Chariots of Fire: An Examination of Elijah's Post-Ministry in 2 Chronicles 21
The Whereabouts of Elijah
Similar
to Enoch, according to Church tradition, Elijah was transferred to Heaven
without dying. He is taken into the sky by a Chariot of Fire. This is something Christ was unable to do himself- bypass
physical death. This is problematic when comparing Jesus’ conversation with
Nicodemus in John 3:13 (see also Proverbs 30:4, Deuteronomy 30:12 and Romans 10:7). Christ
stated that He is the only one who has descended and ascended into Heaven, not
Enoch. To read this passage carefully, and to avoid our own biases, we look at
its parallel verse in Proverbs 30:4. It appears that Christ has personally
bestowed this title upon himself. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe that Elijah
was transported to another area like Phillip in Acts 8:39-40. Below, I will provide
various proofs to support this position.
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Teleportation
2 Kings 2:12-English Standard Version And Elisha saw it and
he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them
in two pieces
2
Kings 2:17 English Standard Version 17 But when they urged him till he was
ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days
they sought him but did not find him.
NOTE: Not seeing and/or finding
him doesn’t mean he was dead or taken to Heaven.
1
Kings 18:11-12 English Standard Version 11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your
lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’ 12 And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where.
And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me,
although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth
Mark
1:12 English Standard Version 12 The Spirit immediately drove him out
into the wilderness
Matthew 4:1 English Standard Version 4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
John 6:20-21 English Standard Version 20 But he said to them,
“It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat,
and immediately the boat was at the land to
which they were going.
Acts 8:39-40 English Standard Version 39 And when they came
up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch
saw him no more, and went on his way
rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and
as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to
Caesarea.
Ezekiel 3:12-15 English Standard Version 12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place!” 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake. 14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. 15 And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
Ezekiel
8:3 English Standard Version 3 He put out the form of a hand and took me by a
lock of my head, and the Spirit lifted me up between
earth and heaven and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem,
to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, where was
the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.
Ezekiel
11:24 English Standard Version 24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought
me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the
exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me.
NOTE: Notice the phrasing
is similar to Elijah’s disappearance. In addition, we can see that it was a
common occurrence for the Spirit to transport God’s people even Jesus himself.
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Three Heavens
Scripture
describes three kinds of Heaven. One is the sky, the other is outer space, and
the last one is God’s Throne. It is very probable that Elijah was taken up to the
sky, out of the public’s visibility, and into another location similar to
Phillip.
First Heaven (Sky)-Genesis 1:20, 7:3,7:23,
27:28,39; Jeremiah 4:25, 34:20; Lamentations 4:19; Zephaniah 1:3, Exodus 20:22;
Deuteronomy 4:36, 33:26-28; Amos 9:1-3; Daniel 4:1-33,5:21; Psalm 36:5, 68:34,
89:6,37; Proverbs 3:20,8:28; Job 35:5,36:28.
Second Heaven (Outer
Space) - Genesis
1:14-17, 15:5, 22:17; Deuteronomy 1:10, 17:3; Psalm 8:3; Jeremiah 8:2; Matthew
24:29
Third Heaven (God’s
Throne)-2 Corinthians 12:2-4, John 14:2, Luke 23:43, Revelation 2:7,3:12;
1 Peter 3:22; 2 Peter 1:11; Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6,
6:18; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 148:4, 115:16; Galatians 4:26; Hebrews
11:14,11:16,12:22; Matthew 25:1; James 2:5.
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The Promises of the Coming Kingdom
Hebrews 11:13,39-40
English Standard Version 13 These ALL
died (including Elijah) in
faith, not having received the things
promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having
acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth……39 And ALL (including Elijah) these,
though commended through their faith, did
not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something
better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
NOTE: The ALL includes all the people
mentioned from verses 1-1; including Elijah. Depending on your eschatology, if
you are a futurist, it doesn’t make sense that Elijah would be taken into
Heaven and still waiting for the fulfillment of the promises. If you are a
partial preterist, the Old Testaments saints (Elijah included- See Daniel
12:13.) already received the promises of the kingdom at Christ’s return during
the 70 AD judgment (partial preterists still await a final return at the end of
History).
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Elijah’s Letter in 2 Chronicles 21
Although scholars disagree
on the exact dates, the years and co-reigns are still sequential despite minor
deviation. In 2 Kings 1:17-18 and 2 Kings 3:1, Jehoram (also called Joram) was
established as sole King of Israel (North) when Elijah was removed from his
position. During Jehoram of the North’s sole reign, Elisha was recognized as
the official prophet of the people in 2 Kings 3:11. In 2 Kings 8:16, during the
5th year of Jehoram of the North’s reign, an official co-regency reinstatement
occurred in Judah between Jehoshaphat and Jehoram of the South.
In 1 Kings 22:51, it
is proposed that during the events of the 3rd Syrian War, Jehoram of
the South was placed on the throne temporarily
while Jehoshaphat was fighting in the war. Therefore, Jehoram of the South
served two years, but then got removed possibly by his idolatrous ways. In 848,
his reinstatement may be due to a superficial repentance, but then ultimately fell
away. In 844, Elijah sent Jehoram of the South a letter with a prophetic curse
(2 Chronicles 21:18-20). Within two years, Jehoram of the South died. Critics
claim that this letter was placed out of chronological order or written during
Elijah’s ministry and just happened to show up. However, Elijah speaks of the
events occurring in the past
and the diseases occurring in the
future. The king died TWO YEARS
AFTER this prophecy. A possible
reason why God used Elijah instead of Elisha was that he was the official
prophet in the days of Jehoshaphat, Jehoram of the South’s father. Jehoram of
the South was not walking in the ways of his father and this was God’s way to
extend an opportunity to repent. See chart below to see events. For a more
detailed study, read James B Jordan’s “Chronologies and Kings, Part 10: Jehoram
of Judah.”
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The Sons
of the Prophet
In 2 Kings 2:15-18, Elisha never tells the sons of the
prophets that Elijah was dead or he went straight into Heaven. If he told them,
they never would have sent the search party out to find him.
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Herod's Fear of Elijah
In Matthew 14:5 (See also Luke 9:7 Mark 6:14), Herod feared that Elijah would appear as prophesied in Malachi 4. The last time Elijah disappeared and then came back was when Jehoram of the South received a letter and then died two years letter. When Elijah appears out of nowhere, kings die and kingdoms are taken over shortly after. So it makes sense that Herod would be fearful. Also, no one has witnessed Elijah's death, so it is possible that God could have supernaturally preserved him to bring judgment upon Israel.
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Elijah was Transported by the Wind, not a Chariot of Fire
A careful reading of 2 Kings 2:11, shows that Elijah was transported by a whirlwind, not the Chariots of Fire. In other places in Scripture, whirlwinds scatter their recipients throughout earth, never from earth to Heaven (See also Zechariah 7:14; Job 37:9; Psalm 58:9; Ezekiel 1:4). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is represented by the wind (the Holy Spirit is not the wind itself) such as in John 3 and Acts 2. Therefore, the Holy Spirit transported Elijah to another location similar to Phillip.
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What Happened
to Elijah?
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