Quote:
Originally Posted by jfrog
I've heard a few explanations. I'm really not sure what happened to them. I do know that Elijah appeared to a few of the apostles... maybe that was his angel to huh? Or maybe it was just a vision? Who knows?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryan
Enoch died... the other... is unclear...
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Amen Bryon!
Let's look at both of these stories closely and dispel the common myth.
Of Enoch it is written,
Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
It's often believed that Enoch walked so close to God that suddenly he wasn't to be found, because God "took him" or translated him to Heaven.
Now, if you study the Septuagint the literal Greek would imply that Enoch "was not present" because "God took him".
However, the literal approach doesn't allow for Hebrew idioms. The Hebrew idiom of "God took" means that God took someone in death. So if we translate this according to idiom the text is saying, "Enoch walked with God: and couldn't be found; because he died." Implication is that the prophet Enoch went off to die alone.
So do we take it literally or according to idiom? Sometimes there's a problem with taking something literally. For example, I might say that something, "Cost me an arm and a leg." If taken literally you'd think I bartered body parts for it. But if you understand the idiom you'll know that it cost me a lot of money.
When it comes to Elijah we read that Elijah was taken away from Elisha in a fiery chariot under the reign of Ahaziah in II Kings chapter 2. But years later Jehoram receives a letter of rebuke from Elijah (
2 Chronicles 21:12-15).
So it's evident that the chariot just took Elijah away from Elisha to another location on earth. Elijah wasn't translated.
Jesus said,
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.
And the writer of Hebrews, believed to be Paul, wrote,
Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Both ended up dying like every mortal man.
Believing that either was translated and didn't face death is believing in a popular myth rooted in ancient mysticism.
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