MY FIRST VISIT TO THE SECOND HEAVEN
Satan’s headquarters is not on earth; nor as many think, beneath the earth. Satan and his upper management team, (the princes, powers and world rulers of this darkness) dwell in the midheaven. This is a confiscated area the Lord allows them to inhabit until they are thrown down to earth. Rev. 12:7-9.
Satan and the other created spirits are unable to be everywhere at all times – as our God, who is omnipresent. Therefore, Satan must control a vast network of subordinates. These less powerful, fallen spirits are bound to him and subject to his will. Since their fall, they are without light and love, therefore this shadow kingdom is driven by cruelty and bullying… darkness and death are in all they do.
The vast number of them labor on earth; some serve beneath the earth and some serve the princes, powers and world rulers of this darkness in the second heaven.
I am including three pictures from my journal of 1995. They are a little difficult to see, but they are real and true. This was my first visit to that dark, decaying area. I was taken there by Jesus.
THE SECOND HEAVEN
I could not discern if it was densely dark or if it only seemed that dark because we had come from a place so permeated with light.
THE SHEEPFOLD
The white Eagle flew down into a walled-in area that had a shelter within it. The wall was of uncut stones and fairly high. On top of the wall were branches brandishing large, painful-looking thorns.
It was a sheepfold.1 It was Christ’s outpost in that corrupted stratum occupied by Satan.2 The enclosed area had but one gate. It appeared that the thorns were not so much to make entry by the demons impossible, but to serve as a warning. NO TRESPASSING – a visible command from Christ Himself. The sheepfold was His territory.
It occurred to me that perhaps one of the reasons the crown of thorns was crammed into Jesus’s skull before His crucifixion was a private slap in the face from Satan, for the sheepfold was crowned with thorns. Christ had dared to establish a place of safety within the enemy’s hostile kingdom. That crown of thorns was an affront before His crucifixion; now, after His resurrection, it was an ever-present reminder of Christ’s victory and His eternal lordship.
The white Eagle changed into the Lord.
There was scant light except for that which came from Him. “Stay with Me,” He said. He had a tall staff in His hand.
By the gate were two pairs of porpoise shoes that were dyed red. He put on a pair, and so did I.
“Touch nothing here, Anna; all is defiled.” We walked out the gate into the darkness. Jesus Himself was the light on our way.
Weeping and sardonic laughter came from the darkness. They were human voices, but they sounded as if they were coming from animals.5 Alarm gripped me. I stayed close to the Lord, walking in His footsteps. Although it was dark, I began to see dimly.
THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE STRATUM
The surface on which we were walking was dank and sticky. There was a slight suction created on the bottoms of my shoes as we walked, as though I might become glued to the spot if I did not keep moving. Huge, slimy creatures would half roar, then lift themselves up and move threateningly towards us. They looked like giant slugs, but acted more like bull seals protecting their territory.6 They tried to frighten us, but they ended up bowing before Jesus, a begrudging acknowledgment of His lordship.
THE RIVER OF FILTH
We came to a levee that sloped down to a black lagoon. The water was filthy, sluggish, and stagnant. The smell was putrid.
Jesus helped me into a long pirogue. I sat down, but He stood and poled us across this narrow waterway with His staff. The water boiled and emitted steam every time His staff plunged into it.
Jesus said, “This is a river of filth. As the river of life is clear, so this one is putrid and defiling. It issues from the mouths of sinful man. As rivers of living water come from the belly of My righteous ones, so out of the blackened heart, through the mouth, comes this watery filth.”
I could see creatures lying on the banks and hear them breathing. They appeared to be crocodiles, but they made blowing sounds through their nostrils like hippos.8 Their eyes shone in the dark.
THE CHAINED ONES
Caves lined the levees, and an occasional cry or moan came from them. I felt that the sounds I had heard when we walked through the gate came from these caves. They looked like dungeons with demons guarding the entrances. But who or what was imprisoned there?
The demons uttered low, guttural chuckles at the obvious pain of those imprisoned. They enjoyed someone else’s pain.
“Observe the misery,” the Lord said. “My people participate in this, enjoying the downfall of another, laughing at the mistakes of others, and holding them in their chains instead of setting the captives free.”
I looked toward the dark entrances of the caves. Within these dungeons the enemy held captive certain areas in the lives of humans on Earth. Christians, instead of helping to set the captive free, were tightening the chains of condemnation that held them in bondage. Christians were siding with the jailers against the Lord by nullifying the provision of forgiveness and reconciliation that He had made for them through His shed blood.
THE LEVEE
We stepped onto the opposite bank and began to walk up a wide path to the crest of that levee. Moans came from every demon we passed. Christ’s appearance among the demons tormented them, and they ran away from Him.
“Light is very painful to them,” Jesus said, indicating the fleeing demons. “They suck up darkness and breathe out venom – lost, corrupted forever, darkness inside and out. These who once ate the food of angels, these who stood in My Father’s light, these who knew the companionship of the trustworthy – now they slither and cringe from the light, cursing the darkness and cursing the light – they are doubly damned. They eat vomit – three or four times over.” (I felt that He was equating vomit with slander.) “In community with those of their kind, they laugh at each other’s misery and deny each other relief – turning, forever turning upon one another, therefore always alone.”
“Leave us,” a voice said, and a hyena giggled.
As we topped the levee, the land as far as I could see was slimy mud, a murky wasteland.12
“Wet,” Jesus said, “for they fear fire. They are tormented even by dry places.”
Numerous dead trees stood within the mud.
“The trees are a memorial to the vile groves of false gods. Here these trees are seen for what they actually are, broken, bare, without life – the home of snakes and birds of prey.”
COUNTERFEIT UNITY
Indeed, black snakes were in these dead trees, as well as covering the brackish mire. They were hissing and writhing, constantly moving over one another as if mating. “A false unity, a joining in the black mind,” I thought. It occurred to me that as the Lord is bringing together a oneness in Himself, so the devil is birthing a counterfeit unity.
Jesus spoke, “The spawn of demons. How Satan promotes his imitation fruit. These goad tormented souls to vomit forth slanders, lies, and cursing – rivers of putrid water in which the demons swim.”
His ear caught the sound of a cry from a cave by the lagoon. He turned His head to hear, saying, “There are labyrinths also within some believers: dark corridors where the light has not shown, hutches that have not been delivered from darkness. But the true light is ready to travel every corridor and touch every dark corner so that all within each believer may be of the light. Darkness is heavy with sin; it is dense and murky. My freedom is light. For the redeemed, all within them must be delivered over to the light. Light must flood every corridor, and every lurking malady must be healed.”
Jesus then took my hand, saying, “Come.”
THE DEMONIC TEMPLE
Suddenly we were within some sort of huge temple.15 Large, gray concrete pillars supported this main area. The room was hazy with incense, and the cloying odor of blood was mixed with that smell.
Around the perimeter were several stories of rooms, some closed and some open. They looked like caves of horn.16 It was possible to reach only the lower rooms by foot, all the others required flight, like bats.
There were six staggered levels of rooms on the left side: six at the back and six on the right side. But how many cave rooms were there in all, I could not tell.
I could see black creatures covering the walls of the hollow rooms that were open. They looked like dark, unhealthy jellyfish, each with only one eye. These were like a fungus on the walls. Their eyes were constantly looking to and fro. Nothing escaped their notice.
STOLEN TREASURE
The Lord spoke, “The enemy has hidden stolen treasure within the darkness of these rooms. Prying eyes guard this treasure. These spies are rewarded for their vigilance. The infested caves are a vortex, throbbing with suspicion. Here there is fear of exposure – the opposite of covering – because of love. The time has not yet come, Anna, to release these captives from the caves [meaning the stolen treasure], but all that is of Me and is Mine will be cleansed and come to Me.”
I did not understand what He meant. He continued, “Just as tears and prayers can be stored above, so can praise be taken captive by the evil one and stored in the caves of horn. The enemy bathes in stolen worship – renewing himself in that which belongs to God, putting his hands all over that which is sacred and secret. Since Satan cannot create but only imitate and defile that which belongs to God, his greatest joy is to desecrate that which is of the Light. My Father will one day have all that belongs to Him. The temple vessels were captured and hidden away in Babylon, desecrated by being mocked and used to toast false gods. Just as these were returned and reconsecrated to God, so all that belongs to My Father will be cleansed and consecrated to Him alone. The enemy is in dense darkness, doing that which is foul in order to relieve his pain, but instead only multiplies his pain. But My Father will set free all that belongs to Him. He will cleanse it from the filth of deception and idolatry corrupting it so that it might rise to Him.”
I saw demons flying into these caves of horn to defile the hidden things of God there, like spiders sucking the life out of their captured prey.
PROMISED DAY OF DELIVERANCE
Jesus continued, “There is coming a time when God Himself will raise His sword in the midheaven. He will come forth in His own behalf; the fat from the false sacrifices and from offerings to other gods, who are not gods, will be His. The fat is His, and they have robbed Him. The praise is His, and they have stolen it from Him. They have stored it for themselves. But He will raise His sword to sever the fat from them and to release the praise stored for generations. A great holocaust will occur when the fat of many generations finally rises to Him. When He unsheathes His sword and rises up in His own behalf, none can say to Him, ‘Nay!’ None can call to Him, ‘Hold!’ None can turn Him back at the gate. He will cleanse the midheaven and set it free. Then His light will touch every corner and purge the malignant growth from generations of corruption, thievery, and lies. When He lifts His sword and releases His light, surrogates will flee like roaches; mighty ones in the strength of wickedness will shrivel and slither away.”
He spoke to the midheaven, “O promised day of deliverance, a time has been appointed, and you will be free.” He turned back to me and said, “When He raises His sword in heaven, praise will be released like a bird from a cage, never to be imprisoned again.”
THE DEMONIC MASQUERADE
We began to hear a drone, like that of bees swarming or flies gathering on a dead carcass, coming from a distant area of the temple. As those creating the monotonous sound drew nearer, I could hear the hypnotic rhythm more clearly. They were chanting mantra.
Suddenly they burst into view. It was a large and lavish procession accompanied by loud, discordant music.
The massive concrete columns within the temple obscured our presence from those entering, so we stepped out of view.
Dancers and musicians came before a woman splendidly dressed.20 Jewels adorned her long robe and crown. She held innumerable chains in her hands just as a person would hold dog leashes. Shackles were around the necks of demonic beings she held captive, who bowed continually, kissing the ground where she walked.21 They looked like naked humans.
Her retinue was very large and seemed to comprise those from various nations – perhaps every nation. She turned in our direction. Her eyes were red with false fire; when she opened her mouth, fire came from it. We were too far away for the fire to touch us, however. When the fire ceased, honey dripped from her mouth; those in chains licked up the drops that fell to the ground.
She went up by stairs to a high throne in this incense-filled hall.23 When she sat, her attendants wrapped the long train of her robe around her feet. The train looked like a python. Those in chains groveled on either side of her throne.
FALSE HOMAGE
The kings of the earth came with presents for this woman.25 They also brought jugglers, prophets, and magicians to entertain her and her court.
The team of jugglers juggled all manner of objects of unequal weight, including gold bars and apes. But the object that fascinated me the most was a cage on which was written THE SOULS OF MEN.
The prophets were almost as showy, jumping around and speaking great boasts concerning her and others present. Those gathered would laugh and throw money to these false prophets.
The showiest of all, however, were the magicians, who looked extremely grave, wise, and dignified; they performed mighty signs and wonders.28 Everyone clapped and bowed before them in awe.
Each king would take a golden coin from this woman’s tongue like tokens taken while standing in line at a store counter. A number was on each coin. They would return them to her later as she went from side room to side room, servicing these kings like a prostitute with many clients.29
The woman’s face was old and caked with makeup, but from a distance she looked beautiful and splendid. She was drinking from a jewel encrusted cup, and her eyes looked glazed.30
“Who is this?” I asked the Lord.
“The false church,” He replied. “She makes herself a queen, and those enslaved eat of the honey from her mouth. She has given herself to every demon. She services them. Many will go with her.”
I looked at her horrified.
“I have brought you to see the false masquerading as the true,” He said. “Mark well the content. Mark well the consequences and outworking of the decision to embrace the darkness instead of the light. All manner of corruption breeds in darkness. Come,” He said, and once again He became the white Eagle. “We go now to the bowels of the dragon.”
