Question: "Is Angelica Zambrano's testimony of experiencing heaven

and hell biblically sound?"

Answer:Angelica Zambrano, an Ecuadorian teenage girl, claims that she was
dead for 23 hours, during which she met Jesus Christ and was led through
hell and heaven so that she would be able to come back and warn people
about the realities of the next life.
Angelica says that Jesus took her through hell first, and then gave her a
glimpse of paradise. In the vision, Jesus told her, as they prepared to visit hell,
"'Daughter, I will be with you. I will not leave you in that place and I am going
to show you that place because there are many who know that hell exists, but
they have no fear. They believe it's a game, that hell is a joke, and many don't
know about it. That is why I am going to show you that place, because there
are more that perish than those that are entering My glory.' When He said
that, I could see tears streaming down to His garments. I asked Him, 'Lord,
why are you crying?' He replied, 'Daughter, because there are more that
perish, and I will show you this, so that you will go and tell the truth and so
that you will not return to that place.'"
It is absolutely true that hell is real, and not a game or a joke, and it is also
true that many people are going there (Matthew 7:13;25:46). It is true that
Jesus laments over lost people (Matthew 23:37). We know that He takes no
pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). We also know that, in the
last days, your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men
shall see visions (Acts 2:17), so the idea of Jesus weeping over those in hell
is believable, and the possibility of a young person having an experience like
Angelicas is not outside the bounds of Scripture.
That said, some of the elements of Angelicas account are unbiblical, or at
least not sufficiently clear. For example, Angelica says that in the vision I
asked Him, 'Lord, why is my great-grandmother here? I don't know if she ever
knew you. Why is she here in hell, Lord?' He replied, 'Daughter, she is here
because she failed to forgive. . . . Daughter, he who does not forgive, neither
will I forgive him.' There are many other sins that, in Angelicas account,
Jesus named as responsible for sending people to hell. It is true that sin is a

symptom of an unsaved heart. But the account does not adequately explain
the remedy: the grace of God through Jesus Christ is what saves us from the
power and penalty of sin; justification and sanctification are accomplished for
us, once for all, on the cross (Hebrews 10:10,14).
In the vision, Jesus also told Angelica that He is coming for a holy people
and that only the holy ones will see Me! This is true only those who have
been made righteous by Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) will be with Him in heaven
(Hebrews 12:23). But Angelicas account makes it sound as if holiness is a
result of human effort. As Christians, we will pursue purity, obedience, and
holiness, but we will do all those things as a result of what God has done for
us as a result of His grace, and the changed heart He has put within us
(Ephesians 2:8-9;2 Corinthians 5:17). Angelicas testimony does not say
anything that is explicitly against Scripture, but it neglects the idea of
dependence on God for holiness, and it does not put enough emphasis on the
assurance of salvation we have in Christ.
If we believe in the frightening vision of hell that is presented by this purported
vision (and supported by Scripture), we will want to obey the Lord and live a
holy life. But we will easily despair when we realize that we are unable to live
a holy life. Thankfully, the Lord has made it clear that we are to always depend
on Him (John 15:4) to be able to bear the necessary fruit of salvation. He has
also made it evident that He will forgive us when we sin (1 John 1:9).
Angelicas testimony leaves the reader with the feeling that if you commit a sin
just before being hit by a bus, you will wind up in hell. This is not biblical.
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins
(Ecclesiastes 7:20).
It is important to note that Angelica Zambranos testimony is only a human
experience, and though much of her testimony does not contradict the Bible,
the vision is not Scripture itself. It may be entirely a fabrication. There is really
no way to know. Ultimately, with all purported visions and revelations, we must
always "test everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:21), only holding onto the good. It
is only the Word of God that is inerrantly and authoritatively inspired. The fact
that Angelica Zambrano's vision contains statements that are borderline
unbiblical should give us serious caution against accepting any of it as being

from God. What we can draw from it, however, is this crucial reality: a life of
unrepentant sin, or a religious life of false holiness produced in our own
efforts, without Jesus Christ to save us, will result in an eternity in hell and
hell is a very terrible place.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/AngelicaZambrano.html#ixzz3ME4J9T4l