01.02. Translated Into Heaven
2 Translated into Heaven
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). The Spirit of God placed the translation of Enoch between two events: Abel’s blood sacrifice, and the judgment of the Flood during Noah’s day. The translation of Enoch, as we will see, sets forth the truth of Scripture that those who have, "by faith," appropriated the blood of the Lamb (the Passover Lamb, Christ Jesus) will be removed from the earth before the judgment typified by the Flood (the Great Tribulation). The clear teaching surrounding Abel, Enoch, and Noah in the Book of Genesis -- the book wherein the roots of every single Biblical doctrine lie -- establishes an order which must remain unchanged throughout Scripture:
1. Salvation.
2. Translation.
3. Judgment.
Two Periods In the process of instructing His disciples concerning events preceding the return of the Son of Man to the earth, Jesus called to their attention two periods in the history of mankind -- the days of Noah, and the days of Lot (Luke 17:26-37). Events surrounding the days of these two men constitute clear types of events which will surround the day of the coming of the Son of Man. Jesus Himself said, "And as it was in the days of Noah...Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot...Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:26, Luke 17:28, Luke 17:30). Thus, one need only turn to these two sections in the Book of Genesis to learn great spiritual truths which God has for His people concerning events that will occur at the end of the present age.
The days of Noah and the days of Lot should be studied together, one in conjunction with the other. Both have to do with events of the end time pertaining to Jew, Christian, and Gentile, and one will cast light upon the other through various facets of truth peculiar to each one. However, one must be careful to rightly divide the Word at this point, correctly categorizing Revelation referring specifically to either Jew, Christian, or Gentile.
It is evident from Luke 17:26-37 that what is revealed in this passage concerning the days of Noah has to do peculiarly with Israel, and what is revealed in this passage concerning the days of Lot has to do peculiarly with the Church. Anticipating the time of destruction which will come upon the world, and the coming of the Son of Man, God has commanded His earthly people, Israel, to flee, and His heavenly people, the Church, to watch. Luke 17:31 refers to things surrounding Noah and the destruction during his day (Luke 17:26-27).
This verse is used in connection with the Jewish remnant fleeing into the wilderness during the Tribulation in the Jewish section of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:16-21). Luke 17:32-36 refers to things surrounding Lot and the destruction during his day (Luke 17:28-29). These verses, unlike verse thirty-one, are used in connection with Christians watching for their Lord during the present day in the Christian section of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:40-42; cf. Matthew 24:45-51). Consequently, a correct understanding of the proper divisions in the Olivet Discourse -- Jewish section (Matthew 24:4-31); Christian section (Matthew 24:32-51, Matthew 25:1-30); Gentile section (Matthew 25:31-46) -- will help one to better understand exactly what is in view when studying the days of Noah and the days of Lot.
Thus, the escape from Sodom by Lot, his wife, and his two virgin daughters before the destruction of the cities of the plain finds its parallel, not in Noah and his family being transported safely through the Flood, but in Enoch being removed before the Flood. And, since, in this respect, events leading into the destruction of the cities of the plain during Lot’s day parallel events leading into the destruction by the Flood during Noah’s day, our study of the translation of Enoch -- which prefigures the removal of Christians before the Tribulation -- will center around events during these two times, one in the antediluvian world, and the other in the postdiluvian world. The Days of Noah "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man" (Luke 17:26).
Scripture records two genealogies in the antediluvian world -- the line of Cain (Genesis 4:17-22), and the line of Seth (Genesis 5:1-32). The lineage of Cain terminates with the seventh generation; and, within the lineage of Seth, the seventh from Adam through Seth (Enoch) was removed from the earth alive.
1. The Line of Cain
Throughout the seven generations of Cain there is nothing recorded about death. The truth of Scripture concerning setting aside the first in order to establish the second is evident by this omission. The first (life) was not set aside via death to establish the second, i.e., resurrection to life, simply because there was no resurrection to life for Cain and his descendants. This was reserved for Seth and his descendants alone.
Cain was not only the father of all false worship, but he was also the father of city building. He "builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch [a different person named ’Enoch’ than the one in our study]" (Genesis 4:17). God had created man and placed him in a garden. It was fallen man’s idea, following his expulsion from the garden, to build and begin congregating in cities. And it appears that as a direct result of men congregating in cities in the antediluvian world, polygamy, sexual promiscuity, and violence came to the forefront.
Down through the years during Man’s Day city life has been associated with the spread of all types of wickedness and corruption. Less than one hundred years ago eighty-five percent of the world’s population lived on farms and in small rural communities. But today, because of our mechanized age, resulting in large factories and all types of industrial centers, the ratio has been completely reversed, and eighty-five percent of the population presently live in cities. And a repetition of what took place in the antediluvian world has accompanied man’s move to the city -- wickedness and corruption have once again come to the forefront.
Wickedness and corruption reached a pinnacle in the seventh generation of Cain’s lineage. Seven is the number of perfection and signifies the completeness of what is in view. God waited until iniquity reached a pinnacle before judgment fell (cf. Genesis 15:16). Insofar as the Record is concerned, Cain’s lineage came to an end with the wickedness of the seventh generation, and then judgment fell -- the judgment of the Flood.
2. The Line of Seth
The lineage of Adam through Seth begins with, "This is the book of the generations of Adam" (Genesis 5:1 a). The common expression used in tracing genealogies in the Old Testament is, "These are the generations..." (Genesis 6:9; Genesis 10:1; Genesis 11:10; Genesis 11:27; Genesis 25:12; Genesis 25:19; Genesis 36:1; Genesis 36:9; Genesis 37:2). The expression used in Genesis 5:1 is found only one other place throughout Scripture: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1). In Genesis we have the genealogy beginning with the federal headship of Adam. "In Adam all die," and death is everywhere present throughout this genealogy. In Matthew we have the genealogy beginning with the federal headship of Christ. "In Christ shall all be made alive," and death is not mentioned in connection with anyone in this genealogy, for death cannot occur in the presence of the One Who said, "I am the resurrection, and the life" (John 11:25).
Death overtakes everyone in the genealogy given in Genesis, chapter five until we come to the seventh generation, and then a man is removed from the earth without dying. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, translated into heaven, proclaimed God’s Word to his generation. And the only record we have concerning his preaching has to do with God’s righteous judgment upon man at the end of Man’s Day (Jude 1:14-15). Enoch’s preaching centered around events which were over 5,000 years out in the future, and, in this respect, Enoch proclaimed the same basic truths which his experiences in the Old Testament portray -- Translation, followed by Judgment.
Enoch lived sixty-five years and begat a son who was given the name, "Methuselah." Enoch’s son, Methuselah, was born in the 687th year of the life of Adam, and his name means, "When he is gone, it will be sent" -- a direct reference to the future judgment of the Flood. This name appears to indicate that the intermarriage of the sons of God with the daughters of man (an act of Satan involving co-habitation between fallen angels and female offspring from the lineage of Adam, eventually culminating in God’s judgment upon the world via the Flood) had already begun to take place at this early time in antediluvian history. Three hundred years beyond the birth of Methuselah, Enoch was translated. Six hundred and sixty-nine years beyond the translation of Enoch, Methuselah died. This was the 600th year of the life of Noah -- the year of the Flood. When Methuselah was gone, it (the Flood) was sent.
According to the Record, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years after he begat Methuselah. Also, according to the Record, at the end of these three hundred years Enoch, "by faith," was translated. It is evident that something happened to Enoch at or about the time of Methuselah’s birth. The name given to Methuselah, the fact that Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah, and the fact that by faith he was translated all point to this very thing.
In order for Enoch to act "by faith" in any area it was necessary for God to make certain things known to him, for no one can act "by faith" apart from the Revelation of God. "Faith" is simply believing what God has to say about a matter, and, consequently, faith cannot exist apart from God’s Revelation. In order for Enoch to act as he did, God had to reveal certain things to him about his son, the coming judgment, and the fact that he would be translated before this judgment.
From what we can glean in the Record, God apparently revealed these things to Enoch at or about the time Methuselah was born. Methuselah was then given a name indicating that so long as he remained alive, God’s judgment would be withheld. But when he was gone, it would be sent. Enoch then walked with God for three hundred years in anticipation of God removing him from the earth alive, before this judgment -- exactly as God had previously revealed.
3. One Person Translated "...and he was not; for God took him" (Genesis 5:24). In days preceding the Flood wickedness reached a pinnacle in the seventh generation of the godless line of Cain. Also, in these same days, the seventh generation from Adam through the godly line of Seth was removed. Thus will it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man. Wickedness is going to reach a pinnacle; then, just as ONE person was translated before the Flood, ONE person will be translated before the Tribulation: the "one new man" in Christ, comprised of all Christians. The translation of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, points to the truth that once the body of Christ is complete, it will be removed into the heavens before judgment falls. "Six" is man’s number; "seven" is God’s number. Six days, six thousand years, six generations (as it were) must run their course. But the seventh day, the seventh one thousand-year period, the seventh generation belongs to the Lord.
Just as God revealed certain things to Enoch about the coming judgment and the fact that he would be removed from the earth before this judgment, He has also revealed certain things to Christians about the coming judgment and the fact that we too will be removed from the earth before this judgment. The removal of the saints of this age into the heavens and the Great Tribulation which will follow are two doctrines found numerous places in Scripture. An open Bible has been placed before Christians, revealing God’s plans and purposes for the ages. And Christians, through this Revelation, can know about the coming destruction, and, as Enoch, have been accorded the privilege of walking "by faith" in anticipation of being removed before this destruction, whether via resurrection, or apart from death.
Up to the point of the Flood in Hebrews, chapter eleven there are two major areas in the Christian life -- taught in the experiences of Cain and Abel, and the experiences of Enoch -- with which every Christian should be familiar. One area has to do with the birth from above and the things emanating from this birth, pertaining to the present Christian life on earth. The other area has to do with the time when Christians will be removed from the earth to meet the Lord in the air and the things emanating from this experience, pertaining to the future Christian life in the heavens. These are the two areas covered in Hebrews 11:4-5, preceding the Flood in verse seven; and these are the two areas with which every Christian should be vitally concerned, preceding the destruction about to take place. God has not left His people in darkness concerning what He is presently doing and what He is about to do. The Days of Lot
"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot...Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:28-30).
Events surrounding God’s judgment upon the cities of the plain during Lot’s day constitute a clear type of the events which will surround God’s judgment upon the earth during the days of the coming of the Son of Man. During the days of Lot wickedness reached a pinnacle in Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain -- a wickedness which, to this day, four millenniums later, still bears the name of Sodom (sodomy). Immediately before judgment fell, Lot, his wife, and his two virgin daughters were removed from Sodom. This sets forth the truth once again that the righteous (cf. 2 Peter 2:8) will be removed before judgment falls upon the earth (note Genesis 19:22). This also sets forth a truth concerning carnal Christians, denied by many: There is no such thing as a partial or selective rapture, leaving carnal Christians behind to go through the Tribulation. They are part of the body of Christ, and the complete body will be removed before the Tribulation.
1. Lot’s Downward Path
After Abraham came out of Ur and entered into the land of Canaan with his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot, there arose a famine in the land. To escape the famine, Abraham took Sarah and Lot and went down into Egypt. During their stay in Egypt both Abraham and Lot became wealthy in cattle and other possessions, and upon their return to the land of Canaan their individual possession were so great that "the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together." Attempting to dwell together produced strife between the herdsmen of Abraham’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. And in order to separate the herdsmen and stop the strife, Abraham magnanimously offered Lot his choice of any part of the land of Canaan in which to dwell. Lot was a man who walked by sight, and as he lifted up his eyes and saw all the well-watered plain throughout the Jordan Valley he chose this site (Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:5; Genesis 12:10; Genesis 13:1-11).
Lot, thus, began his long walk by sight, which led down into what appeared to be the best which the world had to offer. "Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom." Eventually the day arrived when Lot moved into Sodom, and Lot later found himself seated in the "gate of Sodom" (Genesis 13:12-13; Genesis 19:1). Those who sat in the gate of a city in that day transacted business on behalf of the city. Lot, through his association with the people of the plain, eventually became interested enough in the affairs of Sodom that he took up a position among the ones who controlled these affairs. From the day Lot lifted up his eyes, saw, and chose the well-watered plain in the Jordan Valley until the day he sat in the gate of Sodom constitutes one long, downward path; and these experiences have been placed in the Word of God as a warning to Christians in the present age.
Lot’s desire to dwell in the well-watered plain in the Jordan Valley caused his downfall. His long walk by sight, eventually resulting in grave consequences, began when he chose this area. He lived in the plain, availed himself of what the plain had to offer, and eventually found himself recognized as a man of the world among men, but spiritually deficient toward God.
Immediately before the destruction of the cities of the plain, the Lord provided Lot with a final opportunity to disassociate himself from the things of Sodom, commanding him to leave the plain and dwell in the mountain. But Lot, because of his carnality, wrought through a long association with Sodom, refused to heed the Lord’s command. Lot desired to move into another city of the plain rather than ascend into the mountain as the Lord commanded (Genesis 19:17-20).
The plain set in opposition to the mountain in Genesis 19:17 has to do with the things surrounding the present world system under Satan (kingdom of Satan) set in opposition to the things surrounding the coming world system under Christ (kingdom of Christ). Note the image of gold which Nebuchadnezzar set up "in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon [an event reflecting upon the kingdom of Antichrist, under Satan, during the coming Great Tribulation]," and the destruction of the image of gold, silver, brass, iron, and iron mixed with clay in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by the "Stone" which became "a great mountain, and filled the whole earth [an event reflecting upon the destruction of the kingdom of Antichrist, under Satan, and the establishment of the kingdom of Christ]" (Daniel 3:1; Daniel 2:31-35).
2. Christians Today
Lot has his counterpart in Christians who look to and involve themselves in the things of the present world system, and, in so doing, become very interested in seeking to exercise some measure of control over the affairs of the present age. Christians, many times, have the mistaken idea that they can dwell in the plain (involve themselves in the affairs of the present world system under Satan) and, at the same time, also reside in the mountain (involve themselves in the things having to do with the coming kingdom of Christ). One brief look at the life of Lot will reveal that such an attitude is completely foreign to the Word of God.
Possibly the best illustration in all Scripture to show the folly of such reasoning is seen in the experiences of David and his faithful men in the Books of I, II Samuel. David, anointed king over Israel, but in a place of exile (removed from the throne, in the cave of Adullam), typifies Christ, anointed King over the earth, but in a place of exile (removed from the throne, in heaven). Saul, the anointed, ruling king over Israel, typifies Satan, the anointed, ruling king over the earth. David’s faithful men remained with him out in the hills and had nothing to do with the kingdom under Saul.
That is to say, they dwelled in the mountain, not in the plain. It was not possible to be faithful to David and at the same time be involved in the kingdom under Saul. That is to say, it is not possible to avail oneself of the things of the mountain and the things of the plain at the same time. Those who were faithful to David remained with him, awaiting a change in administration; and those who are faithful to Christ will, likewise, remain with Him, awaiting a change in administration.
Christians are to leave the affairs of this present world system alone. The final, recorded act in Lot’s long walk by sight, preceding the announced destruction of the cities of the plain, was his involvement in the governmental affairs of Sodom. And Christians, in like manner, can only defile their high calling by such an involvement. This is the day of Christ’s rejection by the world, and any Christian faithfully serving Christ will also be rejected by the world. The "care of this world [’age’]" will choke the "word of the kingdom" (Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:22). One is diametrically opposed to the other, and, the Christian MUST choose between the two. He CANNOT have both!
One of the greatest hindrances to the spread of the gospel among the unsaved in the world and the teaching of the Word of God among the saved in the Churches of the land is the great number of Christians who concern themselves with the things of the plain rather than the things of the mountain. If Satan can keep a minister of the gospel or any other Christian busy in the things of the present world system -- reform movements, political structure, etc. -- he will have accomplished his purpose in seeking to involve the believer in things associated with the Jordan Plain, which are ALL one day to go up in smoke. A close study in the life of our Lord will reveal that He spent no time whatsoever in these areas.
The day is coming when the government of this earth will be changed and righteousness will be the order of the day, but events surrounding the ushering in of that day and Christians involved in the affairs of the present day have nothing in common. The coming day will be ushered in in toto by the Stone smiting the image -- a sudden, complete, and final smiting. In that day Christ, along with Christians under Christ, will exercise governmental authority over the earth, but that day is future. Christ specifically said that His kingdom was "not of this world [present world system]."
If it were "of this world," His servants would "fight" (John 18:36). Since it is not of this world, and the present system is under the control of Satan, the servants of Christ are to wait, bide their time (1 Corinthians 4:1-5). David’s faithful men waited until Saul was put down and David moved in and took the government. Those faithful to Christ will, likewise, wait until Satan has been put down and Christ moves in and takes the government.
The experiences of Lot and those associated with him have forever been set forth in the Word of God to warn Christians concerning where the cares of this present age will lead. Lot lost his testimony through his association with the things of Sodom. Neither his married daughters nor his sons-in-law would believe him concerning the impending destruction (Genesis 19:14). Everything Lot had sought to accomplish during his stay in Sodom went up in smoke with the destruction of the cities of the plain. Then Lot is finally seen dwelling in a cave on the mountain and fathering children by his own daughters -- pointing to a place of shame which Christians, who follow the example set by Lot, will occupy in the coming kingdom of our Lord.
The greatest tragedy that can come to a Christian is to place himself in a comparable position to Lot in the world. Not only will he lose his testimony among those in the world and have an ineffective ministry, but he will enter into the presence of the Lord naked and ashamed at the end of this age. Christians are to direct their attention, not to the things of the plain, but to the things of the mountain. They are to "life soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:12-13, ASV).
Concluding Thoughts:
"By faith Enoch was translated..."
He was not translated because he believed God. That is not at all what the Record states. He simply believed what God had to say about the matter, and he was subsequently removed from the earth before judgment fell. Lot, on the other hand, as Enoch, was also removed to a place of safety before judgment fell; but the words "by faith" could never be used relative to Lot’s removal from Sodom. One will search in vain for any mention of Lot in Hebrews, chapter eleven. Lot walked by sight, and it was in this manner that he was removed. In actuality it was, "By faith Enoch..." And "By sight Lot..." But the truth of Scripture remains: They were both removed to a place of safety before judgment fell.
The separation of Christians -- the faithful separated from the unfaithful -- occurs at the judgment seat of Christ in heaven alone, not here on earth via a partial or selective removal of certain Christians, both living and dead. Such an act would leave the bodies of the unfaithful dead in their graves and the unfaithful who are living behind to go through part or all of the Tribulation. The simple truth of Scripture is that every Christian is "in Christ," a part of the "one new man" (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 2:11-16). And it is "the dead in Christ" who will be raised and be caught up together with the ones who are "alive and remain [the living in Christ]" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The only selection in the rapture of Christians taught here, and elsewhere when Scripture is compared with Scripture, is a distinction between those in Christ (saved) and those outside of Christ (unsaved).
However, Christians appearing before the judgment seat of Christ is an entirely different matter, for here a separation does occur; here a selection does take place; here there is an "out-resurrection [lit. ’a standing up out’]" from among those who have been raised from among the dead (Php 3:11). The issues of this judgment will then determine every Christian’s position in the coming kingdom of our Lord.