Did Elijah Really Go to Heaven?

2 Kings 2:11 The average person reads about the fiery chariot that swoops down and takes Elijah up into heaven and assumes it means that Elijah was taken up into the spiritual realm where he would then live forever in the presence of God. It seems like a logical conclusion… especially for people who believe that human beings possess an immortal soul which never dies.

But its a false conclusion that is inconsistent with many clear statements found in scripture.

Jesus said something that should make you stop and think twice about what 2 Kings 3:11 says about Elijah... Let's read John 3:13. We appear to have reached a point where scripture is contradicting itself.

Assumptions Are Powerful!

If you read scripture with false assumptions then you are going to start interpreting the bible wrongly. Worse yet, one false idea leads to other false ideas. For example, if humans have an immortal spirit… then it must go on living somewhere after death... and living on in the heavenly realms with God seems like a good option... But its not biblically sound thinking.

The bible tells us that belief that you will live on as if you were an immortal being LIKE GOD is an ancient idea that goes back to the beginning. Genesis 3:1-4 this is the original lie... foisted upon humanity by the father of lies... Satan... the serpent of old… a lie humanity loves dearly and holds onto stubbornly.

Answering Biblical Contradictions

Here is an important perspective to have when reading God's word: if two verses seem contradictory the first thing we should question is whether or not we properly understand what the scripture is actually saying. The assumptions you have when reading God's word can dramatically affect what you understand the scripture to be saying.

5 Keys to Sound Biblical Understanding

• John 10:35 scripture cannot be broken/cannot be self contradictory/the internal logic of it does not fall apart 
• 2 Peter 1:20 God's word does not have one meaning for you and a different one for me. It has an objective meaning available to all people who read it. The present fad for "what's true for me "versus "what is true for you" is foolish.
• use the bible to interpret the bible Isaiah 28:10
• Seek and follow instruction from those Christ has appointed to provide instruction Malachi 2:7, Ephesians 4:11-14
• Verify the instruction you receive Acts 17:10-11 

 

Let’s now use some of these techniques to provide an explanation for 2 Kings 2:11 that does not contradict the words of Jesus in John 3:33.

Elijah Was Still Around After 2 Kings 2:11 [show chart]

Scripture tells us that Elijah wrote a letter to king Jehoram of Judah and sent it to him several years after the chariot of fire whisked him away 2 Chronicles 21:9, 12-15 [the king referred to here is Jehoram]. 

How do we know this is AFTER the events recorded in 2 Kings 2:11? Let’s turn to scripture to answer…

 2 Chronicles 21:1 The king receiving the letter was Jehoram. We also know he became king after the death of his father Jehoshaphat. [he had been co-regent before that but now he was the sole ruler]

Once Jehoram had firmly establish himself as king he murdered all his brothers and other possible rivals. Then He went to war against the Edomites and had to deal with a revolt in Libnah. Because of all the bad stuff that was happening, Elijah sent him a letter of rebuke. Based on everything going on this letter would have been several years into Jehoram’s rule after his father’s death.

Jehoshaphat and Elisha

2 Kings 3:9-12 during the years when Jehoshaphat was still alive and active as king of Judah Elisha is already acting as the leading "prophet of the LORD" in Israel. So, Elisha had already taken over from Elijah.

Jehoshaphat [king of Judah] was operating in alliance with the king of Israel, and the king of Edom. They were going to fight against the nation of Moab. Circumstances are going badly… so Jehoshaphat asks that the alliance seek out a prophet of God. They are told that Elisha is the man they want. Part of his credentials are that he had been the personal assistant to Elijah, that's what the saying "he used to pour water over the hands of Elijah" means.

Elisha had been Elijah’s assistant, he had been trained, and then he took over.

The transfer of the office of “prophet of the LORD” had already happened. The entire sequence of events with the fiery chariot taking Elijah away so Elisha could take over had already happened. That is why Elisha could be presented to Jehoshaphat as the “prophet of the LORD”.

But years later Elijah is able to send a letter to Jehoshaphat's successor Jehoram. Therefore, years after he had his ride in that fiery chariot. Elijah must have been still alive somewhere in the land... not in the heavenly presence of God.

Elijah was simply retired... so why all theatrics of having him whisked away by a fiery chariot zooming through the sky?

The Succession of Ministry

The details of how the office of prophet was transferred from Elijah to Elisha are quite elaborate and spectacular. Everyone watching would have no doubt that the office of "prophet of the Lord" or "master of the sons of prophecy" was passing from one person to another.

2 Kings 2:1-17 There is a lot happening here:

• Elisha confirms his dedication to Elijah and the prophetic office 3 times... as if he were being asked 3 times, "are you sure you want to do this?"
• Over 50 of the "son of the prophets" were there to witness the event. Elijah had been their leader and now Elisha was going to take over. The dramatic way it was done would leave no doubt that the transfer from Elijah to Elisha had God's approval and authority.
• The miracle of parting the water is a demonstration of God's power.  Elijah parted the waters showing God was working through him... but afterwards Elisha would perform the same miracle showing God would hereafter be working through him.
• Elisha receives a double portion - the phrase double portion refers to Deuteronomy 21:17 where a Father gives a double portion to his 1st born son who is the rightful heir. Elisha is asking that he be considered the rightful successor to Elijah.
• The cloak falls from Elijah and is picked up by Elisha.  The cloak is used to part the waters showing the presence of God's power and authority which had now passed from Elijah to Elisha. The cloak is clearly a symbol of the office "prophet of the Lord" ... and the leader of the "sons of the prophets".

2 Kings 2:11 tells us Elijah was taken up into heaven by some sort of angelic chariot. This is where people get confused and come up with interpretations that contradict what is said elsewhere in scripture. So we are still stuck!

What Does the Word “Heaven” Indicate?

The answer lies in understanding what the word heaven means here. Once again we turn to scripture to interpret scripture!

In various places the bible uses the word "heaven" to mean 3 different things:

1) the atmosphere that surrounds the earth where the birds fly for example - Genesis 1:20 "firmament of heaven" Shameh, where rain comes from 2 Kings 7:2

2) the vast expanse of the universe filled with stars and planets - Psalm 8:3, Genesis 1:15-17

3) the place where the throne room of God is - Isaiah 63:15 this is outside the realm of the created universe 1 Kings 8:27, 30. God is not in the sky, He is not in outer-space, He exists outside of and apart from the material universe He created.

Because scripture cannot be broken we should assume the "heaven" into which Elijah went must have been the “heaven” which is earth's atmosphere. Here are some other reasons why:

• Earth's atmosphere is the only heaven in which a whirlwind would occur.
• The 50 other people who were there watching Elijah go up in the fiery chariot understood he was not in heaven but high up in the sky. Notice that they were concerned that he was dropped in a dangerous location 2 Kings 2:15-18.
• Finally [and most important], understanding this reference as anything other than earth's atmosphere creates conflict with Jesus' statement that no person has ascended to heaven except himself John 3:13. Remember: if two verses seem contradictory the first thing we should question is whether or not we properly understand what the scripture is actually saying.

Why Remove Elijah From the Scene?

Why would God want to remove Elisha from his place as the master, or leader, of the "sons of the prophets"?

By the time the events of 2 Kings chapter 2 take place Elijah had served as the "prophet of the Lord" in Israel for 25 long years. He had served as the leader of the other prophets, caring for them, instructing them, and protecting them. He had predicted and lived through drought, and famine. He had gotten death threats from King Ahab. He'd had to run for his life from assassins sent out by Jezebel the queen. He was depressed, tired and worn out.

1 Kings 19 1-21 the bible is not explicit about this but it appears God was going to let Elijah retire and have a younger man named Elisha take over. The transfer of leadership from Elijah to Elisha began by having Elisha serve as Elijah's assistant, presumably to train him in the role first.

This is an example of God’s kindness and compassion for human frailty…

A Scripturally Driven Conclusion

Elijah was relieved of his responsibilities and taken away so Elisha could take over. He was simply removed from where the action was. He not to the "3rd heaven" beyond the material realm. He was taken to some unknown place in the land. That is how Elijah could send a letter to king Jehoram years after he had been removed from the area... he was still on earth.

Hebrews 11:32-34 Elijah is certainly one of the prophets referred to here. He and the other prophets of YHWH are considered by the bible to have died in the faith not yet having received the promises, see verses 13 and 39 of Hebrews 11.

Those promises will only be received when Christ returns 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. Everyone who has lived as a faithful follower of God will be raised to life at the same time... no one will precede others.

Then we will be with the Lord Jesus Christ forever, helping Him administer the rule of God on earth. But that is a message for another day.