| Enoch |
Create Date: 17-Feb-2019 |
| The First to be Raptured |
Last updated: 12-Sep-2023 |
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Not much is known about Enoch other than, he lived in the antediluvian period, which is same period that Noah lived before the Great Flood,
Based on what occurred in Enoch's life and the meaning of Enoch's name, he was a prophet of God that warned the inhabitants of the entire world of the pending Great Flood. Enoch's name means "Commencement" or "teaching". His lineage is mentioned in Scripture as a descendent of Adam and Eve, which gives us an incredible encryption message.
Enoch is one of this author's favorite men in the Bible because he showed us all that a person could live many years and a specific point, give themselves completely over to walking with God in a pleasing way!
| Genesis 5:21-23 | 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. |
After 300 years of walking with God, Enoch was taken away from the Earth. In our modern way of describing the incident, Enoch was Raptured.
| Genesis 5:24 | Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. |
In the Hebrew, took him away is "LAQAH", which can also mean taken to be taken in death. It is also used in Ezekiel 33:6 in the context of taken in death. The context of the Genesis 5:24 with reference of Hebrews 11:5-6 means the body was no longer on Earth.
| Genesis 5:24 Hebrew analysis | And walked, Enoch with God he [was] not for took (LAQAH) him (God took him) |
| Hebrews 11:5-6 | 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God: 6 and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. |
It is the predominant theory by Biblical Scholars, and this author, that he was Raptured while still being alive, into the third Heaven but not into the direct presence of God as Jesus Christ had not paid the price for the world's sins.
It should not concern us if our Earthly body is destroyed so that we can be in the realm of Heaven or into Good Compartment of Sheol. All human beings are Eternal Beings with a Soul and a Spirit.
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Note that we know from Exodus 33:20 that no one can see the Face of God in the flesh and live. In the Old Testament, we learn that the scriptures dealing with God speaking, are through a Theophany, Prophets, burning bush, a whirlwind and Angels and once even through a donkey, in Numbers 22:21-30 & 2 Peter 2:16. This is relevant to understanding that the first two men mentioned here in this topic section, would not have been allowed to stay in their human bodies, at most likely the moment of the Rapture. We know that Christians are transformed in a twinkling of an eye at the Rapture. |
In the book of Jude 1:14-15, there is a reference to Enoch which quotes Enoch for stating the Lord will come with His 10,000s Saints to judge the inhabitants of the world. When kept in context to the whole book of Jude, the message is clearly about the pattern and history of the world which has contained those who live for themselves and entertain the lusts of their flesh for their own selfish desires.
| Jude 1:4 | For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. |
| Jude 1:14-15 | 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” |
There is an unaccredited, by authorship, book called the Book of Enoch, which is not included in the cannon as inspired by God. The book is not recognized by Judaism and Christianity. It is useful partially as a historical book and some other considerations listed in the topic link on the Book of Enoch. The Book of Enoch has many, many discrepancies and errors that contradict the entire Bible.
Enoch is one of three men in the Old Testament that appear on first reading to be allowed to go to Heaven. Many Biblical Scholars state that these three men may have been taken up in the air to meet or see things dealing with Heaven; but they still went to the paradise area of Sheol until the time that Jesus Christ came to get them from Sheol after the Death on the Cross.
The three men are Enoch, Moses and Elijah. Two points of many:
Based on John 3:13, 1 Samuel 28:6-20 and other scriptures, the best conclusion is Enoch, Elijah and Moses went to the Bosom of Abraham compartment of Sheol before the payment on the Cross was made by Jesus Christ.
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. |
| John 3:13 | No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. |
| 1 Samuel 28:15 (part) | Notice that the phrase "bring me up" which infers ascending and not descending. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? This is the incident that King Saul went to a Spiritual Medium at Endor to ostensibly have a Séance to speak to the Prophet Samuel, who had died. The Prophet Samuel tells King Saul that he came from below, which has to be the good compartment of Sheol. |
Jesus Christ's death emptied the paradise section of Sheol, Luke 16:19-31, because Jesus' death on the cross was the payment for sins which the Old Testament Believers were anxiously awaiting. Jesus Christ went down to Sheol to bring those who were there in the paradise section with Him to Heaven. Enoch, Elijah, Moses and many others were there for the glorious event.
After Jesus Christ has completed the mission of the Cross, there was two next activities.
Note that there is a beautiful parallel here also with the Revelation 1:7 event.
| 1 Peter 3:18-22 | 18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, 20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 22 who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. |
| Ephesians 4:8-9 | 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) |
Some may ask if Moses and Elijah, at the Mount of Transfiguration event with Jesus Christ (several Gospels such as Matt 17:1-9), came from Heaven or Upper Sheol? The answer is they came from Upper Sheol.
| 1 Samuel 28:13-15 | 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what seest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth. 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. 15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. |
Jesus Christ wants us to be in His Service so that we can receive the benefits here on Earth and also accumulate rewards in Heaven, that are specifically related to our work. Many Biblical Scholars point out that Faith without Works is dead, which has more meanings to it than most of us realize. Dead works do not accumulate any rewards.
| Matthew 6:19-21 | 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. |
What to read next?
Who were Adam and Eve and were they initially covered with light? Why is Adam's Lineage special and does it give a prophecy? Was Cain Saved and will he be in Heaven? How did Esau lose his birthright?