The Bible tells us the heaven of the redeemed is "the third heaven."15 The future home of the people of the Lord is a place in the third heaven. This place is a city. The name of this city is "The New Jerusalem." This New Jerusalem is not "a figure of speech." It is not a combination of ideas skillfully clothed in earthly words of the Lord to give man a false conception of something it is not. The Bible says this New Jerusalem is a real city with a real foundation which God himself laid.
This celestial city is foursquare, one thousand five hundred miles on every side, surrounded by a wall two hundred feet high with foundations of twelve kinds of precious stones, the most beautiful precious stones known to man. The wall itself is jasper, which sends forth a brilliant jasper light. Twelve gates lead into the city, the streets of which are like burnished gold.16
In this city are the homes of the redeemed, the abode of angels, Paradise, and the throne of God.
Why should not the New Jerusalem be a real city with streets of real gold and with jasper walls and with foundation stones of precious jewels? Did God so exhaust his material when he made the universe that he had no gold or jewels left for heaven? If God could make a world, could he not suspend a city in the sky beyond the stars? Here and there a little impure gold in a fissure of a distorted rock of this cursed and perverted earth or here and there the discovery of a precious jewel hidden in the debris of earthly ruins are only lingering reminders of the reality of which these are merely shadows. The real, the imperishable are in the city whose builder and maker is God.
What we see on this perverted, degenerated earth are only shadows. "The creation fell into subjection to failure and unreality" (Rom. 8 :20) . The gold we cherish, the jewels we adore, the cities and mansions we build are only copies of the real in the city that is soon coming down.
The Adullam children were caught up in vision to this city of God. How they could see the city I do not know. How Abraham saw it I do not know. How Paul could be caught up to Paradise, either in the body or out of the body, I do not know. These things are beyond natural order. We need not, at present, know the How. We know the Fact. John was shown the city. He was told by the Lord to write the things he had seen and send them to the Churches.
In the Spirit Adullam children were caught up to this city time after time, not as in a dream but as a living reality. Their visits were so real, in fact, that the children supposed their souls actually left their bodies to go to heaven and return, or that in some unaccountable way they had gone to heaven soul and body just as they might in daily life visit some distant place. Frequently when in Paradise the children were plucking and partaking of the heavenly fruit they gathered some extra to tuck in their garments to bring back to earth for "Muh Si and Si Mu" (Pastor and Mrs. Baker).
They knew they were only on a visit to heaven and soon to return. Upon returning, when the Spirit lifted from them, finding themselves in our Adullam rooms they proceeded at once to search in their garments for the delicious fruit they had brought back to please us. Not finding this fruit in their garments, a look of great surprise, confusion, and disappointment came over their faces. They could not, for the time, believe they had not bodily gone to heaven and come back with the fruit tucked in their garments.
Walking on the streets of the New Jerusalem was to them as real as walking on the streets of a Chinese city. One day, when walking down the street in bright sunshine, I asked the boys if the visions were as real and as clear as what we then saw. "Just as real," they said, "but much clearer due to the light in heaven and the white garments and the cleanliness everywhere, all adding to the brightness."
When in the Spirit, the children were usually lost to their natural surroundings. In many cases, although they supposed they were in heaven, they talked aloud, describing what they saw, thus carrying on conversation that we all could hear. Often they acted out before our eyes what they supposed they were doing in heaven.
Caught up to the Third Heaven
The Adullam children said they went to the third heaven. As they passed through the first heaven they felt air on their faces. Having passed the second heaven, they looked back upon the stars in their wonderful beauty, much as from a mountain height a person might gaze down upon a beautiful, light-studded city below. From this starry heaven they passed on into the third heaven until they
Came to the Heavenly Jerusalem.
As they approached this heavenly city they saw its light in the distance. Coming nearer, they saw the beautiful wall radiating its wonderful jasper light. The foundations were of indescribable beauty, sparkling with red, yellow, orange, purple, blue, green, violet, and all the other colors of the twelve most beautiful jewels.
This city in the sky the children saw as three cities in one: one city suspended above another, the largest city below, the smallest city on top, making a pyramid. Since this city John saw is surrounded by a wall, and since the city is one thousand five hundred miles high, Bible students have supposed the heavenly city is not a cube but a pyramid. Our children, however, knew nothing of this, neither had I ever thought of the New Jerusalem as three cities, one suspended above another. God who suspends the worlds in space can suspend these cities in space. The Bible does not tell us the internal order of the city.17
One of our small boys spoke in prophecy when in vision at the feet of the Lord the Lord was talking to him. In this prophecy the Lord said that he had made heaven big enough for everybody, that he had made it in three cities one above another, and that at present his throne is in the upper city.
Since time and distance are nothing in the heavenly realm, there is nothing impossible in such an arrangement of this city of God. There are three heavens. There were three stories in the ark, where God preserved the present creation. God is three in one. Why should not the city of the Great King be three in one? Why should not the King reign from the top of the pyramid of all the universe, since "the stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner," the capstone of the pyramid of all creation?
By the Gates into the City
Adullam entered by its pearly gates into the city of golden streets. Angels in white guarded the gates and welcomed those entering in. No beggarly reception this. Here the one-time rejected off-scourings of the earth were welcomed as kings by these angelic hosts. Had not the Savior promised the weakest and humblest of his children a kingdom where they shall reign with the King of Kings for ages and ages?
Through the gates into the city! Out of earth into heaven! Out of the mortal into the immortal! Out of death into life! All the old life behind and below! All the new life ahead and above! Inside the gates! Angels, angels every where. Angels talking, angels singing, angels rejoicing, angels playing harps and blowing trumpets, angels dancing and praising the King. Such a scene no mortal ever saw; such floods of inner joy flooded the whole being as no one ever knew except when filled with the Holy Spirit, the eternal life, the heavenly life of God, "the earnest," "down payment" of heaven.
The children clapped their hands in rapture. They shouted for joy. They sometimes rolled on the floor in unrestrained laughter and jumped and danced in great delight, while their faces were so transformed by this heavenly joy that the glory of the celestial city seemed to shine upon us. There was no sorrow in this city; no mournful, long-faced religion there; no funeral dirges in the hymns. This was a city of joy, "joy in the Holy Spirit," "joy unspeakable and full of glory."18
With Innumerable Hosts of Angels
Inside the city, the children knew the meaning of the Scripture which says, "Ye are come into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels" (Heb. 12 :22) . Not only about the gates of the city were these happy angels, but also throughout the city everywhere were these heavenly hosts. Angels were always ready to escort the children from place to place throughout the city; angels walked with them and talked with them; angels explained to them the meaning of things they did not understand, even as they talked with John and revealed to him the things of God. Often in these experiences with the angels our children were given harps and taught to play them and sing as the angels did. They were also taught to blow the trumpets and were taught
The Music and Language of Heaven.19
When we saw the children, with closed eyes, all dancing about the room in rhythm, we found that in vision they were dancing with the angels in heaven and keeping time to the heavenly music. When we saw them apparently blowing a trumpet or going through the motions of playing a harp, we found that in vision they were joining the heavenly orchestra in the praises of the King. We could not see the heavenly harps or trumpets. We could not see the angels' joyful dance or hear their song. We could hear only the children singing heavenly songs. It. was a daily sight to find some child off in a corner by himself, lying comfortably on the pine needles, going through the motions of playing a harp. Upon going near, we could hear him singing a new song we had never taught him. Approaching still nearer, we would discover that the words were as strange to us as the tune. The singer was singing in the heavenly choir. His song was the song the angels taught him. The words of the song must have been in the language of angels.20 Seeing the children singing in this heavenly angelic choir was a sight not to be forgotten. Sometimes several of them in some place in the heavenly city or its wonderful Paradise would decide to play and sing together. With closed eyes, while fully under the power of the Holy Spirit, three or four of them would get off by themselves. If we were near, we would hear a consultation as to who would play the trumpet and who would sing. After all was decided and everybody was ready, the heavenly hymns began. The trumpeters held their hands up before them and blew as though blowing trumpets. The harpists both played and sang, while those without instruments joined in the singing. In these cases they always sang in languages we did not understand, unless by mutual agreement they decided to sing one of those hymns they "used to sing down on earth." In that case they sang in Chinese.
Seeing and Worshipping Jesus
The climax of all heavenly joy and wonder was "seeing Jesus" and worshipping Him who had saved them by His blood.
Soon after entering the gates of the city the children were escorted by the angels to "go and see Jesus." We could hear these children talking about "going to see Jesus" and see them as in vision they were approaching the throne of Christ. When they came into the wonderful presence they stood reverently gazing with love and devotion upon the Lord of all creation, who was also their Savior. First of all they thanked Him, and adoringly worshipping Him they joined their hands before them, bowing in true obeisance. Then they knelt and bowed their faces to the floor in true worship "in spirit and truth,"21 which few if any know on earth who have not the baptism of God's Holy Spirit.
The Throne of God and the Throne of Christ
The throne of Christ the children saw as did John when he was "in the Spirit": "And behold there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon. And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting arrayed in white garments: and on their heads crowns of gold,—and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." Rev. 4:3-6.
Jesus Preeminent in all Things in Heaven
No matter how amazed were the children at the wonders of the golden city, no matter how happy in the pleasures of Paradise, no matter how joyful in the presence of the angels, Jesus was never forgotten. His name was mentioned in all the conversation; his praise was mingled in all the enjoyments; he was always magnified everywhere, in everything, and in everybody there.
Houses by the Golden Street22
On either side of the beautiful golden streets were buildings side by side, a room for each person, every room opening onto the street. Upon the door and about the front were precious jewels so resplendently brilliant that the building shone with light and glory. The name of each occupant was above the door. Angels led the children into the rooms. Within all the rooms were the same kinds of furnishings: a beautiful golden table upon which was a Bible, a flower vase, a pen, and a book; by the table was a golden chair; there was also a wonderful golden chest and a golden bed. In each room was a jeweled crown, a golden harp, and a trumpet. The walls were gold. From the Bible, made of such paper as had never been seen on earth and bound with gold, light and such brilliant glory shone forth that the whole room needed no other light. The visitors were told that when they came to stay after death they could go out into Paradise and pick any flowers of their choice to place in the beautiful vase on the golden table.23
In these visits to heaven the children could go to their rooms at pleasure to read their Bibles or to play their harps and trumpets. Sometimes they took their trumpets or harps out into the streets or out into Paradise to play and sing with the angels and the redeemed who are now in heaven.
In these excursions through heaven the children, though lost to their real surroundings on earth, were always conscious that their visit to heaven was temporary. They knew they were there only to see what was prepared for them after death, so they might go back to earth again to tell others. Angels and the Lord told these heavenly visitors that, if they believed and obeyed, all these things would be theirs. They not only knew they must come back to earth again, but they sometimes knew when they were coming.
One boy, after enjoying the glories of heaven, hung his crown and trumpet up in his room so he could have them again after he died and went to heaven to remain. He then came back to earth. The power of the Holy Spirit left him. When he opened his eyes he was in our Adullam room telling the wonders of his trip to heaven.
Can we suppose the Lord saved these boys, baptized them with the Holy Spirit, and then fooled them by showing them a figurative and mythical heaven? Impossible!!! An earthly father may deceive his children with false hopes and false promises. Our Heavenly Father shows his children what he has for them (I Cor. 2:10), promises he will give these things (Rev. 3:21), and then gives the very things which He has promised (Lu. 11:9, 13).
When these children saw the heavenly rooms of their Adullam friends they clapped their hands, laughed, and shouted with great joy, calling each one by name to come and see his room. The one in the Spirit was passing along the streets of the New Jerusalem, reading the names above each door.
In Heaven Meet Adullam Boys Who Died
The first day when the Holy Spirit fell upon the children, and one of the boys was caught up to heaven, with angels who came to welcome him came also the two Adullam boys who were undoubtedly saved and who died the year before. These two, "Hsi Dien Fu" and "Djang Hsing," had with them in heaven a little girl who died in Kotchiu four years previous, whom our children had forgotten.
These who had died and gone on before led those who were caught up in the joys and wonders of heaven. They led them to see Jesus, first of all, and to worship and thank Him. After this they were shown their dwellings and escorted around the city or led out into Paradise to play.
All who went to heaven were given white garments. The angels, also dressed in seamless garments of spotless white, had wings, but the redeemed did not have wings. There was a clear distinction between the two.
Later on many more of the children saw these Adullam boys who are in heaven. Heaven did not seem far away as, caught away in the Spirit, they acted out heavenly visions before our eyes. With closed eyes and radiant faces they clapped their hands and shouted for joy to these boys who died that year, calling them to hurry over to see some dwelling, some golden street, some new scene among the angels, some new discovery in the garden of Paradise, or to come and play the harp and sing with them the praises of Jesus. These boys who had died were so constantly seen in heaven and their names were so frequently shouted in our midst with ecstasy and joy that they did not seem far away— just out of sight. Heaven was so real, so near, so wonderful, so certain, that if one of our children had died in those days the others would have envied him his privilege.
The step to heaven after death or at the coming of the Lord seemed so small and the coming of the Lord so near that it removed from our minds all mystery as to why the first disciples could sell their possessions and face persecution and death without wavering.
Our kingdom is not of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven, whence also we wait for our Savior. Our life, our work, our service, our hardships here are only brief and passing incidents on the way to the true life, the true city, in the true kingdom that cannot be shaken.
