Well, I have an opinion on this that has not been expressed here, so far.
This is one of those fun questions that your salvation doesn't hinge on & in the end of ends it's not going to matter one whit whether you knew the answer or not (in my opinion), which makes it an amusing thing to think & talk on.
I think they were taken up in bodily form and did not experience death (yet) as a reward.
The only one I can really speak to, is Elijah, since there are only 2 references to Enoch (non-apocryphia) in the Bible.
One of the compelling things about the Bible, is it's very unflattering, glaring observations of the people depicted in it. If (and we know this isn't the case) the Bible were written by men, for men as a creation of nothihng but imagination, the person/people who wrote it would be highly unlikely to depict themselves in such flawed ways. "Let's just say I didn't get into the Promised Land, K? There's no reason to bore them with the whole 'rock smacking' thing, is there?" or "Hey...I was just looking out my window at the sunset. I had NO idea that chick was gonna be taking a bath on her roof! How was I to know?!?". One of the things that sets the Bible apart from human fictions, is how unrelenting it is about exposing its "hero's" flaws and mistakes.
Of all the "major" people in the Old Testament, nearly to a man they all transgressed against God in varying degrees. From Soloman's heathen wives, to Moses rock-beating incident, to David & Bathsheba, Jonah's defiance, Abram's lieing about Sarai, Jacob's "stealing" of Esau's birthright, and on & on & on.
But, Elijah...is never documented as having transgressed against God's direct instruction or ever being defiant or even reluctant about doing what God said, when God said to do it & how God said to do it. He was a VERY obedient servant. Now, I'm not saying that Elijah never sinned, because we know that no one under the Law could ever keep it perfectly, but I'm saying, that as apt as the Bible is to point out its "hero's" flaws, Elijah was never found guilty of major transgression. For this, I believe he was rewarded with a whirlwind ride to Heaven. (Abraham's bosom in the NT about Lazarus & the rich man was "only" for the dead, I think?).
So, there you have my theory. Elijah was rewarded for a lifetime of faithful, extreme obedience to God's will and instruction.
"Enoch walked with God", also perhaps implying a faithful servant who has achieved compliance with God's will (check this: If you are walking towards God, you are attempting to do His will, if you are walking away, you are in defiance, if you are walking WITH God, perhaps you are IN His perfect will. Just another thought.)
Feel free to debunk this theory with scripture, as I admit I have not done a verse by verse study on this, but it is all factual to the best of my recollection.
May God's Word be a light to your path!
T777
This is one of those fun questions that your salvation doesn't hinge on & in the end of ends it's not going to matter one whit whether you knew the answer or not (in my opinion), which makes it an amusing thing to think & talk on.
I think they were taken up in bodily form and did not experience death (yet) as a reward.
The only one I can really speak to, is Elijah, since there are only 2 references to Enoch (non-apocryphia) in the Bible.
One of the compelling things about the Bible, is it's very unflattering, glaring observations of the people depicted in it. If (and we know this isn't the case) the Bible were written by men, for men as a creation of nothihng but imagination, the person/people who wrote it would be highly unlikely to depict themselves in such flawed ways. "Let's just say I didn't get into the Promised Land, K? There's no reason to bore them with the whole 'rock smacking' thing, is there?" or "Hey...I was just looking out my window at the sunset. I had NO idea that chick was gonna be taking a bath on her roof! How was I to know?!?". One of the things that sets the Bible apart from human fictions, is how unrelenting it is about exposing its "hero's" flaws and mistakes.
Of all the "major" people in the Old Testament, nearly to a man they all transgressed against God in varying degrees. From Soloman's heathen wives, to Moses rock-beating incident, to David & Bathsheba, Jonah's defiance, Abram's lieing about Sarai, Jacob's "stealing" of Esau's birthright, and on & on & on.
But, Elijah...is never documented as having transgressed against God's direct instruction or ever being defiant or even reluctant about doing what God said, when God said to do it & how God said to do it. He was a VERY obedient servant. Now, I'm not saying that Elijah never sinned, because we know that no one under the Law could ever keep it perfectly, but I'm saying, that as apt as the Bible is to point out its "hero's" flaws, Elijah was never found guilty of major transgression. For this, I believe he was rewarded with a whirlwind ride to Heaven. (Abraham's bosom in the NT about Lazarus & the rich man was "only" for the dead, I think?).
So, there you have my theory. Elijah was rewarded for a lifetime of faithful, extreme obedience to God's will and instruction.
"Enoch walked with God", also perhaps implying a faithful servant who has achieved compliance with God's will (check this: If you are walking towards God, you are attempting to do His will, if you are walking away, you are in defiance, if you are walking WITH God, perhaps you are IN His perfect will. Just another thought.)
Feel free to debunk this theory with scripture, as I admit I have not done a verse by verse study on this, but it is all factual to the best of my recollection.
May God's Word be a light to your path!
T777
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