Hi 1ofthem,
There is a problem here and I understand how many come to this conclusion. One clear problem is that scripture says "No one has ascended to heaven, but the Son. And we know that scripture never contradicts itself.
Let's look at Elijah first. Fifty sons of the prophets wanted to go find Elijah--they all knew he wasn't taken into heaven, only into the sky--there are three levels of 'heavens' as we know: 1. The upper atmosophere, 2. Space 3. Where God dwells.
Here's why we know he didn't go to heaven, because several years later he wrote a letter to King Jehoram:
"Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said:
“This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. 13 But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better than you. 14 So now the Lord is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. 15 You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’”--2 Chronicles 12-15
Regarding Enoch. If we believe scripture doesn't contradict itself, then we know he too was not translated to heaven. The new testament said he died along with the others that did not receive the promise. :
4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(now here we add taken to heaven--but it only says 'taken'--so that he did not go thru the natural dying process as later in these verses it says ALL died having not received the promise)
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[b] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
"13 All these people were still living by faith when they died."-- Hebrews 11
The bible says nothing is impossible for God. Also, we know no one can go to heaven before Christ's second coming--this 'corruption must be clothes in incorruption. And there is an order in place in which there are no exceptions--ALL must stand before the judgment seat of Christ before they can enter God's heavenly kingdom. And all must be clothed with there incorruptible bodies.
"…10“You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. 12As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. "--2 Kings 2:11
(here again we add taken to heaven--it doesn't say that--they watch him taken up to heaven, but it is the sky because no one can obviously see from an earthy vantage point, heaven where God dwells)
"15When the sons of the prophets who were facing him from Jericho saw what had happened, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16“Look now,” they said to Elisha, “we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.” “Do not send them,” Elisha replied.…"--2 Kings 2:15
An article that explains this more clearly: https://www.followintruth.com/did-enoch-and-elijah-really-not-die
There is a problem here and I understand how many come to this conclusion. One clear problem is that scripture says "No one has ascended to heaven, but the Son. And we know that scripture never contradicts itself.
Let's look at Elijah first. Fifty sons of the prophets wanted to go find Elijah--they all knew he wasn't taken into heaven, only into the sky--there are three levels of 'heavens' as we know: 1. The upper atmosophere, 2. Space 3. Where God dwells.
Here's why we know he didn't go to heaven, because several years later he wrote a letter to King Jehoram:
"Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said:
“This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. 13 But you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your own family, men who were better than you. 14 So now the Lord is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. 15 You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’”--2 Chronicles 12-15
Regarding Enoch. If we believe scripture doesn't contradict itself, then we know he too was not translated to heaven. The new testament said he died along with the others that did not receive the promise. :
4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(now here we add taken to heaven--but it only says 'taken'--so that he did not go thru the natural dying process as later in these verses it says ALL died having not received the promise)
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[b] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
"13 All these people were still living by faith when they died."-- Hebrews 11
The bible says nothing is impossible for God. Also, we know no one can go to heaven before Christ's second coming--this 'corruption must be clothes in incorruption. And there is an order in place in which there are no exceptions--ALL must stand before the judgment seat of Christ before they can enter God's heavenly kingdom. And all must be clothed with there incorruptible bodies.
"…10“You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. 12As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. "--2 Kings 2:11
(here again we add taken to heaven--it doesn't say that--they watch him taken up to heaven, but it is the sky because no one can obviously see from an earthy vantage point, heaven where God dwells)
"15When the sons of the prophets who were facing him from Jericho saw what had happened, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16“Look now,” they said to Elisha, “we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.” “Do not send them,” Elisha replied.…"--2 Kings 2:15
An article that explains this more clearly: https://www.followintruth.com/did-enoch-and-elijah-really-not-die
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