Comforting His Dear Ones
As soon as his soul had left his body the angels took him in their arms, and were about to go off to heaven, but he asked them to delay a few minutes. He looked at his lifeless body, and at his friends, and said to the angels, "I did not know that the spirit after leaving the body could see his own body and his friends. I wish my friends could see me, as well as I can see them, then these would never count me as dead, nor mourn for me as they do." Then he examined his spiritual body and found it beautifully light and delicate, and totally different from his gross material body. On that, he began to restrain his wife and children who were weeping and kissing his cold body. He stretched out his delicate spiritual hands, and began to explain to them, and with great love to press them away from it, but they could neither see him, nor hear his voice, and, as he tried to remove his children from off his body, it seemed as if his hands passed right through their bodies, as if they were air, but they felt nothing at all. Then one of the angels said, "Come, let us take you to your everlasting home. Do not be sorry for them. Maran (the Lord) Himself, and we also, will comfort them. This separation is but for a few days."
Then in company with the angels he set out for heaven. They had gone forward only a little way when another band of angels met them with cries of "Welcome." Many friends and dear ones, who had died before him, also met him, and on seeing them, his joy was further increased. On reaching the gate of heaven, the angels and saints stood in silence on either side. He entered, and in the doorway was met by Messiah. At once, he fell at His feet to worship Him, but the Lord lifted him up, embraced him, and said, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord." At that the man's joy was indescribable. From his eyes tears of joy began to flow, Maran in great love wiped them away, and to the angels He said, "Take him to that most glorious mansion that, from the beginning, has been prepared for him." Now the spirit of this man of God still held the earthly idea, that to turn his back on Maran as he went off with the angels would be a dishonour to Him. He hesitated to do this, but, when at last he turned his face towards the mansion, he was astonished to see that wherever he looked he could see Maran. For Messiah is present in every place, and is seen everywhere by Saints and angels.
In addition to Maran, he was delighted to see that on every side there were surroundings that filled him with joy, and that those who are lowest in rank meet without envy those who are higher, and that those whose position is more exalted count themselves fortunate to be able to serve their brethren in lower positions because this is the Kingdom of God, and of love.
In every part of heaven, there are superb gardens, which all the time produces every variety of sweet and luscious fruit, and all kinds of sweet scented flowers that never fade. In them creatures of every kind, give praise to God unceasingly. Birds, beautiful in hue, raise their sweet songs of praise, and such is the sweet singing of angels and saints that on hearing their songs a wonderful sense of rapture is experienced.
Wherever one may look there is nothing but scenes of unbounded joy.
This, in truth, is the Paradise that God has prepared for those that love Him, where there is no shade of death, nor error, nor sin, nor suffering, but abiding peace and joy.