I spoke with those in heaven about the state of spirits or the world of spirits before the coming of the Lord into the world, saying that it was in like condition as was faith with people on earth at that time-especially with the Jews, who were in possession of higher knowledge-namely, that the greater part had not known there is a life after death, which many openly denied. Nor were the Pharisees who defended it convinced of the resurrection of the dead, as is evident from the Word of the Lord [Luke 20:27-38]. Such, in the first place, were the spirits in the world of spirits before the coming of the Lord. In the second place, they absolutely did not know that the Messiah was to come in order to save them to eternity, in a Kingdom that would last to eternity, only thinking that He would make them lords on earth, and so would raise up with them the uppermost earthly kingdom. This kind of notion flourishes at the present day, and therefore neither did the spirits know that the Lord was to come for the salvation of souls.