Temple of the saints

One day I was out walking in a rural area minding my own business. After walking up a very steep side of a hillside I reached a summit spot. As I looked ahead I could see a very large structure far in the distance. From where I was standing, it seemed such a long way off and I calculated it would take a very long walk to get there.

I decided to press on as I was immensely curious. Before I set off, I looked at my watch, it read exactly 2.30pm. As I walked, the elements around me seemed to fade and quieten down somewhat. There was no breeze or clouds in the sky, and the sun seemed to disappear and all around there were no trees or grass or vegetation, and It felt neither warm or cold.

As I approached the structure my senses were heightened. I could see the structure was simply magnificent and it glowed with splendour and brilliance. I also noticed that it looked somewhat incomplete, but almost complete.

When I arrived my pace slowed and I stopped and found myself completely engrossed and dazzled by its grandeur. After a while, to get a better perspective, I manoeuvred around the side of the structure which seemed to go on indefinitely.

As I looked, I couldn't help but compare it to other great structures in the world. I thought of Solomon's temple in the book of Kings, the Taj Mahal in India, the great pyramids in Egypt, and many other structures. However, they all paled in insignificance compared to this incredible masterpiece.

I steadied my mind and tried to find the words to describe it, but after a while, I decided it was simply unearthly and somewhat inexpressible.

I walked on to look for a point of entry. As I moved closer to the centre, I gazed up high and could see the figure of a man up high working on the structure. I stared for a few moments and he spotted me and quickly motioned me towards the entry gates, urging me to enter.

I was a bit startled and began to feel slightly nervous, but I followed his instructions anyway. As I approached, I could see two enormous pillars supporting the centre of the building and external stairs leading up to a vestibule area. Inside two beautifully decorated doors hung.

The giant pillars seemed to be made out of gold, but it looked more like a pure white gold and I had the feeling that they were somewhat indestructible. The stairs and doors were made from the richest pearl one could ever imagine and it was difficult to take my eyes from their splendour and beauty.

As I approached I felt drawn to the outer wall structure. As I looked closer, there seem to be an uncountable number of smaller stones supported by massive foundations. I approached slowly and looked carefully at each stone that seemed to have its own unique shape and identity and they all blended together perfectly. No two stones had the same shape and the craftsmanship was much and beyond anything I have ever seen.

I slowly raised my hand and touched one of the stones which again looked as pure white gold. As I moved my fingers over the stone, I was suddenly startled and pulled my hand away as I had a deep sence that this stone was much more that an inanimate object; almost like a living stone! I paused for a moment and quickly realised that there was a great mystery here.

I moved away from the side wall and headed up the grand stairs and entered through the large pearl doors. If the outside of the structure was magnificent, the inside was almost indescribable.

It was like huge open space suspended in time although it still had structured corridors, and lower and upper rooms. All around there was nothing but beauty, magnificent art, and great representations of mankind everywhere.

There were diamonds and rubies and every kind of beautiful jewel. The floor was made of some kind of transparent material and below it was a million swimming colours just gently moving. I also had a sence that no time was passing in here at all and there was an incense and ambience of holiness all around that was so powerful that nothing unclean could ever enter.

I headed down a long corridor by instinct just taking in its beauty and ambience and eventually I came to another large area similar to the first one I encountered, except this one had a huge staircase leading to more upper rooms.

As I gazed up, someone was heading down the staircase and started toward me. My senses sharpened and my eyes remained fixed. For some reason, as he approached my head instinctively dropped as I couldn't look upon his face.

After a few moments, he laid a hand on my shoulder and put me at ease. I am unable to describe his appearance as I had a deep sence in my heart that I wouldn't be able to.

However what I did feel in his presence was Lordship, Kingship, and divine royalty. He said; ‘I am a builder, come with me and I will show you what we are building.’ We headed up a grand spiral staircase and eventually reached the highest level of the structure as we came to an area where some building works were taking place.

In his presence I felt captivated as all my senses remained heightened. He turned and looked at me and seemed to read my thoughts. He said; 'This great temple needs an architect, a builder and a helper.

He picked up a living stone and placed it with perfect precision into the structure of the wall. He repeated the process several times as each stone added more beauty to the structure of the temple.

I looked on and watched for a long period in silence at the precision and craftsmanship of his incredible work. I then turned and noticed another figure approaching us. He looked similar to the builder but somehow different.

Again I wasn't able to describe him. He was carrying effortlessly what looked like hundreds of building stones on his shoulder. He carefully placed the stones down next to the builder and shortly departed - he didn't speak.

The builder continued his fine work and It was all I could do but watch. I had so many questions on my mind about the builder and the one that delivered the stones, but I felt compelled to remain silent in his presence. When he had placed all the stones, he turned to me and said, 'come with me, I have much to show you.'

I followed the builder down a spiral staircase and we came to a room. At the entrance it read ‘Mankind' - Inside was a massive picture gallery stretching all around the room. The pictures were in chronological order and were hung portrait side by side and stood very tall stretching high up to the ceiling.

Each caption represented different era's of world history. The illustrations showed the rise and fall of great empires and kingdoms and they represented wonderful authors and the works and writings of all the patriots and prophets.

Although the pictures had no words, they told a perfect story from the beginning up until the modern era. The last pictures demonstrated the use of incredible technologies invented by mankind to explore the universe, produce the finest medicines, and build incredible infrastructure.

They represented business and finance, trading and commerce, media, communications and transportation systems and all of the arts. The last illustration showed modern computerised systems and devices to support and sustain our way of life.

Everything on display was a magnificent tribute to the brilliance and achievements of mankind.

We moved from this room to another area and eventually came to two very large decorated doors which had the title 'The Living word' inscribed on them. Inside, the walls were beautifully decorated and there was an uncountable amount of words written onto thousands of pages all around the room.

Each page was represented by a rich marble slab, and the words were perfectly inscribed onto the slabs. I raised my arm and reached out to gently touch the words, and had the same feeling I had after I touched the stones earlier. The words seem to be alive and I sensed that they had such divine meaning.

Every word was crystal clear and the light all around the room was quite spectacular. As I looked around, I couldn't see where the light was coming from or how it was even possible. The builder turned to me and said; 'The words you see have given guidance to every living stone in here and they shall never pass away. They are held above the stars of heaven.'

Later we passed through into another room which had the title 'Rivers of living water'. In the centre of the room was a flowing river of crystal clear water. As the river gently flowed, it resonated and sparkled like a summer stream but somehow more graceful.

I couldn't see where the river came from or where it led to, as it seemed to have no beginning and no end. The builder cupped his hands and scooped out some of the water and drank. He turned to me and asked if I was thirsty. I placed the tip of my fingers in the stream and scooped out some water and drank it.

It was the sweetest and most satisfying water I had ever tasted in my life. Every part of me felt fulfilled as the water seemed to have sustaining life in abundance. The builder looked at me and smiled with an incredible love in his eyes. I had so many questions on my mind but somehow I still felt compelled to remain silent for the time being.

We headed out the room and moved into another area.

The decor could only be described as majestic and everything was perfect and orderly. It was truly a dwelling fit for a divine royal King. We then came to another room and it was named 'The book of life' We entered and the room was very still.

There was a gentle and sombre quietness about this room and it had an ambience of antiquity and pure holiness. In the centre there was an old Victorian table supporting two lit candles at either side and an ancient book in the centre. The light in the room was subtly incandescent emitting from the candles.

The book was very thick and supported by a desktop lectern, and next to the book was a large feathered ink pen reminiscent of an era gone by. We walked towards the table and I placed one hand on the book of life. The book was vibrant to touch and I could feel it's historical texture and the life flowing through it.

Inside there was thousands upon thousands of names filling every page, and every name was hand written and beautifully inscribed. There seemed to be no end to the book as I kept turning the pages and I surmised that there must have been an uncountable number of names.

The builder looked at me and said; 'when a living stone comes to the temple, a new chapter is written into this book.'

We moved away and headed for the centre of the temple. I looked again at the floor and was fascinated by its miraculous structure and the moving smoky colours below us. We walked in silence for a very long time but I knew in my heart that no time had passed.

We arrived at an area and its entrance was simply spectacular! The builder stopped and I stood alongside him. Before us was a very large wall of moving liquid smoke suspended in mid air.

It had a texture I was unable to describe and I couldn't determine its dimensions - where it started or finished. In the centre were the words 'The New Covenant.' The builder passed straight through the liquid wall and I followed him in faith and without any fear.

Inside the room there was no recognisable structure and it was free from all perceivable dimensions. There seemed to be no beginning or end. The light could only be described as a miraculous incandescence, and it was everywhere and alive with life and brilliant tantalising colours.

There was an ambience in the room synonymous with beautiful musical harps and stringed melodies, but there was no obvious sign or source of any actual music. The story in the room wasn't illustrated with pictures or icons or even words, but a spiritual imagery created by blinding light which told over and over of the greatest event in the entire universe.

As flashes of lightning produced imagery, it told a prophetic story of incarnation and the revelation of a divine King. As lighting cracked above me, imagery poured forward of a virgin birth and of a messiah, the apostles, parables, miracles and water and Spirit baptisms. As the story was building with intensity, there was suffering, humility, persecution and a crucifixion.

As one image blended into the next, the narrative made perfect sense and showed a resurrection, a day of Pentecost and the birth of the church. As the story continued, a holy fire appeared and the Spirit of the Creator went into the world with mercy and love to comfort the lost.

The flashes were everywhere in the room as the biblical gospel was spread through the church and throughout the lands and nations. I witnessed images of repentance, forgiveness, salvation, sanctification and justification.

Finally there was a revelation of events to come, a gathering of the saints, judgements, a book of life and a new Jerusalem! When the story finally ended, I thought, this story is truly the greatest story ever written and could only have been authored by one of the most Devine nature.

After this we moved back to the top level and I followed the builder to an open area where we could see the world at large.

The view was spectacular as it seemed from here I could see everything possible. After a long pause, the builder turned to me and said, 'hear me' :

The structure you are in represents a temple for my saints. They have kept the word and lived in obedience and by faith. They are now living stones in the temple and their reward of eternal life awaits them.

Some are alive in the world today, and some have passed. This temple of saints represents the church from the New Testament and we have been building this through the word for over 2000 years.

The one you witnessed bringing new living souls is the Holy Spirit sent forth by the Father - the architect of the temple, and the divine Creator. I am the Lamb, the son of man and the begotten son of the Father and the builder. Together we are the Holy Trinity.

Each day the Spirit brings many new saints and they are built into this temple as living stones. The living stones are built on foundations, and the foundations represent my apostles.

As you have witnessed, the temple is almost complete, but there are still many saints to be gathered from every corner of the world. When the temple is complete, the end will come and the trials and tribulations will unfold unto the world as it is written.

The times to come in the world will be unprecedented and more severe than anything which has ever gone before. The world will pass away, but my word will live on throughout eternity.'

The builder paused for a few moments and looked out at the world. I looked into his burning eyes of fire and sensed deep oceans of love and compassion for his people. He said with tenderness; ‘Not every stone will be redeemed from the world as many will choose their own way and a path of destruction.

But anyone that invites me in, I will come in and eat with them. My spirit will bring forth their soul and I will add them to my temple as a living stone and write a new chapter in the book of life.' He paused for a moment....

The hearts of men have such goodness and their woman overflow with incredible love and kindness. The Father loves his people just as a mother adores her child but he desires repentance for their wickedness.

I tell you the truth, if they look to the heavens and whisper a prayer with sincerity in their hearts, it will resonate like thunder across the heavens and my Father will hear them and bless them and angels will rejoice!

They will grow in love and in spirit and I will cultivate and reward their faith and have divine providence and stewardship over their lives. They will prosper in a way they could never imagine and the chains of despair will be broken forever!

Those that are at sea will have my anchor, and as they pass through the narrow gate, the mysteries of their lives will be revealed to them.’ For the first time I spoke out loud to the builder: ‘Lord what prayer should they say?' He turned and said slowly;

If they say in their heart they believe in me (Christ Jesus) and repent for their sins, I tell you the truth, I will come to them, bless them and grant them peace and salvation, and here they will rest with me.'

We stood for a little while longer and he turned and said; 'Come I will walk with you.' He led me out of the temple grounds and towards my path and we walked back the way I came.

As I approached my hill, the elements returned to normal. The sun was shining and I could feel the wind in my hair. My path became like grass and there were trees and natural vegetation all around. We reached the summit and we stopped.

The builder placed one hand on my shoulder and I looked into his burning eyes. In a moment he filled my heart with faith and love and my mind with wisdom. No more words were spoken as he turned back towards the temple of saints.

I stood silent for a long time and remembered everything I had witnessed. As the builder got further into the distance, the temple and all its splendour faded into the natural elements of the world and then I could see him no more.

I checked my watch and the time read exactly 2.30pm. I smiled to myself, turned and headed back home.

In Jesus name amen.