RAPTURE INTO HEAVEN
RAPTURE INTO HEAVEN
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
May 14, 2019, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
I am continuing with the testimony of Frances Metcalfe and her personal journey through a near death experience before being raptured into Heaven. Last week in Bible Study, I shared her story of how Jesus Christ appeared to her as the King in all His beauty.
I also paralled her experience with a similar personal experience of my journey of “A TRIED FAITH” from 1983-1988.
I understand that not everyone has the revelation to see prophetically in metaphorical language, or to understand and interpret. The LORD has graced me with this gift both to see in metaphor and interpret; so Frances Metcalfe’s experiences of actually being raptured into Heaven are clear to me. I will not be offended if this message is not for you. I have been greatly enriched and blessed by her journey of faith; because much of it is also my story.
Called and commissioned as a pastor, I try to make my messages understandable to the “Ecclesia.” However, there is another “woman” in me who eats from this table and drinks from this cup of New Wine…If the message is not for you, bless those of us who have been inebriated with the wine from the top of the mountain and long for more.
After finishing the testimony, last week, the Presence of the LORD filled the room in such a cloud of glory that none of us wanted to leave. So, I continue again with Frances’ testimony of the King taking her through “The Valley of the Shadow” to the gate of the King’s Garden, and on to the Door of the King’s House:
“There in His majestic Presence I found rest and rapture! Amazing grace, amazing love, amazing wisdom! Oh, our King is matchless, wonderful! ‘How marvelous, how wonderful, my song shall ever be; how marvelous, how wonderful, is my Savior’s love for me!’
The way through death into the celestial realm is a pathway beset by the fiercest, strongest, most deceptive forces of Satan. Let no one presume in these matters, nor seek these privileges unless called by God and prepared fully to do so! On the other hand if the Lord has been pleased to bring you to the revelation of these privileges, and is preparing you for rapture and translation, do not let fear or doubt keep you ‘earth-bound!’
You will need faith. You will need fortitude. You will need grace to take this way; but all this is amply provided in Jesus Christ, and He will do a perfect work. Whether we ascend into the highest heaven or descend into the lowest hell, or we take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there will His hand lead us and hold us, for He possesses our reins.
King David knew the power of God and many of his Psalms were written to instruct us in the celestial experiences.
At death, a saint passes through the valley, over the ‘river,’ and is borne by angels into the celestial realm. He/she is given a sweet look into the face of Jesus, and is placed at rest in Paradise, the garden of God. So it was most fitting that, after seeing the King, I (Frances) should be taken into His Garden to rest. I entered into deep rest. My body was still weak, indeed, for many weeks I was kept in physical weakness unless I was supernaturally quickened.
To this very hour I (Frances) seem to have little strength in my body, and I lived ‘by the breath of His Spirit…’”
During the years of raising small children, and a home to care for with dishwashing, cooking, and other pressing duties, she describes the prayer of “union” where Jesus was constantly in her heart. She writes, “Of course this took years of training, and it was all to His glory and by His power.”
“But now, in the Garden, following His glorious appearing as King, I was completely cut off from the world and all duties. His Presence filled the house.”
She was still in the home of those she describes as the brother and sister who took her in to care for her. “The sister laid down a ministry, in which she had been engaged so that she could be before the LORD day and night; for she too had been blessed to see the King in all His Glory and His glorious presence continued to fill the house.
“The Lord seemed to move-in and possess the house and garden putting all things in Kingdom order. So real was His Presence and so personal were His dealings and favors, that I felt I was living in the heavenlies, feasting in the King’s House, and walking and resting in His Garden. This song, given later by the Spirit, expresses my childlike joy in His Presence:
IN HIS GARDEN (partial)
Let me sit in His garden,
And bask in His sunlight,
Let me drink of His fountain,
And feast with Him alone;
For Jesus loves me truly, this I know,
And in my heart He reigns
As King upon His Throne.
“The world seemed gone forever. I saw that I had been born into a new realm, and that I was like a little babe---ignorant, helpless, and yet at rest. At first I could see and hear little in the heavenly realm, but gradually I became more accustomed to it.
The Sunday following the Lord’s appearing was devoted to waiting upon Him. Ps. 149:3-4: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp.
The 45th Psalm was again quickened to us---The King’s Wedding March, as some have called it---and many portions of the Song of Solomon. He revealed Himself as the ‘Solomon’ of His Ekklesia, and spoke of his virgins, His queens, and His choice one. For many years, He had been ‘opening to me the Song of Solomon in which, as He told me are hidden the deepest mysteries of the Bride. But now the entire book seemed to come into new life, beauty and clarity! The perfume of His ointments filled the house. We were ravished with the beauty, glory and loveliness of the King, His court and His royal household. He revealed His desire to feast with His people, and that they, as Israel of old might know Him in holy festivity. Jesus spoke of the great feast set before us at His table, and He invited us to feast on His choice fruits, and to drink of the new wine of the Kingdom (Mt. 9:17),
This is revealed in type in the first chapter of Esther. There the King gave a great feast to reveal the glories of His Kingdom. The first company He invited was the Royal Household. They were given to drink from golden vessels, each diverse from the other. But the drinking was without compulsion. Our King is likewise calling the royal household to come feast with Him! He showed us that many will not come because they are so busy laboring for Him, and they will not take time out to rest and feast. And such are apt to condemn those who do respond to His call. ‘The time is too short,’ they say, ‘We must hurry to get souls saved before the Lord comes.’ They are in a feverish rush of “service” and are unaware that the King is now sitting at the table with those He has called to the feast. They are saying, like Judas, why all this waste? But the Mary Company is saying,
While the King sits at His table, my spikenard sends forth the smell thereof. (So. 1:12)
Others respond to the call and come to the table, but do not put on their wedding garments (Mt. 22: 11-13) (garments of praise), nor enter into the spirit of holy festivity. These are asked to leave the table. Who would offend a King by appearing unwashed or clothed in working garments?
We must be bathed and anointed with oil and perfume, and then put on our beautiful garments, to appear at His table. Of course, I refer to the oil and garments of the Holy Spirit…
Jesus spoke to His inner circle in parables which the world could not understand, but the disciples did… Jesus reminded me of the command to write the Word of the Lord upon the door post, and upon their arms, and to speak of it while sitting at the table and walking in their houses. The Word is not only being written in our minds, hearts, and bodies, but also in the outward things we do; and it is read by those who are simple and foolish according to the world, but wise in God, able to read the parables and signs and symbols of God. The prophets receive and present divine truth in symbolic form.
Oh, the wealth of the riches of God, when we reach such a place of favor and blessing that He speaks to us in all things, and where we, in all things, can reveal Him and His truth! But this is for those who are able to receive it. We act out or demonstrate in the Spirit the realities of the life of the Kingdom.
Heb 6:5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Frances states “It has taken much breaking to UN-teach me to the point where I can learn of God.” This also happened to me. I lost a treasured Bible that was marked and noted with much teaching. I had to start over with a new Bible.
St. Paul tells us that not many wise or mighty are called; but that the foolish and weak will be used of God to confound the wise and strong. The Lord broke me from being wise and strong, and made me foolish and weak so I will say what He says and do what He tells me to do.
“So, at the King’s table, what a joyful time do the children have; but how hard it is for the learned! Some come to the table well dressed, but are reluctant about what they eat. So new and varied are the rich foods upon this table that they seem suspicious of them, and are afraid those rich foods will not agree with them, or might even poison them. In this case, St. Paul’s gospel applies very well. Let them eat in faith, nothing doubting.
Rom 14:23And he that doubts is damned if he eats, because he eats not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Let us partake of the King’s table trusting in Him who bids us come and dine, having provided that which is best for us. We shall find many new and wonderful foods at this table which if eaten, digested and assimilated will greatly strengthen and enhance the new body being formed within us.
Many find the wine too strong or reject the meat preferring the milk. They only sip, then set down their vessel. But others drink deeply of both milk and wine; and experience divine inebriation, being made drunk on the Spirit. They discover the new wine of the Kingdom to be the divine life of Christ. The wine of the sacrament represents the human life of Christ poured out on Calvary for our redemption---even His precious blood, and now He is pouring out His divine life, and it is, in essence, divine love.
Oh, to drink deeply of this love which is better than wine; and to be divinely strengthened! But so many refuse to drink; and since the drinking is voluntary and not by compulsion, they will not become revived and inebriated by the Holy Elixir of God.
I (Frances) saw a beautiful golden platter coming down out of heaven. It was set in the center of this feast table. When I was told to look upon it, I saw twelve fruits. The Lord said, this is the fruit of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of the Father. This fruit shall be eaten only by those who have partaken of everything on the table. In other words, the fruit of the tree of life is the dessert, the last course to be served! To eat of the tree of life is for the full overcomer, and is one of the last steps of walking into eternal things while still on earth.
Frances writes this was an actual experience of entering into the feast of the King. Everything took on a different meaning. It was made a reality. Heaven’s feast was like pictures suddenly brought into the third dimension. The feast was made alive---a reality in us.
The feast continued. My (Frances) whole being seemed stilled at last, and I was aware of constant union with the LORD. I was impressed over and over with the need for secrecy and discretion in regard to secrets of the Lord. David, when fleeing to Gath, said to the priest, the King has commanded me a business and has said unto me, ‘Let no man know anything about the business on which I sent you.’ (1 Samuel 21:2) David asked for and received hallowed bread and a great sword!
The rapture is a “secret rapture.” Jesus comes as a “thief.” He hunts and digs in the field for His precious jewels and upon finding them, He polishes and cuts them for His diadem. Even now there is much that I am not permitted to relate…
As I rested, Jesus drew very near and began to reveal Himself to me in a way so new, so close, so clear, that my whole being was experiencing being drawn to Him by a divine pull and written in Song 1:4:
Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
He began to reveal His Heart…I was so melted, so humbled, so moved by the revelation of the sacred Heart of Jesus, that I cried for a heart like His. Then He ministered to my heart---first binding it up, for it had previously been crushed; then He applied rare ointments, healing and strengthening it.
He had been writing His New Covenant and laws on the fleshly tablet of my heart. It seemed that now it was to serve also as a tablet for the heavenly revelation of Jesus Christ, and that it was written there first before it was given to my mind.
As I (Frances) sat or walked in the garden it seemed to be paradise, for Jesus walked there too…I was helpless to do anything but pray and seek the help of the Holy Spirit. She writes, “Do not see the personal angle of these truths, for the experience of the entire Bride Company was being depicted in me. In miniature, and my prayers were not for myself alone, but for each precious members.
I have found a sweeter communion,
Sweeter far than earth can give;
With Christ I have a holy union,
And in His presence I now live.
With everlasting love He drew me
From the depths of woe and sin;
By His spirit He renewed me
And cleansed my heart within.
The days passed as in a dream. At times he withdrew and permitted me to be tested, sometimes in sudden and severe ways. Except for short intervals, experiences of rapture do not lift us above temptations and trials. In fact, I am given to see that the nearer we approach the top of the Mount of Transfiguration, the higher we ascended in our flight to the throne, the greater shall be the tests. Even in rest I found a great cross. And truly, the path to the Throne is marked every step of the way by the sign of the Cross! However, these tests passed swiftly, and I was conscious of new overcoming power. The way is dangerous, but when God intervenes to the point where He leads us in this supernatural way, He is faithful to deliver and protect. Angels attend and defend us, and our whole battle takes on an entirely new aspect…
At times the Lord does require that Satan leave us for a season, during which we are free from testings. But it is certain that we shall be tried and measured again and again, as we move on to higher ground in the LORD.
The place He has prepared for the overcomers in His “Throne Company” is exceedingly costly…we must expect tests and be watchful…especially this is true after we have received special blessings and favors from the LORD. Above all we must trust and not fear.
Having shown us such great love and favor, will He permit us to be cast down and crushed by our foes? Never! Therefore let us believe God and abandon ourselves unto Him.
After 30-days, Frances left her friend’s home and went back to her home. She was still very weak in body, though greatly improved…Wonderful Jesus! This dream did not end, but proceeded step by step, from glory to glory! The gates of “the new Eden” would soon swing open---and I (Frances) would be led on and on even to the Mount of Transfiguration!
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
I entered into the labors of Frances Metcalfe, Ladies of Gold, authorized Compilation by James Maloney, Westbow Press, 1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403.
Thank you for your e-mail, and for your courtesy in requesting permission, which is granted. All we'd ask is that you credit the source material, which you have done. We appreciate it, and we pray the material is a blessing to the congregation!
In His service and yours,
Andrew Maloney
P.O. Box 1166
Argyle, Texas 76226