I have skimmed over several books over the last 5-10 years written by those who purportedly went to heaven and were told to go back and tell people about it. There are numerous other people who claim to have had a “near death experience” in heaven or hell. I was recently asked what I thought about one of those books and the subsequent movie. Here goes…
There are the only three places in the New Testament where I find that men were allowed to see the future. Peter, James and John were with Jesus on what we call “the mount of transfiguration”; Paul as he related in his second letter to Corinth; and John as recorded in the Revelation. The Bible tells their stories as follows:
“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves…then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus… As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, ‘Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’" (Matthew 17:1-9)
“Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ (Paul) who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven…into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.… " (2 Corinthians 12:1-2)
“I (John) was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see…” (Revelation 1:10-11)
These men were transported (not literally but in a trance, dream or vision) into the future and shown what is to come at that time. Peter, James and John were told not to tell what happened until after Jesus was raised from the dead. What Paul “heard” he was not “permitted to speak”. And what John saw he was to write down in a book…which he did – in the book of Revelation.
Here is what I think about modern day accounts...
There are the only three places in the New Testament where I find that men were allowed to see the future. Peter, James and John were with Jesus on what we call “the mount of transfiguration”; Paul as he related in his second letter to Corinth; and John as recorded in the Revelation. The Bible tells their stories as follows:
“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves…then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus… As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, ‘Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’" (Matthew 17:1-9)
“Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ (Paul) who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven…into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.… " (2 Corinthians 12:1-2)
“I (John) was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see…” (Revelation 1:10-11)
These men were transported (not literally but in a trance, dream or vision) into the future and shown what is to come at that time. Peter, James and John were told not to tell what happened until after Jesus was raised from the dead. What Paul “heard” he was not “permitted to speak”. And what John saw he was to write down in a book…which he did – in the book of Revelation.
Here is what I think about modern day accounts...
Unless you are willing to elevate those recent accounts to the level of Scripture (God’s Word) then they are false in the sense they claim to have actually been in heaven. Why?
Because no one in the entire Scripture has ever literally died, went to heaven and returned to earth to tell about it. Jesus will be the FIRST when he returns to resurrect the dead for we are told
“…He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (Colossians 1:18).
Personally I believe these folks probably believe what they say but in my mind they have simply hallucinated or dreamed they were in heaven. I have had some pretty vivid dreams myself which seemed real after I woke up. And Jesus has told us we will arrive in heaven only when he returns to get us…
“Do not let your heart be troubled…In My Father’s house are many dwelling places…I go to prepare a place for you…I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also…I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:1-6)
Personally I believe these folks probably believe what they say but in my mind they have simply hallucinated or dreamed they were in heaven. I have had some pretty vivid dreams myself which seemed real after I woke up. And Jesus has told us we will arrive in heaven only when he returns to get us…
“Do not let your heart be troubled…In My Father’s house are many dwelling places…I go to prepare a place for you…I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also…I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:1-6)