This movie (Heaven Is For Real) is teaching the same error as a movie produced many years ago in 1946, called, “It’s A Wonderful Life.”  It teaches the error that people who die and go to heaven, “work their way up the ladder in heaven to become angels,” and then “earn their wings.”  The Bible never teaches that people become angels in heaven, nor that people ever have wings.  (See also "http://www.libertygospeltracts.com/question/prequest/manwings.htm".)

 

The Bible reveals that certain angelic creatures have wings.  First, seraphim angels have wings.  Isaiah 6:1-3 says, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.    Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.   And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

 

Second, cherubim angels have wings.   Ezekiel 10:1-12 says, “1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.  2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.   3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.  4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory.   5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.  6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.  7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.   8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.  9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.  10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.  11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.  12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.”

 

Many other angels in Scripture appear looking like normal men—having no wings.  Angels appeared unto Abraham with the Lord.  Genesis 18:1-2 says, “1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;   2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground.”  Abraham thought he was looking at three men, in other words, they looked like “normal” men.  He did not know that one of them was God, until the Lord started talking; and Abraham did not know that the other two “men” were really “angels.”   The New Testament refers to this in Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  Abraham offered food and hospitality to these three “men,” and did not know that two of them were really “angels.”  They did not have wings.

 

While the Lord stayed and talked with Abraham, the angels proceeded on to Sodom.  Genesis 18:20-22 says, “20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;  21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.  22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.”  When these two angels approach Sodom, they are now called “angels.”  Genesis 19:1-3 says, “1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;  2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.  3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.”  Lot did not know they were angels—he thought they were two men passing through the area.  “And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways.”  They did not have wings—they looked like regular men.

 

Angels are “spirit-beings.”  Hebrews 1:13-14 says, “13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?  14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”   Jesus said in Luke 24:39, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”  We have real bodies of flesh, and one day, we will receive glorified bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body—the one He said to “handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”  So we will never become angels.

 

The whole basis of the movie, “Heaven Is For Real,” is unscriptural (the idea that God took him to heaven, so he could come back and tell everyone that heaven is real, and what it is like there).  When God took Paul in a vision to heaven, he would not let him describe what he saw and heard there.  2 Corinthians 12:1-4 says, “1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.   2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.  3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)  4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”  God told Paul it was unlawful for him to repeat what he heard there in heaven.  There was to be no repeating of things that he heard, or conversations with people that he may have had.

 

This incident with Paul agrees with what we are taught in Luke 16:19-31, but the boy's experience contradicts this passage.  “19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,  21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;  23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:  28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”  “Moses and the prophets” refer to the Scriptures that God used these men to write, because Moses and the prophets had died long ago.

The Bible is very clear that if people will not believe the Bible, then neither will they believe someone’s testimony that comes back from heaven to tell them that “Heaven is for real.”

 

There are other unscriptural things in the movie.  One reviewer said that the boy sees Jesus riding a “rainbow-colored” horse.  That should tell everyone right there that the boy was not seeing “heaven for real,” but was having a dream or demonic experience.  The Bible is clear that Jesus rides a “white horse” when He comes back to earth.  Revelation 19:11-14 says, “11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”   

 

I have never seen one film that is truly Scriptural.  They always add or subtract from the truth of Scripture.  That is the devil’s work.  Revelation 22:18-19 says, “18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”