A DEAR Christian told me of a dream he had, and I repeat it as he told it me:― “I dreamed I stood on the top of a high mountain, and across the valley was another mountain. As I gazed I saw before my eyes, shining in wondrous brightness, the Heavenly City. I could not describe it, but there it shone in all its glory — a light, not of earth surrounding it, and coming from it.
“I cried aloud as I stretched my hands towards it: ‘This is the Holy City, the City of God.’ And as I cried, it seemed to me as if voices around me said: Hush! hush!” but I shouted again as I gazed upon it shining there: ‘This is the Holy City — the City of God,’ and the more the voices tried to stop me, the more I cried.
“I looked down into the valley between the mountains, and there I saw P—standing by Mr.―, who was preaching the Gospel. They were standing in a beautiful place, and when I saw them I bent down, and said in my dream: ‘P―, P― come up here at once, and tell Mr.— to come; here is the Holy City.’ I saw them begin to climb the mountain, coming nearer and nearer to where I stood; but before they came to the top, the light of the City faded, and I saw before me the mountain top alone, with the light of early morning gilding it. I awoke, and lo! it Was a dream; but I seemed to have been in glory. It is on my soul now: I shall never forget it.”
This was my dear friend’s dream — his dream of heaven. But if thus in dreams it comes to us sometimes, What will the waking reality be?
“Dreams cannot picture a world so fair.” No! “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
Are you bound for heaven? Are you nearing the pearly gates that lead to the mansions beyond? Are you, by faith, seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus? Shall you dwell amid the light of God Forever, and rest in the place prepared by Christ, the Home of His love?
“What will it be to dwell above
And with the Lord of Glory reign?”
Oh! are you sure of heaven? If you were to die today, should you fear death? A Christian told me, that in a dream one day, he saw the “valley of the shadow of death” before him, and as he entered it, he saw Jesus standing at the far end, inviting him to come through; and on either side, right through the valley, he saw shining ranks of angels keeping guard throughout its whole length. “He giveth His angels charge concerning thee.” The Christian’s home is where the angels are; where Saints redeemed are worshipping. The Christian’s home is with Jesus forever and ever.
Before the adoring eyes of John in Patmos, the Heavenly City shone; “And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Before my eyes its light shall one day shine. Can you say, “Beyond the shadows I am gazing at, I am waiting for my Saviour to take me to Himself? He is coming, coming soon, and I am waiting at His gates. He will take me to glory, to His Father and to mine, to an eternity of gladness, of glory without end.” Oh, sinner, what is this to thee? Would’st thou not like to go to heaven, and to behold it, not alone in dreams, but with eyes beaming with rapture? John says again, “He carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God; and its light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” My friend dreamed of it; but oh! the blessed reality — that even now as I write, Christ may come, and as you read this, Christ may come; and when He comes, all the hidden glories of the better land will be revealed to us in a moment. Are you ready? Look to Jesus. Trust in Jesus. Follow Jesus. Wait for Jesus. “Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
H. W.