From this it does not result—as some suppose—that there are such trades in the Spiritual World as are here. True, the Scriptures speak of buying and selling, but with evident reference to spiritual possessions (Isaiah lv. 1; Luke xii. 33). Employments in the Spiritual World must have reference to spiritual requirements—not to habitation, clothing or food, which are gifts from the Lord to willing recipients (Luke xii. 22-31; John xiv. 2; 2 Cor. v. 1). The Scriptures teach that angelic occupations are the care of infants, little children, and adults (Matt. xviii 10; 2 Kings vi. 16); the preservation from evil of those who fear God (Psalm xxxiv. 7); also instruction, warning, consolation. Consider how large, too, must be the field of usefulness in regard to the teaching of those who enter the Spiritual World from heathen nations, all of whom will, in the intermediate state, need to learn Whom they should worship as the God of heaven. Doubtless this is angels' work.
When our friends pass away from this world, when their fleshly tabernacle is laid aside, this is called death; but it is only the death of the body; the soul lives on in the Spiritual World. The Lord says (John xiv. 2), "Because I live, ye shall live also." They continue to live, as men and women, in spiritual bodies (1 Cor. xv. 44), in an eternal world (2 Cor. iv. 18); they are members of a heavenly family (Eph. iii. 15), dwell in heavenly mansions (John xiv. 2), eat angels' food (Ps. lxxvii. 25), drink of the "fountain of the water of life" (Rev. xxi. 6), and are clothed with the "garments of salvation" (Isaiah lxi. 10). These are not mere figures of speech; they are the facts of spiritual life; this world is the shadow—that is the substance.
If we would but think of our dear ones as the Scriptures teach us to think—not as dead, but living; not as formless shadowy shapes, but real men and women, busy workers in angelic forms, the human form, how different would be our ideas concerning death!
