Some Examples of Spiritual Travel in Christianity and Judaism

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Spiritual Travel in the Christian New Testament
Some of the most important visionary experiences in the Christian New Testament can be understood as spiritual travel. While the number of examples listed below from scriptures are small, they are only samples from a larger set. But even with this limited number, there are enough to show that the concept of spiritual travel has been unjustifiably ignored or devalued in these Western traditions. In the author's view, the topic of spiritual travel needs to be revisited by scholars and religious leaders to first document, and then assert the importance of spiritual travel in Western religious scripture and practice.
For Christians who value the authority of Saint Paul, an important biblical passage is Paul's story of the man who was transported up to the third heaven in Corinthians 12. This experience clearly fits our criteria for spiritual travel (assuming the man did not visit heaven while actually in his physical body). Some scholars believe Saint Paul was the person who experienced heaven but that he described the experience as happening to another man because of his humility.
This story is important because it is a passage from the new testament that describes in literal terms the soul leaving the physical body and traveling to heaven. It does this when Saint Paul questions: "Was the man in his body when he visited heaven or not?" By wondering about these two possibilities, Saint Paul is stating that he believes that the soul of a living person can leave the body, visit heaven, and return to the body to tell the story of what happened. This is precisely what appears to happen in deeper spiritual travel experiences.

... I shall go on to tell of visions and revelations granted by the Lord. I know a Christian man who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of it, I do not know- God knows) was caught up as far as the third heaven. And I know that this same man was caught up into paradise, and heard words so secret that human lips may not repeat them. About such a man as that I am ready to boast; but I will not boast on my own account, except of my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:1-5)

The most pronounced and longest spiritual travel experience in the new testament is in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 4, the description of spiritual travel is clear and unambiguous. This following passage from Revelation precedes the famous section where Saint John meets the four heavenly figures with the faces of a human, an eagle, a lion, and an ox. This spiritual travel experience appears to go on almost to the end of the book of Revelation. Saint John never does describe returning from heaven to his physical body, but clearly he had to return to write the Book of Revelation.

After this I looked, and there before my eyes was a door opened in heaven; and the voice that I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen in the hereafter." At once I was caught up by the spirit. There in heaven stood a throne, and on the throne sat one whose appearance was like the gleam of jasper and cornelian; and round the throne was a rainbow, bright as an emerald. In the circle about the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on them sat twenty-four elders, robed in white and wearing crowns of gold. Burning before the throne were seven flaming torches, the seven spirits of God, and in front of it stretched what seemed a sea of glass, like a sheet of ice. (Revelation 4:1-6)

Paul's conversion experience where he had a vision of light on the Road to Damascus (Acts 9) is unclear as to whether it qualifies as spiritual travel since it is unclear whether he left his body. It may or may not have been a spiritual travel experience.
3 As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly beamed down upon him! 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" 5 "Who are you, sir?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do." 7 The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone's voice, but they saw no one! 8 As Saul picked himself up off the ground, he found that he was blind. 9 So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he went without food and water. (Acts 9:3-9)

This vision which blinded him for three days was a crucial turning point in the history of the early church since Paul, after his conversion, was the primary figure who spread Christianity to the Gentiles. One indication that the vision may qualify as spiritual travel was that Paul lost his ability to see. This might indicate his other senses also failed during the experience. If this were the case, his experience might meet our criteria for spiritual travel since if all of his senses were inoperable, his vision may have occurred during an out-of-body state.

Spiritual Travel in the Old Testament

There are a few examples of spiritual travel in the Old Testament where individuals are transported to heaven while awake rather than in dreams. Ezekiel 8 is one such example:
1 Then on September 17, during the sixth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, while the leaders of Judah were in my home, the Sovereign LORD took hold of me. 2 I saw a figure that appeared to be a man. From the waist down he looked like a burning flame. From the waist up he looked like gleaming amber. 3 He put out what seemed to be a hand and took me by the hair. Then the Spirit lifted me up into the sky and transported me in a vision of God to Jerusalem. I was taken to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the Temple, where there is a large idol that has made the LORD very angry. 4 Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel was there, just as I had seen it before in the valley. 5 Then the LORD said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked, and there to the north, beside the entrance to the gate of the altar, stood the idol that had made the LORD so angry. 6 "Son of man," he said, "do you see what they are doing? Do you see the great sins the people of Israel are doing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even greater sins than these!" (Ezekiel 8:1-6)

Ezekiel 40 is another example of spiritual travel in the Old Testament where a vision transports the prophet to what appears to be a physical location (the land of Israel).
1 On April 28, during the twenty-fifth year of our captivity fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem the LORD took hold of me. 2 In a vision of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see what appeared to be a city across from me toward the south. 3 As he brought me nearer, I saw a man whose face shone like bronze standing beside a gateway entrance. He was holding in his hand a measuring tape and a measuring rod. 4 He said to me, "Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things. Then you will return to the people of Israel and tell them everything you have seen." (Ezekiel 40:1-4)
Dreams are also a very important element in the Old Testament. Numerous prophets such as Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Amos have visionary and prophetic dreams.
The following passage from the Song of Solomon actually describes Solomon waking up in a dream which is something that happens often in spiritual travel.
2 "One night as I was sleeping, my heart awakened in a dream. I heard the voice of my lover. He was knocking at my bedroom door. 'Open to me, my darling, my treasure, my lovely dove,' he said, 'for I have been out in the night. My head is soaked with dew, my hair with the wetness of the night.' 3 "But I said, 'I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again? I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?' 4 "My lover tried to unlatch the door, and my heart thrilled within me. 5 I jumped up to open it. My hands dripped with perfume, my fingers with lovely myrrh, as I pulled back the bolt. 6 I opened to my lover, but he was gone. I yearned for even his voice! I searched for him, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply. 7 The watchmen found me as they were making their rounds; they struck and wounded me. The watchman on the wall tore off my veil. 8 "Make this promise to me, O women of Jerusalem! If you find my beloved one, tell him that I am sick with love." (Song of Solomon 5:2-8)

In the following famous passage from Joel, the importance of dreams for the believer is emphasized. Implied in this statement is that spiritual dreaming is an important part of life, and that the ideal world or the "end times" would contain many individuals who had spiritual and visionary dreams. Since many visions and dreams in the Old Testament appear to involve spiritual travel, it would seem that the bible recommends this practice. If it is good for the prophets, it may be just as valuable for ordinary men and women.

28 "Then after I have poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. 29 In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike. 30 "I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives. 32 And anyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. There will be people on Mount Zion in Jerusalem who escape, just as the LORD has said. These will be among the survivors whom the LORD has called. (Joel 2:28-32)

In the next passage from Daniel, the concepts of visions and dreams is equated. In the Old testament, the two are very close and sometimes confused, or spoken of using the same terminology.

1 Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar's reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is what he saw. 2 In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction. 3 Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others... (Daniel 7:1-3)

In addition to the above examples of spiritual travel in the Old Testament, there are prophets who enter heaven while alive and sometimes appear to take their body with them. Elijah saw a "chariot of fire" and "went up by a whirlwind into heaven" apparently never to be seen again by those who witnessed this event.
This cannot be classified as spiritual travel since the prophet never returned but it has some clear similarities.

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