Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind (A chariot of fire with horses of fire was what this whirlwind resembled. 2 Kings, chapter 2), and the Lord took him up into heaven.

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, did not die because God took him when he was only 365 years old (Genesis 5:24; Jude 14).

Now we see that Enoch was taken by God, and Elijah also was taken by God. I am satisfied that they are in the same place.

Let us look at another man that left this world and see where he is. In the 16th chapter of Luke, at the 19th verse, I believe we can see of two men that died and went somewhere. One of these men was named Lazarus (a beggar), the other a rich man.

They both died and went to the place of the dead. The beggar Lazarus went to the bosom of Abraham and was comforted there. The bosom means right in the center of where Abraham was. The rich man lifted up his eyes, being in hell and tormented by the flames, and wanted Lazarus to dip his fingers in water and put some on his tongue.

Abraham explained to the rich man that Lazarus could not come to him because there was a great gulf between them. Also notice that the rich man saw Lazarus comforted in the bosom of Abraham, but Lazarus didn't look down to the suffering of the rich man in that fiery condition.

If Lazarus could have looked down and seen the rich man suffering, there is no way that he could have been comforted.

This place where Lazarus is was referred to by many as the third heaven or paradise.

Let us look at 2 Corinthians 12:2-4. Here Paul, the apostle, speaks about how a man was caught up to the third heaven (verse 2), and, in verse four, he calls this same place paradise. He saw things which were unlawful to utter. No doubt Paul is speaking of himself as being this man, for no one would have been able to utter these things to Paul.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, dying for the sins of the world, one of the thieves said unto him, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus replied, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43.

Enoch, Elijah, Lazarus, Paul, Noah, and all the saints that have gone on are there in the bosom of Abraham, comforted.

The only difference between Enoch and Elijah and us is they did not have to taste death as we do, for God changed them in a split of a second from this life to paradise.

When Christ comes to judge the world in righteousness, He will bring those spirits with Him because we must all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Did you not know that there will be people walking around on this earth when Christ comes back? What will happen to them? There will be no time for burial! They will be changed just in a moment, in a twinkle of an eye, and all will then stand before Christ to be judged.

I pray that you, of a good and honest heart, will obey the gospel and be ready when Jesus comes to render judgment. HC 69, Box 1, Inez, KY 41224.

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