The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 9: Beyond Time

“So, what comes next?” asked Preacher. “Heaven!” said Joseph.

Having followed the Story of God through its various episodes, we had arrived at the consummation—the time God the Father would ‘gather together in one all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth,’ as Paul wrote to the Ephesians. Of course, no one, not even the ancient witnesses, could say exactly what that time would be like. Earlier, Mentor had hinted there might be time for one of the witnesses to share his insights on the closing passages of Revelation. But now he quickly gathered up his books and rushed us toward the reading room. It looked as if our time had run out. All the questions I meant to ask now flooded my mind, as Mentor explained that the witnesses were “overdue” to return to their respective times and places. We would have to find our own way back through the walls of Nicaea; then, time as we knew it would begin again. We would rejoin our fellow students and class and our lives as they were before, keeping forever the memory

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