Two Are Better Than One

(From: “Visions Beyond the Veil” by H.A. Baker)

Chapter V. B. - Paradise

Adullam Children See Paradise, the Heaven Park

You will be interested, as we were, in what our Adullam children saw in the Paradise, the Eden, in the city beyond the sky. One of the young men was in Paradise almost as soon as he entered the heavenly city. There he was met by the two Adullam boys who had died in Hokow. These boys, taking him through Paradise and the other parts of the Holy city, soon came to a great, lawnlike, grassy, open plot surrounded by magnificent trees, golden and sparkling. The whole scene was so entrancing the young man said to his two glorified friends, “This is good enough for me. There cannot be anything more beautiful. I will stay right here.” The boys who had preceded him to heaven said, “No, do not wait here, for there are much greater marvels.” Going on a little farther they came to still more wonderful trees, some of them bearing fruit. The park-like surrounding and the grassy lawn beneath the trees were enticing beyond any earthly understanding. The young man said, “I must stay here, I cannot go on and leave this great beauty. I am so happy.” “Come on,” said the others, “there are many things in heaven exceeding this.” “You go,” he replied, “but I shall remain right here for awhile.” The others left him on the grass under the trees with the great, open, velvet-like grassy space before him. Floods of joy and happiness he had never known on earth flooded his whole bing. He was in the land of joy “Joy unspeakable and full of glory,” “the land that is fairer than day.”

Frequently an angel came walking by, playing a harp and singing. The angel smiled, offering him the harp. “I cannot play,” he said. The angel passed by. Soon other angels came, smiling to him as they played and sang.

The angels were dressed in seamless garments of white; their faces were perfect; one was not more beautiful than another. “When they smiled - Oh, I can't describe that,” the boy said, “there is no way on earth to describe the angels' smile.”

Similar and surpassing beautiful scenes in Paradise were seen, repeatedly seen, by a large number of Adullam children. In Paradise they saw trees bearing the most delicious fruit, and vistas of most beautiful flowers of every color and hue, sending forth an aroma of surpassing fragrance. There were birds of glorious plumage singing their carols of joy and praise. In this park were also animals of every size and description: large deer, small deer, large lions, great elephants, lovely rabbits, and all sorts of little friendly pets such as they had never seen before.

Playing with the Lion and Other Animals in the Heavenly Paradise Park

The children held the little pets in their arms and passed them from one to another. Or perhaps they found the lion peacefully lying beneath a tree. It that case they climbed on his back, ran their fingers through his shaggy mane, brushed his face, and put their hands in his mouth. If they so desired they curled down beside him to enjoy together the love of their common Maker. Why not? Somewhere “the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Their young ones shall lie down together' (Isaiah 11:6-8).

Little children rode the small deer, while older children rode the larger deer or the friendly elephant. All was perfect love. All was great harmony. Such shouts of joy! Such happy childish laughter! Who but our Father in Heaven ever thought of or planned such a Paradise?

Easting and Drinking in the Heaven “Park of Pleasure and Fruits”

When hungry, the children ate of the wonderful fruit or gathered freely the sweet tasting, refreshing manna that was scattered all about. Were they thirsty? Here and there trickled little brooks of the stimulating and refreshing water of life. (The scriptures teach that there will be eating and drinking in the kingdom of God in the resurrected state, and hence there is such eating and drinking in heaven as seen in vision by these children. Jesus said, “I appoint unto you a kingdom ... that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom” Luke 22:30. “But I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” Matthew 26:29. Thus Jesus said he would drink the fruit of the vine with his disciples in the resurrected state. Jesus himself ate and drank after he rose from the dead. “Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest - unto witnesses that were chosen before of God even to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” Acts 10:40-41. The Bible distinctly says there will be eating in this heavenly Paradise of God, for “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is the Paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7. “To him that overcomes, to him will I give of the hidden manna.” Revelation 2:17. The “tree of life” is a general term that covers a variety of fruit-bearing trees in unstated number, the fruit having a “life giving quality” particularly adapted to man in his sinless state. The “tree of life” is not just a single tree with a single kind of fruit, for the scripture clearly states that in this “park” in the New Jerusalem in heaven John was shown “a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the midst of its street. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits.” Revelation 22:1-2.

Adullam Sees the Bible Saints in Heaven

In the open, lawn-like vistas amidst the trees and flowers and birds of Paradise Adullam saw companies of the redeemed dancing and playing trumpets with the angels. Sometimes they joined this happy festival group, in which were small children, larger children, and adults, but where no one was old. What heavenly scenes! What heavenly singers! What joy among the angels and the redeemed! The angels pointed out Abraham, David, Daniel, the prophets, the saints, and the martyrs of old. They saw Peter, James, Paul, and others of whom the world was not worthy. Our boy from the poor Miao tribe saw his aunt and his own little sister who had gone ahead to the land “over there.” Taking our boys by the hand our little Chinese Mary, who died in Kotchiu, now joined them in heaven.

One Boy Was Given a Vision of The Death of a Christian

As relatives and friends gathered about the dying one an angel stood by the bed, awaiting the liberating of the Christian's soul. When the man was set free from his bodily encumbrance, the angel took him by the arm and ascended with him into heaven. The principalities and powers of evil hosts in mid-heaven in their attempts to hinder the passage of the angel and his charge were overcome by the angel's faith and praise as the ascent continued toward the heavenly city.

Having been welcomed at the gate, this new arrival was received by hosts of angels, singing, dancing, rejoicing, all uniting in giving him a royal welcome into the eternal city of the redeemed.

NOTE: Interesting insights come from these Visions given to the Adullam family. The apostle Paul speaks of going to heaven revealed as a city; and to Paradise - but the connection is not clear. Here these little Chinese orphan and beggar children see the New Jerusalem as the central part of the Third Heaven, and that Paradise is a Park like Eden as a part of that City.

Many people ask me - “Do you think we will see animals and birds in heaven?” “Intra Muros” - “Within the Walls”, by Rebekah Springer - assures us that we will; and those of the Adullam Family of S. W. China who were privileged to visit the New Jerusalem, certainly enjoyed the presence of animals and birds.

They also saw the New Jerusalem as 3 cities suspended one above another in a pyramid style, with the smallest one at the apex, containing the Throne of God. The City is a cube of 1500 miles, with walls of over 200 feet high for the lower part.

The fellowship of angels (with wings) and saints (without wings) is very practical and real. In “Intra Muros” two questions are answered: “We will know one another over there; and our two lives are one. We continue with full knowledge what we start out down here on earth.”

I find that I am gaining insights I hadn't received in previous readings of “Visions Beyond the Veil,” as I type it up section by section and mail out to you. This book is really the Foundation Book by H.A. Baker of the 20 or so books he wrote. It is his first, and very soon after its first printing after 1927, over a million copies went forth.

You will find that added insights will come to you as you like me look at this book as it appears in sections. - J.A.W.

Here is a further insight by one who is following along with us: “I have been a Christian for 50 some years. I have sensed that there is more to God's creation than what we have experienced here on earth. I was raised to believe and to be a good steward of the things that God has given us.

“Two years ago I had a stroke with bleeding on the brain. I was in a coma for several days. While in the coma I was visited by the Lord. I know many Christians have a hard time with this, but it was real. The Lord showed me prayers in action on my behalf, and then set me in the middle of a beautiful grassy meadow. I was standing on a bridge with Him, and under us ran a small stream with many smooth rocks on the bottom. All around the meadow were beautiful trees and flowers. In the distance of the meadow was a table set with all different kinds of food, and people were sitting around it and enjoying themselves as they ate and talked.

“The Lord asked me if I was ready to go with him, or if I wanted to go back to my husband and family. At the end of the table stood my husband looking at me. He looked so sad and was crying. I told the Lord that I didn't think my husband was ready to lose me, nor would do well without me. He told me to go on back to him; I ran across the field into my husband's arms and he cradled me there on his arm, holding my head and brushing the hair out of my eyes.

“I remember hearing him tell me that I had had a stroke and had been in a coma. After a few days of recovery I relayed the experience to him, and he said that the part about him holding my head and telling about the stroke actually happened.

“I remember the beauty of the trees and meadow and flowers. They were more beautiful than anything I ever remember seeing on earth. What I really remember are the colors and how different some were to what we see on earth, and how clear they were. I look forward to seeing them again when the Lord's time is for me.

“This experience I have shared with many people, both believers and non-believers. It has touched the hearts of so many, and it has encouraged non-believers to seek the Lord.”