Epilogue

I rose from my place at the spring, wiping my mouth with my sleeve. I had
never tasted such water before! To drink of it is to never thirst again, to drink of
life itself! Gazing around, I looked upon my surroundings. It was paradise.
A short distance away stood a tree with shining fruit upon it. I knew of
this fruit, and marveled that I could even touch it. The tree was in full bloom and
the fruit was ripe and uicy to the mouth! more so than any earthly fruit.
"efreshed from my ourney, I set outwards to the golden city at the edge of
this glorious paradise. It was like nothing I had ever seen or could#ve imagined.
$ut suddenly, before I could go any further, an inky, black presence stood
before me to oppose me. If I had known fear, I would#ve feared, but as it was, I
was only shocked. Though immensely shocked, for its very presence spoke of
things so completely alien to the heaven that surrounded me. Its thick, evil
presence hung there like a wart on the face of a beautiful maiden.
$ut then, as it came for me, it disappeared suddenly, as if summoned away
as though it were a virus attempting to take root in a body that it could not e%ist
in.
That encounter was soon forgotten though, for as I approached the gate to
the city those attending it approached me, each with a gift of surpassing beauty
and awe that rivaled the men holding them. Though to call them men would
surely be an insult to one of such shining beauty and character.
&irst, I was presented with manna, the bread of heaven, which 'hrist
spoke of as (imself) *I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If
anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.+ They were thin, white flakes that
tasted of heaven, far sweeter and richer than I had ever tasted.
Angels holding garments of purest white, with which they clothed me,
approached. A white stone was presented to me that bore a new name on it. That
name was more glorious and wonderful than any I had ever seen, and it was mine
alone!
As I stepped from the great pearl gates and the gateway to this great city, I
was handed an iron scepter to rule with authority. $ut I only glanced at it, for the
beauty without and within of (im who presented it to me was of the ,orning
-tar (imself! my .ord and -avior /esus 'hrist and I, face to face at last!
And so, with the ,orning -tar as my escort, I entered the great city, my
mind bursting from the unfathomable beauty of my gifts and the city and, above
all, (im who led me. (e showed me to the throne room where, if possible, the
beauty I saw was beyond that which I had already seen. ,ore angels than I had
thought possible were gathered around a great and glorious throne where the
&ather, God (imself sat.
/esus 'hrist the $right and ,orning -tar, then spoke my name in this
wonderful assembly. As (e continued to do so, the .iving God rose from the
throne. 0onder of wonders! (e was coming towards me! I trembled with oy
and holy fear as, maestically, (e raised (is shining hand, wiping my face. 0hile
(e was wiping my face, I could feel (im reaching deep within my being! all
sadness, tears, pain and death ceased in me with love incomprehensible.
As my spirit, e%ploding in tremors of oy, reacted to the glory around me
and given to me, the .iving God, the 1ing of kings, led me to (is throne and
placed me on it with (im. Then he brought out the $ook of all books, The $ook
of .ife, and (e showed me my name.
Then (e spoke.
*2o you see all this3+ (e 4uestioned, gesturing. And behold, I was with
God and (is people! and (e was with us5God and the faithful mankind
communing together. *2o you see3+ (e continued. *-o it is, and so it ever shall
be! Amen, amen. 0elcome, 6vercomer!+