Tags Archives: heaven

Imagine Heaven

I just finished reading “Imagine Heaven” by John Burke. While there were numerous Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) reported from clinical studies, the author does well at recounting some of them in explicit detail. The unique stories of individuals who passed away came from a variety of causes, as recorded from testimony accounts. Each of which pertains to what happened immediately after the death of individuals as collected and interpreted by Burke coming from his research across various studies.

Book Review

The book is structured in a way to give a reader a sense of tangibility about heaven; the spiritual domain of God in terms of encounters, place, beauty, occupants, and well-being. It is acknowledged and reviewed by reputable philosophy and theology authors (and professors) Moreland, Strobel, and Habermas. While the book is stimulating, it often references scripture concerning the necessity of Jesus Christ for eternal salvation.

While there is sufficient reason to dismiss some experiences as having no evidentiary value, a reader is further served by looking at what the subconscious mind is and does as a point of reference and comparison. The book doesn’t cover enough of that to separate dream-state conditions, from actual out-of-body experiences that occurred. More attention could have been placed upon valid skepticisms touched on in the book.

Two qualified and quantified considerations are presented within the book to capture a reader’s attention. The relevance of these areas has significance as the population of participants offers aggregated detail about their experiences.

States of Transition

What happens with a person during the transition from life to “death?” There were 1300 participants in a clinical study of qualified members with controlled eligibility. Percentages reported were from among the total participants written about in the book.

1. Out-of-body experience: separation of consciousness from the physical body (75.4%)
2. Heightened senses: (74.4% said “more conscious and alert than normal”)
3. Intense and generally positive emotions or feelings (76.2% “incredible peace”)
4. Passing into or through a tunnel (33.8%)
5. Encountering a mystical or brilliant light (64.6%)
6. Encountering other beings, either mystical beings or deceased relatives or friends (57.3%)
7. A sense of alteration of time or space (60.5%)
8. Life review (22.2%)
9. Encountering unworldly (“heavenly”) realms (52.2%)
10. Encountering or learning special knowledge (56%)
11. Encountering a boundary or barrier (31%)
12. A return to the body (58.5% were aware of a decision to return)

The Core NDE Experience (pg 46); [1]

Hellish Conditions & Encounters

Twelve different studies involving 1,369 participants reported NDEs that were disturbing, terrifying, or of despair/distress. Among this population of participants, there were three general categories of experience grouped to understand distribution and frequency.

The Void

Surrounding profound darkness with a continued falling sensation.

Terrain, Plains, Earth, Cities, Towns, Familiar Spaces

A high density of discarnate people jammed together. Abuses, writhing, gouging, punching, etc., but unable to destroy. Creatures generally locked into habits of mind and emotion into hatred, lust, and destructive thought/behavior patterns — individuals who “welcome” newcomers seem kind at first.

The Pit

Involves a locked-in or trapped-in awareness. An enclosure of sorts such as a cave, a bottomless pit, or a large wide hole. Consists of grotesque evil creatures that accompany a perception or smell of death, feces, vomit, and putrid substances. Individuals are exposed to either extreme heat or cold.

All three NDE groups were concerned about a sense of a barrier that wasn’t crossed. Where to go across would be to “eternalize” their placement.

The participants were individuals who experienced fatal accidents, trauma, cardiac arrest, etc. Each involving clinical death for a short duration.

Hellish NDEs (pg 215); General Type Categories: [2]

Citations

Throughout the book, there are cited references with an exhaustive bibliography to support your own personal research. There are two I touch on in this posting as given here.

[1] Long and Perry, “Evidence of the Afterlife,” 6-7.
[2] Holden, Greyson, and James, etc., Handbook of Near-Death Experiences, 70, cited in Miller, Near-Death Experiences as Evidence, 170. Miller gives many other studies on hellish NDEs in notes 30-31 on p. 170.

Heaven

By on in Individual

1. The New Creation

The final state of believers will be preceded by the passing of the present world and the appearance of a new creation. Matt. 19:28 speaks of “the regeneration,” and Acts 3:21, of “the restoration of all things.” In Heb. 12:27 we read: “And this word, Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken (heaven and earth), as of things that are made, that those things which are not shaken (the kingdom of God) may remain.” Peter says: “But according to His promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness,” 2 Pet. 3:13, cf. vs. 12; and John saw this new creation in a vision, Rev. 21:1. It is only after the new creation has been established, that the new Jerusalem descends out of heaven from God, that the tabernacle of God is pitched among men, and that the righteous enter upon their eternal joy. The question is often raised, whether this will be an entirely new creation or a renewal of the present creation. Lutheran theologians strongly favor the former position with an appeal to 2 Pet. 3:7–13; Rev. 20:11; and 21:1; while Reformed theologians prefer the latter idea, and find support for it in Ps. 102:26, 27; (Heb. 1:10–12); and Heb. 12:26–28.

2. The Eternal Abode of the Righteous

Many conceive of heaven also as a subjective condition, which men may enjoy in the present and which in the way of righteousness will naturally become permanent in the future. But here, too, it must be said that Scripture clearly presents heaven as a place. Christ ascended to heaven, which can only mean that He went from one place to another. It is described as the house of our Father with many mansions. John 14:1, and this description would hardly fit a condition. Moreover, believers are said to be within, while unbelievers are without, Matt. 22:12, 13; 25:10–12. Scripture gives us reasons to believe that the righteous will not only inherit heaven but the entire new creation, Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1–3.

3. The Nature of their Reward

The reward of the righteous is described as eternal life, that is, not merely an endless life, but life in all its fullness, without any of the imperfections and disturbances of the present, Matt. 25:46; Rom. 2:7. The fullness of this life is enjoyed in communion with God, which is really the essence of eternal life, Rev. 21:3. They will see God in Jesus Christ face to face, will find full satisfaction in Him, will rejoice in Him, and will glorify Him. We should not think of the joys of heaven, however, as exclusively spiritual. There will be something corresponding to the body. There will be recognition and social intercourse on an elevated plane. It is also evident from Scripture that there will be degrees in the bliss of heaven, Dan. 12:3; 2 Cor. 9:6. Our good works will be the measure of our gracious reward, though they do not merit it. Notwithstanding this, however, the joy of each individual will be perfect and full.

Berkhof, L. (1938). Systematic theology (pp. 736–737). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co.