Heavenly vision

I rarely have these kinds of experiences. Maybe twice before in my 60+ years. Certainly not like this one.

On the night of 5/4/20 I was having difficulty going to sleep. I began thinking about how I would like to teach about worship if I ever had the opportunity, and even pictured myself as standing at the pulpit. I then thought about wanting to illustrate worship in the sense of the Greek word (προσκυνέω (proskuneó), which means "I go down on my knees to, do obeisance to, worship – properly, to kiss the ground when prostrating before a superior; to worship, ready "to fall down/prostrate oneself to adore on one's knees.") As soon as I moved to my knees in my imagination, the scene changed. It took me a while, but I realized I was in the midst of a vision.

I had just entered the throne room of God.

The Throne Room

This was not a room in the conventional sense, it was more like the size of a stadium. A very big one. The sensory experience was overwhelming. It seemed like chaos. There were a lot of people there, millions or billions. The brightness of the light was intense (Re. 21:23), as were the sounds and smells. I looked down and saw I was dressed in a garment, finely pressed and tailored, and absolutely white (Rev. 4:4, 19:8). Everyone else was similarly dressed, though the garments themselves were not identical.

It took some time to acclimatize. As I did I realized that what I was hearing was the absolutely perfect sounds of worship. I heard snippets of a multitude of hymns from all over the room ("It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day"). I also heard all sorts of contemporary worship songs ("If the stars were made to worship, so will I.") This was all going on all at once, yet everything blended together in a kind of sublime harmony that at once was acutely beautiful and also incredibly complex. But more than that, these sounds had colors. I could feel them. I could smell them. 

These were perfect songs perfectly played and sung, perfectly honoring God in honest, flawless worship. Besides the familiar songs and hymns, what was also being sung were new songs. The Psalmist refers to it. Ps. 96:1: 

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 

Heaven and earth were singing. Overhead, the stars were worshiping. The very air was worshiping. This is what we should be doing on the earth right now. Ep. 5:19:

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord...

There were musicians and bands all over the place, singing in every conceivable style. There was a metal band playing worship. There was rock, country, jazz, music from India and China. It all combined together into a glorious harmony that was overwhelming in power and profundity. Leading worship on another side of the room was an old saint of the 60's Jesus People, fronting the Hillsongs worship team. I realized the language was Swahili. 

Every language was being spoken and sung, and I understood them all. I could speak them all. All nations were here. Re. 5:9: 

And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."

The odd thing is, I never noticed that anyone was from another nation. Skin color did not enter my perception. From great to small, we all were of one race, one holy nation, a people belonging to God (1 Pe. 2:9). That's all that mattered.

The first takeaway God wanted me to have was this: There's a lot of things that ought to be happening on earth as it is in heaven. Our worship is one of those things.

"Spiritual Multi-tasking"

All the people present, no matter what they were doing, were simultaneously worshiping. I would describe this as "spiritual multi-tasking." It was remarkable and unexpected thing. There were people in groups talking, and at the same time they worshiped. As they worshiped and talked they wrote songs, they painted, or they sculpted. And it wasn't just sounds or speech, what proceeded from them was colors and fragrances. It seemed the nature of the Bridegroom was fully upon the gathered Bride. Now 2Co. 3:18 was starting to make sense: 

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

This process is happening here on earth with His Church, but it is fully realized in heaven. We have the spiritual gifts, but in heaven people possessed abilities that were not of the human experience of earth. In the throne room I understood all things. I realized I knew every name of those present. I knew their faces, the sound of their voices, the details of their lives. I knew everything about why things happened they way they did. 

My mind went to 1Co. 13:12: 

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 

I realized that here at this moment I fully knew, and I was fully known.

I wonder how much of our Christian experience on earth ought to look more like heaven.  I began to understand what the Body of Christ really means. It's so much deeper than our contemporary church services and potlucks. The things we hope for, the things we have read in our Bible studies, the things we have revelation for, all these must somehow become here on earth as it is in heaven. 

Some people were there whom I didn't expect. We draw these boundaries about who is saved and who is not. We love our doctrine. We get impressed by gifted people and overlook the lowly ones. We judge by appearances, but God knows the heart. He knows who belongs to him. 

One those people I saw I knew to be a Mormon. Was he here because of Mormonism? Nope. I knew that at some point in his life he had repented and got saved. He was not saved by his doctrine. None of us are. He was saved because of Jesus. Jesus made him alive, and despite his errant beliefs, he believed. 2Ti. 1:12:

...I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Redeemed Time

The whole of every life ever lived for the sake of Christ was in perfect accordance with what must be. Though we often fail or came up short, none of it goes to waste. I understood that not only my life had been redeemed, my time had been as well. Every trickle down effect of my actions and words were redeemed. 

Ephesians 5:-15-16: See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (KJV).

Colossians 4:5: Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time" (KJV).

This was another takeaway: No regrets. Failure is always an option, because there is always another chance with God. He loves His children. He wants to change them from glory to glory. 

I had not moved far from the doorway yet. I looked over to a man who I immediately knew had a hobby of sorts. I call him the Timekeeper. He liked to keep track of the length of time. When he saw me he asked what I thought about all this. I told him I hadn't been there that long to really understand it all. He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said that I had been there 10,000 years. 10,000 years! But I had just arrived!

There was a banqueting table, thousands of feet long, with every conceivable food on it. People were seated there, eating and laughing. This could only be the wedding feast of the Lamb. Re. 19:9: 

Then the angel said to me, “Write: `Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’“

Get Closer, Get Lower

I decided that I wanted to go closer to the throne. I realized that in order to get closer I had to get lower. I needed to proskuneó. As I fell to my knees I felt able enough to move forward. The Presence of God was thick, and seemed to increase as I drew closer (James 4:8). There was this sort of mist or cloud in the air, though the air was simultaneously perfectly clear. I realized this cloud was the Holy Spirit. (Ps. 97:2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne). 

He was everywhere, interacting and touching people, speaking, comforting, but of course He is a spirit. He has no body, yet His personality and effect was evident. I cannot explain this further.

I looked to one side and saw a circle of people. I knew immediately why they were gathered. It was Paul! He was explaining Ephesians to them, clearing up the mysteries. Paul mentions mysteries several times in Ephesians, like Ep. 5:32: 

This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church.

He was speaking so profoundly, I could have spent 10,000 years there. I have so many questions to ask him. Ephesians is my favorite book of the Bible. The depth of Paul's love for the Church has always amazed me. But I needed to move on. 

Get closer, get lower. I got lower.

I saw Samson, with long, beautiful hair. I saw Peter, and I knew I wanted to talk to him too. Peter smiled and said, "There's plenty of time." Of course there was. We have all the time in the world in the throne room.

I realized that everyone, all the dead saints, all the great men and women of faith, were actually here in this room. I wish I could talk to them all. Someday I will.

They are all in the throne room. I thought this was interesting, only because of Jesus' words. Jn. 14:2: 

In my Father's house are many mansions (rooms): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Jesus made for us our home in heaven. He prepared it and told us about it. Yet I realized no one was in the mansions. I didn't even see any. I wonder if there were even any mansions at all. This made me wonder if we have a mistaken view of this verse. Our translations fail us. Maybe instead of separate rooms, heaven is all about being part of the oikos (family). Being in His wonderful presence. The more I think about it, the more I think that I would not want to be in a room somewhere in heaven. I would want to be in the Presence all the time. Ps. 27:4:

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

I want to keep moving. Get closer, get lower. I got lower.

Everyone and Everything is All There

I saw a rainbow over the throne (Re. 4:3), with colors that have no name, colors that no human has ever seen. Such incredible beauty, so luminous, so wonderful. I cannot describe it.

I saw the four living creatures. The 24 elders. The sea of glass. The heavenly host. I heard the thunderous songs of Revelation. Re. 4:11: 

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

The twelve gates are there (Re. 21:12). The twelve foundations (Re. 21:14).

It's all there.

Face to Face

The Presence here is so thick I can hardly bear it. The glory is so bright, the sound of worship so intense. There is nothing like it.

Get closer, get lower. I got lower.

There He is. Jesus, appearing just as He's described in Rev. 1:14-16. He's a man, a glorious man. He's very average-looking in a human sense. Is. 53:2: 

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

But now He is majestic and beautiful, seated on the throne. He is crowned with many crowns, and for a moment the hymn becomes distinct in my ear: 

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne. Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.

Get closer, get lower.

I notice that Jesus is personally engaged with every soul in the room, all at once. I hear Him speaking to me, but now I cannot remember the words. He's speaking English. I see His lips moving in English. But I know that He is also at the same time speaking to everyone else in their language, and looking at them at the same time as well. I cannot explain this. 

His eyes are filled with love. He is everyone's personal and closest friend, fully attentive to everyone all at once. He still bears the scars, but they are part of His glory. I can tell He is immensely satisfied and at ease. He is the center of attention, but from His demeanor I can see He is unaffected by it. This makes total sense, for there would be no ego, no arrogance, no narcissism. 

The Song of the Lamb. That's what I hear now. Re. 15:3-4: 

Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. 4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.

This is the closest I could get. From this spot I could reach out and touch Him if I wanted, I suppose. But I did not. But at this moment I heard a deafening sound, the sound of many waters. I've heard these words before. Re. 21:5-7:

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

I wrote it all down. This is not Scripture I'm writing, it is simply a record of my experience. God gave me an experience so that I might profit from it. What else did He want me to know?

He is my God and I am His son. This basic fact of the Gospel is suddenly profound. I needed to hear this, because honestly, I've been discouraged. I was whining to God the very day before this vision: What do I have to show for my life? Has it all been a waste? Is there any good reason to be Christian? Oh, how many times I've fallen short! So many regrets. So many lost opportunities. What is the purpose of all this? 

Isaiah wrote of his woe:

Is. 6:5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Of course, Isaiah said this after being confronted with the Glory, not before like me. But I now I have more understanding of Isaiah being undone.

So in my case, after my pity party, God revealed His glory to me. He wanted to show me some things. He thinks enough of me to come to my inner man and speak life by way of a vision. I am reinvigorated. I can now push on toward the goal (Ph. 3:14). I am reassured.

The hymn writer tells my tale better than I could:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

That is my last takeaway: I have assurance and salvation and purpose and confidence. So I will endeavor to praise my Savior with the sounds of heaven. I will not give up. I will stand firm in the Truth. I will expect even greater things.