Are books such as 90 Minutes in Heaven, Heaven is for Real, and 23 Minutes in Hell biblically sound?

Answer

Recent best-selling books such as “Heaven is for Real” by Todd Burpo, “90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper, and “23 Minutes in Hell” by Bill Wiese are prompting the question — are people receiving visions of heaven and hell from God today? Could it be that God is transporting individuals to heaven and/or hell and then sending them back with a message for us? While these new books are gaining popularity and bringing this concept to the forefront, the overarching idea is not new. Works like “A Divine Revelation of Hell” and “A Divine Revelation of Heaven” by Mary Baxter, as well as “We Saw Heaven” by Roberts Liardon, have been in circulation for years. The fundamental question remains — are these claims firmly rooted in the Bible?

First and foremost, it is crucial to acknowledge that God has the ability to grant a person a vision of heaven or hell. For instance, God granted the apostle Paul such a vision as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:1–6. Isaiah also had a remarkable encounter, documented in Isaiah chapter 6. It is conceivable that God bestowed upon individuals like Piper (author of “90 Minutes in Heaven”), Burpo (author of “Heaven Is for Real”), Wiese (author of “23 Minutes in Hell”), and others a vision or dream of heaven or hell. Ultimately, only God can confirm the veracity of these claims or whether they stem from misunderstanding, embellishment, or, worse, deceit. (The co-author of another recent book in this genre, “The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven,” has confessed that his account was fabricated.) It is imperative to exercise discernment and evaluate the purported visions and experiences against the teachings of the Bible.

If indeed God were to grant a person a vision of heaven or hell, one certainty is that it would align completely with His Word. A vision of heaven from God would not contradict biblical passages such as those found in Revelation chapters 21-22. Furthermore, if God were to genuinely impart visions of heaven or hell to multiple individuals, these divine visions would not conflict with one another. While the visions may differ and emphasize distinct aspects, theyWould not contradict one another.

As with any book written by any author, “test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). If you read these book(s) and/or see the movie(s), do so with a discerning mind. Always compare what the author says and claims with Scripture. Most importantly, never allow someone else’s experience and interpretation of that experience to shape your understanding of Scripture. Scripture must be used to interpret experience, not the other way around. Do not allow any claimed experience of someone else to be the foundation of your faith or walk with God.

While definitely not without significant flaws, overall, we found 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper and Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo to be the more biblically sound of the “I saw heaven” books. Piper and Burpo seem to approach the issue with humility and honesty. Again, though, read with a healthy amount of discernment and a commitment to the Bible as the absolute source of truth. While we do not doubt the honesty of the authors in sharing what they saw and experienced, there is no way to verify the claims or prove that they were from God and not simply very vivid dreams.

When the apostle Paul was “caught up to paradise,” he “heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:4). Similarly, the apostle John (Revelation 10:3-4) and the prophet Daniel (Daniel 8:26; Daniel 9:24; Daniel 12:4) were instructed to conceal aspects of the visions they received. It would be verIt is very strange for God to have Paul, Daniel, and John withhold aspects of what He revealed to them, only to, over 2000 years later, provide even greater visions, along with permission for full disclosure, to people today. It is our belief that these books claiming visions of and journeys to heaven and hell should be approached with skepticism and, most importantly, through a biblical lens.

Review of the movie “Heaven is for Real.”