Excuse my ignorance please, but please provide scriptural reference for me.
Genesis: 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
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.
H369 אַיִן 'ayin ay'-yin
As if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle: - else, except, fail [father-] less, be gone, in [-curable], neither, never, no (where), none, nor (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un [-searchable], well-nigh, without, Compare H370.
H369 אַיִן 'ayin ay'-yin
As if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle: - else, except, fail [father-] less, be gone, in [-curable], neither, never, no (where), none, nor (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un [-searchable], well-nigh, without, Compare H370.
H369 אַיִן 'ayin ay'-yin
As if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle: - else, except, fail [father-] less, be gone, in [-curable], neither, never, no (where), none, nor (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un [-searchable], well-nigh, without, Compare H370.
"Enoch lived sixty-five years and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years." (Genesis 5:21-23)
Excuse my ignorance please, but please provide scriptural reference for me.
Genesis: 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
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.
The same author that penned Hebrews 11:5 above lists Enoch among those who died in faith, not having received the promises. He gives us a short list of examples, five in fact, and among them Enoch is number two. If we pull one verse out of context it won't convey the intended meaning.
Heb 11:4-13 KJV
(4) By faith Abel.offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
(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.
(6) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
(7) By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
(8) By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
(9) By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
(10) For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
(11) Through faith also Sara.herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
(12) Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
(13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
He says that Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, also Sarah, these all died in faith, not having received the promises.
Spoiler
He specifically chose these examples to convey that "these all" died in faith, so if we grant that he isn't going to contradict himself, "translated that he should not see death" isn't going to conflict with "Enoch died in faith." It's very important to consider context in these types of passages. For example,
Joh 8:51 KJV
(51) Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
In John, the charge of contradiction is resolved because we know that Jesus is speaking of the second death, not the first.
Rev 2:11 KJV
(11) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
So consider the case of Enoch. He was not, for God took him. He was translated that he should not see death. His son's name means "his death shall bring" and the flood that wiped all living flesh that breathed air off the face of the planet coincided with the death of his son. Yet we are told that Enoch died without receiving the promises. Any interpretation we reach needs to account for all our information.
Could "that he should not see death" mean "that he would not see God destroy the earth with a flood?" Maybe. Could it mean that God took him so he would not see death at the hands of evil men? Perhaps that also. I'm inclined towards the second meaning. Perhaps some of both.
Isa 57:1 KJV
(1) The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
But we are told that Enoch is among those who died. That's something we can't just ignore.
Transfigured? I think the passage says "translated" which is a different meaning.
G3346
μετατίθημι
metatithēmi
met-at-ith'-ay-mee
From G3326 and G5087; to transfer, that is, (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange, (reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively) pervert: - carry over, change, remove, translate, turn.
By faith Enoch was translated G3346 that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated G3346 him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning G3346 the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Transfigured is used in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2, but when Jesus was transfigured, he remained upon the earth.
Jamie, you know that I agree that saints are not in heaven, but I don't agree with your logic on this point. Jesus ascended to heaven, yet he shall inherit all nations, and I think it is safe to assume that these nations upon the earth.
Psa 82:8 KJV
(8) Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
Someone is inheriting all nations here, and it calls him God. So one must be able to inherit the earth even if one has residence in heaven above in the past or the here and now.
Hebrews 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, who are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
When you come to Jesus to be saved, you come to God,...to the SPIRITS OF MEN MADE PERFECT.
That is who you are coming to when you come to Jesus to be saved.
I know you asked Jamie, but I would like to say what I believe. Enoch did not experience death in the body. Enoch was taken up, he went to heaven in his spirit and did not experience death of the body.
But you see GT, I have no need to accuse you. You do a fine job of turning most of the population of this board against you by your very own self. Please take it to heart where it speaks of what the fruits of the Right Spirit are: love, joy, peace.... and so forth.
