Nine Days in Heaven: A True Story (29 page)
He called to the heavens, “You mighty winds, fan this dying world into life. You waters of the eternal fountains of life, pour over her barren soil. You angels, gather quickly and bring inspiration and truth to counteract perversion and lies.
“And you, Death,” He roared, “though you boast of your millions slain, I set My seal on you. You are bound, and your days are numbered. Hades, your kingdom of death—your trophy of the ages—will fail, and at the appointed time you will die.”
He spun around and faced Apollyon. “You enemy of justice! You enemy of peace and heaven! Go back to where you came from. Lead your forces to death, for at the appointed time you too will feel My restraining power.
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Look! I am coming to rescue My people.”
Jesus finished these words with a great sweep of His hand, at which Apollyon and his legions fled. The dark cloud that followed hid them from our sight.
The cross stood stark against the sky. Hanging in the extremity of His final agony, Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit,” and with a loud voice He cried, “It is finished!”
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Then, holding Death in His power, He descended to the spirits in prison.
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For a long time stillness filled the air. Nothing moved. No one spoke.
Gradually a soft light began to shine, revealing a solitary tomb guarded by armed men. An angel stood nearby. He touched the tomb with a scepter held in his right hand, and as he did so, the tomb became transparent, revealing the body of Jesus.
It lay in the lone tomb, shrouded in clean linen, unstained by blood. The still and silent atmosphere, undisturbed by the clamor of the shouting rabble, brought soothing relief to the minds of the watching children. They had been overwhelmed by the scenes of cruelty and slaughter revealed during the sufferings of Jesus.
As we watched and enjoyed the quiet, the chief guardian spoke, “See how calm and composed the body of Jesus is now.”
“Y
EA, HE RESTETH, HE MAKETH THE TOMB
HIS BED. WITH HIS PEOPLE HE SLUMBERETH
IN THE GRAVE
. H
E SANCTIFIETH
THE SEPULCHRE OF HIS SAINTS
.”
“Yes, Jesus is resting,” answered a voice. Mercy appeared above the tomb. “He is resting. He is sleeping in the grave with His people. He has made the grave a holy place. But He will wake again. Not only that—He will also awaken all those who sleep in death.”
Then one of the heavenly choirs descended over the tomb where Jesus lay and began to sing:
Peace and holy rest,
Hold the body of the Lord gently in your arms.
It will never again endure pain.
Holy angels, guard the sacred tomb.
Do not let any intruder enter here
Where the body of the Redeemer is resting.
Hold back the forces of decay so that they do not harm it.
It has been made holy through suffering.
Then, in loud acclamation, another company of angels sang:
He will rise again. He will ascend to the highest heaven.
He will be the centerpiece and saints will gather around.
In the realms of immortality He will draw to Himself
The renewed bodies of the saints.
Again the first choir sang:
Let the heavens take up their lyres again
And begin to sound their finest notes in lofty anthems.
Jesus will awake and will ascend in clouds of glory.
Universes will join the song of His ascension.
Echo His name, you everlasting hills,
Echo His name in triumphant song.
I
T WAS JOY BEYOND MEASURE TO SEE THE
BODY OF JESUS REST
. I
T WAS SACRED QUIET
.
To see the body of Jesus rest in such sacred quietness filled me with a joy that was beyond description. To listen to the anthems of the angels watching the tomb was bliss.
It was true. Jesus had made the grave a holy place.
I can never reflect on that scene without feeling that my body should rest there also. I want to lay it down in the tomb. The grave is no longer gloomy for me. Rather, it is the most sacred place on earth. There, Jesus my Redeemer slumbered, His body free from pain. Just let me be worthy, and at the appointed time I will cheerfully lay my body to rest and await the morning of resurrection.
Support From
the Word of God
1.
“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’” (John 19:28).
2.
“
…my name is Death!
” In restoring lost mankind, Jesus had to overcome three enemies—sin, Satan, and death. At this point in the vision we see His focus shift from sin to death (personified).
3.
“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani
’—which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34).
4.
“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing” (Isa. 63:3).
5.
“…
this God-Man…
” Jesus, who is
God
and was begotten of God, was also born a
man
—the son of Mary. Hence
God-Man
—describing a unique being.
6.
See John 19:11.
7.
Because Jesus was born a man, He became subject to the curse of death that hovers over all mankind, thus giving Him the opportunity to conquer it.
8.
“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14).
9.
“…
feel My restraining power.
” Revelation 20:10 says, “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur…”
10.
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).
11.
See 1 Peter 3:19—a puzzling passage. It appears only this once in the Bible.
A
MIGHTY ANGEL BROKE THE STILLNESS
. D
ESCENDING FROM
above, he stood on the tomb and shouted. “Look! The Son of Man is coming from the place of death. Look! The Conqueror is coming!”
The spirit of Jesus appeared, walking among the tombs and looking over each one. “Sleeping bodies of My people, yours has been a long and dreary night, and your bed has been cold. You are the precious dust of the spirits I redeem. But you will rise, and the darkness that has shrouded this place will be scattered by the light of life.”
He strode on quickly. “I have come to light up this vault and set the limits of death and the grave. I have come to open a door of escape.”
He paused. “Sleep on, you sacred dust of My people. Sleep on, until life from on high redeems and spiritualizes these remains. Then you will enter immortal and incorruptible spiritual life. Sleep on till that day, when you are called out of this slumber and into life. From now on the darkness of the tomb will be no more.”
Looking up, He said, “Watchman from the everlasting hills, come down and enter this place. Keep guard until the resurrection morning when I will command you to rise with these ashes. Then they will be brought back to life and transformed into new bodies for My redeemed people. That day is coming with divine certainty.”
In response the watchman emerged from the mountain of light. He was mighty in strength, and light reflected from the ten thousand crosses woven into his garments. He bowed before Jesus. “I have come to do Your will, O God.”
The Lord replied, “Guard this grave where mortality is sleeping.” He placed a scepter in the watchman’s right hand. Engraved on its burnished shaft were the image of the cross and, in hieroglyphics, the solemn events of the trial and crucifixion. Jesus said, “Use this scepter to defend and control these dominions until heaven calls for you.”
The watchman replied, “Be my helper! Your will be done forever!”
Our attention was then drawn to the lone tomb where the body of Jesus still lay, guarded by the angels. As we looked, we saw the Holy Spirit approaching. With a voice of supreme power He cried out, “Let life descend! Let the life-giving Spirit fill this body! Let every part of it be transformed into life! Let this body be immortalized! Let it rise up!”
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