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What is a biblical view of Angelica Zambrano's visions of heaven and hell?

What is a biblical view of Angelica Zambrano's visions of heaven and hell?
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TL;DR:

The core message of Angelica Zambrano's testimony—repentance, faith in Christ, and the reality of judgment—aligns with biblical teaching. However, Angelica Zambrano’s stories mix truth with error.

what does the bible say?

Angelica Zambrano, a young Ecuadorian, claims to have visited heaven and hell multiple times, each time receiving revelations from God. Her first experience was when she was a teenager. She claims she was dead for 23 hours, during which time she met Jesus Christ and was led through hell and heaven and sent back to warn people about the realities of the next life. Her extra-biblical testimony of visions should not be regarded as divine revelation. The Bible is the only sufficient and authoritative source for spiritual truth. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6), and that eternal destinies are determined by faith in Christ, not by specific sins or works. Zambrano's visions distort truth by combining faith with works as the way for salvation.

from the old testament

  • God alone reveals truth; humans cannot claim new revelation outside His Word. (Deuteronomy 13:1–3; Isaiah 8:20)
  • Life and death, blessing and judgment belong to God; humans cannot alter or add to His plan. (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Daniel 12:2)

from the new testament

  • Believers are secure in Christ; salvation cannot be lost by sin (John 10:27–30).
  • We need to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11). We must examine God’s Word to see if a message is true.
  • Salvation is by grace through faith, not works or visions (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 10:9–10).
  • We must test everything and hold fast to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). A vision that has false teaching must be discarded.

implications for today

Several aspects of Angelica's revelations are clearly unbiblical. In her first vision, she met someone in hell who failed to forgive. On her second visit to hell she claims that she met a former Christian leader who was there because he did not tithe. In her third vision, she saw people in hell for committing suicide and for playing secular music styles in church. She teaches that many people in hell were once saved but lost their salvation by sinning. This denies the doctrine of believer's security in Christ (John 10:27-30).

Bible-believing Christians should be wary of those who claim to have a new message or revelation from God. It is a sign of a false teacher. Nobody would be led from hell to heaven and back to earth in any literal way, for this would contradict Scripture. Luke 16:26 indicates that those who go to heaven or hell remain there, with no possibility of returning. Angelica's experiences are likely subjective visions or dreams rather than literal journeys.

understand

  • Angelica Zambrano’s visions stress repentance, faith, and judgment, which align with Scripture.
  • Angelica Zambrano’s claims mix truth with unbiblical errors like works-based salvation and losing salvation.
  • The Bible alone is the authoritative guide; all else must be tested against it.

reflect

  • How do you discern whether a vision or message aligns with the Bible?
  • How do you rely on God’s Word rather than extraordinary experiences to guide your faith?
  • How does understanding the security of your salvation in Christ shape the way you see the afterlife?

engage

  • How should Christians respond when someone shares a vivid spiritual experience that includes elements contrary to Scripture?
  • Why is it important for us to test all teachings against the Bible?
  • What can we do to make sure we are not misled by unbiblical visions or claims?

More Resources

Sin Is hell real? Is hell really forever?

Is hell real? Is hell really forever?

Hell is a real, eternal place of punishment for those who reject God. We must either trust in Jesus Christ, the infinite God in flesh, to pay for our sins through His sacrifice on the cross, or we will bear the infinite cost of our sins forever in hell.
Heaven What happens after death?

What happens after death?

There are two eternal destinations after death—heaven or hell—based on our response to Jesus Christ. By believing in Jesus’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins, we can be saved from hell and gain eternal life in heaven.
Apologetics Does the Bible say anything about near-death experiences?

Does the Bible say anything about near-death experiences?

The Bible does not mention near-death experiences but records instances where people truly died and were restored to life. Any claims of NDEs today should be evaluated by Scripture.
Worldview Is 90 Minutes in Heaven biblically based? Is Heaven is for Real biblically accurate? What about 23 Minutes in Hell?

Is 90 Minutes in Heaven biblically based? Is Heaven is for Real biblically accurate? What about 23 Minutes in Hell?

Accounts of near-death visits to heaven or hell should be approached with caution, as the Bible records no verified accounts of someone dying and returning with detailed afterlife experiences. These stories must be tested against Scripture, remembering that visions of heaven in the Bible were rare, sacred, and given for God’s purposes alone.