I’ve recently been thinking about various people’s experiences of Hell. For example, I just heard on the History Channel a discussion on the sin of anger. A now pastor shared how he was an angry, ragefilled man, an atheist, who apparently died momentarily in the hospital while recovering from surgery for a perferated intestine. In a semi-conscious vision-type state he found himself walking through the hospital asking for directions. Some people led him to a place that suddenly changed into Hell where he was beaten and beaten. Words could not describe how terrible the experience was. In the midst of this he cried out to God for help. A light appeared, delivered him, and he found himself waking in the hospital, alive. There are many people that have had similar experiences.
And of course, Bill Weise shares his vision of Hell in his book/video “23 Minutes in Hell”. I’ve briefly paroused his book, but my son is actually doing an indepth study based on the video. As I’ve been studying UR and Hell, I’ve shared my studies with family and friends and it has stirred up much opposition to me. In this process, a couple of family members have taken various actions to oppose, correct me, including talking with my wife and children, encouraging them to disregard what I share with them. Anyhow, my relative actually bought the book/video and gave it to my wife and children. Though that was disrespectful of me, I realize the person only means well, though misguided. I also do not mind my children wrestling through such issues for themselves.
Anyhow, I was thinking of buying the book/video and going through it myself, so I’m glad to have a copy. My son though is into it already, looking up and studying each verse Weise shares to support his interpretation of his vision of Hell. My son has already found that over 80% of the scriptures that he quotes say nothing of Hell, but of the results of sin in this life. And yet Weise quotes these scriptures as support for his interpretation of his vision, that it assured Hell, endless torment for unbelievers.
As I’ve thought through his flagrant misuse of scripture, I’ve come to believe that these visions of Hell are not visions of what will be, but visions of what are. There are currently people who are separated from the love of God, from relationship with God, and oppressed by all manner of evil forces from within and without - the most destructive of which are “within”. People are being harrassed, tortured by demons of their own manking and the making of those around them - emotional, psychological, and spiritual patterns of life that are very destructive to themselves and all who know them.
I believe that Weise did recieve that vision from the Lord, but instead of interpreting the vision through the lens of correct interpretation of scripture, he misinterprets scripture through the lens of his vision and his assumed interpretation that is based on his religious traditions.
It’s interesting that people who have had such visions often become pastors or evangelists, though they were not such before. Such visions often bring people to repentance and life in Christ, even coming back from the dead saved. The experience for them was certainly remedial, working in them faith in God and a freedom from besetting sins. It’s amazing that they then do not even consider that such an experience would bring everyone to faith in God and freedom from sin.
So, what are your thoughts on such experiences?
Yet it’s not my anger… it’s the Lord’s.