I'll leave you guys with a fun one for the day. I'm currently involved in an apologetics "debate" with someone who believes that no-one when to Heaven prior too Jesus's assentation. He flat out denies the testimony of the Bible on Enoch and Elijah.
Anyone heard of this one before and have any idea what he is getting on about? The current argument from this friend is that Enoch and Elijah were taken up into the sky. Period.
My response was:
For the premise;
Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
That was the first transporting of Philip from one place to another place in that same time period.
I could say that they are being transported each from their place and from their time to be the two witnesses for the first half of the great tribulation until they get killed, but risen after the third day and are called up to Heaven.
We know from scripture that they could not have been taken to Heaven for 2 reasons;
Jesus said so being #1
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
And Paul said so that no flesh & blood could inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
What about how the apostle John was taken to third Heaven aka Paradise to write for the Book of Revelation?
2 Corinthians 12:1It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth
such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
That was done possible because Jesus can bring him to Heaven now that He has ascended & He had brought Paradise aka Abraham's bosom, with the O.T. saints with Him.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
But did not Elijah also appeared with Moses with Jesus? Was it a pit stop on his way to the great tribulation? I do not know what that was then.
