Bradley Jersak - Her Gates Will Never Be Shut: Hope, Hell, and the New Jerusalem

Hell, Hope, and the New Jerusalem

Bradley Jersak

Her Gates Will Never Be Shut

Hell, Hope, and the New Jerusalem

Copyright 2009 Bradley Jersak. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

Wipf & Stock An imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3 Eugene, OR 97401

ISBN 13: 978-1-60608-882-1

EISBN 13: 978-1-63087-128-4

Manufactured in the U.S.A.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.

Permission granted by Ignatius Press for quotations from: Hans Urs von Balthasar, Dare We Hope That All Men Be Saved? With A Short Discourse on Hell. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1988).

Permission granted by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. for quotation from: Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession by Anne Rice (New York: Knopf, 2008), 18385.

Permission granted by Nik Ansell for use of Hell: The Nemesis of Hope? Revised and updated, 2009.

Permission granted for use of Plan de la Ville de Jerusalem Ancienne et Moderne by The National Library of Israel, Shapell Family Digitization Project, Eran Laor Cartographic Collection, and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Dept. of Geography, Historic Cities Project.

Unless otherwise noted, all italics for emphasis have been supplied by the author, including occurrences found in quotations.

Cover photo by Brian Justice. Christ Our King Church: South Wall Window 3. Permission granted by Msgr James Carter. Full gallery at www.christourking.org.

For Little Granny

Elsie (Fisher) Ditchfield (19052009)

I f Granny were still alive to read this book, she probably wouldnt. I doubt that she would understand what Im talking about. But since she is with the Lord now, I believe she would say that its me who doesnt understand what Im talking about. I get that.

On the day I was born, Granny walked a long distance to the bus stop and then rode all the way across the city to the hospital where my mother was facing a long, difficult labor and assisted delivery. She sat in the waiting room all day, praying for my safe arrival.

From there, I believe she interceded for me every day of my life up until she died at the age of 103. Her prayer list also included at least 200 other descendants. Even into her nineties, she still prayed every night on her knees by her bed.

On the day she died, she hopped another bus, C. S. Lewiss heavenly transit, and traveled across the divide to another City. I believe she continues to pray me through another long, difficult labor and assisted delivery. I imagine she occupies some sort of heavenly waiting room, interceding for my safe arrival.

Thank you, Little Granny. Is it everything we dreamed it would be?