Nine Days in Heaven: A True Story (13 page)
I looked up, trying to determine where the voice was coming from. “Don’t be afraid, Marietta, but be aware of these things. Realize too that you have seen only a fraction of the suffering that sin brings to the spirits of men and women. Spiritual sufferings are beyond the power of description. Even the things you have just seen cannot give you a full understanding. Let me explain.”
The voice continued.
“H
E WHO FIRST ADDRESSED
THEE, REPRESENTS THAT SPIRIT OF
ANTICHRIST WHICH SEEKS TO DAZZLE
SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION BY BRIGHT
PICTURES OF FALSE REASONING
…”
“The spirit of ‘giant’ intellect represents the spirit of antichrist. He tried to confuse you with arguments that seemed reasonable. But behind all of this lay disharmony, love of self, treachery, cruelty, impure desire, lust, rape and murder, the denial of God and His saving mercy, together with sacrilege and blasphemy. He tried to deceive you. He tried to conceal the things that happen to those who are not controlled by God’s love. But he failed, and you learned that only Christ can save someone from the effects of sin. All else is futile.
“Then you saw the choir in its gallery, with all kinds of evil. This was only a part of the picture. If you had seen it all, it would have been too much for you. This choir represented people of the world singing to whatever god they worship. In their hearts they had no love for the one and only God, and they mocked Him with mere lip service.
“In the pulpit you saw a false teacher and the bitter consequences of hypocrisy in religion. The people in front of him worshiped in the name of the cross but without a true reverence for God. They appeared to be worshiping, but their hearts were far away, trying only to please themselves in their devotions. They chose a teacher who wanted only to receive their accolades, so he tried to satisfy their every whim.
“T
HEY CHARGE THEIR SINS
UPON EACH OTHER
.”
“The spirit who berated him was one who trusted in false teachers and did not care about their own spiritual well-being. The conflict you saw is typical of this kind of people. They blame their sins on each other.
10
This spirit actually acknowledged that justice had been done—that their condition was caused by their breaking God’s law. Deep inside, people are aware of their guilt, and they know God is good. Those who stop their foolishness and follow God’s law can easily understand this.
“You saw the agony of the false teacher as he was told the truth about his past. He showed you what happens to those who gratify their wrong desires on earth. They ultimately meet here again with their old acquaintances and blame each other for their sins. They tell them the truths of God that they should have followed.
“Their final falling and blending into one mass illustrated how sin attracts sin. People with similar characters and desires are attracted to each other. As more of them gather, the dominating forces of sin grow stronger. So each spirit inflicts sorrow on the others and receives sorrow in return.
“The thick cloud above them was the spiritual discord that fills the great area.
“Finally, Marietta, this scene demonstrated the verse that says, ‘If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.’
11
That is what happened here.”
The voice paused and then continued solemnly, “Marietta, you have had enough of these things, but do not forget them. Never forget that ‘the wages of sin is death.’”
12
Support From
the Word of God
1.
Compare Romans 1:25 (emphasis added):
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.
2.
The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them
.
—2 T
IMOTHY
3:1–5,
EMPHASIS ADDED
3.
The Gospels state:
And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
—M
ATTHEW
25:30
…where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
—M
ARK
9:48
4.
Compare James 5:19–20:
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
5.
Compare Matthew 23:27 for similar words where Jesus denounced the false religious leaders of his day.
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.
6.
“The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:8).
7.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
8.
“
…let God…be true
”—compare Romans 3:4: “Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: ‘So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.’”
9.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
10.
“
…blame their sins on each other.
” Compare Adam and Eve in the Garden (Gen. 3:12–13):
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the L
ORD
God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
11.
“Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matt. 15:14).
12.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
Escape From Hell
and Lessons Learned
T
HE VOICE CEASED, AND
I
HEARD AN ANGEL SAY
, “M
ARIETTA, COME
up here!” Immediately I was drawn up into a cloud of light, which then rose gently.
The change was incredible. Only a moment before I was watching in fear as a maddened crowd ran wild. Now I was soaring away from it into a glorious brightness.
I mulled over the things I had seen. First I had learned that sin brings death; secondly, that happiness does not come from disobedience but from simple faith—faith in Jesus as Redeemer. Then I had discovered that deceit is the foundation of darkness and the source of much trouble. It is a camouflage to hide the consequences of lying and evil. In addition to this, I saw very clearly that no deception—no matter how cleverly fabricated—can conceal truth on that final day when everything is tested.
1
But then a new light burst on me, and I turned to see above me an incredibly lovely being. Her clothing was bright as the sun, and her face shone with heavenly goodness. She sat calmly and peacefully in the midst of a divine radiance and spoke to me.
“You can rest here, Marietta. Put aside your thoughts now about the things you have just seen, and don’t be overcome by them. God has prepared a home in heaven for everyone who is willing. Whoever has a need and seeks God will find He is always there to help. The people you saw now live with the consequences of all they did when they were on earth.
2
It is inevitable. It is like a person who has a big fall. He will hurt himself and must bear the pain. This is the ‘law of being.’
“But rest for a while, Marietta. I can hear angels coming. They are singing songs of praise to our Redeemer. Listen to the beautiful harmonies. Look up, Marietta!” she urged. “Look! We are coming close to a city of righteousness. No evil can enter here, and no false spirit will ever pollute the holy temple in this place.
3
Listen, a guardian angel of the holy hills is talking to you.”