5. A Glimpse Into Heaven

My Heart's Desire
Maynard A. Force
Chapter 5

A Glimpse Into Heaven

There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary are at rest. There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the 'voice of the task- master. The small and the great are there: and the servant is free from his master. Job 3: 17-19.

When Job's testing became unbearable he found comfort by looking heavenward. He knew the balm for troubled hearts. As he peered with longing eye, he described what he saw.

"The wicked cease from troubling''-the days of trouble are past. Where can you find such a place on this earth? Here wicked people and wickedness surround us on all sides, and troubles of one kind or another come as regularly as the day. Our entire pilgrimage is a warfare, with Satan inspiring wicked people to trouble the saints. But that day of troubling will soon be over. Jesus said in one of His last messages to His disciples: "Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me. . . I go to prepare a place for you. . . . I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also'' (John 14: 1-3). This is medicine for a weary Christian. The day will soon dawn when the wicked shall cease from troubling.

"There the weary are at rest." That is exactly what Jesus promised when He said: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'' (Matthew 11: 28). What a sight to see all those who were once weary and tired, now refreshed and happy, with struggles and trials forever past ! Now they have perfect rest, rest that will last through all the ages of eternity. When the apostle Paul peered heavenward he, too, had "the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better'' (Philippians 1. 23). For a saved soul "to die is gain," for there the weary are at rest.

"There the prisoners are at ease together.'' How good to see those who were once prisoners now released! Satan's prisons have been opened, and many haggard, starved, restless prisoners are free. They are more than free; they are at ease, perfectly relaxed. No longer in lonely cells, where Satan had them isolated, but now together in glorious fellowship. People who were once guilty of all types of crimes make up this heavenly population. They are now at ease, for there is no guilty conscience to hound them, and no regrets of failures and shortcomings. They are here because of Jesus. These are the ones to whom Jesus referred when He said, "He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives'' (Luke 4: 18).

"They hear not the voice of the taskmaster.'' The taskmaster Satan, who had such a far-reaching voice on earth, is now forever silenced. He who drove his slaves from early morning until late at night and shouted his demands into every nook of human life is heard no more. He who was known as "the accuser of the brethren'' can no longer be heard even in a whisper He who once came "as an angel of light'' and imitated the Holy Spirit, can never deceive these saved souls again, for they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

"The small and the great are there." There is no distinction now. We expected that the great would be there, but did you notice that the small are present, too? Does that not encourage you? The small, who were hardly recognized on earth are known in heaven. Job even mentions them first. The prophecy of Jesus, "the last shall be first," has been fulfilled. Jesus has always had His eyes on the small. He has always taken their side. Once He said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom'' (Luke 12: 32).

"The servant is free from his master." There are no class distinctions in heaven, nor any labor disputes. Social inequality is gone forever; the caste system is a thing of the past. "God is no respecter of persons'' (Acts 10: 34).

Thus we have been listening to Job as he peered into heaven and saw the redeemed. We could well wish he had told us more. We would like to linger, but our journey calls for more marching. With these beautiful glimpses of that land to which we are going we move on with renewed hope, longing for the day when we will be there.