Chance and Hope: Jacob Marley’s Ghost Story©

Epilogue

Jacob had held off the urge to leave Ebenezer’s room for as long as he could, but his strength eventually failed him. As he left the open window of Ebenezer’s room he shared a horrendous moment with his friend, viewing the countless souls experiencing the helpless torment of damnation. Jacob hid his own emotions from Ebenezer, and within moments the scene was gone.

Jacob felt poorly that he had startled his only friend in such a way, but it was the only method Jacob believed would convince the stubborn man to listen to the angels and change his ways. Jacob said a small prayer to this effect as he pulled his chains down the street.

“I have done all I can to help Ebenezer, more than I have done for most. The decision is now in his hands” a voice whispered to Jacob’s soul.

The voice was soft and barely above a whisper, but it was clear and pure. Jacob knew who the voice belonged to, yet he found himself asking the question all the same.

“Who is that?”

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” the voice replied.

The words were instantly recognized by Jacob who had studied the New Testament at length, and he knew who was speaking to him. Jacob wanted to hide, knowing his chains were plain to see, his sins bare, yet there was nowhere he could go to hide from that voice.

Jacob looked around, trying to see the source of the voice, and as he looked around he saw a humble church appear in the air nearby. He floated through its doors and found himself in the familiar surroundings of the church building he had been in numerous times. He looked around for the source of the voice, yet all he saw was the minister standing at the pulpit.

Jacob looked around the room as he approached the pulpit, then looked to the minister and their eyes met. Jacob had not yet looked into the eyes of this man, and the moment he did so he knew his Redeemer stood before him.

Jacob fell to his knees, pulling his heavy chains as he fell, bowing his head before the Master of all.

“Jacob, why do you fall down and worship me now, when you did not speak to me before without prompting?”

“I did not recognize you,” Jacob said, still looking down.

“Why?”

“I was distracted by my torment; my chains, my exhaustion, and my journey” Jacob replied

“All fitting symbols for the distractions of the world. Tell me, Jacob, what are these?”

The Savior, who still appeared as a minister at the pulpit, was holding up two books, one in each hand. One of the books was from Jacob’s chain that he had been carrying with him for seven years, the other was the book of his life that Jared had held when they first met.

“One is the record of my transgressions against my fellow man, the other a record of my life as a whole” Jacob replied.

“May I read them?”

The words cut Jacob to his core. He starred in horror as his Savior and Redeemer who had suffered for all mankind, opened the book containing his sins and transgressions and started to read. Jacob could not watch, he could not see the hurt, the shame, the pain in those perfect eyes. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed.

Then he felt arms encircle him and uplift his soul. He felt love, warmth, and understanding seep into his core. He looked up with a tear-soaked face into the eyes of his Redeemer and saw a smile of love. Jesus stretched out his hand, his pierced hand, and helped Jacob come to his feet.

No longer was he in a dark robe, but a brilliant white robe; brighter than the sun, brighter than all light in existence. He had a beard and long hair now, and both were as white as his robes. He picked up the two books and held them out to Jacob. Jacob took the books and saw on the cover a new signature. Jesus Christ was written in red, the color of blood, across the cover of each book. Jacob opened the cover and saw the same signature on the first page, and the next, and realized that every page carried the signature of Christ, the red symbolic signature of his atoning sacrifice.

“My Lord …” Jacob stammered through his sobs.

“Jacob, I have paid the price for your sins and transgressions, yet you still stand before me in chains,” Jesus said.

Jacob realized that Jesus had not asked him a question, and at first, he was unsure of how to respond.

“Jacob … you have read my words” the Savior said, prompting him further

Jacob thought of the New Testament that he had read, practically memorizing its pages in his journey across the world. He thought he understood.

“But I was told I could do nothing to save … myself … from … this … torment …” Jacob said slowly, pausing between words as he realized exactly what he was saying.

Tears came again to his eyes as he realized how true the words were. He could not save himself, and he had believed it so fully that he had dismissed the scriptures on repentance and salvation, believing they could never apply to him, especially in death. Jacob tried to speak between sobs, but emotion overcame him. Yet the Savior knew his heart and knew he understood.

“Jacob, do you believe in me?”

“Yes … Lord, I believe” Jacob managed to say.

“Then give me your burden, and I shall make you light.”

Jacob saw the outstretched hand with the holes in His perfect, radiant, flesh. He saw the face of his Master, he saw the love and desire to help him, and he realized the Savior was talking about his chains.

Jacob looked down at his wrists where he was shackled in chains, and he realized that there was no lock on them. The shackles were around his wrist, but nothing was holding them on. The same appeared evident on his ankles. Numbingly Jacob grabbed the shackle on his left wrist and pulled, and the shackle came off without effort. Jacob stared in amazement, the full impact of what had just happened slowly dawning on him. Without hesitation he ripped the chain from his right wrist, then the ones from his ankles, unwinding and pushing the chains off of him as fast as he could.

Jacob stood there holding the four shackles, feeling the weight of the chains on the shackles, and not on his body. Then he saw the outstretched hand of the Savior, and with tears in his eyes, he handed the shackles to him.

“These chains are your guilt, they are the weight of your sin, and you could have taken them off at any time through believing in me and my sacrifice,” Jesus said.

Jesus took the shackles and latched them onto his perfect wrists, and he bent and placed them on his perfect ankles.

Then Jacob’s eyes were opened. The chapel was no longer around them and they were standing outside in a large open field. Behind the savior was a mountain, but as Jacob looked upon the mountain he realized that it was a mountain of chains. The mound stretched into the sky and the distance as far as he could see, endless links of chains attached to shackles at the Savior’s wrists and ankles.

This was the weight of the world, the weight of the atonement that the sinless, perfect, Savior … carries for all.

Instantly the mound of chains and the meadow was gone, and they were standing in the chapel once again.

Jacob stared at the wrists of the Savior, no longer able to see the chains upon them. Chains He had not forged in His perfect life, but which He had taken upon himself out of love. Tears welled up in his eyes as he contemplated the magnitude of what the Savior had done for him and all mankind.

Jacob realized that he was now free of his burden, free of his guilt, and free of his exhaustion and fatigue. He felt his head and found the cloth was gone, his jaw restored. He saw the wrinkles on his hands were gone, and he felt in his prime again. He was wearing a white robe and had a joy in his heart that overflowed all other emotions.

Jacob wrapped his arms around the Savior, kissed his cheek, and whispered. “Thank you, thank you.”

The Savior returned his embrace for some time, then he pulled him away and held him at arm’s length with a smile.

“Go now my brother, and rest. See your family for you have much to discuss. In time, I will call upon you to help save other souls from their burdens, as has been done for you.”