Life After Death: Enoch

Enoch is one of the most well known individuals named throughout the Bible, yet very little is known about him. It is widely believed and accepted that Enoch was one of the only people to ascend directly to heaven, never experiencing death. However, is this true? Did Enoch really go to heaven? If so, then why did Yeshua say no one has ascended into heaven, except he who descended from heaven, the son of man (John 3:13)? Let's take a deeper look into the man Enoch. 

Enoch, the great grandfather of Noah, appears very little throughout the Bible. His name only appears in Genesis 4:17-18, 5:18 to 19, 21-24, Luke 3:37, Hebrews 11:5, and Jude 1:14. 

Genesis 5:24 says that Enoch walked with God, and "he was not”, for God took him. The phrase “he was not”  in Hebrew is v’ennenu, and we will explore its usage in other verses to understand its meaning. 

In Job 24:24, it is referring to heads of grain that “wither up” when they die. In Psalms 37:10, it’s used speaking of the wicked person who “will be no more”. In Isaiah 19:7, it’s used speaking about a bull rushing the zone fields that are by the Nile river that will be driven away and “be no more”. In Jeremiah 49:10, it talks about the offspring of men, and how they will “no longer exist”. And, Jeremiah 50:20 says that the wrongdoings of Israel will also “not be there”. All of these examples of the word’s usage display that this Hebrew word refers to ceasing to exist, dying, or no longer being present. So, after comparing these other verses with the verse in Genesis 5:24, we know that Enoch in some form was removed from the earth, technically dying. For further evidence on this, Hebrews chapter 11, commonly known as the faith chapter, states in verse 13 that all the men listed which are meant to serve as an example of faith (Enoch being one of them, named in verse 5), all died in faith without receiving the promises. 

"All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth." Hebrews 11:13

Furthermore, in verses 39 and 40 it says that these men gained approval through their faith, but did not receive what was promised. The promise being spoken of is everlasting life, when we shed the mortality of our flesh, having our bodies transformed and perfected into a glorified state. In Philippians 3:21, Paul talks about our body being “transformed” and made perfect like the body of Yeshua. Similarly in 2 Corinthians 5:1-3, Paul says that our “earthly house” will be destroyed, but that we have an eternal house made without hands waiting for us in heaven. He goes on to say that we will be perfectly clothed with it, and no longer be found naked. This is a direct reference to the resurrection of the dead, when the righteous dead are raised, and the righteous living with them are gathered together to receive their glorified incorruptible bodies.  

“Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 

Hebrews 11:5 does say that Enoch was "taken up", so that he would not see death:

"By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God took him up; for before he was taken up, he was attested to have been pleasing to God" (Hebrews 11:5 NASB)

However, whenever the soul leaves the body, you are considered "dead".

"For just as the body without the spirit is dead.." (James 2:26 NASB)

Therefore, it is very likely that G-d took up Enoch's spirit before the appointed time of his body giving out from age, so as to preserve him from evil, or from experiencing a painful death. In this way, Enoch did not "see death", as God received up his spirit early before he could die of any other means. This would still render him "dead" as Hebrews 11:13 states, while not contradicting the narrative told in Genesis. The intertestamental book Wisdom of Solomon similarly explains that God took Enoch's spirit so that it would be preserved from sin and wickedness.

"There was one who pleased God and was loved by Him, and while living among sinners, he was taken away. He was caught up so that evil would not alter his understanding or deceit beguile his soul. For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and the whirl of desire perverts an innocent mind. Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years; for his soul was pleasing to the Lord. Therefore, He took him quickly from the midst of wickedness. Yet the people saw and did not understand, nor did they take it to heart that grace and mercy are with His chosen ones, and He watches over His holy ones" (Wisdom of Solomon 4:10-15 NASB)

When anyone dies, their spirit returns to God, and is then placed in the grave where they will "sleep" until the judgement.

"Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7 NASB)

"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2 NASB)

In Enoch's case, his soul was taken early, but was still placed in Sheol (the grave), where he will sleep like all the other dead.

Conclusion:

Evidently, Enoch was taken by God, but not to heaven (the spiritual realm). As it was the master himself who stated that no one has ascended up into heaven. We know that according to Hebrews chapter 11, all of the patriarchs died in faith, and this even includes Enoch. He, like everyone else, is waiting for the promise of gaining everlasting life, along with a perfect body without blemish.