II Kings 2:11 says that Elijah ascended to heaven in a whirlwind. John 3:13 says that nobody before Jesus ev

Question

II Kings 2:11 says that Elijah ascended to heaven in a whirlwind. John 3:13 says that nobody before Jesus ever ascended into heaven. Which statement do you believe?

Answer 1

Both.

As the questioner notes, Jesus had to be the first resurrected to heaven.
...(John 3:13) Moreover, no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.
...(Acts 2:34) Actually David did not ascend to the heavens
...(Hebrews 9:8) Thus the holy spirit makes it plain that the way into the holy place [heaven] had not yet been made manifest while the first tent [the Jewish Mosaic Law] was standing [which it did until Christ's impalement].


But those Christian accounts are discussing "heaven" as the invisible realm of spirit beings such as God and the angels. By contrast, the windstorm account at 2 Kings referred to the physical heavens (the sky).

The matter is rather obvious when one recognizes that Elijah could not have written a letter from heaven. It is revealing to note that 2 Kings 3:11,12 specifically notes that Jehoshaphat was still alive after Elijah's windstorm incident, whereas Jehoshaphat seems long-dead by the time Elijah wrote to Jehoshaphat's son (in the letter mentioned at 2 Chronicles 21:12).

Clearly, years earlier the prophet Elijah had simply experienced a miraculous transportation through the physical troposphere or stratosphere, similar to that which was later experienced by the prophet Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 8:3).

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/200603q/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/article_02.htm

Answer 2

At 2 Kings 2:11, 12 the prophet Elijah is described as “ascending in the windstorm to the heavens.” The heavens here referred to are the atmospheric heavens in which windstorms occur, not the spiritual heavens of God’s presence. Elijah did not die at the time of such ascension, but he continued to live for a number of years after his heavenly transportation away from his successor Elisha. Nor did Elijah upon death ascend to the spiritual heavens, since Jesus, while on earth, clearly stated that “no man has ascended into heaven.” (Joh 3:13;

At Pentecost, Peter likewise said of David that he “did not ascend to the heavens.” (Ac 2:34) In reality, there is nothing in the Scriptures to show that a heavenly hope was held out to God’s servants prior to the coming of Christ Jesus. Such hope first appears in Jesus’ expressions to his disciples (Mt 19:21, 23-28; Lu 12:32; Joh 14:2, 3) and was fully comprehended by them only after Pentecost of 33 C.E.—Ac 1:6-8; 2:1-4, 29-36; Ro 8:16, 17.

Answer 3

Hey Zippy, the website shows that the Pastor is unsure of his answer and isnt considering context 2 Chronics 21:12, 13 should answer that the "ascend to heaven" doesn't mean the place where God dwells. John 3:13 is clear.

Answer 4

Elijah is not in Heaven, whirlwind/chariot just took him to another location. Just as an airplane does today, btw Enoch is not in heaven either.

Hebrews 11:39-40
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Answer 5

As odd as it may sound, I believe both.
2 Kings says Elijah ascended to heaven.
It doesn't say he got there.
2 Chronicles 21:12-15 reveals that years later Elijah is still alive.
He has written a letter.
It would appear that the term 'heavens' does not refer to God's residence, just .....away.

Answer 6

Both. Enoch and Elijah were taken to Heaven by God. Jesus Ascended to Heaven of His Own Power.

Answer 7

Eliah was alive 8 years later if you read 2 Chronics 21:12

Answer 8

And no man hath ascended into heavens - No man, therefore, is qualified to speak of heavenly things, Joh_3:12. To speak of those things requires intimate acquaintance with them - demands that we have seen them; and as no one has ascended into heaven and returned, so no one is qualified to speak of them but He who came down from heaven. This does not mean that no one had Gone to heaven or had been saved, for Enoch and Elijah had been borne there (Gen_5:24; compare Heb_11:5; 2Ki_2:11); and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others were there: but it means that no one had ascended and “returned,” so as to be qualified to speak of the things there.

Answer 9

I'd have to say that the latter was a touch confused, or else not "up" on his Judaism.

Answer 10

See below.