Nine Days in Heaven: A True Story (18 page)

A
BRIGHT CLOUD CAME TO REST JUST ABOVE THE INFANTS’ TEMPLE
. From it there descended a mighty being, all powerful in strength. His majestic brow was inscribed with the word
Justice
, and he carried himself with supreme authority. So great was his power and stature it seemed he only needed to speak one word, and worlds would flee and laws would cease forever.

With purpose in every step, he advanced toward a gloomy valley encircled by huge mountains whose lofty peaks soared far into the blue vault above. As he drew near his goal, a dark cloud moved down the mountains. Terrifying lightning flashed around it, as if electric fountains were pouring from an ocean of fire. Heavy thunder shook the base of the massive hills. There was fire, smoke, and storms as the elements seemed to go mad. The scene was terrible beyond description, but Justice continued to advance, and the very lightning seemed to wreathe itself into a crown on his head.

Then the word
Destruction
appeared, written in flaming letters in the lightning, reflected on the clouds and echoed by peals of thunder. Huge tremors shook the earth. At the height of the drama a voice wailed in despair from beneath the cloud at the foot of the mountain.

“Save us! Is there no hope at all?”

Heavy thunder rolled around the mountains.

“No hope.”

Justice continued to advance.

“No hope,” he repeated, as he raised his mighty hand.

“No hope, no hope,” echoed the hoarse voices of the raging elements.

“We are dying without hope,” cried the voice, now weaker. “We are dying. Doesn’t anyone care?”

In an instant I saw again the pitiful group that had been shown to me earlier. The trembling woman was bent over the prostrate man, as if to screen him from the storm. But as she saw Justice raise his mighty hand, she fell back, crying, “We are lost! There is no hope! We will die in the abyss!”

Relentlessly Justice continued his advance, as if to cut the forlorn man into pieces and crush him with one blow. The man’s trembling hands were now raised in prayer, and around him his family had fallen down, helpless and pleading.

“L
AW’S PROCEEDING ENERGIES HAVE BEEN
VIOLATED, AND THENCE DISTURBED IN
THEE
, O
MAN
. A
ND THINKETH THOU
TO TRIFLE THEREWITH, AND NOT
TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES?
”

“You, man, have continually violated the law. Do you think you can trifle with it and not suffer the consequences? Don’t you understand that when you oppose the law, destruction must come upon you? The time has now come.”

As the voice of Justice ceased, a great light flashed over the scene, and a dazzling cloud rapidly descended. From the cloud another being appeared. Her name was Mercy, and her manner was the exact opposite of Justice.

She was the embodiment of meekness. She halted Justice, who was still advancing toward the fallen group, and embraced him.

“Why must you be relentless?” she demanded. “Why must this sinner perish? Is there no hope for him?”

In a voice that shook the heavens above, Justice replied, “No hope can come from his fellow man!” Even the stars trembled, and the earth quaked and reeled as he spoke. “No hope exists in the fallen world,” he repeated, still advancing and poised to strike.

As the blow was about to descend on the sinner, Mercy spoke again. She bent protectively over the bleeding form and placed her left hand on his heart. Holding back the arm of Justice, she lifted her face and called out to God.

“Your throne, O God, endures forever. Your Word stands forever.
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There is no end to Your years. You, O God, are holy. The foundation of Your throne is righteous. It is the glory of the everlasting hills and the defense and safety of the heaven of heavens, where countless tens of thousands of glorified seraphim are gathered.

“Here, O God, is a man, fallen into sin. We know he has taken Your rule lightly, violated Your law, and challenged Your rightful vengeance. He has trifled with Your will and fought against eternal and unchangeable justice. He has fallen and lies here dying. Yet, O God, You have created him an immortal and spiritual being. He is also a rational being, and therefore he is accountable. Because of sin he now lies on the brink of the bottomless abyss. If he falls, he will suffer pain and grief forever.

“T
HE SINNER HATH PRESUMED UPON
THY GOVERNMENT, AND TOUCHED WITH
IMPIOUS HANDS THE FLAMING SWORD
;
HATH DARED VENGEANCE; TRIFLED
WITH THY WILL; AND CONTENDED WITH
ETERNAL AND IRREVOCABLE JUSTICE
.”

“My name is Mercy, and mercy is an attribute of Your throne. Justice and mercy both belong to You, O God! Let Your love descend, O Eternal One.”

She turned to Justice. “And you, Justice, spare this fallen being! Spare him, even though he has sinned and sold his eternal good for a pittance!”

At this point Mercy bowed her head, waiting for the decision.

A voice from the cloud then said, “Mercy, you have pleaded for the sinner, and heaven will listen to you. Justice, delay your execution. Mercy, can you find a ransom for the sinner?”
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One of the watching angels cried out the answer: “God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son.
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He is the righteous one who will pay the ransom and bear their sin.” There was a pause, and a woman approached. It was Mary, the mother of Jesus. She bent down with Mercy beside the dying man and held the baby toward him as she looked reverently up toward the cloud.

The voice continued from the cloud, “This is My beloved Son. I am well pleased with Him. As it is written, ‘A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
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till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.’”

Then Justice replied, “Has your Son experienced temptation and conquered it? Has He ‘suffered outside the city gate,’ as it is written of Him?
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Has He conquered death? Can He hold back the storm of sin and death? Can He change the diseased nature of the heart? Can He descend into the vortex of death and stop that mighty current flowing down to the abyss?”

“C
AN HE DESCEND THE MAELSTROM
OF DEATH, AND ARREST THE HEAVY
TIDE WHOSE BROAD CURRENT THENCE
ROLLS TO THE BOTTOMLESS ABYSS
?”

Mercy stood straight and spoke with a boldness that belied her meek nature. “Here, Justice, is your answer.”

The scene changed to the Mount of Olives at Jerusalem.
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There I saw the man Jesus. He lifted His eyes toward heaven and said, “Here I am—it is written about Me in the scroll—I have come to do Your will, O God.”
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As He spoke, a huge multitude of deformed beings appeared before Him. They were afflicted with every possible kind of human suffering and depravity. Addressing them with pity, He said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink….I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
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Another voice then spoke. “This is Jesus. He is the Son of David, the hope of Israel, the bright Morning Star, and the Sun of Righteousness.
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He is truth in all its redeeming glory. You, who are perishing, trust in Him! He has come to redeem you.”

Again I saw the mangled form of the dying man. He had heard the words, but his mind was dull and heavy. He could hardly understand what was being said, but he looked up to see if help was at hand. Jesus, who had been standing on the Mount of Olives, came down and bent over him, saying, “What do you want?”

The man answered, “If only I could be saved!”