TAKEN UP ALIVE

"Dear Kuya Jeff, it’s me again—Allan Just wanted to say I really enjoyed our convo on the Divided Kingdom. You made it so engaging! Because of that, I’ve been paying more attention to the prophets and trying to figure out who’s speaking to the Northern Kingdom, the Southern Kingdom—or sometimes both! One thing that really caught my attention was Elijah. According to the Bible (2 Kings 2:11), he didn’t actually die—he was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire! That got me thinking… was Elijah the only one who ever experienced that? And why did God choose to do it that way? I know it’s a small detail, and I’m not trying to get sidetracked from the bigger picture, but maybe others are also wondering about it and just don’t ask. Hoping you can shed some light on this before our next Bible Study session on Friday! Thanks again, Kuya Jeff, for all you do. My family and I are praying for your ministry always!" — Allan N.

1. In Catholic tradition, it is a firmly held tenet that Jesus Christ, our Lord, ascended bodily into heaven, as recorded in Acts 1:9–11. Similarly, the Church professes that the Blessed Virgin Mary was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory, a belief supported by typological and symbolic scriptural references (cf. Psalm 16:10; 45:10; 132:8; Revelation 11:19; 12:1). These two events—the Ascension of Christ and the Assumption of Mary—are doctrinally secure, enjoying both scriptural foundation and authoritative affirmation by the Magisterium. Given the established nature of these teachings within Catholic theology, it is not necessary to further elaborate on them in the present discussion. Instead, attention will be directed to other scriptural figures—most notably the prophet Elijah—who, according to both the biblical record and Patristic tradition, were taken up into heaven without experiencing bodily death. In this regard, it is affirmed that Scripture identifies at least two such individuals: Enoch and Elijah. 

2. Among these, Enoch’s story stands out as a compelling precedent. Genesis 5:24 declares, “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him,” a verse traditionally interpreted as Enoch’s assumption into heaven without experiencing death. Hebrews 11:5 confirms this, noting that “Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death.” Though Catholic theology offers no definitive doctrine, tradition attributes his assumption to his profound righteousness and closeness to God. The apocryphal Book of Enoch—though not canonical—expands this narrative, portraying Enoch as a visionary scribe taken into heavenly realms. There, he receives divine revelations, mediates with the fallen Watchers, and beholds the divine throne. Jude 1:14–15 even cites 1 Enoch, showing its influence in early Christian circles. Enoch’s unique fate, spared from death, reflects his purity in a corrupt age. Guided by angels, he witnesses cosmic mysteries and is entrusted with a mission to record divine judgment and foretell future revelations.
 
3. 2 Kings 2:11 recounts, “As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared... and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” Elijah’s ascent in a fiery chariot is traditionally understood as a bodily assumption into heaven, meaning he did not experience death in the ordinary sense. His unique prophetic mission and zealous defense of true worship marked him as exceptional among prophets. This assumption is seen both as divine reward and meaningful sign. In Catholic eschatology, Elijah is also believed to return before the Second Coming (cf. Malachi 4:5), confirming the belief that he has not yet died.

4. A serious student of Sacred Scripture must also attend to the Church Fathers, many of whom lived within a generation or two of the Apostles and were taught by their disciples. Their writings show how the early Church understood Scripture and lived the faith. St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–c. 202) taught that Enoch and Elijah were assumed without death to be preserved for a future mission. He wrote that they would return at the end of time to oppose the Antichrist, bear witness, and suffer martyrdom, fulfilling Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed for men to die once...” (Adversus Haereses, V.5.1). St. Hippolytus of Rome (c. 170–c. 235) identified them as the two witnesses in Revelation 11, who will preach, die, rise again, and ascend to heaven (Commentary on Daniel, II.22). Tertullian (c. 155–c. 220) and St. John of Damascus (c. 675–749) affirmed the same view: that they were preserved by God to return, preach, and undergo martyrdom before Christ’s return.

5. Based on Sacred Scripture and the Church Fathers’ writings, it is reasonably inferred that both Enoch and Elijah were assumed into heaven by God’s sovereign will. Each Sunday, Catholics profess in the Creed that Jesus “descended into Hell,” referring to His descent into the realm of the dead—commemorated on Holy Saturday. During this event, Christ liberated the righteous of the Old Covenant—Adam, Abraham, the patriarchs, and the prophets—who awaited the Messiah’s coming to free them from death’s bonds (cf. 1 Peter 3:19; Catechism §633). However, since Enoch and Elijah had not died, as Scripture affirms (Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11), they were not among those dwelling in Sheol. Instead, by divine providence, they were preserved alive in a hidden realm called the “earthly paradise” or “gates of paradise” in early Christian tradition. Patristic tradition holds that they will return at the end of time to complete their prophetic mission by opposing the Antichrist (cf. Revelation 11), thus experiencing death’s fullness and bearing witness in the final eschatological drama.

6. The accounts of Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11) being taken to heaven without dying remain mysterious yet deeply meaningful in Catholic tradition. These events are not isolated wonders but demonstrations of God’s absolute power over life and death and His choice to preserve certain individuals for a divine mission. Catholic theology sees their assumption as a foreshadowing of the resurrection and glorification promised to all the faithful at the end of time (cf. Catechism §§989–990). Their stories remind us of God’s faithfulness, the hope of eternal life for those in friendship with Him, and the call to witness courageously to the truth amid suffering. Enoch and Elijah stand as signs of eschatological hope, directing us toward the final resurrection and life to come (Nicene Creed). Ultimately, they serve as prophetic figures within God’s plan, offering both warning and encouragement as the Church awaits Christ’s glorious return.