Heaven and Hell
Authors: Kenneth Zeigler
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Romance, #Religious, #Christian
© Copyright 2007 – Kenneth Zeigler
All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States
of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit.
The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is
permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise
identified, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version. Please note that
Destiny Image’s publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers’ styles. Take
note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to
acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules.
Destiny Image® Publishers, Inc.
P.O. Box 310 Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310
“Speaking to the Purposes of God for this Generation
and for the Generations to Come.”
This book and all other Destiny Image, Revival Press, Mercy Place,
Fresh Bread, Destiny Image Fiction, and Treasure House books
are available at Christian bookstores and distributors worldwide.
For a U.S. bookstore nearest you, call
1-800-722-6774.
For more information on foreign distributors, call
717-532-3040.
Or reach us on the Internet:
ISBN 10: 0-7684-2373-2
ISBN 13: 978-0-7684-2373-0
For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 / 09 08 07
I dedicate this book to my mother, Gladys Marie Zeigler, whose commitment and faithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ was an inspiration to me. She has long since gone to be with the Lord; and one of my greatest hopes, indeed, anticipations, is to be with her in our Father’s Kingdom at the end of my life on Earth.
S
INCE his earliest days, man has been incessantly curious about the world around him. What mysteries might lie beyond the next mountain, up the treacherous jungle river, or across the vast unexplored seas? His curiosity has carried him far from his home. From the deserts to the poles, from the depths of the oceans to the depths of space, man has pushed back the frontiers of his universe.
Yet one realm, one frontier remains unexplored, hidden beyond the impenetrable curtain that we know as death. To some it is no frontier at all, but rather a vast nothingness, an eternal sleep from which we shall never awaken. To others it is a wondrous land filled with endless and eternal possibilities. There is one certainty—we shall all embark upon an expedition into that mysterious realm.
So what lies beyond this life? Does something of us remain beyond that last breath? Is death the end, or just the beginning? To the Christian, the answer is clear; death is the beginning of a journey that extends beyond the vanishing point on the horizon, through eternity into infinity.
But what is life after death like?
The earliest writings of the Old Testament did not confront the issue of life after death directly. Later, events like Saul’s encounter with Samuel’s spirit through the incantations of the Witch of Endor (see First Samuel 28:4-25), suggest that an afterlife exists. Yet in the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon seems to suggest that there is no life after death, and that the dead know nothing.
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten
(Ecclesiastes 9:5)
.
Even at the time of Jesus, the Jews were strongly divided on this issue. The Pharisees believed in the existence of spirits, angels, and the resurrection of the dead. But the Sadducees believed in none of these things.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both
(Acts 23:8)
.
Jesus spoke extensively about the Kingdom of Heaven, as well as about outer darkness, a place of wailing and gnashing of teeth. In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, He even gives us a glimpse into that realm (see Luke 16:19-31). Yet, even in the New Testament, our glimpses of Heaven and Hell are vague and fleeting.
In the middle ages, the poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) gave a detailed account in his
Divine Comedy
as to the nature of Heaven and Hell. Was his a vision, a divine revelation, or just a satirical commentary on the state of the Church? My personal feeling—it was a little bit of both.
Divine revelation, from God’s Holy Spirit, must travel from our spirit, through the filter of our own experience, and onto paper. Along the way, it can potentially lose something in translation. Likewise, it can also pick up extra baggage. This is why we must not be too quick to accept the words of a modern-day prophet or visionary at face value. We must first take a long hard look at the fruit of that person’s spirit. That which is flesh is flesh, and that which is spirit is spirit. Spiritual revelation does not come from the flesh.
In the last few years, several prominent books on the subjects of Heaven and Hell have been published—books inspired by divine revelation. I will not be so bold, or so foolish, as to judge the merits of these works based on my own experiences. I can only attest as to where and how this work you hold in your hand arose. As you read through it, you might encounter startling similarities between it and other works. There are many ministries, but only one Spirit.
I am a scientist, schooled in the discipline of the scientific method. My encounter with Christ came in the fall of 1972 when I was 18 years old. Before that, I openly admit to being most cynical when it came to spiritual matters. Through an amazing near-death experience, I became a new creature through Christ Jesus. But, that didn’t mean that I abandoned the scientific method; far from it.
There is no conflict whatsoever between my faith in God, and my studies in astronomy, physics, and quantum mechanics. Indeed, through the melding of these influences, I have received a most unique perspective on the universe. That perspective will become clear as you read this book. Through it, I hope you will come to see the places called Heaven and Hell in the grand scheme of a multidimensional universe.
Do I truly believe that Heaven and Hell are as I describe them here? Absolutely, yes. The elements of this book emerge from my studies of the Bible, the divinely inspired Word of God. Others emerge from my studies in science. Even the study of history plays a role.
As a man who loves God, with all of my soul and all of my heart, I try to maintain a healthy and vital prayer life. Yet some of the questions I ask God in prayer are, to say the least, unusual. They have included questions about the nature of space time, the fabric of the universe, and cosmological constants. And, yes, they have been answered, though it may take me some time to comprehend those answers. God is a loving Father, but His thoughts are far above ours.
And, yes, I have experienced powerful visions that have shaped the chapters of this book. I have tried to reproduce them faithfully. This book is a work of fiction, viewed against the backdrops of a Heaven and Hell that are very real. I hope that the story that unfolds before you will be a blessing to you and that it will bring glory to our heavenly Father.
A
flurry of snowflakes swept around their car, as Chris Davis and his young wife, Serena, sped down the dark country road toward home. Serena placed her arm around her husband as she gazed out into the swirling snow, illuminated in the glare of the headlights. To her it seemed like a sort of magical fantasy, a grand dance of snowflakes played out against a darkened stage as large as nature itself. It was a special performance, just for the two of them.
She was still dressed in the medieval garb she had worn to the ARS banquet. How she loved to dress up—the long, flowing lace dress was an escape from the realities of the technological present. She often thought about being part of a simpler time and place, how wonderful it must have been.
Chris smiled broadly as he glanced toward his lovely wife. They’d had a wonderful evening of food, laughter, and good company; still, Serena suspected that Chris played the part of a medieval scholar at these dress-up events more to please her than anything else.