THE WHEREABOUT OF ENOCH, AND ELIJAH?

  THE WHEREABOUT OF ENOCH, AND ELIJAH?

BY BENSON OMOLE Min.

GREETINGS:

GRACE TO YOU AND PEACE FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.  I HAVE A GREAT PLEASURE, AND JOY WITHIN ME STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY. I AM ALSO GREATFUL TO OUR GOD, THE ALMIGHTY. MAY HE BE GLORIFIED IN THIS MEETING, THIS EVENING? IT IS ALSO OUR PRAYERS THAT MAY WE BE EDIFIED IN HIM, THIS EVENING, AMEN.

INTRODUCTION:

DO WE KNOW THE WHEREABOUT OF THESE TWO GREAT MEN OF GOD, ENOCH, AND ELIJAH?
THE ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUESTION WILL DEPEND ON OUR UNDERSTANDING, OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
HOWEVER, WE MAY STILL BE HARBOURING, IN OUR HEARTS, SOME OF THE RELICS OF DENOMINATIONALISM. IT IS MY PRAYER TONIGHT, THAT MAY WE KNOW THIS TRUTH, INDEED, AND THEREFORE BE LIBERATED FROM THIS BURDEN, AMEN. (2TIMOTHY 2:15).

TEACHING:

DID ENOCH AND ELIJAH GO TO HEAVEN? ENOCH AND ELIJAH, ARE THEY IN HEAVEN NOW, AND REACHED THAT PLACE OF GLORY, WITHOUT HAVING TASTED PHYSICAL DEATH?

MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THESE TWO GREAT MEN OF GOD DID NOT DIE PHYSICALLY BECAUSE:

GENESIS 5:24, "ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD: AND HE WAS NOT: FOR GOD TOOK HIM."

HEBREWS 11:5, "HE (ENOCH) WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD HAD TRANSLATED HIM."

2KINGS 2:1, “AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE LORD WOULD TAKE UP ELIJAH INTO HEAVEN BY A     WHIRLWIND…” 

BRETHREN, LET US REASON FROM THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES:

JOHN 3:13:
"AND NO MAN HATH, ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, BUT HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, EVEN THE SON OF MAN WHICH IS IN HEAVEN."

ENOCH AND ELIJAH ARE NOT MENTIONED AS EXCEPTIONS! JESUS SAID THAT HE, IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN. THIS STATEMENT OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS AN INDICTMENT ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THESE GREAT MEN OF GOD ARE NOW IN HEAVEN. ONLY JESUS CHRIST HAS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN, NO ONE HAS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN, BEFORE HIM.

Hebrews 9:27:
“…IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MAN ONCE TO DIE..."

AGAIN NOTHING IS SAID ABOUT ENOCH AND ELIJAH BEING EXCEPTIONS TO THAT LAW OF GOD, IN THE BIBLE! EVERY MAN WILL TASTE DEATH, ONCE IN A LIFETIME. (ROMANS 5:12). SINCE ENOCH AND ELIJAH ARE HUMAN, THEY ARE THEREFORE SUBJECT TO THE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES OF PHYSICAL DEATH, BECAUSE OF THE SINS OF ADAM, AND EVE.

1 TIMOTHY 6:16
PAUL REMINDS US THAT,
"CHRIST ONLY HATH IMMORTALITY."

THUS IT IS CLEAR THAT ENOCH AND ELIJAH ARE NOT IN HEAVEN; THEY DID NOT ESCAPE PHYSICAL DEATH, FOR OTHERWISE THEY, TOO, WOULD HAVE IMMORTALITY. AMONG ALL HUMAN, ONLY JESUS CHRIST HAS IMMORTALITY.

2TIMOTHY 1:10:
“…BUT IS NOW MADE MANIFEST BY THE APPEARING OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST WHO HATH ABOLISHED DEATH, AND HATH BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL…”

JESUS CHRIST WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO DEMONSTRATE, BY EXAMPLE, THE GRACE OF LIFE AND IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL OF MAN, AFTER PHYSICAL DEATH. THIS GRACE WAS ONLY MADE KNOWN BY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. IT WAS NOT MADE KNOWN IN THE PAST DISPENSATIONS.

IF ALL THESE RELEVANT BIBLE PASSAGES WERE TRUE, THEN, WHAT ARE THESE OTHER QUOTATIONS SAYING?
MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THESE TWO GREAT MEN OF GOD DID NOT DIE PHYSICALLY BECAUSE:

GENESIS 5:24, "ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD: AND HE WAS NOT: FOR GOD TOOK HIM."

HEBREWS 11:5, "HE (ENOCH) WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD HAD TRANSLATED HIM."

2KINGS 2:1,  “AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE LORD WOULD TAKE UP ELIJAH INTO HEAVEN BY A WHIRLWIND

WE MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD OUR BIBLES!

LET US SPEAK ABOUT ENOCH:-

READING GENESIS 5:21-24:
“…AFTER HE BEGOT METHUSELAH, ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD THREE HUNDRED YEARS, AND HAD SONS AND DAUGHTERS…” (NKJV).

THE ENTIRE LIFESPAN OF ENOCH WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO, BY THE BIBLE:

1). “…ENOCH LIVED SIXTY-FIVE YEARS, AND BEGOT METHUSELAH.” V21.
2). “…AFTER HE BEGOT METHUSELAH, ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD THREE HUNDRED YEARS…” V22

OBSERVATIONS:

A). IN THE FIRST SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF ENOCH, HE DID NOT KNOW GOD, BECAUSE HE DID NOT WALK WITH GOD!

B). HE MERELY BEGAN TO WALK WITH GOD IN THE LAST THREE HUNDRED YEARS, OF HIS LIFESPAN, JUST AFTER HE BEGOT METHUSELAH. V21.

C). ENOCH CHANGED FROM SINFULNESS, TO GODLINESS, IN HIS LIFETIME. THIS CHANGE IS DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLE AS “…GOD HAD TRANSLATED HIM." IN ROMANS 11:5.

“TRANSLATED HIM”?

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE TRANSLATED?

“TO TRANSFER, I.E. (LITERALLY) TRANSPORT, (BY IMPLICATION) EXCHANGE, (REFLEXIVELY) CHANGE SIDES, OR (FIGURATIVELY) PERVERT:--CARRY OVER, CHANGE, REMOVE, TURN.”
(GREEK TRANSLATION FROM THE POWER BIBLE DICTIONARY).

READING COLOSSIANS 1:13, IN THE ANNOTATED VERSION:

“WHO <HOS> HATH DELIVERED <RHOUMAI> US <HEMAS> FROM <EK> THE POWER <EXOUSIA> OF DARKNESS <SKOTOS>, AND <KAI> HATH TRANSLATED <METHISTEMI> US INTO <EIS> THE KINGDOM <BASILEIA> OF HIS <AUTOS> DEAR <AGAPE> SON <HUIOS>”

READING HEBREWS 11:5, IN THE ANNOTATED VERSION:

“BY FAITH <PISTIS> ENOCH <ENOCH> WAS TRANSLATED <METATITHEMI> THAT HE SHOULD <EIDO> NOT <ME> SEE <EIDO> DEATH <THANATOS>; AND <KAI> WAS <HEURISKO> NOT <OU> FOUND <HEURISKO>, BECAUSE <DIOTI> GOD <THEOS> HAD TRANSLATED <METATITHEMI> HIM <AUTOS>: FOR <GAR> BEFORE <PRO> HIS <AUTOS> TRANSLATION <METATHESIS> HE HAD THIS TESTIMONY <MARTUREO>, THAT HE PLEASED <EUARESTEO> GOD <THEOS>.”

THIS GREEK WORD “METATITHEMI”, IS USED IN OTHER PLACES IN THE BIBLE:

LUKE 16:4
“I AM RESOLVED <GINOSKO> WHAT <TIS> TO DO <POIEO>, THAT <HINA>, WHEN <HOTAN> I AM PUT OUT <METHISTEMI> OF THE STEWARDSHIP <OIKONOMIA>, THEY MAY RECEIVE <DECHOMAI> ME <ME> INTO <EIS> THEIR <AUTOS> HOUSES <OIKOS>.”

ACTS 13:22
“AND <KAI> WHEN HE HAD REMOVED <METHISTEMI> HIM <AUTOS>, HE RAISED UP <EGEIRO> UNTO THEM <AUTOS> DAVID <DABID> TO BE <EIS> THEIR KING <BASILEUS>; TO WHOM <HOS> ALSO <KAI> HE GAVE TESTIMONY <MARTUREO>, AND SAID <EPO>, I HAVE FOUND <HEURISKO> DAVID <DABID> THE SON OF JESSE <IESSAI>, A MAN <ANER> AFTER <KATA> MINE OWN <MOU> HEART <KARDIA>, WHICH <HOS> SHALL FULFIL <POIEO> ALL <PAS> MY <MOU> WILL <THELEMA>.”

ACTS 19:26
“MOREOVER <KAI> YE SEE <THEOREO> AND <KAI> HEAR <AKOUO>, THAT <HOTI> NOT <OU> ALONE <MONON> AT EPHESUS <EPHESOS>, BUT <ALLA> ALMOST <SCHEDON> THROUGHOUT ALL <PAS> ASIA <ASIA>, THIS <HOUTOS> PAUL <PAULOS> HATH PERSUADED <PEITHO> AND TURNED AWAY <METHISTEMI> MUCH <HIKANOS> PEOPLE <OCHLOS>, SAYING <LEGO> THAT <HOTI> THEY BE <EISI> NO <OU> GODS <THEOS>, WHICH <HO> ARE MADE <GINOMAI> WITH <DIA> HANDS <CHEIR>:”

1CORINTHIANS 13:2
“AND <KAI> THOUGH <EAN> I HAVE <ECHO> THE GIFT OF PROPHECY <PROPHETEIA>, AND <KAI> UNDERSTAND <EIDO> ALL <PAS> MYSTERIES <MUSTERION>, AND <KAI> ALL <PAS> KNOWLEDGE <GNOSIS>; AND <KAI> THOUGH <EAN> I HAVE <ECHO> ALL <PAS> FAITH <PISTIS>, SO <HOSTE> THAT I COULD REMOVE <METHISTEMI> MOUNTAINS <OROS>, AND <DE> HAVE <ECHO> NOT <ME> CHARITY <AGAPE>, I AM <EIMI> NOTHING <OUDEIS>.”

CONCLUSSIONS ON ENOCH:

A). ENOCH SPENT THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE YEARS IN THIS LIFE.

B). OUT OF HIS YEARS, THE FIRST PART WAS SPENT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

C). IN THE LAST THREE HUNDRED YEARS OF ENOCH, HE KNEW GOD, AND WALKED IN HIS WAYS.

D). HE WAS TRANSLATED,THAT IS, REMOVED FROM THE LIFE OF SIN, LAWLESSNESS, AND DARKNESS INTO THE LIFE OF OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.THIS IS THE SAME WAY THE CHRISTIANS ARE REMOVED, THAT IS, TRANSLATED FROM THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS, INTO THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE LIVED HIS LIFE DURING THE FIRST DISPENSATION, IN THE BIBLE. TO BE “TRANSLATED”, IN HEBREWS 11:5 DOESN’T MEAN DEATH. IT DOES NOT ALSO REFER TO THE PUTTING-ON OF THE INCORRUPTIBLE, NOR THE IMMORTALITY. OTHERWISE, JESUS CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN “THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD, THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE.” Colossians 1:18.

E).”…BY FAITH ENOCH WAS TRANSLATED SO THAT HE SHOULD NOT SEE DEATH,”

THIS VERSE IS NOT ABOUT PHYSICAL DEATH? NO! THE VERSE IS SPEAKING ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL DEATH, AWAITING EVERY LOST SOUL. 1TIMOTHY 5:6; REVELATION 2:11; 21:8. ENOCH WAS SAVED FROM THIS DEATH, BY HIS OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD GOD, THE ALMITHY. JOHN 5:24; 11:26. "MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, IF ANYONE KEEPS MY WORD HE SHALL NEVER SEE DEATH." JOHN 8:51.

F).  HOWEVER, TODAY, ENOCH MUST HAVE DIED,  EVENTUALLY, A NATURAL/PHYSICAL DEATH, AS ALL HUMAN. HEBREWS 9:27. THEREFORE, WE MAY BELIEVE THAT HE IS RESTING INSIDE THE DUST, AND HIS SOUL/SPIRIT IN PARADISE, IN HADES. JESUS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO HUMAN IN HEAVEN, YET, EVEN NOT DAVID, EXCEPT HE, JESUS CHRIST. JOHN 3:13; ACTS 2:34.

CONCLUSSIONS ON ELIJAH:

READING 2KINGS 2:1, “AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE LORD WOULD TAKE UP ELIJAH INTO HEAVEN BY A WHIRLWIND…”

A). GOD WANTS TO TAKE UP ELIJAH TO HEAVEN! WHICH HEAVEN?

1). THE FIRMAMENT/ATMOSPHERE? GENESIS 1:8.

2). THE SPACE? GENESIS 1:14.

3). THE RESIDENCE OF GOD? ISAIAH 66:1; 2COR.12:2-4.

PLEASE NOTE THAT BIRDS, AEROPLANES, WINDS, AND WHIRLWIND CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN THE FIRMAMENT/ATMOSPHERE OF THE EARTH, WHICH THE BIBLE VARIOUSLY CALLED HEAVEN. CREATED IN GENESIS 1:8. HENCE, THE WHIRLWIND COULDN’T HAVE TAKEN ELIJAH BEYOND THE FIRMAMENT/ATMOSPHERE OF THE EARTH.

B). IF ELIJAH WAS CAUGHT-UP TO THE THIRD HEAVEN WHICH IS THE ABODE, REALM OF GOD, WHERE THE THRONE OF GOD IS, THEN WE WOULD HAVE CONTRADICTED THE STATEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST, IN JOHN 3:13. IT WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT JESUS CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN “THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD, THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE." Colossians 1:18.

C). ELIJAH WAS TAKEN UP IN A WHIRLWIND AND TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE FIRMAMENT/ATMOSPHERE TO ANOTHER PART OF THE EARTH WHERE HE LIVED FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS,  POSSIBLY LONGER. ELISHA SUCCEEDED ELIJAH IN ABOUT THE YEAR JEHORAM BEGAN HIS REIGN AS KING OVER ISRAEL. (2 KINGS 3:1). FIVE YEARS LATER ANOTHER KING, ALSO NAMED JEHORAM, BEGAN TO REIGN OVER GOD'S PEOPLE, IN JUDAH (2 KINGS 8:16). HE DIFFERED FROM HIS PREDECESSOR IN THAT HE WAS A WICKED KING AND CAUSED MANY OF HIS RELATIVES TO BE KILLED LEST THEY SHOULD ASPIRE TO THE THRONE. AFTER HE HAD BEEN RULING FOR FIVE YEARS HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM ELIJAH. TEN YEARS BEFORE THIS, ELIJAH HAD BEEN TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN IN A WHIRLWIND. IN THIS LETTER ELIJAH REBUKED KING JEHORAM FOR NOT WALKING IN THE WAYS OF HIS FATHERS,  (2CHRONICLE. 21:12-15).

D). HOW COULD HE WRITE THIS LETTER TO THE KING WHEN HE HAD BEEN CAUGHT UP TO HEAVEN IN A WHIRLWIND TEN YEARS EARLIER? THE ANSWER LIES IN THE FACT THAT HE HAD SIMPLY BEEN MOVED BY GOD TO A NEW LOCATION ON THE EARTH WHERE FEW, IF ANY, RECOGNIZED HIM. GOD HAD MOVED HIM BY MEANS OF A WHIRLWIND. HOW MANY YEARS HE LIVED IN THIS NEW LOCATION IS NOT REVEALED, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT HE LIVED THERE ABOUT TEN YEARS.
E). AFTERWARDS, ELIJAH MUST HAVE DIED A NATURAL/PHYSICAL DEATH, AS HUMAN. HEBREWS 9:27. HIS BODY THEREFORE MUST HAVE BEEN IN THE DUST. HIS SOUL MUST HAVE GONE BACK TO GOD WHO GAVE IT, ECCLESIASTES 12:7.

ADVICE TO THE CHRISTIANS:

A). ENOCH HAS THIS TESTIMONY THAT HE PLEASED GOD. WHY NOT YOU?

B). ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD, WHY NOT YOU?

C). ELIJAH WAS A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF GOD, WHY NOT YOU?

D). THE BIBLE PROVIDED US THE EVIDENCE ABOUT THE FAITHFULNESS OF ENOCH’S CHILDREN!

HOPING THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL HELP YOU, BY THIS WORK, TO ENABLE YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT THE WHEREABOUT OF THE FAITHFUL MEN OF GOD LIKE ENOCH, AND ELIJAH, AND TO EVENTUALLY LEARN GOOD LESSONS OF FAITH, FOR OUR ETERNAL SALVATION, AMEN.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

MID-WEEK TEACHING. 17TH JULY, 2019.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO
BENSON OMOLE, a Servant of the Church of Christ, Ekute Quarters, Ado Ekiti. (benoomole@yahoo.com; omolebenson@gmail.com ; 08032208899; 08054224343; 08060066660.
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