Question from a Reader:

Do you think Lazarus or any of the people Jesus raised spoke about their experiences?

Answer from Stephanie Anderson, EPM Staff:

Randy writes, “In the Bible we’re told that Stephen, Paul, and John all saw Heaven, and John and Paul were actually taken there. All three were alive when they saw it. Stephen remarked that he saw Christ in Heaven (Acts 7:56). Paul was hesitant to talk about his experience (2 Cor. 12:1-4). And John relayed his experience in the God-breathed book of Revelation.”

It’s quite possible, indeed likely, that Lazarus—and others who experienced resurrection—shared about his experiences personally. Many of us look forward to talking to Lazarus in Heaven and hearing his firsthand account of what it was like to be resurrected! However, it’s notable that those accounts, if Lazarus and others gave them, are not included in Scripture. What we do see in Scripture is that the focus is on Jesus Christ. Randy has noted in his blogs about “visit to Heaven” books that, in some cases, the focus seems to be far more on what the person saw/experienced rather than on Jesus Himself, who is undoubtably the focus of Heaven.

Randy writes, “In the Bible there are several instances of miraculous resurrections which take place. Examples include the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24), Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:41-56), the widow’s son (Luke 7:12-16), Lazarus (John 11:1-45), and of course, the resurrection of Jesus himself. In all of these cases, the scriptural emphasis is on glorifying God who brings about the resurrection, while there is absolutely no information on what the person experienced during the time they were dead.”

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