Hebrews 11:5-6 - By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ”and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Many people believe that Enoch was literally taken to heaven.
But if we believe that, it will be a contradiction of some verses in the Bible. For example, in Hebrews 9:27 says, “And it is appointed for men to die once.” The context of this verse shows us the commonality of Christ with us people, that all men will have to die once because of sin and Christ died once also as a sacrifice in behalf of the sins of mankind.
If Enoch did not die, it will create contradiction on the Bible.
Jesus says in John 3:13, “No one has ascended to heaven but He that came down from heaven,” meaning Himself. This is His statement and truth regarding what will happen after death.
Apostle Peter says in Acts 2:29-34 that one as great as David has not risen to heaven either, but is still in the grave.
Hebrews 11:32 lists several other significant people of faithwho served God with zeal. The section concludes, “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” (verses 39-40). These and many more unnamed saints are awaiting the resurrection of the dead and glorification in God’s Kingdom. This also applies to Enoch.
The term taken away (NKJV) or translated (KJV) in Hebrews 11:5 simply means “transferred.” Enoch was transferred or conveyed from one place on earth to another to escape violence aimed against him. In this other earthly place, he died like all men.
We experience a spiritual form of this, as Colossians 1:13 shows: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness, and conveyed (translated, KJV) us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Because we are justified and therefore reconciled to God through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, our true spiritual citizenship is now transferred to the Kingdom of God.
The implication of this is that with this transfer comes the obligation to live and walk a life according to the will of God. Enoch’s walk by faith tells us that he set aside his own carnal preferences and will, bowing in obedience before God’s will and submitting his life to God’s desires for him. Enoch did so by faith, which is why he pleased God.
Jude 14-16 adds a factor that needs consideration: Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” These are murmurers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
