IV. Many in Heaven Through Special Resurrection or Translation

1. ENOCH, MOSES, AND ELIJAH ARE EARLIEST TROPHIES

The Bible explicitly states that a host of redeemed worthies from this earth are already in Heaven. But this is to be particularly noted: All the immortalized from earth who are there have gone by way of one of two undeviating channels—special resurrection or translation. There are no exceptions. These are the only corridors to glory, the sole gateways to Heaven. One group passed through death, and was raised immortal and incorruptible; the other escaped death through bodily transformation and translation to glory.CFF1 480.2

Take the earliest example of translation. “Enoch, the seventh from Adam” (Jude 14), was the first representative of the human race to be translated. He was “changed,” transformed, immortalized, and taken to Heaven in his glorified translation body, as the earliest trophy of redemption. He thus became a type of the living righteous who will be “changed,” and “caught up” at Christ’s second coming. Here is the inspired account.CFF1 480.3

Picture 3: Christ’s Resurrection:
Because He Rose Triumphant Over Death, We Too Shall Come Forth From the Grave at the Impending Second Advent.
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Picture 4: The Great Decision:
Every Individual Must Make the Great Decision. Christ and Satan Are Bidding for the Soul. Choose Life.
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“By faith Enoch was translated [from metatithemi, “transported”] that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him” (Hebrews 11:5).CFF1 481.1

Moses, on the other hand, was the first to be resurrected from the dead by a special resurrection. Thus, “death reigned from Adam to Moses” (Romans 5:14). He “died” and was “buried” (Deuteronomy 34:5, 6). Just when his resurrection occurred we do not know. But there was a futile challenge by Satan over the right of Michael, the Archangel, to bring Moses forth from the grave (Jude 9). Reverting again to translation, Elijah was more spectacularly translated, as he was taken up to Heaven by a “chariot of fire,” evidently transported by angels (Psalm 104:4). Here again is the inspired record:CFF1 482.1

“And it came to pass, as they [Elijah and Elisha] 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” (2 Kings 2:11; cf. 2 Kings 6:17).CFF1 482.2

Elisha witnessed it and cried, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him [Elijah] no more” (2 Kings 2:12). These “chariots” are evidently connected with the angels: “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels” (Psalm 68:17).CFF1 482.3

2. GLORIFIED MOSES AND ELI JAH APPEAR AT TRANSFIGURATION

At the Transfiguration, witnessed by Peter, James, and John, there appeared with the “transfigured” Christ, “Moses and Elias talking with him” (Matthew 17:1-8). That is very specific. Then, after they had conversed concerning Christ’s coming death and resurrection, Moses and Elias disappeared, and the disciples “saw no man, save Jesus only” (Matthew 17:8). They were overwhelmed by what they had seen. But Jesus charged them to tell no man “until the Son of man be risen again from the dead” (Matthew 17:9; cf. Mark 9:4-10). It was this experience that caused the disciples to discuss among themselves just “what the rising from the dead should mean” (Mark 9:10). Light was dawning upon their comprehension.CFF1 482.4

According to Luke, at the Transfiguration “the fashion of his [Christ’s] countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering” (Luke 9:29). Then these “two men, which were Moses and Elias,” similarly “appeared in glory, and spake of his [Christ’s] decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). There was no mistaking their identity. They were clearly the illustrious characters of Bible fame—prototypes of the resurrected and translated saints. This, of course, involves belief in the supernatural, life-giving power of God. And this we affirm.CFF1 482.5

3. SPECIAL RESURRECTION AT CHRIST’S RESURRECTION

There was also a singular resurrection of “saints” who had been sleeping in death, which occurred in connection with earthquaking phenomena attending the death and resurrection of Jesus, when—CFF1 483.1

“the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his [Christ’s] resurrection, and went into the holy city [Jerusalem], and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27:51-53; cf. Romans 1:4).CFF1 483.2

These glorified risen saints were perhaps trophies from every age. In any event, they were witnesses to the reality of God’s power to raise the dead, and afforded supreme proof of the reality of the resurrection by the very fact that they had been raised—and all this at the very time that the Jewish leaders were seeking desperately to conceal the fact of Christ’s resurrection and offering money to the Roman soldiers to lie about His resurrection. But incontrovertible witness was thus given both to the Jews and to Christ’s followers. These provided unassailable attestation. They may be classed among the “many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3) of Christ’s resurrection.CFF1 483.3

And when Christ ascended He led with Him this “multitude of captives” (Ephesians 4:8, margin; cf. Psalm 68:17, 18). The chain of death was demonstrably broken. Satan’s captives were recaptured by the greater power of Christ, and Christ thus led them up to Heaven in triumphal procession. Thus it was that “having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15).CFF1 483.4

4. GOD’S STIPULATED WAY FOR IMMORTALIZATION

According to Paul, the living saints will all be “changed” (“altered”) at Christ’s second advent, and will “put on” “incorruption” and “immortality.” “Changed” is simply another term for “translation.” This involves the transformation and glorification of the body of the living, as verily as with the transfiguring glorification of the resurrected dead. The only difference is that for them there is no antecedent sleep in death. Here is Inspiration’s detailed portrayal:CFF1 483.5

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the [righteous] dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [those living at Christ’s return] shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).CFF1 484.1

There is no other way. This, as emphasized, is God’s stipulated plan and provision—resurrection or translation—both occurring simultaneously for the sleeping and living saints, respectively, so that both groups may be “caught up together” “to meet the Lord in the air,” thenceforth ever to “be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) in the heavenly “mansions” (John 14:2, 3) Christ has gone to “prepare” in the Father’s house—the city of God, or New Jerusalem.CFF1 484.2

5. GENERAL RESURRECTION AND TRANSLATION AT CHRIST’S RETURN

According to Luke, Christ ascended personally, in His glorified body, into the welcoming clouds and was “carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51). The concurring record in Acts states that He was “taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). Thus He was “taken up” from the disciples “into heaven” (Acts 1:11). And they “looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up” (Acts 1:10). His was a real, a literal ascension. And it will be a real, literal return. Upon the authority of the angels, He “shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).CFF1 484.3

He will return personally, in the clouds, in the same way: “Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7)—only this time in transcendent “power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30), with a host of mighty angels to “gather together his elect” from the four quarters of the globe (Matthew 24:31). So our “gathering” is dependent upon, and synchronized with, His return. Special resurrections and translations are identical in process, only carried out in advance and limited in number.CFF1 484.4