“Jesus Said” Is Not Always
An Argument
Colton Burpo and his book, Heaven is for Real
Some atheist and agnostic types – particularly of the academic kind – have attacked not just Colton but also those who believe his story. It hackles them that so many can be so light headed.
Others have been uncertain how to assess Colton’s testimony. They don’t question the idea of heaven or the possibility of a pre-death visit but are uncertain how to assess a report like this and, therefore, reticent on the issue.
Add to that any apparent Bible reason to question the validity of his experience and doubts abound. One verse which seems to suggest Colton’s report can’t be genuine is John 3:13. Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus and He says:
No one has ever gone (ascended) into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.
Wow, right from the mouth of Jesus – “No one has ever gone into heaven.” Seems like a deal killer but a closer inspection clears things up.
Time Sensitive Statement
Jesus’ remark was a ‘tween’ statement. He was speaking from an Old Testament perspective which would shortly give way to a New Testament one.
People who died in the Old Testament went to one of two places, paradise or a place of torment, and these two places were close. You could say they were adjacent.
As per the story of Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), the people in these locations were so close they could see and speak to each other. It was one location but two compartments.
Where was this place?
Well, referring to His burial, Jesus said He would spend three days in the heart of the earth (Matt. 12:40) and later, while hanging on the cross, He assured the thief next to Him that he would be with Jesus in paradise that very day (Luke 23:43).
It was Jesus reference to the “heart of the earth” that lead many to believe this paradise-hell was located in the bowels of the earth.
Obviously, any place below the surface of the earth is not what we associate with the idea of heaven. Heaven is where God’s throne is and it is above and beyond planet earth not in it. David referred to earth as God’s footstool so heaven couldn’t be below that.
Therefore, those in paradise were in a sort of “heaven” – hence the name paradise – but it wasn’t “THE” heaven, otherwise known as the presence of God.
Likewise, those in the place of torment were in a sort of “hell” but again, it was not the place referred to in Revelation as the bottomless pit. It isn’t the final destination of unbelievers.
So, when Jesus rose from the dead He left paradise – the bowels of the earth – and when He ascended, 40 days after the resurrection, He returned to the presence of God the Father – the actual heaven.
Since Paul said, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” we believe Jesus transported those in paradise – or paradise in whole – with Him when He ascended. Therefore, He was the first to go into heaven and others have since followed.
Revelation refers to saints in heaven and there are 24 who sit on seats around God’s throne (4:4).
Even Paul’s near death experience and visit to heaven happened after the ascension so we shouldn’t be surprised if it happens again.
Bottom line? Old Testament saints went to paradise, a place of bliss, and were later ushered into God’s presence when Jesus ascended into heaven.
Jesus’ Ascension Followed His Resurrection Not His Death
Jesus wasn’t only the first to ascend into heaven, He was also the first to be resurrected. Yes, others were resurrected but all of them eventually died again. They didn’t receive a new body and they didn’t go to heaven.
The people in heaven now, although recognizable, are disembodied souls. After death, their souls went to heaven and the bodies were left behind. Their transformation won’t be final until their bodies are resurrected and reunited with their souls.
So, Jesus is not only the first Person to ascend into the presence of God, He is the first to go after resurrection, with a new body.
Conclusion
Nothing Jesus said gives us any reason to doubt Colton’s visit to heaven. As Colton says, heaven is for real, and we should enjoy the thought.
The good thing about reports of this nature, however, is questions are being asked and the Bible is being consulted. Believers and unbelievers alike can’t remain quiet and it makes for some interesting conversations.
For a review of “Heaven is for Real” go here.
Find some discussion questions for your study group here.
For a list of similarities and differences between “Heaven is for Real” and “90 Minutes in Heaven” go here.
For a look at what academics are saying go here.
Tell us what you THINK!AboutIt
Companion books are:
90 Minutes in Heaven
A great companion book is “The Shack
These are books to read more than once and discuss with family and friends.
I did not say that Moses died young.
What happened to Enoch then, he was not on earth.The word killed is a bit sarcastic as it implies murder.
Tell me what would it take for someone to go to heaven, see God which no sinful human can do and back?
Satan would love for all people to give some thought to this story as it does not go along with the Bible.
Why would God need to use another account of something when He gave us the Bible? For God must of had a hand in this for all this account in the young man’s book to happen. John
So you believe God killed Enoch, Moses died young, a demon delivered God’s message to Saul and personal experience should be added to the Bible instead of analyzed in light of the Bible. Is that about right?
If God had this young man see all that the book says he did, then God commisioned this boy and helped him to say the things he did with the help of the Holy Spirit, the same as he did with all the books of the Bible. Then this book must belong in the pages of the Bible? It must be cannoized and everthing in it must go along with the Bible as the Bible does not contradict itself. John
Where does it say Saul saw Samuel?
Demons can talk. Once again why would God use fortunetellers when he tells us not to.
Enoch, well to each his own as the Bible does not say exactly what happened.
Did Moses die early with Gods help or was it natural, timely death and God had nothing to with his dying?
John
“Taking” may only mean “died” to you but that’s not an argument.
And if you follow your interpretation to its logical end it is like saying “God killed Enoch early, not allowing him to die of natural causes, so someone else wouldn’t hurt him.” Is that what you are saying and if so does that sound reasonable. Sounds a bit iffy to me.
You still have a problem with Samuel also. Saul could only “hear” him because he was still a personal, living being. Dust doesn’t talk.
One more thought. You did not answer my reasoning on the idea of hell as the grave as the dictionary tells. What about Ecclesiates chapter 9.
Luke 23:43 as punciation was not used in the Greek language.
Ezekiel 18:4? Thanks John
Yes, the Bible does say that God took him away. To me that means that Enoch died, God ended his life early before the bad people hurt him.
Are you referring to 1 Samuel chapt.28? If so it does not say that Saul actually, physically, saw Samuel. 1st. Samuel 28:3 says that Samuel had died and was buried in his hometown of Ramah. Also if God did not like fortunetellers why would he use one then?
Are you saying that the Bible does not say that man will return to dust when he dies?
Just a couple of thoughts John.
Genesis 5 says God “took” Enoch meaning he didn’t die in the normal sense of the word. So, my question is where did God take him?
Secondly, Samuel appeared after his death to King Saul, so my second question would be where did he appear from?
Whatever your answers, it is clear neither of these men were “dead” in the way you define the word. One went somewhere without dying and the other appeared from somewhere after dying. I doubt dust was involved.
After reading over your statement I wonder where is it stated that God fearing men of old went to heaven or that they went anywhere. It was God that said, “you were made fron dust and to dust you should return”.
Your correct in that Jesus was the 1st to be resurected to heaven. Now that the heavens were opened where does it say that anybody before this time went anywhere?
To be absent from the body, now become a spiritual creature, would be the only way to see the Lord after he went back to heaven. It is good to sharpen one’s faith. J
I have never heard of dying as going to paradise.Looking up the word hell in the dictionary will give you an idea where Jesus was at. Jesus was in the earth dead. Ecclesiastes 9:5 tell us that the dead are not aware of anything, hardly a paradise.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 also confirms this idea.
Then Jesus must have meant that someday I will see you in paradise, which by changing the coma at Luke 23:43, you can see that this makes more sense.
To understand death one needs to know just what is a soul. People have used the phrase, ‘a living soul or dead soul. A soul can die, so would that not be your life energy that only God can give. Genesis tells us that God made man so then he actually gave him a soul,or life energy, so when one dies his soul is gone, dead.
Thank you for taking the time to look at this J