"90 Minutes in Heaven"

I have had numerous emails and inquiries about the best-selling Don Piper book, "90 Minutes in Heaven." Are such experiences legitimate? When one dies, is there a scripture verse that says some will visit Heaven (or hell) and return to tell the world about it? Not really. What, then, can we make of the many people who claim to have made these journeys?
Piper is sincere and loves God. He seems to believe that he experienced Heaven and has been called by God now to share his experience. He's impressed a lot of people as the book has sold over 500,000 copies. I believe he wants to encourage Christians. He says, "Because I was able to experience Heaven, I was able to prepare for it. And now I am preparing you."
Many over the years have claimed similar experiences due in part because "experiential Christianity" is so popular. I have to ask, "What was wrong with that old time religion where just studied God's Word and didn't go beyond it?" We didn't need supernatural happenings? The Bible could stand alone. We could long for and anticipate Heaven even if all we know of it comes from the Bible.
God desires that we long for Heaven, but only if we desire Heaven so we can be with Him. Piper didn't even "see" Heaven. He only saw the outskirts. But others have visited Heaven in death experiences or were taken to Heaven to have a talk with Paul or Jesus. Flee from such, please.
We know from the Bible there were some who saw Heaven. But Stephen, Paul, and John, were alive when they were given a glimpse of the wonders of Heaven. Don Piper had to die to have his experience, as was the case of many before him in recent decades. They had to die and then come back to life as Piper did.
The problem with books of this nature is that they undermine the authority of Scripture. The Bible teaches that God "has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world" (Hebrews 1:2). The tense of "has spoken" indicates a full and final revelation. Everything we will know about Heaven and hell during this life and in this age is contained in the Bible.
Following the description of Heaven, there is little further reflection on paradise. There is little attempt to describe how the author's life and perspective on Scripture have changed because of his experience. There is little interaction with the Bible. There is little gospel. Yet the book has sold a half-million copies. Could it be a "tickling the ears" experience?
Another well known Christian leader claims to have gone to heaven and been sent back by Jesus to tell people He is coming again. This was not a near death experience but an actual trip to heaven, though he did not know whether in or out of the body. A big blond-headed angel was involved in his experience.
Most of these books claim to impart new revelations to the church. As such, these books ought to be rejected. They not only teach extra biblical ideas, they teach unbiblical ideas, some worse than others. Thus they lead people astray no matter how noble the ostensible reason for writing, such as to get people to believe in the Lord's soon return or to get them to repent.
The Bible paints a glorious picture of Heaven. I have no longing to listen to someone who supposedly has visited that celestial place, even if they have talked to important people up there! I can focus on several verses and I am reminded in a nanosecond that I am not a citizen of earth, but of Heaven. No one has has to pave the way for me with his or her description or experience!
For further reading: Pastor Bob DeWaay's commentary on this:http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue54.htm and http://www.challies.com/archives/001806.php
RADIO LAST WEEKEND: Caryl Matriciana's conversation with me on so-called "Christian Yoga" is most enlightening and found here: http://www.olivetreeviews.org/radio/mp3/ If you have a friend or family member involved in "Christian Yoga," you should get her new DVD "Yoga Uncoiled From East to West: A Look Into Yoga in the Church." It is available at http://www.olivetreeviews.org/catalog.shtml#others
Radio this weekend: Jack Kinsella and former terrorist, now a believer, Jerry Rassamni.