The Real Meaning of Life

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/2_kings/2.htm

It’s ironic, just yesterday I had a Facebook conversation with a woman about going to Heaven when you die. Now I have different beliefs than others, so if you’ve read my blog before, you won’t be shocked.

The majority of people believe that when you die, you either go to heaven or to hell, depending upon whether you were good or bad on earth. I’ve addressed hell before, and will again, but just a refresher, I do not believe in hell. “The punishment for sin is death”, not everlasting burning in hell fire. And to be to the point, what kind of God would punish His children to eternal burning, and if God truly has that character, who in the right mind would want to spend eternity with Him in Heaven? So, there’s that, I don’t believe in hell.

And I do not believe that the good go directly to Heaven upon death. There is plenty of scripture that tells us we simply “sleep in our grave” until Christ returns and resurrects us. And I have plenty of scripture to support my opinion on that as well. That said, there are only a few people that actually are in Heaven right now.

We know Enoch is one of them, because scripture says he “was taken by God”. And the Book of Jasher goes into even more depth about Enoch life, how he spent his life preaching the truth about God and like Elijah, whom we are about to study, was taken to Heaven in a chariot with fire.

While the Bible doesn’t say, Jewish history says that Moses was in his grave for three days, then God resurrected him and took him to Heaven. And scripture supports this as it was Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus; Peter was a witness to that.

Finally, when you read about the death of Jesus, scripture says the skies went dark and the earth rumbled so that some graves opened and those entombed ascended to Heaven. Scripture doesn’t say who ascended, but if I were a guessing man, I would venture to guess perhaps Abraham, Joseph, David, Solomon, and others who were really good servants. But that is purely conjecture on my part.

To summarize, we know Elijah is in Heaven because this chapter of 2 Kings tells us so.

First, let’s address Elisha, a servant of Elijah. Elijah knew his days on earth were few, so Elijah asked what he could do for Elisha before he was taken. And what was Elisha’s response? Wealth? No. Multiple wives and concubines? No. A new mantle? No. He asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. That comes in a close second behind Solomon’s request for wisdom.

Most of us, or at least I, pray for the Holy Spirit to reside in us so we do well, we’re kind to others, we love others, we’re slow to anger and have patience, for God to convict us on the threshold of sin so we take pause and back out before it’s too late. But how many have asked for a double portion of spirit? And not just any spirit, the spirit of Elijah who had to be so much a man of God that God allow him to reside in Heaven early, before all of us. I’m sure when that was Elisha’s request, God looked down and smiled, and said, “That’s why I picked you to follow Elijah!”

Now we move on to the scripture about Elijah being taken to Heaven. I know the Book of Jasher was determined not to be inspired (although it was man that made that decision), but hear me out. Man says it was not inspired, yet it was worthy of mention in the Bible.

“Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher.” – 2 Samuel 1:17, 18.

“So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.” – Joshua 10:13

I say again, what is interesting about the Book of Jasher is that it describes Enoch being taken in the same manner that Elijah was taken. So, I’ve just started reading the Book of Jasher, and I’ll let God, not man, impress on me whether or not it is inspired.

One final point on this chapter and then I’ll shut up. How many miracles does God have to perform before we are in awe of His wonderful power?

He parted the waters of the Red Sea so Moses could lead the children of Israel away from the Egyptians. He stopped the waters of the Jordan so Joshua and the children of Israel could cross over into the promised land. And now, God parts the waters of the Jordan River twice, once for Elijah and Elisha to cross over, and a second time for Elisha to cross back.

Miracle after miracle, multiple witnesses, and some still refuse to believe in God’s awesome power.

Thanks for joining me, and please, I urge you to watch the videos I post from Dr. Tim Jennings on “The Power of Love”. They are short, and I can’t tell you how much sense they make.

Now, let me put this in your head so you can’t get it out and you go around humming the tune all day!