WHERE DID ELIJAH AND ENOCH GO...

[sail2awe]

If it is written, my only opinion is to earnestly endeavor to acknowledge this is God's interpretation, it is God revealing that which we would otherwise never know, because God is invisible, we cannot see Him.

Christ makes the following declaration, shall we not believe Him?

Joh 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

Never heard God's voice or seen God at any time. Well, that does present some difficulties at first, but when we realize man had only heard a manifestation of God, in His stooping down to the material plane, then we can also realize God who cannot be contained, has no voice, for that would mean He had a tongue, but He is invisible, then the problem may be realized. I did not say understood, for there are many things we cannot understand, but we are asked to believe God irregardless of this. We cannot, for example, come to terms with God never having a beginning. It is simply beyond us, or beyond me at any rate.

This, IMO, was the advantage Satan had originally imployeed, the most beautiful of any created being saying that he was God, and the angels could not see God, and Satan gained advantage in that 1/3 of the angels followed after that lie.

For God to stoop to our level, for we cannot reach up to His, means that He must use terms which we can relate. He speaks of having ears, eyes, nose, hands, arm, but all in the context of making that which can only be made known by Him stooping down in manifestation to us.

for example, an argumenitive question might be, if God is everywhere, then which place is His face in, compared to where His feet are?

WE also read that at the time present, God is not manifest, but when He does manifest, the members of the body of Christ shall manifest with Him:

Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

the word appear is the word phaneroō

phaneroō

fan-er-o'-o

From G5318; to render apparent (literally or figuratively): - appear, manifestly declare, (make) manifest (forth), shew (self).

it is a form of the word

phaneros

fan-er-os'

From G5316; shining, that is, apparent (literally or figuratively); neuter (as adverb) publicly, externally: - abroad, + appear, known, manifest, open [+ -ly], outward ([+ -ly]).

Job 23:8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

Job 23:9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Edited August 10, 2005 by sail2awe

[halifaxchristian]

I believe that the Old Testament accounts of "seeing God" were people actually seeing a pre-incarnate form of Jesus Christ, who is God. Seeing Him is seeing God. The Father, however, cannot be seen.

How does this relate to the topic at hand though? I am still wondering what you think about elijah? Was he raptured? Do you believe in the rapture of the church? Do you believe that elijah came back to earth after the whirlwind?

[sail2awe]

the rapture falls short of Biblical reproofing

Although

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness

It must be rightly divided. Whether or not it is feasible that the church FIRST BE raptured before Christ comes and those believers who are alive and remain see Him coming in power and glory in a great cloud of witnesses,, so, you know, it falls before it can stand.

And upon any real scrutiniy there is, of course the fact that they were expecting Him to come when Israel repented and received the time of refreshing. In their lifetime. They didn't expect to not be there because they were already gone or any such thing. But the words employeed of Israel and that kingdom which involves Christ coming to His people Israel are never used of the church which is His body. The church which receive blessings thru Israel's fall do not then see Him coming, for this body of believers appear with Christ when He appears. It doesn't take any knowledge of Greek to see that the words used for coming, and appearing are not the same words at all. There is a difference in epiphaneia/phaneroō and parousia which cannot be overstated, yet it is rejected out of hand by all the fly away doctrine folks. Ez13 is replete with 'thus saith the Lord', declaring He 'is against' those 'who teach' His children 'to fly to save their souls'.

Edited August 11, 2005 by sail2awe

[halifaxchristian]

Let's all be a little bit honest with ourselves here. Concerning enoch and elijah...

we're just not sure.

But if we diligently seek Him, He will reward us with the catch. That I am sure.

God bless.

p.s. if anyone feels they can add any insight here, by all means. But I think I get the picture...we just don't know.

[halifaxchristian]

Where ever they went, they didn't see God...

John 1:18