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What! Elijah Didn't Go To Heaven?

What Really Happened To Elijah?

"...and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven" (2 Kings 2:11).

At first glance this would give the impression that Elijah went to the throne of God in heaven, not having to die. But does it really say that?

No.

The Hebrew word for heaven is "shamayim" which means:

1. Heaven - sky
2. Heaven - space
3. Heaven - abode of God

In essence there are three heavens:

1. Heaven - sky where birds fly (Genesis 1:20)
2. Heaven - space where stars and moon are (Psalm 8:3).
3. Heaven - abode of God (3rd heaven) (2 Corinthians 12:2).

Which heaven did Elijah go to?

Elijah went to the first heaven, where the birds fly. He was human and he needed air in order to stay alive. How do we know he didn't go to the third heaven (God's throne)? Because no one has gone there except the Son of man (John 3:13).

God simply removed Elijah from his setting in a dramatic way to illustrate to all who saw it that his successor, Elisha was now continuing the work of Elijah. The mantle of Elijah was now possessed by Elisha, symbolic of the passing of leadership (2 Kings 2:13-15). Elisha was even given a double portion of Elijah's spirit (2 Kings 2:9,15).

Where did God take Elijah? We are not told. What purpose was served by Elijah being taken away from his natural setting and put somewhere else on the earth? There were several purposes -- but at least three primary purposes. Elisha needed to take full leadership of the sons of the prophets. And Elijah's body (when he did die) needed to be buried in an unknown place. Why? Because, then as now, people have a propensity to want to worship bones and turn them into "holy relics".

A third reason was to put distance between Elijah and the Kings who hated him. Another proof that Elijah did not go to the third heaven is the fact that, less than 8 years later, Elijah sent a memo to King Jehoram. For more information go to The Elijah Memo!

-- wilyelder