Heaven

Heaven

Sept. 7

A little bit of skepticism is not a bad thing. Perhaps I was a Trooper for too many years. For I always listen to a story with a little skepticism mixed in. God only knows how many times I asked, “what happened” or even “how many drinks have you had tonight” and received an answer that was not fully honest. So when I hear someone tell of an experience they have had I am always examining the story. And guess what? That’s a good thing.

We need to be like the people of Berea. When we hear something we should test it against God’s word. So you may be asking, How does this relate to heaven? Well in todays world we hear of people who have died and went to heaven. These people come back and write books to tell the story of what they saw and did in heaven. Here are a few problems I have with these stories and books.

In the Bible we have absolutely zero accounts of anyone’s experiences of dying and coming back from heaven to tell what it was like. If this was to be done you would think that someone like Lazarus would have written a book or two by now. But alas there are no books in the Bible written by anyone who died and returned. Of the four times that people did tell of an experience where they saw heaven each person was alive and was taken up to heaven. We have two Old Testament examples, Isaiah and Ezekiel. Also two in the New Testament, Paul and John. In each of these cases the people who wrote about heaven were told to do so by God. These modern day heavenly revelations are more about human desire to have answers and to know the secrets of God than a desire to be closer to God.

““The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.”

Deuteronomy 29:29 NLT

“I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.”

1 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

The search for knowledge is innate within each of us and the thirst for the spiritual is a part of us made by God. Yet, we must be cautious not to go beyond what is written in scripture. God has chosen somethings to reveal to us and others that we are not to know. These accounts of heaven often try to relate things that God has not chosen to reveal to us at this time.

One thing in these accounts that makes me skeptical is the reaction of those who go to heaven when contrasted to the reaction of those in the Bible. Isaiah, Ezekiel and John all have similar reactions.  When confronted with the Holiness of God, they fall to the ground, pass out or realize and declare their sinful state. (Isaiah 6:5, Eze. 1:28, Rev. 1:17 see also Daniel 10:8-9) In each case being in the presence of a most Holy God instantaneously brought about a weakness and a recognition of their fallen status, “Woe is me”. In the modern accounts of heaven we see none of this.  Instead the people walk right up to Jesus and talk with Him as if he’s the neighbor down the street.  I can assure you that when we come face to face with our savior there will be a holy reverence about our attitude.  Jesus will come to us and take us into His arms.  We will be firmly focused on God and His all-surpassing glory.

These accounts of heaven are not harmless. They do a couple of things. First, they make one feel as if Scripture is not sufficient, that we need more. Second, they tend to bring human experience to the level of God’s Word. Or the belief that we can view and interpret God’s Word through the prism of our experience. And lastly they make one believe that human experience can be as effective at causing spiritual enlightenment as Scripture.

In Latin there is a statement that has been around for a long time. It was declared by Martin Luther at his trial. The statement is sola Scriptura it means that the Word of God is sufficient authority. Scripture is the sole source of all spiritual knowledge. If this is true then an anecdotal story that adds to, takes away from or contradicts Scripture must be rejected as unbiblical. The only source of revelation that we have about heaven is to be found in the Bible. So it is to Scripture that we must turn and look.