Flesh and spirit—a riddle

‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.’ Psalm 73:22–24

Suggested Further Reading: Psalm 40:1–5

I thought I saw just now before my eyes a dark and horrible pit, and down deep below, where the eye could not reach, lay a being broken in pieces, whose groans and howlings pierced the awful darkness and amazed my ears. I thought I saw a bright one fly from the highest heaven, and in an instant dive into that black darkness till he was lost and buried in it. I waited for a moment, and to my mind’s eye I saw two spirits rising from the horrid deep; with arms entwined, as though one was bearing up the other, I saw them emerge from the gloom. I heard the fairest of them say, as he mounted into light, ‘I have loved thee, and given myself for thee.’ And I heard the other say, who was that poor broken one just now, ‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.’ Before I could write the words both spirits had risen into mid air, and I heard one of them say ‘Thou shalt be with me in paradise,’ and the other whispered ‘Nevertheless I am continually with thee.’ As they mounted higher, I heard one say, ‘None shall pluck thee out of my hand,’ and I heard the other say ‘Thou hast holden me by my right hand.’ As still they rose they continued the loving dialogue. ‘I will guide thee with mine eye,’ said the bright one; the other answered ‘Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel.’ They reached the bright clouds that separate earth from heaven, and as they parted to make way for the glorious One, he said, ‘I will give thee to sit upon my throne, even as I have overcome, and sit upon my Father’s throne,’ and the other answered, ‘And thou shalt afterward receive me to glory.’

For meditation: When God raises us up with Christ, he seats us with him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) during our journey to heaven. If you have entered this spiritual dimension by faith in him, you have received every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

Sermon no. 467
31 August (1862)