“Oh yes,” replied Emma, “I recollect now. He says with such joy, ‘We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.’”
“Quite right, dearest,” said her grandmother; “I shall just remind you of one more. It is the Saviour’s own last prayer for His people—‘Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.’ Do you remember the name by which Jesus is spoken of again and again in the book of Revelation, describing to us how He now appears in glory?”
“Yes,” replied Emma; “I have often been struck with the title there given to Him. He is called ‘the Lamb that was slain.’ I often wonder why He should be called so, now that He is in heaven, seated on His throne, with all His sufferings at an end.”
“It is, my dear child,” answered the aged lady, “a very precious name. It tells that He continues, and will continue, to wear His glorified human nature there, and that, too, through all eternity. It tells us also that the redeemed will never cease to remember that it was to the shedding of His precious blood that they owe every gem of their crowns.”
“And doubtless,” said Emma, “the happy company of the saints will for ever delight to think more and more of the love of Jesus?”
|Their Contemplation of Christ’s Love.| “You are right,” said the other. “It will assuredly be one of the greatest joys in heaven to comprehend with all saints what is the height and depth, and length and breadth, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. They will ever be trying to know more and more of this love; but they will never be able to understand all its meaning.”
“I daresay, too, much that we cannot now understand will be cleared up?” said Emma.
“Yes, my dear,” replied her grandmother; “God’s wisdom and faithfulness will then be as fully revealed as His love. There is much that takes place on earth which is perplexing |Providences Explained in Heaven.| to us—what we call ‘dark dealings,’—as, for example, when good and useful lives are taken away, and evil and worthless lives are spared; but Jesus, you remember, said, ‘What thou knowest not now, thou shalt know hereafter.’ I believe we shall then not only ‘know,’ but see, that ‘all things have been working together for good to them that love God.’ Sore trials and afflictions will then call forth loud songs of praise; and it will be made manifest that the Judge of all the earth had done right.”
“And will all these blessed saints,” inquired Emma, “be equally holy and happy?”
“They will all, my dear, be holy,” said the old lady, “for ‘without holiness no one could see God,’ far less enjoy Him; and they will all, too, be happy—not one tear will be in their bright faces. But I believe, too, that some |Degrees of Bliss in Heaven.| will be happier than others. All will be like vessels full to the brim with glory and happiness; but some vessels will be larger than others, and able, therefore, to contain more happiness. We read that they shall differ ‘as one star in the firmament differs from another star in glory.’ Some stars are of a larger size than others; some are nearer the sun than others: so those who have lived nearer Jesus on earth, and loved Him with larger hearts, will be nearer Him in heaven. While all, therefore, who are believers will be happy, those will be happiest who are walking closest with God now. If you will turn to the twelfth chapter of Daniel, you will find there a striking verse, telling of different degrees of coming happiness. Here it is,” continued the old lady, pointing her little grandchild to the third verse: “‘They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.’”