Born, but never Died - Enoch and Elijah

Two unique individuals referred to in the Bible never died a natural death. Enoch, the father of the oldest living person, Methuselah, was one of them. Enoch is only mentioned four times in the Bible. He was 365 years old when God took him. The scriptures state that he was a man of faith who walked with God and disappeared. It also reveals that he had a large family. A person has to wonder if his family were aware that God took him or if he just vanished. If so, how did it affect them? I’m guessing that, since the fact was recorded, the family probably was aware of it.

“And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” (Genesis 5:21-23)

Enoch is again spoken of in the New Testament books of Hebrews and Jude as well as in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in the book of Luke. In Hebrews he is described as a man of faith and in the book of Jude Enoch is recognized as a prophet who, even back at the beginning of the Bible, spoke of the final return of Christ.

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.” (Jude 1:14)

"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." (Hebrews 11:5)

Even though little is written in the scriptures concerning Enoch, it is evident that he was a great man of God. The words “walked with God” seem to sum up the reason he was unique in God’s eyes.

The second individual not to die a natural death was Elijah, who lived during the reign of King Ahab. We find a more detailed description is given concerning Elijah’s departure. A fiery vehicle appeared and separated Elijah from Elisha with whom he was walking, and some sort of rotating tube lifted him up. Keep in mind that the writer describing this scene only had knowledge of a donkey, or horse and cart.

“And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” (II Kings 2:11)

We discover in the New Testament that Elijah is the second individual who reappears, along with Moses, on the Mt. of Transfiguration with Jesus.

“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart. And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias (Elijah) talking with him.” (Matthew 17:1-3)

These two, Enoch and Elijah, are the only two individuals, besides Melchizedek, who was never born and never died, that are mentioned in the Bible who never died a natural physical death. Though, it does make a person suspect, that possibly Moses may have been taken in a similar manner since no one, but God, was allowed to bury him.