Chapter 10: Jerusalem Is Ready

Jerusalem Is Ready Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.

"I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."
(REVELATION 3:11-12)

It was springtime'the season of marvelous flowers, warm breezes and blossoming trees. In Washington state, where I live, it is a spectacular time of year. In heaven, it seems like it is perpetually springtime'warmth, beauty, peace and joy are everywhere. In my heart I had been celebrating springtime throughout the now-ending winter because of my visits with the Lord and my intriguing trips to heaven.

On March 24, Roger and I attended church services. Our pastor preached about Jesus' suffering before the crucifixion. It was Lent'the time of year when Christians prepare for the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the pastor described the Lord's suffering and read Scriptures related to His passion, I began to cry. It was not uncommon for me to shake during our times of worship, but this time my body was shaking so severely that it almost knocked me out of my seat. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was strong upon me.

SCARRED HANDS AND FEET

I saw Jesus in front of me and He said, 'My daughter, I want you to look at My hands again,' and He pointed to the scars on His hands and feet. The unusual voice that I used for vocalizing when spiritual visions came to me did not come forth this time. I sat in the Lord's presence in total silence as He continued to speak to me.

'I want you to keep on writing everything I show you,' He directed.

I nodded my agreement.

It was incomparably wonderful to be able to visit privately with the Lord during our public worship service. I wanted to stand up and tell everyone I had just seen the Lord and that He had shown me His scars, but something deep in my spirit cautioned me not to do this, so I sat patiently until the service was over. I believe it was the 'still, small voice' of God's Holy Spirit that told me not to speak.

Since that time I have learned that there is, as Solomon wrote, a time to speak and a time to remain silent (see Eccles. 3:7). Jesus was training me to become sensitive to the Spirit's leading in my life, and I knew that until He directed me otherwise I was to be receiving instead of giving.

Throughout the service I cried under the precious anointing of the Holy Spirit. The shaking subsided when the Lord left, but the tears did not. I heard the pastor's words, but my mind and spirit were focused on something else'the scars the Lord had now shown me twice.

I began to meditate on some of the Scriptures I had remembered from my study and other church services: 'But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed' (Isa. 53:5); 'And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots' (Matt. 27:33-35).

I could see my precious Lord and Master hanging on the cross of Calvary, atop Golgotha's hill. The sharp spikes ripped at the flesh of His palms and ankles as He hung there so weak and limp. The Roman soldier's spear opened a gaping wound in His side, and streams of blood coursed down His face from the crown of thorns they had pushed onto His head.

There was a puddle of blood at the foot of the cross, and the people stepped into His blood as they clambered, trying to get His seamless robe. The sky overhead was lead gray, and lightning flashed in the distance.

The people mocked Him, spit at Him and cursed Him. They were having a fiendish party at my Master's expense. Then, in my mind's eye, I saw His mother'Mary'bowing near the cross, her body trembling and tears forming rivers on her face.

Oh, how I understood how she must have felt on that first Good Friday'she had to watch her naked son, the one she loved so much, being tortured and killed in front of her'and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Jesus could have called 10,000 angels to come to His assistance, but instead He chose to accept the cruel, shameful death of crucifixion so that we could find the path of life.

I thank God for the vision He imparted to me, for now I truly understand all that Jesus went through for the people He loves so much. He was suspended on the cruel cross, between heaven and hell, so that we would have eternal life. He never sinned, and yet He willingly took all of our sin upon Him. What a wonderful Savior He is!

The scars on His hands and feet are real. I've seen them. They are the marks of horrendous suffering'anguish He experienced for you and me.

FISH IN HEAVEN?

On March 25 Jesus visited with me from 6:35 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. We walked and talked together in the usual way'at the beach, over the golden bridge, along the winding road. After walking on the usual road for a while, the Lord escorted me to a different path, along a road that was wide and white. It looked like a highway in America, and it was lined with trees on both sides.

These trees were unusually tall and their leaves were the most beautiful I'd ever seen. As we walked, I noticed that the trees began to change their colors. It was like walking along a rainbow'the array of colors was spectacular!

This road led to a hill that was much smaller than the mountain we usually climbed. From the rising crest I noticed a silver river shining in the sunlight of heaven. Mountain ranges filled the panorama with a beauty that only heaven could produce. The mountains seemed to be forested with evergreen trees.

We descended the hillside and walked to the water where we saw all kinds of fish swimming in the river over a rocky bottom. It amused me to see fish in heaven, and I began to laugh. I was enjoying the moment so much that I stepped out and began wading in the water.

I reached down and grabbed a red, striped fish and lifted it out of the water. I was laughing uncontrollably, so the fish jumped out of my hands and swam to safety. Watching my former captive swim away, in total freedom, cavorting with the other fish, caused me to giggle hysterically. I grabbed another fish'this one a different color'and it jumped out of my hands as well. It was a wonderful time of joy and fun, and the Lord began to laugh with me.

He began to participate in the action with me by reaching down and grabbing a large fish colored like 'a coat of many colors.' He looked at the fish admiringly and then threw it back into the river, still laughing. It was so good to see the Lord enjoying the moment with me.

I just kept on laughing'deep, belly laughs'and it felt so good. The more I heard the Lord's laughter, the more I laughed. Finally, I was doubled over with laughter, but it felt so good.

Jesus said, 'Daughter, you must be enjoying this. Do you like fishing?'

'I'm just enjoying being here, Lord.'

'I have more fish to show you later. Do you want to catch more fish?'

'I am laughing too hard to catch any fish, Lord,' I acknowledged amid waves of laughter.

'We'd better go back now, my daughter. I have to take you to another place.'

We left the river, and I felt so cleansed by the preceding moments of joy and laughter. The fish were fun, and I remembered, 'A merry heart does good, like medicine' (Prov. 17:22). I felt like I had had a dose of joy that would last me a lifetime!

It was so wonderful to see my Lord taking such obvious delight in my pleasure and happiness. This experience helped me understand the verse: 'You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore' (Ps. 16:11).

I had walked along the path of life in heaven, and I had drunk from the river of His pleasures as the psalmist depicted: 'How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light' (Ps. 36:7-9).

My joy was brimming up like a fountain and overflowing like a waterfall.

FLYING THROUGH HEAVEN

We returned on the same road we had taken to get to the hillside. Then the Lord took me to a high mountain on a very narrow road that was bordered by huge trees and bushes. We walked along this road for quite a while. This caused me to wonder where we were going. I also wondered why the road was so narrow.

Finally we reached the end of the road where I looked over the hill and saw a white fence surrounding many white buildings. They glistened with the purest white'a whiteness more brilliant than freshly fallen snow. I wished that I could get closer to the scene in front of me, but as was so often the case, Jesus showed this setting to me from a distance. I did not understand why.

He spoke to me, 'My daughter, I want you to see it clearly, so we must go down there.' He reached over, took my hand, and we began flying. It was a breathtaking experience, and a loud groan emerged from my real body.

When we landed in the fertile valley, Jesus took me to this pure white street. Then I noticed that it had beautiful white houses on both sides. The street was white and shiny like glass. Everything seemed so white there. The fence seemed to be much higher than the houses that I saw from the top of the hill.

It is not possible, at this time, for me to explain, or even to suggest, why the Lord has shown me some of the things He has. Many times He has shown me the same things on two separate occasions. We usually haven't spent much time at each site, and He has offered few explanations of their meanings, but that's all right with me because I know the time will come when I will know even as I am known (see 1 Cor. 13:12).

The Lord told me that He must show me this, and we approached one of the houses. It had double doors with golden trim. The door was outlined with colored glass. I took particular notice of the door knob made of pure gold!

As we entered the house, I noticed that all the windows were made of stained glass. The carpeting was colorful'a mixture of subdued hues'and it gave the interior of the house a very classic look. The jewels that adorned the walls sparkled and shone. I felt as if I were stepping into a picture rather than a house.

I walked up the golden stairway that had an intricate design etched into its surface. At the top of the stairs, I walked into a bedroom where a bed stood that was grander and larger than any king-sized bed on earth. I walked around it and into the powder room. It was laden with gold and precious gems on every wall except one. That wall had a full-length mirror to reflect the amazing beauty of the immediate environment.

I noticed that all the rooms in this house were immense, including the powder room. In fact, every house the Lord showed me had huge rooms that were beautiful beyond all expectations.

I began to sing with joy as I walked along the corridors, entering each room and enjoying such a blessed dwelling. After my excursion through the upstairs was over, I went downstairs, where the Lord was walking around in a room that was much like a parlor. He heard me, turned, looked at me, and said, 'Do you like this place?'

'Yes, my Lord. It's beautiful. Who will live in these houses You are showing to me?'

'All of my children will live in these houses I've prepared for them. They will be living here sooner than they think.'

THE HOLY CITY

The Lord took my hand and we left the lovely valley. Next, we walked on a divided street that was the same color as the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz. There were white houses on both sides of the street. The island in the middle of the road was adorned with fruit trees that had been evenly placed along a clear, blue stream that was indescribably long. There were many beautiful rocks on both sides of the stream.

Then the Lord took my hand and said, 'We are going up, My daughter.' We lifted from the ground straight up, like a helicopter does, and then we began to fly. He took me to the same mountain where we had started this particular journey.

As we took flight, my earthly body, lying on the bed, was screaming in panic. In my transformed body, however, I was getting somewhat accustomed to the extraordinary things I experienced in heaven. We walked back onto the narrow road and went to the white building where we always change our garments. Next, we proceeded to the quiet pond.

The minute we arrived at the pond I began to sing and dance. My heart was still flying with joy. The Lord said, 'Come, Choo Nam, sit by Me.'

I obeyed by taking a seat on the rock next to Him and holding His arm.

'My daughter, I showed you the river and New Jerusalem. Those houses are in Jerusalem'the Holy City. We will all live in Jerusalem when I bring My children home. I want all of my children to know that Jerusalem is ready for them.

'You saw there was no road to get into Jerusalem. Therefore, we had to fly to get there. We all will fly there soon'that is why your work is so important.'

'I don't want you to miss anything I've shown you or told you,' the Lord continued. 'I know some people will not believe many of the things I've shown you'the doubtful and ones who don't know My Word'but I know how hard you are trying to please Me.

'After you finish this work, your life will be pure joy'far greater than what you've just experienced. You will be blessed. Whoever believes you and helps you will be blessed as well.

'You will be a surprise to all the churches, a joy to those ready and waiting for Me and sad news to those who love the world more than Me. This book will help to deliver many people who are in spiritual darkness.

'Daughter, you must not be concerned with what people think or say; just write down what I show you and tell you. I trust your obedience completely. You have always feared and believed My Word since you knew me. I notice that you have not been deliberately disobedient since you gave your heart to Me, and you always put Me first in your life. That is why I chose you as My special daughter and friend.'

His words were both humbling and reassuring. They made me feel good. One thing I knew for sure'since I had become a Christian I had always endeavored to please My Lord, to put Him first in every situation and decision. He was blessing My obedience.

'It took a long time to prepare you for this work,' He said. 'Now you know how special you are to Me. You said that you had given your life to Me, and I know your heart. Don't ever deviate from this commitment, Choo Nam.

'Whatever you have to give up, or lose, in your earthly life will be restored to you in heaven. In heaven, you will be with Me forever.'

To me, those were the most important words of all. It was this promise that kept me going, because I know how immeasurably wonderful it is to be with Him. The thrill of knowing that I would be in His presence forever was the most blessed thought of all.

'Lord, I am not that good,' I cried. 'It's just that I love You more than my own life. I am not happy with anyone or anything unless You are included. I feel Your control in every part of my life, and it makes me so very happy.'

'Whoever permits Me to control their life will be blessed. These are My obedient children. You are My special child.'

When the visit was over I pondered the many things Jesus had told me. The New Jerusalem is coming from heaven. It is ready now. The Lord wants His children to enjoy eternal glory with Him. He has selected me to share all this with anyone who will listen.

Throughout the day I studied what the Scriptures have to say about the New Jerusalem. When I read the twenty-first chapter of Revelation, I realized that the apostle John had had the same experience with the Lord that I had just enjoyed.

"And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal."
(REVELATION 21:10-11)

I was enthralled by his description of the heavenly city, because I had seen so many of the things he wrote about.

"But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light."
(REVELATION 21:22-23)

I had walked in the brightness of that city. I felt I was surrounded by snow because everything was white and bright. Like John, I had noticed that there were no churches or temples in the New Jerusalem, only beautiful homes that the Lord had prepared for His children.

"Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life."
(REVELATION 21:25-27)

This is what Jesus had been telling me'heaven is reserved for those who will obey. Only the pure in heart will be able to enter and live there.

I continued my reading, into chapter 22, and I was truly taken aback by this confirmation of the reality of heaven that I had experienced.

"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."
(REVELATION 22:1-2)

I had tasted the water of that river, and I had walked down the streets. I had seen the trees and had even tasted the fruit of some.

The message that Jesus gave to John was the same as the one He gave to me. This is the message that the Lord wants me to share with everyone who will listen: 'Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book' (Rev. 22:7).

The Lord is just, and He wants everyone to know: 'Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last' (Rev. 22:12-13).