848. The angels were very glad to hear both of these accounts, but they were aware of a sadness in me, and they kept asking: 'What makes you sad?' I said that although the secrets revealed by the Lord at the present time surpass in excellence and importance all spiritual knowledge made public up to now, they are regarded on earth as of no value.
This surprised the angels, and they begged the Lord to allow them to look down into the world. On doing so, they saw nothing but darkness there. Then they were told to write those secrets on a piece of paper, and if the paper were sent down to earth, they would witness a portent. So they did so, and we saw the paper on which the secrets were written sent down from heaven. As it travelled, while it was still in the spiritual world, it shone like a star. But when it fell into the natural world, its light disappeared, growing dimmer as it fell. When it was sent by the angels to gatherings where there were learned and educated members of the clergy and laity, there was heard a murmur from many of them, in which we could distinguish these remarks: 'What is this? Is it anything important? What difference does it make whether we know these things or not? Surely they are mere fabrications of the brain.' Then it looked as if some people were picking up the paper, folding and rolling it up and twisting it between their fingers. Others also seemed to be tearing it up and wanting to trample it underfoot. But they were prevented from committing that crime by the Lord, and the angels were ordered to withdraw it and keep it safe. Because the angels were saddened and thought to themselves, 'How much longer?' they were told:
Until a time and times and half a time, Revelation 12:14.
