Part 9 (2/2)
This tendency of heat upward, or away from the base of the fire, is plainly evident by the fact that heat will not penetrate to any considerable depth _downward_, neither when on the earth, or on a solid non-combustible foundation; nor yet when on an elevated platform, for its tendency, as we have shown, is always outward or upward. So also with the fires of the _Sun_; whatever the base of its fires may be, we see by the fixed laws of Nature that the tendency of its heat is _outward_, no matter from what portion of that base it may emanate. We cannot now comprehend the _nature_ of the base of the Sun's fires, but we know that the great Jehovah has provided it, and that it is founded in His wisdom, and is fixed and sure, and we have reasoned conclusively that it cannot be of combustible material.
Hence, the only rational conclusion we can arrive at--from a thorough investigation of Divine revelations; from all the lights afforded by the science of astronomy; from the true philosophy of Nature, as well as from all that is visible and perceptible--is, that far within the circling photosphere of ethereal fire which we see and realize as the _Sun_, there is a solid body, a globe, a VAST WORLD, and that world is the heaven for all the righteous from this earth; that it is the Saviour's allotted empire, and that He is there the ruler of His people.
_THE NATURE OF THE LIGHT OF THE HEAVENLY WORLD._
”_The glory of G.o.d doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof._”
We have given the above Scripture quotation repeatedly in these pages, in order to forcibly impress the minds of all with the fact that the light of the heavenly world is _different_ from the light of the Sun; that it far transcends it in _brightness_. For we are told that it ”is far above the brightness of the Sun s.h.i.+ning in its strength,” even ”_seven-fold brighter than the Sun_.”
Let us contemplate what has been revealed of this ”glory light.”
First. No _mortal_ ever has beheld the full radiance of the face, or glory of G.o.d. For He hath said that no one should see His face and live. In evidence of this, when Moses, who was so near Him, and desired so much to behold His face unveiled, prayed to Him saying: ”I _beseech thee_, show me thy glory.” There came an answer unto him.
”_Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me and live._” And in order to preserve the life of Moses, G.o.d placed him in the ”cleft of a rock” and covered him with His hand while His glory was pa.s.sing by.
Others have desired to see G.o.d, and the brightness of His glory, yet such desire, while in mortality, is wrong, for none could behold it and live.
It is recorded of Trajan, the Emperor of Rome, that he accosted Rabbi Joshua, saying: ”You teach that your G.o.d is everywhere, now I should like to see Him.” Joshua replied, ”He cannot be seen, no mortal eye can behold His glory.” The Emperor, however, persisted, contending that if He was everywhere, He could surely be seen, and thus derided the doctrine taught by Joshua. ”Well,” said the Rabbi, ”let us try first to look at one of His amba.s.sadors.” To this Trajan consented.
Joshua then led him forth into the open air at noon-day, and bade him ”look at the _Sun_.” The Emperor replied: ”I cannot, for its light dazzles, and will _blind me_.” Then replied Joshua, ”If thou art unable to endure the light of one of His creatures, how canst thou expect to be able to behold the resplendent glory of the Creator? _The sight would annihilate thee._”
Thus we find that in every representation of the ”glory of G.o.d,” its light is beyond our comprehension, and so overpowering that no mortal could behold it and live.
We have, however, a feeble representation of this glory manifested by His Son. When Saul, of Tarsus, was on his way to Damascus, to persecute the disciples and followers of Christ, behold, at mid-day, a light, _above the brightness of the Sun_, shone around him and his band, and they all fell to the earth, and their leader was smitten with blindness, which continued for three days, and was only then relieved by the agencies which the Saviour appointed. When first smitten, hearing a voice that was not of Earth, he exclaimed, ”Lord, who art thou?” The answer was, ”I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”
When the beloved disciple John beheld the Son of Man, walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks, the light and influence was so overpowering, that he ”_fell at His feet as dead_.” Thus we have a faint prelude of the light of the glory of G.o.d. Yet no one in mortality can behold it, even in a veiled form. But the strength of the _spirit-eye_ will enable us to behold the King in all His glory, ”for we shall see Him as He is.”
_THAT HEAVENLY WORLD._
We need not stand on Pisgah's height, nor climb to the summit of the Andes, to catch a glimpse of that ”HEAVENLY WORLD.” But, grasping the telescope of _Faith_, and looking through _Revelations_, the humblest Christian, ”low down in the valley,” may see through the storm-clouds and tempests of life--yea, even through the ”shadow of death”--and gaze with rapture upon the enchanting scene. The light of the _Sun_ pales without, as the flood-light of that _inner world_ breaks upon the eye. There is the resplendent ”glory of G.o.d,” s.h.i.+ning with unequalled radiance and beauty. To the spirit-eye it is not blinding, neither will it even dim the sight. Fear not, ye feeble followers of the blessed Redeemer, to approach--even now--by faith and contemplation, the confines of that bright world; even though it is within that encircling photosphere of _ethereal fire_. There is no danger, for by-and-by that bright world will be your place of habitation. When the winged messenger comes and escorts you away from your earthly ”prison-house,” he will conduct you to that bright world, where ”an abundant entrance shall be administered unto you” by your blessed Saviour. Remember it is written in the ”Sacred Volume”: ”_The voice of G.o.d divideth the flame;_” and He hath said: ”_I will be as a wall of fire._” ”_When thou goest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flames kindle upon thee._” ”_Enter thou into the joys of thy Lord._” No such flames within. ”_The Sun shall not light on thee; nor any heat;_” and yet there is a resplendent light, even the ”glory of G.o.d,” which illumines the Great City and all the vast realm. ”_There is no night there_,” but one eternal day; and when thou hast entered, ”_The days of thy mourning shall be ended._”
But hold heavenward the telescope of _faith_; let us, through the lights of revelation, endeavor to get a slight panoramic view. The inspired poet caught a glimpse before us. Hear him exclaim:
”There, on those wide extended plains, s.h.i.+nes one eternal day; There G.o.d the Son forever reigns, And scatters night away.”
Behold! Spread out before us is the wide expanse of a glorious universe. See in the distance those hills and towering mountains; those beautiful valleys and wide-extending plains. See the innumerable ”set thrones,” and, in the midst of all, ”THE GREAT WHITE THRONE!”
and He who sits thereon is the SON OF G.o.d, who reigns, and is the ruler of this vast empire. See ”before the throne a sea of gla.s.s like unto crystal,” and around about the throne ”four-and-twenty elders in raiment of white, with crowns of gold,” while all around is ”a rainbow, in sight like unto an emerald,” or grand _empyrean_ covering resplendent with the light of the ”glory of G.o.d.” See that fountain of the ”river of life” gus.h.i.+ng from beneath the throne, and flowing on and on, meandering amidst mountains and hills, and through vast plains and beautiful valleys. See the crystal fountains playing on every hand, and whose waters are forever sparkling in the light of eternal day. See the towering forest trees and shady ”groves of heaven,”
placed there by the ”Word” of the Creator, during past cycles of eternity, and long before time commenced, their rich foliage presenting every variegated hue, their boughs laden with all manner of precious fruit suited for spiritual food, and their seasons for bearing are now and forever. But see yonder, near the base of that towering mountain,--whose summit seems to mount up a thousand miles high, and whose towering forests are waving in the gentle breezes of heaven, and, with all things else, seem but to reflect the light of the ”glory of G.o.d;”--that vast plain spreading out from its base is the ”GARDEN OF THE LORD.” Its extent is even greater than that of our whole Earth. It is filled with trees bearing fruits; with shrubbery, and ten thousand times ten thousand various and variegated flowers perennially blooming. See the vast mult.i.tude of saints, attended by angels, as they meander through its labyrinths, culling choicest flowers, or lingering under ”native bowers” or amid shady groves. No old age or decrepitude; no gray hairs to distinguish ages. The old seers and prophets; neither are Adam nor Methuselah, who dwelt on the earth nearly a thousand years, known here by age; neither do our own aged fathers and mothers show here any signs of decrepitude or advanced years, but, even as their own children--our brothers, our sisters, our husbands, our wives, and _our own children_, who have found an inheritance here--all are as in the bloom of youth and maturity, and will thus remain forever through succeeding cycles of eternity. Ah! methinks, amid that vast mult.i.tude you espy a father, a mother, a sister, a brother, companion or child, or some dear, loved friends from earth, who are now _radiant with beauty_ in that ”Paradise of G.o.d,” and that you would fain drop mortality, and, on _spirit-wings_ of love, go and join them and be forever at rest. Wait, _not now_; but if you have sought and found the ”pearl of price,” and are abiding in the ”_love of G.o.d_,” you, too, will get there by-and-by. Remember afflicted Job, who ”knew his record was in heaven,” yet with all this perceptive knowledge, hear him meekly say: ”_All my appointed time will I wait, until my change cometh_,” and ”_though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him_.”
But while we have in hand the ”telescope of faith” and the revelations of G.o.d as our light, let us change its direction a little, and add a new grasping power.
See! Behold the ”City of G.o.d” of which ”glorious things were spoken,”--even the city of which John had a panoramic view while ”in the spirit” on the Isle of Patmos. See its glittering ”_jasper_ walls”
as they loom up in the glory-light _fifteen hundred miles high_; and whose foundations are _fifteen hundred miles square_, covering a superficial extent of _two millions two hundred and fifty thousand square miles_. See! ”Its foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones,” and there are ”twelve vast gates of entrance, and the twelve gates are twelve pearls: every several gate is one pearl.”
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