Following on from yesterday’s post, Seeing Heaven, here is the account that Sophie wrote about her experience.

By Sophie, aged 10:

on Wednesday night I went to sleep and then two angels took my hand and took me to heaven when I was there I saw big gold gates on the top of the gates was a cross that said Jesus on it there two angels with  crowns on their heads. Out side the gate was an angel with the book of life the angel were really big and bright I couldn’t see their faces because they where so bright. The book of life was really big it was gold and the angel opened the book of life and said yes Sophie [surname] your name is in this book. The voices of the angels were really sweet and soft they were kind and they were really good singers they were singing worship songs they were dancing they were really happy. the angel took me by the hand , and we was walking it was like we was walking on clouds then I saw a throne it was gold and red it was very big it was beautiful it had diamonds and jewels on it and rubies then I walked further down and I saw fields with lots of flowers so I started to play and dance with the angels I saw big big trees with fruit they were bigger then the biggest tree in the world it was very very bright in heaven the gold gates were very gold and shiny they were so shiny and clean it was like looking in the mirror I could see myself. angels were praising god all the time then the angel said it’s time to go home Jesus little princess so I closed my eyes and I heard a clap and I was back in my bedroom when the angels came to take me to heaven it was really bright in my room I had a nice nice time in heaven I’m so glad to know that when i die i get to go to heaven with Jesus

When I spoke to Sophie and Caprice’s mother, she mentioned that she had never discussed the book of Revelation with the girls and yet so much of what they describe lines up with the imagery of heaven there, and particularly the “New Jerusalem” of heaven where God lives with His people.

For example, Sophie says “it was very very bright in heaven.” Revelation 21: 23 says, “the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”

Sophie also referred to the Book of Life, which the angel opened and said, “Yes, Sophie [surname], your name is in this Book.” The Book of Life is referred to throughout Revelation and contains a record, a list of names, of all those who accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and who will receive eternal life. Eternal life is not based on “living a good life” and being “a good person.” Eternal life is a free gift from God for those who have consciously accepted that they have sinned against God, and accepted that Jesus Christ took the penalty for their personal sin by His death on the cross.

Jesus says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” Revelation 3:5. And conversely, “anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:15.

Worship and singing was something else that made an impression on Sophie. She describes the way that “angels were praising God all the time.” We can see in the Bible the description by the apostle, John: “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands …. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honour and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:11;13

Sophie also said “the gold gates were very gold and shiny they were so shiny and clean it was like looking in the mirror I could see myself.” This reminded me of the description of the wall of the heavenly city – “The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass” Revelation 21:18. And like her sister, Sophie refers to the tree, or trees, bearing fruit – “I saw big big trees with fruit they were bigger [than] the biggest tree in the world.” This seems to be referring to the tree/s of life; “In the middle of its street… was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month …”Revelation 22:2.

The last image I wanted to pick up on is the reference to the “big” and “beautiful” throne that Sophie saw, with many precious stones. This is also described by John – “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald” Revelation 4: 2-3.

Sophie described the “rubies” and “diamonds” that she saw. I did a study on the gems on the throne and it makes me wonder whether what Sophie identified was the “sardius” and “jasper” referred to by John. Sardius is “blood red” in colour, and this is what I learnt about jasper:

“The characteristics of the stone as far as they are specified in Scripture… are that it “was most precious,” and “like crystal,” we may also infer from Revelation 4:3 that it was a stone of brilliant and transparent light. The stone which we name “jasper” does not accord with this description. There can be no doubt that the diamond would more adequately answer to the description in the book of Revelation.”*

I thought that was pretty amazing. It’s really interested me to see the way these visions of heaven by two young children so consistently fit with the descriptions we have in Scripture. More than anything it has inspired me once again about the reality of eternity. That it is so tempting to be focused and caught up in this very temporary life on earth, and spend more time planning for our retirement than our eternal destination. But we are each told to “set your mind on things above, not things on the earth” Colossians 3:2 and to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” Philippians 2:12.

How amazing it will be on that day when we hear “’Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world …’” Matthew 25:34.

*Reference: Bible History Online – www.bible-history.com **This post and yesterday’s post were originally posted here in October 2007

~ by Birgit on January 15, 2009.

Posted in Angels, Bible, Christianity, Church, Devotional, Drawing Close to Jesus, Faith, God, Jesus, Journal, Ministry, Religion