Tag Archives: Near Death Experience

Chapter-a-Day

Seen and Heard

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Seen and Heard (CaD Job 42) – Wayfarer

“My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:5-6 (NIV)

In this book, Imagine Heaven, John Burke summarizes his 30 years of studying people who physically died, were resuscitated, and claimed to have had an after-life experience while they were deceased. They are known as Near Death Experiences (NDE) and it is a fascinating read.

One of the common things that these individuals talk about is the beauty of what they saw on the other side. In particular, some mention that everything is so beautiful with colors a visual detail that they couldn’t quite describe in human terms because they’d never seen it before.

Nobel Prize winning physicist, Frank Wilczek, wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal a few years ago about how quantum mechanics work in our vision and hearing. He uses the metaphor that our hearing is like having a piano in each ear with its 88 keys that, depending on the pressure with a key is struck, can produce a dynamic range of sound for neurons to fire and our brains to interpret. Our eyes, on the other hand, should be thought of a poorly turned, three-string harpsichord because light vibrates faster than the mechanical engineering of our eyes can handle. There are distinct patterns of illumination created by different combinations of photons that our human eyes can’t discern. “In this way,” Wilczek writes, “we are all profoundly colorblind.”

I find it fascinating to ponder the possibility that those who experienced the heavenly after-life were seeing with eyes unbound by human limitations of the poorly tuned, three-string harpsichord. When sent back to their bodies, they returned with visions of things they couldn’t describe, because there are no human words to suffice.

In today’s chapter, we wrap up the Job story. God has spoken and Job has heard God’s message. What’s more, Job claims to have “seen” God, though from a human sensory perspective, only God’s voice in the storm is ever mentioned. Along my spiritual journey, I’ve had very distinct experiences in which my spirit suddenly perceives something I had not “seen” before. As Paul wrote to Jesus’ followers in Ephesus, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be en-lightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you….” (Eph 1:18 NIV, emphasis added).

There is physical seeing and there is spiritual seeing.

With the eyes of his heart en-lightened, Job understands that his human knowledge has not, can not, and will not perceive God’s power and purposes. Job is humbled by this. Ironically, sitting there on the ash heap of the local burn pile, he says he “despises” himself using a Hebrew word whose root means “trash.” He repents.

Eli the younger is not even mentioned in the epilogue. Having given Job and his three friends an ear-full, the young man must have moved on with his “perfect knowledge” to pass judgment on others and tell them how to solve their problems and fix the world from his omniscient perspective.

The spiritual contest prompted by the evil one is ended. Job did not curse God, though he certainly questioned God emphatically. God restores Job’s fortunes and doubles Job’s blessing. The three amigos, Eli, Bill, and Z, are chastised for proudly proclaiming to have knowledge about both God and Job that they did not have. They are told to repent and have Job offer the priestly act of making sacrifices and praying for them. One commentator I read made the point that Job spoke to God, while his three friends spoke about God.

From beginning to end, there is familiarity and an implied relationship between the Almighty and Job. Not so with his three friends. In the quiet this morning, that’s a big part of my take-away from this ancient story. I don’t simply want to know about God. I want to know Him each day of this earthly journey in a spiritually experiential way. I want to hear and see God with the ears and eyes of my heart, trusting that when this journey is over, I will trade in my poorly tuned, three-string harpsichord and actually see things I can’t even imagine and could never describe in human terms.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

Chapter-a-Day

Life’s Slideshow

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Life's Slideshow (CaD 1 Ki 21) – Wayfarer

There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
1 Kings 21:25 (NIV)

Wendy and I purchased a digital photo frame for my mother as a Christmas gift. It allows my dad, my siblings, and our children the ability to upload photos right to the frame from anywhere. My mother, who is now entering the more advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, moved into Memory Care just before Thanksgiving.

So, I and my loved ones have been sending photos to mom’s frame. When my folks moved into a retirement community several years ago, I ended up with the giant tub of old family photos which I’ve been slowly scanning and archiving. I’ve been going through old photos of mom and loading those into her frame hoping they might spark her waning synapses of memory and give her even a fleeting moment of joy.

The other day I visited mom in her room. She was sitting on her sofa, the room was dark with the lights out and the shades drawn. I sat down next to her and together we watched the photos in the frame. There were photos of her childhood, her years as a mother, family vacations and gatherings, and photos of her great-grandchildren. She said very little. We just sat silently holding hands. She began stroking my hand softly as we watched her life scroll by.

Many people who have had near-death experiences (NDEs) speak of being taken through a review of their life on earth like a slideshow. The specific details vary, but the “life review” is a common element of most NDEs. I thought about that, and about my mother’s life, as we watched it pass before our eyes there on the digital frame.

In today’s chapter, King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, conspire to steal a vineyard of a man named Naboth. Ahab simply wanted it because it was conveniently located near his palace. Naboth explained that it was his family’s land, allotted to them since the division of the land under Joshua, and they would never sell it. Jezebel uses her worldly power as Queen to create a scheme to have Naboth brought up on trumped-up charges and stoned to death along with his male heirs by her political cronies. I couldn’t help but think that Jezebel and Ahab’s actions are not unlike King David using his power to have Uriah the Hittite killed in order to marry Bathsheba.

Not unlike God sending the prophet Nathan to confront David about his sin, God sends Elijah to confront Ahab about his sin. Elijah states, and the author of Kings repeats that Ahab had “sold himself” to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. That was the summary statement of Ahab’s earthly life. The slideshow of Ahab’s life would show over and over again that he surrendered himself to whatever would make him rich and powerful, even if that meant surrendering himself to pagan gods and practices. The framing and killing of Naboth and his sons merely because Ahab coveted his garden perfectly encapsulated Ahab’s life.

In the quiet this morning, I found myself thinking about my mother’s digital life review that we watched the other day. The photographic evidence revealed a woman is loved and beloved by her husband, her children, and her family. It revealed a woman who worked hard, along with her husband, to create a life that was lovingly centered around faith and family, joy and laughter.

What a contrast to what the slideshow of Ahab’s life review must have looked like according to Elijah’s description.

And, that begs the question. What about the slideshow of my life review? What will it reveal? To what have I “sold myself” and surrendered on my life journey?

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

Chapter-a-Day

The Books

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The Books (CaD Rev 20) – Wayfarer

“I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.”
Revelations 20:12a (NIV)

This past Sunday Wendy and I were among our local gathering of Jesus’ followers and the question was asked, “What brings you joy?” Wendy’s answer was without hesitation: a Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Actually, that’s a joy we both share even though she is a much bigger reader than I am.

I’ve always loved books. From junior high school through college I always worked or volunteered in the school library. I also worked for the same bookstore chain from high school through college. One of the things I love to do to pass time when I’m on the road is to go to a bookstore. It might be Barnes & Noble or Half Price Books or a local hole-in-the-wall used bookstore.

I find today’s chapter to be one of the most unusual in the entire Great Story because it packs so much into one chapter and leaves me as a reader wanting so much more detail than what John provides. His vision of what’s to come approaches the reader rapid-fire. An angel chains Satan and imprisons the evil one in the abyss for a thousand years. During that thousand years, Jesus and the resurrected martyrs of the earlier tribulation reign on the earth. This is commonly referred to as “the Millenium.” This climactic event is described in just three short verses.

Then Satan is released from the abyss and proceeds to deceive the nations to wage a final battle against Jesus. Satan and his followers are defeated and thrown into a lake of burning sulfur once-and-for-all. This is described in just four verses.

Then there is what the Great Story has repeatedly referred to as “Judgment Day” or just “The Day.” This epic event gets described in just five verses.

Over my forty-plus years of studying the Great Story, the three-verse mention of the Millenium gets, by far, the most conversation, controversy, and close scrutiny. In fact, my normal study sources all had lengthy breakdowns of the major three theological viewpoints regarding the apocalyptic Millenium.

What interested me, however, were the books. During Jesus’ ministry, He made a couple of direct statements regarding Judgment Day:

“…there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” Matthew 10:26 (NIV)

“Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” Luke 12:1-3 (NIV)

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV)

In his book Imagine Heaven, John Burke explores Near Death Experiences (NDE) in which humans have physically died (no heartbeat, no breath, no brain activity), had after-life experiences, and then returned from death. It’s a fascinating read as there are eerily common NDE experiences around the globe that have been scientifically researched by universities and academics. Interestingly enough, one of the common experiences that NDErs cite is the books.

A man name Gary died in a car accident with his sister:

“[An] angel came through the gate, and he was checking the pages of a book that he was carrying. he then nodded to the giant angel, confirming that I may enter into the city. Suddenly, there in front of me stood my best friend, John [who had been decapitated but was now whole]. His eyes sparkled with life as we embraced…

“John told me he had many wonderful things to show me. John took me into a very large building that looked like a library. The walls were solid gold and sparkled with a dazzling display of light that loomed up high to a domed ceiling. I saw hundreds and thousands of books…Many angels were there reading the contents of the books. John explained to me that these books contain a record of every person’s life that has ever been born, throughout all history. Everything we do here on earth is recorded in these books – good or bad – everything.”

A teenager drowned in a pool accident:

“[My angels] did not like my response of, ‘I don’t want to go back down there; it is painful.’ ‘You must! Your mission is not yet complete!’ We communicated telepathically; no lips or mouth movements; all thoughts. Moment by moment you discover how quickly you are gaining knowledge; and how easy it is to accept. My three angels sought permission from above to show me something…What looked like a HUGE four-foot thick book, of LIFE. MY Life. Just as my life had passed before my eyes when I was being drowned, I was now being shown my future life.”

The psalmist wrote: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16

In the quiet this morning, I find myself pondering what it is that captures our attention. The exact meaning of the Millenial reign of Christ has stirred debate among scholars and believers since John’s Revelations were first read around 100 AD. Interpretations have varied widely through the centuries. It is literal? Is it metaphorical? Is it figurative?

As I meditated on this and the thorough interpretations covered in my study sources, I found myself shrugging my shoulders and once again humbly embracing my ignorance. I’m not sure I really care that much. Knowing the answer doesn’t really affect me personally now nor in eternity.

What does affect me personally are the books. Whether my name is written in the Book of Life is of utmost importance according to the Great Story. So does the book that the psalmist refers to along with the NDErs who’ve seen their own: the book that records my entire life, my actions, my relationships, and every word I’ve ever spoken.

As I end this, another work week, and as I go about my day, I’m mindful of what is written in the books.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

Chapter-a-Day

The Reward

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The Reward (CaD Jos 19) – Wayfarer

When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, as the Lord had commanded. 
Joshua 19:49-50 (NIV)

In preparation for the Holy Saturday message I gave among my local gathering of Jesus’ followers, I’ve been doing a lot of studying about death. In particular, I’ve been reading about people who’ve had a Near Death Experience (NDE). These are individuals whose bodies literally died. No heartbeat, no brain activity, and no breath for a period of time until they were revived or miraculously returned to life.

There are a lot of commonalities in these experiences. If you’re interested, I recommend the book Imagine Heaven by John Burke (a shout out to Jen P for recommending it to me!). Among the commonalities in NDEs is a “life review” in which the person is shown a replay of their entire lives. Time is different in eternity. Even the Great Story speaks of eternity in which “a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like just a day.” Many describe their “life review” in those same terms. They saw every moment of their entire earthly life, but it only took what seemed like an instant.

Many who’ve experienced this life review also speak of the fact that the most important thing in this review was how well they loved others. Some mention that they saw the events of their life and could actually feel what others were feeling around them. For example, a childhood bully felt the agony of the person they victimized. A son forever estranged from his father, who had always blamed his father for their poor relationship, felt his parent’s emotions as he watched how he treated them as a youth, and he realized that he was just as much a part of the breakdown in the relationship.

Those who have experienced this NDE life review often speak of returning to their earthly lives with completely different priorities. They immediately begin to invest in relationships. They become more loving, generous, and faithful towards others because they died, they tasted eternity, and they learned that it’s the only thing that really matters just as Jesus taught.

Today’s chapter tells of the final allotments of the Promised Lands to the Hebrew tribes. In one final allotment, Joshua is given the town he requested in reward for his faithfulness. A few chapters back, it was Caleb who was first to receive an allotment. Now, Joshua is the last to receive an allotment. Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who originally spied out the land for Moses and had faith that the tribes could conquer the land and the people living there. The other 10 spies doubted. Over forty years later, Caleb and Joshua bookend the allotments of Promised Land and receive the rewards of their faith.

Joshua and Caleb received an earthly reward for their faith, and that got me thinking about eternity. The Great Story speaks of two distinct judgments to take place in the climactic final chapters of the Story. One is simply whether or not my name is written in the Book of Life. The second is described as an inspection of how well I built my life on earth as evidenced by how well I loved God and loved others. Based on what so many who’ve experienced an NDE describe, there is an eternal reward and the only thing that counts eternally is our love for others. Or as Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth:

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (MSG)

And so, I enter another day and another work week with a huge task list, yet reminded that the real priority, the only thing that truly matters, is how well I love those with whom I interact.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.