The Lord has given me a view of other worlds. Wings were given me, and an angel attended me from the city to a place that was bright and glorious. The grass of the place was living green, and the birds there warbled a sweet song. The inhabitants of the place were of all sizes; they were noble, majestic, and lovely. They bore the express image of Jesus, and their countenances beamed with holy joy, expressive of the freedom and happiness of the place. I asked one of them why they were so much more lovely than those on the earth. The reply was, “We have lived in strict obedience to the commandments of God, and have not fallen by disobedience, like those on the earth.” Then I saw two trees, one looked much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit of both looked beautiful, but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel said to me, “None in this place have tasted of the forbidden tree; but if they should eat, they would fall.” Early Writings, p. 39
The inhabitants of unfallen worlds and of the heavenly universe are watching with an intense interest the conflict between good and evil. They rejoice as Satan’s subtleties one after another are discerned and met with “It is written,” as Christ met His conflict with the wily foe. Every victory gained is a gem in the crown of life. ST June 20, 1900, par. 11
The truth, to be genuine in its influence on the human heart, must be acknowledged before the universe of heaven, before the worlds unfallen, and before men. Let no one entertain the idea that he may work out his own salvation or receive the smallest spiritual blessing which the gospel offers by stealth. The Lord calls for open, manly confession. “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord.” [Isaiah 43:10.] Nothing can be effectually gained in advancing in the knowledge of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ until the believing one, longing after Christian excellence of character, shall become as God has intended, a spectacle unto the world, to angels, and to men, a city set on a hill that cannot be hid.10LtMs, Lt 128, 1895, par. 18
When you accepted Christ as your personal Saviour, you pledged yourself to unite with Him in bearing the cross. You are to unite with Him in carrying out the great plan of redemption. For life and for death you are bound up with the Saviour. You are a part of His great scheme of mercy and love. Your knowledge and wisdom will increase as you seek to grasp the great science of salvation. Before the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds and before fallen human beings you are to live the life of Christ, that unbelievers may be constrained to acknowledge, “He has been with Christ, and has learned of Him.” [See Acts 4:13.] The purity of your language and the unselfishness of your actions are to bear witness to the power of Christ’s grace.17LtMs, Ms 22a, 1902, par. 20 (also found in AUCR August 15, 1902, par. 8 and RH September 23, 1902, par. 1)
Those who press close to the bleeding side of Christ will have the spirit of Christ, and a nature that will be quickly responsive to His call. They will work to relieve the necessities of suffering humanity, as Christ worked while before the world fallen, the worlds unfallen; and all the heavenly host he was representing the ways and works of God. In the life of Christ we see what a Christian can do in relieving the distressed, binding up their physical and spiritual wants. 10LtMs, Lt 5, 1895, par. 49
The following excerpt is from Manuscript 39, 1898, paragraphs 10-16
How few contemplate the unseen agencies. Men are acting their part wither for God or for Satan, the Prince of light, or the prince of darkness. All heaven is intensely interested in the human beings who seem to be so full of activity, and yet have not thought for the unseen. Their thoughts are not on the Word of God and its instruction. If they would appreciate the Word of God, they would be assured that there are agencies, good and evil, observing every word and deed. They are in every assembly for business transactions, in councils, and in meetings for the worship of God.
There are more listeners in these public assemblies than can be seen with the natural sight, and every man has his work to do. Those unseen agencies are co-laborers with God or with Satan, and they work more mightily and more constantly than do man. Sometimes the heavenly intelligences draw aside the curtain that hides the unseen world, that we may have our minds withdrawn from the hurry and rush, and consider that there are witnesses to all we do and say when engaged in business, or when we think ourselves alone.
The Lord would have our perceptions keen to understand that those mighty ones who visit our world have borne an active part in all the work which we have called our own. These heavenly beings are ministering angels, and they frequently disguise themselves in the form of human beings. As strangers they converse with those who are engaged in the work of God. In lonely places they have been the companions of the traveler in peril. In tempest-tossed ships [angels] in human form have spoken words of encouragement to allay fear and inspire hope in the hour of danger, and the passengers have thought that it was one of their number to whom they had never before spoken.
Interaction with inhabitants of other worlds
Many, under different circumstances, have listened to the voices of the inhabitants of other worlds. They have come to act a part in this life. They have spoken in assemblies, and opened before assemblies human histories, and have done works which it was impossible for human agencies to do. Time and again have they been the generals of armies. They have been sent forth to cleanse away the pestilence. They have eaten at the humble board of families. Often they have appeared an weary travellers in need of shelter for the night.
We need to understand better than we do the work of these angel visitants. It would be well for all who claim to be children of God to consider that words they speak are in the hearing of heavenly beings, and that they behold the works they do. Who would think that heavenly angels are co-operating with us in our work? But so it is, and thus earth is connected with heaven.
In this little speck of a world the heavenly universe manifests the greatest interest, for Jesus paid an infinite price for the souls of its inhabitants. The world’s Redeemer has bound this world to heaven by ties of intelligence; the redeemed of the Lord are here. When man severs himself from his Keeper, he is unfit for any good. His light goes out in darkness and disorder. Israel might have remained in the light of God’s countenance, and, as a nation, been a bright shining light, but Christ was forced to say to them, Ye will not come within the rays of the Sun of Righteousness, that he may give you light. When men depart from obedience to God, they do not love to be in His light. It is this that makes their deeds evil.
Said Christ, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” [John 10:27, 28.] Men talk of independence, of self-reliance, but they can have self-reliance with safety only in God. Man’s self-reliance is a miserable failure which takes him away from the divine Counsellor, in whom he lives and moves, and has his being.
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