Genesis 5:23-24 tells us, “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” It is also said of Enoch in Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” What a testimony to have! “HE PLEASED GOD.” May we all strive to be like Enoch in this manner and seek to please God in all we do and say. In the Book of Jude, we have a quote from Enoch. Jude 1:14-15 says, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” We don’t know exactly how Jude knew this prophesy from Enoch. Perhaps it was common knowledge. Perhaps the Lord gave Jude this knowledge to include in his book. It seems that if there was a Book of Enoch that Jude was quoting, there would be other references to that book. I tend to think that the Lord supernaturally revealed to Jude this prophetic word of Enoch.

Now, let’s look at 2 Kings 2:9-12, “And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.” I encourage you to read the entire chapter of 2 Kings 2. It is an encouraging and fascinating account of Elijah and Elisha. Elijah is the second person that was taken to Heaven without seeing death.

Just as interesting, we see from the Word of God, that even as two were taken to Heaven without dying, two were cast into Hell without dying. We read in Revelation 19:20, “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were CAST ALIVE into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” While many suppose that Satan is in Hell today, ruling that terrible place of torment, it is after the beast and the false prophet are cast into Hell that Satan is finally cast there. Revelation 20:10 tells us, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

We will all spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Where will you spend your eternity? In closing, let’s consider the words of the Lord to His own people in John 14:1-6, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (280.8)