WAS ENOCH THE FIRST TO BE RAPTURED?
first published D12 M09 2024Rumour Has It
Rumour has it that Enoch ascended to shamayim (pw heaven). This claim is then taken further by others as evidence for a first, so-called "Rapture".In Apologetics we use this rule: The principle of the harmony of Scripture (or, Scripture interprets Scripture): “no part of Scripture can be interpreted in such a way as to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture” (RC Sproul).
I agree with this Christian even though Christianity often does not follow its own acceptance of this rule. So let's dive into the words of Yehoshua concerning every man and death.
No Man Has Ascended To Shamayim (pw heaven) Except...
Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to shamyim (pw heaven), but he that came down from shamyim (pw heaven), even the Son of man which is in shamayim (pw heaven).
These are the words of Yehoshua himself. He is the only man that has ascended up to shamayim. They claim that he never saw death. Yet, David, who should know about Enoch who preceded him, says the following.
Psa 89:47
Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in
vain?
Psa 89:48
What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver
his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Every man must see the grave.
Even Yehoshua was dead in the grave for three days and three nights.
This is
how we know that Yehoshua is not Eloheem. He is the Begotten Son of
Eloheem. Then what about Enoch? Is Enoch superior to Mashiach that he
could go straight to shamayim without the resurrection power of
Yehoshua even having been fulfilled? Obviously not.
But how shall we reconcile the
apparent
contradiction. We have two witnesses, David and Yehoshua, which seem to
contradict the two verses written concerning Enoch's end. Firstly we
must make it clear that this refers to Enoch son of Jared not Enoch son
of Cain.
Let's look at the Greek word for "translated"
G3346
μετατίθημι
metatithēmi
met-at-ith'-ay-mee
From G3326 and G5087; to transfer, that is, (literally) transport, (by
implication) exchange, (reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively)
pervert: - carry over, change, remove, translate, turn.
It simply means that Yahuah
moved Enoch from one place to another which is exactly what we find
happening to EliYahu (Elijah). Yahuah helped to remove him from a place
where his life was in danger. He would die later as we all do. In his
case he was simply not found. This is similar to Moses as far as his
grave not being found.
Deu 34:5 So Moses the servant of Yahuah (pw the LORD) died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Yahuah
Deu 34:6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
They All Died
As some rightly point out, all
these morally conviceted people mentioned in Hebrews 11 are
clearly said to have died, after all , which includes Enoch himself.
Heb 11:13 These
all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
It would seem that perhaps
Yahuah did not want Enoch to be killed for his obedience in the same
way Abel was killed. Enoch is mentioned by Apostle Shaul right
after Abel where he makes mention of his blood still preaching as
it were. Yahuah wanted the living Enoch to continue preaching or
prophesying about the end times.
Prophets were and are never popular.
What can we learn from this false teaching. Much hype is around promoting a rapture invention to avoid tribulation while distracting from the examples of the morally-convicted people who chose to Walk With Eloheem. When scripture says we are to walk as Yehoshua walked then we get people refuting that that means obeying Torah.
RELATED: Who is Elijah And Is He In Heaven?