 Peter 1:12), he may have their companionship. He may follow the steps of the heavenly Teacher, and listen to His words as when He taught on mountain and plain and sea. He may dwell in this world in the atmosphere of heaven, imparting to earth’s sorrowing and tempted ones thoughts of hope and longings for holiness; himself coming closer and still closer into fellowship with the Unseen; like him of old who walked with God, drawing nearer and nearer the threshold of the eternal world, until the portals shall open, and he shall enter there. He will find himself no stranger. The voices that will greet him are the voices of the holy ones, who, unseen, were on earth his companions—voices that here he learned to distinguish and to love. He who through the word of God has lived in fellowship with heaven, will find himself at home in heaven’s companionship. Ed 127.1
Isn’t that precious? This is a study that we have had here tonight; preparation by beholding the companionship and the mentality of the companionship of these angels so that we can so walk with them, that when we enter heaven, there will be voices we will recognise. There will be a sense of the of the sense we received when we were here on earth and we had a heavenly relationship that we will be able to enjoy their companionship there.
What we have been contemplating here, God give us diligent application to this. Let us not forget it because this is so close. We’re getting so close to entering that society. So close.
May God help us is my prayer, amen.
