Program 133: Learn what happened to Enoch & Elijah!

(It’s not what you think!)

Christians have assumed Enoch and Elijah were taken to Heaven, but Scripture establishes they actually remained here on earth.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Hello! And welcome to WLC Radio. I’m your host, Miles Robey.

Dave Wright: And I’m Dave Wright. Thanks for tuning in.

Miles: We’ve got an exciting program planned for you today. At least, I think it’s exciting. It’s always thrilling to learn new things from Scripture, especially if what you’re learning reveals you’ve been making a silly assumption and the truth is something very different.

Dave: Ah, yes. Assumptions. They can really get us into trouble, can’t they?

Miles: Oh, yeah. You know William Thomson?

Dave: Uhhh . . . Voice actor! Played the part of Peter Pan in the Disney cartoon?

Miles: Really?

Dave: Well, I don’t know. You’re asking me. That’s the only William Thompson I know of.

Miles laughs: Yeah. I think we’re thinking of two different people here. The William Thomson I’m referring to was also the first Baron Kelvin. He was a British engineer, mathematician and physicist.

Dave: Oh, right! Very influential. I think it was thanks to him that the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable was installed.

Miles: He coined the term “kinetic energy” and also established “absolute zero,” the lowest limit of the thermodynamic temperature scale.

Dave: Oh, of course. Baron Kelvin. The Kelvin temperature scale. Absolute zero is zero kelvins.

Miles: That’s right. You know who I’m talking about now. Did you know he also made some spectacular assumptions?

Dave: That’s unusual for a scientist. Were they correct assumptions?

Miles: As a matter of fact, no! Listen to this. He made fun of the idea of radio and said, and I quote: “Radio has no future.”

He also said, quote: “X-rays will prove to be a hoax.”

Dave: A hoax?! Just goes to show even the most brilliant minds shouldn’t assume!

Miles: No. None of us should. Reminds me of something the American educator, Stephen Covey, once said.

Dave: What’s that?

Miles: He said, “The least questioned assumptions are often the most questionable.”

Dave: Good point. And let’s face it: Christians have made a lot of assumptions when it comes to what Scripture teaches.

Miles: Oh, have we ever! A couple of weeks ago, you were sharing with me something that just blew my mind: an assumption most Christians make that is, when you really compare Scripture with Scripture, simply wrong! You really shocked me. I’d like you to talk about it today as we really didn’t have a chance to get into when you shared it in passing before.

Dave: If you were to ask most Christians, “What sets Enoch and Elijah apart as special?” what would be the answer?

Miles: That they were both taken to Heaven without seeing death.

Dave: Right. We’ve all been taught that since childhood: Enoch and Elijah were translated to Heaven without seeing death and they’ve been living there ever since.

But that is wrong! Enoch and Elijah were not taken to Heaven. They died and were buried on earth where they are, even now awaiting the resurrection when Yahushua returns.

Miles: I know it’s shocking, folks, but don’t stop listening! He’s right. And he can prove it from Scripture.

Dave: Let’s start with Enoch. Could you turn to Genesis 5 and read verses 21 to 24 for us?

Miles: Yeah. I’ve got that. It says:

And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

And Enoch walked with Elohim after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

And Enoch walked with Elohim: and he was not; for Elohim took him.

Dave: “Elohim,” of course, is a title that here refers to Yahuwah.

So. Seems quite straightforward, doesn’t it? “Enoch walked with Elohim: and he was not; for Elohim took him.” But that does not, contrary to what we’ve always assumed, mean that Yahuwah translated Enoch to Heaven without Enoch dying.

Miles: I find it fascinating, from this new perspective, to note that Moses did not say that Enoch is still walking—present tense—with Yahuwah in Heaven. He certainly had the ability to convey that thought, but he didn’t. He put it in the past tense: Enoch walkED with Yah. Past tense. If he were still living at the time Moses wrote Genesis, Moses would not have written about him in the past tense.

Dave: That’s a good point. But there’s more. Would you turn to John 3 for us and read verse 13?

Miles: All right, uh . . . this is in Nicodemus’ conversation with Yahushua. Yahushua says: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”

Dave: OK. I’m going to stop you for just a moment. I know some Bibles attribute this statement to Yahushua, but if you look at it, you’ll see that this verse is simply a continuation of John’s narrative.

Miles: How can you tell?

Dave: Where was Yahushua when he was speaking to Nicodemus?

Miles: Right there beside him.

Dave: And where was he when John wrote this?

Miles: In Heaven . . . Oh! I see. No man has ascended to Heaven except for the son of man “which is in heaven.” If it were Yahushua speaking, he wouldn’t have said that since he was sitting right there with Nicodemus.

Dave: Correct. So here we have John the Beloved, and how many people did he say have ascended to Heaven? Two? Enoch and Elijah? Three? Enoch, Elijah and Moses?

Miles: No. He says, “No man hath ascended up to heaven.”

Dave: That’s what we call an all-ness statement. It’s all inclusive, or, in this case, all exclusive. “NO man hath ascended up to heaven.”

Miles: So that would exclude Enoch and Elijah, too.

Dave: Right. Look again at Genesis 5 and this time read just verse 23. What does that say?

Miles: “And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years.”

Dave: Notice it says all the days. Not just part of the days, or the days that he spent on earth—which Moses could have easily put in that caveat—but no. Instead, he says all the days of Enoch were 365 years.

Miles: So where did we get this idea that when Moses said Enoch was “not” for Elohim took him, Moses meant that Enoch was taken to Heaven?

Dave: I don’t know for sure, but I would guess that it started with a misunderstanding of the account in Hebrews 11. Why don’t you turn there for us?

This is what we like to call the Faith Chapter, if you’ll recall. It starts out with a definition of faith as, quote, “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Then it goes through and talks about the different faith warriors listed in the Bible. “By faith” Abel did this; “by faith” Noah did that; “by faith” Abraham did the other.

Enoch is listed here, too. Read verses 5 and 6 of Hebrews 11 and let’s talk about it.

Miles: Let’s see, uh: “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because Yah had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased Yah.”

Okay . . . not sure what you’re trying to establish here. It says quite clearly that Enoch “was translated that he should not see death.”

Dave: Well, just hang on. You’ll see where I’m going with this in a minute. So the chapter continues on, talking about the patriarchs, and others: Gideon, Barak, Samson, David, Samuel, etc. And then, right at the end, the author of Hebrews says something very interesting. Read verses 39 and 40, the last two verses of Hebrews 11.

Miles: “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, Yah having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

Dave: What’s the promise?

Miles: Eternal life.

Dave: And yet the author of Hebrews is saying “all these”—and that includes Enoch—obtained a good testimony through faith, but even so, they’ve not yet received the promise. Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death but the gift of Yah is eternal life.” That’s the promise Christians cling to. If Enoch had been taken to Heaven without seeing death, Hebrews 11:39 could not say “All these . . . did not receive the promise.”

Miles: That’s true. So why, then, does it say Enoch did not see death?

Dave: Well, remember that Scripture teaches there are two deaths. This is best illustrated in John 11. Could you turn there? This is the story of Lazarus.

You’ll remember that when Mary and Martha sent word that their brother, Lazarus, was very sick, Yahushua replied—? What?

Miles: “This sickness is not unto death.”

Dave: And then what happened?

Miles: Lazarus died.

Dave: But the disciples hadn’t received the memo. Read verses 11 to 14 of John 11.

Miles:

He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” Then his disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Yahushua spoke of his death, but they thought that he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Yahushua said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” [John 11:11b-14]

Dave: To believers, the death of the body is like sleep. That’s the first death: the death of the body. All who die this death, believing in the blood of Yahushua, will be raised back to life.

But there is another death: the second death. Let’s read about that in Revelation 20. Read verses 11 to 15.

Miles:

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before Yahuwah, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Dave: So here we have what John calls “the second death.” The second death is the literal annihilation of the soul. There is no resurrection from this death.

So, when Hebrews 11 says that, by faith, Enoch did not “see death,” it’s not saying that Enoch didn’t die physically because, clearly, verse 39 says he and everyone else listed in the chapter did die. What Hebrews 11 is saying is that, by faith, Enoch died the death of the body but he did not die the second death of soul-annihilation because of his faith.

Miles: Okay. That makes sense. So what does it mean that Yah “translated” him?

Dave: It simply means he carried him. The Greek word from which we get the word “translated” is metatithemi. Arndt-Gingrich’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament says that the primary meaning of metatithemi is to “convey to another place . . . [to] transfer.”

It does not mean “taken to Heaven without seeing death.” It simply means to be carried. This same word is used in Acts 7 where it talks about Jacob and his sons in Egypt. Read verses 15 and 16.

Miles: Acts 7:15-16 . . .

“So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.”

Dave: Here, metatithemi is translated “carried back.” So, again, it simply means to convey from Point A to Point B.

Miles: Oh! Like when Moses died. Deuteronomy 34 says that when Moses died, Yahuwah buried him and no one knows to this day where he was buried.

Dave: Exactly! Enoch was a godly man. We don’t know how he died. Genesis 6:11 says the earth was corrupt and filled with violence, so it’s very possible he may have been murdered. Yahuwah would not allow the body of his beloved child to be desecrated, so He took it, conveyed it to a place of safety, and took care of the burial Himself.

One more verse. Colossians 1:13 says that Yahuwah “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son.”

So, if we’ve been “translated” into the kingdom of Christ, does that mean that you and I are recording this in Heaven?

Miles: I wish!

Dave: So, no. We’re still here on earth. It simply means that we have been taken from darkness into the light of Yah’s kingdom of grace.

Miles: Basically, Enoch was “taken” or “translated” from the world by faith, just as Christians, by faith, are translated into the kingdom of Christ that we may be IN the world but not OF the world.

Dave: Yes. That does not mean that believers do not die. It simply means that they are, through faith, preserved so that when their bodies die, they will be raised in the first resurrection.

You put all the evidence together: John 3 that says no man has ever ascended up to Heaven; Hebrews 11 that includes Enoch in the statement that all these faith warriors had died, and it becomes very clear that Enoch is resting in the grave until Yahushua returns.

Miles: All right. Hold that thought. We’re going to take a quick break and when we return, let’s talk about Elijah.

* * *

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: So, we’ve talked about Enoch, how the Biblical evidence supports that he was not taken to Heaven, but that he actually died and Yahuwah buried him just as, centuries later, Yah would bury Moses.

What about Elijah? Because that text in John 3:13 that says “no man hath ascended up to Heaven” would have to apply to him, too.

Dave: You’re right. It does. And there’s even more evidence to prove that Elijah was not taken to Heaven than there is for Enoch. Let’s start by reading the passage that most of us have assumed was about Elijah being taken up into Heaven.

Would you read it for us? It’s found in 2 Kings, chapter 2, verses 11 to 13.

Miles: All right, give me just a moment to find it . . .

Dave: It’s really just verse 11, but there’s an important detail in verse 13 we’ll talk about in just a moment.

Miles: Okay, here it is: 2 Kings 2:11-13. It says:

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan.

Dave: So Elisha picks up the mantle that had been Elijah’s. This is important. It was a literal passing of the mantle of leadership. It was a sign that the office Elijah had filled was now Elisha’s. Elijah retired and now it was Elisha’s job.

Miles: Yeah, but where’s your proof? It says, right in verse 11, that “Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”

Dave: Remember there are three different “heavens” spoken of in Scripture. The third heaven, of course, is where Yahuwah has His throne. But if, according to John 3:13, “no man” had ever ascended up to the third heaven prior to Yahushua’s ascension, then of course that leaves one of the other two “heavens” spoken of in Scripture.

Miles: This might be a new concept to some of our listeners, so I want to take a minute to look up the Bible verses that support this idea of there being three different “heavens.”

Dave: Good! Let’s look at Hebrews 8. Why don’t you read the first five verses? This shows that Moses’ tabernacle in the wilderness was made as a model of the original that is up in the third heaven: the heaven of Yahuwah’s throne.

Miles: All right, it says:

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this one also have something to offer. For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

Dave: The second heaven, then, is the heavens so frequently spoken of in the psalms: the heavens where there are the planets, the sun, moon, and stars.

Miles: It’s what was ordained on the fourth day of Creation. Listen to this. Genesis 1:14 to 17:

And Elohim said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

And Elohim made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

And Elohim set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.

Dave: There’s Psalm 8 as well, which says: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” [Psalm 8:3-4]

So, again, this is the second heaven.

Miles: What’s the first heaven?

Dave: The atmosphere covering the earth. This is used throughout Scripture. You’ve got Genesis 1 open. Read verse 20.

Miles: “And Elohim said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.”

Dave: When Isaac was pronouncing a blessing upon Jacob, he called upon Yahuwah to give him, quote, “the dew of heaven.”

Miles: Deuteronomy 33:28: “Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.”

Dave: Right! Now, the only place dew can come from is the atmosphere above us. This is also what proves that the heaven Elijah was taken up into was the first heaven.

What did Elijah go up by into heaven?

Miles: A fiery chariot.

Dave: Nope. Read it again: 2 Kings 2:11.

Miles: “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” Unquote.

Oh! I see. He may well have ridden the chariot that separated him from Elisha, but what actually took Elijah up was a whirlwind.

Dave: Right. And in order to even have a whirlwind, you must have the atmosphere that covers the earth. Elijah was simply taken up into the first heaven.

Miles: So where’d he go? What happened to him?

Dave: Scripture doesn’t say where he was taken. However, as to what happened to him, he just lived out the rest of his life. We would say today that he was enjoying a well-deserved retirement. Maybe he had a nice little cottage on the shores of the Mediterranean, sipping wine at his fireside after a day of fishing.

You’re looking at me rather skeptically.

Miles: Yeah, well. Not to sound like a doubting Thomas, but . . . well, how do we know that he didn’t just die and Yahuwah buried him like He did Moses?

Dave: Fair enough. All right. First go back to 2 Kings 2. What do the sons of the prophets say to Elisha? It’s in verse 3.

Miles: Uh . . . it says: “And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Elohim will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.”

Dave: Now read verse 5.

Miles: “And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Elohim will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.”

Dave: So, first of all, there’s nothing in either of these verses that says Elijah was going to die that day. Merely that he was going to be removed from being Elisha’s “head,” his “boss,” as we’d say it today. And the symbol of that transfer of leadership, that transfer of holy office, is recorded in verse 13 where Elisha took up the mantle that had fallen from Elijah.

Miles: Okay. I agree that there’s nothing here that says he was going to die that day, and Yahuwah did warn Moses that he was about to die. But absence of proof, as one of my professors used to like to say, does not constitute proof. Is there anything in the Bible to suggest that Elijah continued to live for some time afterward?

Dave: Yes! I’m so glad you asked, because it’s absolutely fascinating, but if you don’t know your timelines, it wouldn’t have a lot of meaning, which is why I think most people have missed it.

We’ve been in 2 Kings chapter 2. Now, I want you to turn back one chapter to 2 Kings chapter 1. This obviously occurred prior to Elijah retiring. Read verse 17 of 2 Kings 1.

It’s talking about wicked King Ahaziah. He was king in the northern kingdom of Israel. You’ll remember he fell out of a second story window?

Miles: Oh, right! Didn’t kill him, but he was badly injured, so he sent some soldiers to inquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, if he’d get better.

Dave: And instead, the messengers met Elijah who told them to go back because Ahaziah was not going to get better. So after some back-and-forth’s, Elijah himself went to the king. Let’s read it: 2 Kings 1, verses 16 and 17. Go ahead.

Miles:

And [Elijah] said unto [Ahaziah], Thus saith Elohim, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of His word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

So [Ahaziah] died according to the word of Elohim which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.

Dave: This can be a little confusing here, so let’s just clarify. When Ahaziah died, his brother Jehoram became sole king of Israel because Ahaziah had no son. They had been reigning as co-regents for a while, but now Jehoram remained as sole king of Israel. We know that the first year of Jehoram’s reign as sole king of Israel was 849-848 BCE. Remember that date. It’s important.

Now, at that same time, down in Judah, there were also two kings reigning together, father and son. Good King Jehoshaphat, two years before this, had crowned his son, Jehoram, as kind of Judah. But Jehoshaphat didn’t abdicate. They just ruled together, sort of like David and Solomon had done towards the end of David’s life.

Good King Jehoshaphat died in 845 BCE.

Miles: So, if Elijah disappeared right after Jehoram of Israel began his sole reign in 849 BCE, this was a full four years after Elijah’s disappearance.

Dave: Right! But Elijah was still alive! And we can know he was still alive because he sent a letter.

Miles: Seriously?

Dave: Absolutely! Turn to 2 Chronicles 21 and read verses 1 to 4.

Miles:

Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.

Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.

Dave: Again, this is four years after Elijah’s disappearance. Jehoram, with his father dead, kills his six brothers and various other princes in Israel.

Miles: That’s horrible.

Dave: It is. And when word of this spread, Elijah—wherever he was living—heard of it. He was so shocked and appalled, he wrote a letter to King Jehoram. You can read it! 2 Chronicles 21, verses 12 to 15.

Miles:

And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:

Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

Dave: This is huge. Four years after Elijah was taken by a whirlwind into heaven, Jehoshaphat died and his son, Jehoram, killed all six of his brothers. This was so shocking, so appalling, so evil, that even though Elijah was living in retirement, he couldn’t stay silent and he sent a letter to Jehoram.

Now what’s interesting is that some of these events are spoken of in the past tense. So, roughly five years after Elijah disappeared, he sends Jehoram this letter. We know that Jehoram reigned only eight years, after which he died of the sickness Elijah predicted in his letter.

Miles: Okay. One more quick question, because we’re running out of time. What about the mount of transfiguration. Didn’t the disciples see a glorified Yahushua standing with Moses and Elijah?

Dave: What they saw was a vision of future glory. Yahushua himself said so. Read Matthew 17:9. These are Yahushua’s own words.

Miles: “Now as they came down from the mountain, Yahushua commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.’”

Dave: Tell no one of the . . . vision. To say that Moses and Elijah were actually standing there, to say that Enoch and Elijah were taken to Heaven, not only contradicts Scripture, but it reads into Scripture what simply isn’t there.

Miles: Wow. Scripture is so clear when you take it just as it reads. Stay tuned, folks. We’ll be right back with our Daily Mailbag.

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Both the word of Yahuwah, and His divine name, contain the power that called the universe into existence. That’s powerful! This is why Scripture repeatedly urges believers to “Call upon the name of Yahuwah.” There’s power in the Creator’s personal name!

Satan knows infinite power that is contained in the word and name of Yahuwah. He has worked tirelessly to hide the divine name under generic titles. While there is certainly a place for titles, it is a privilege to know and use the Creator’s actual name.

To learn more about the divine name, as well as the meanings of the Hebrew titles used to refer to Yahuwah, visit WorldsLastChance.com. Look for article entitled “The meaning of Elohim: It’s not what you think.” You can also listen to “Who (or what) is Elohim?” on WLC Radio or YouTube! Visit us today!

* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Time for our daily mailbag! You know, I really enjoy this part of our program. The questions we get are really interesting and insightful; often they’re questions I would never have thought of, but—

Dave: You would have wanted to know, had you thought of it.

Miles: Precisely!

All right. Today’s question is coming from Craig and Valerie in Ecuador. Did you know that the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador are home to the world’s largest tortoise?

Dave: No, I didn’t. How large?

Miles: The Galapagos tortoise weighs over four hundred kilos! That’s 64 stone, or more than 900 pounds.

Dave: That’s-that’s immense!

Miles: And it stands 5 feet tall, or a meter and a half in height.

Dave: That’s taller than some people! Incredible.

So, what’s the question?

Miles: Uh, they say: “We moved to Ecuador last year as missionaries. We are really loving the Ecuadorian people. They are so warm and gracious. Recently, we were invited to a harvest celebration. While we felt honored to be invited, we also feel a bit uncomfortable. Inti raymi is an Incan celebration of the harvest. While we’re all for expressing gratitude for Yah’s bounties, this just sounds so heathen. We don’t want to cause offense as we’ve worked hard to show ourselves friendly and be accepted by the locals. On the other hand, we don’t want to dishonor Yahuwah, either. Any words of wisdom that can direct us in this?”

Dave: First, let me say, I appreciate the sincerity of motive behind this question. We should, always, put Yah’s honor above everything else. This question touches on how we honor Yah. Do we honor Him by joining in? Or by holding ourselves apart?

Miles: I don’t know. Could be argued either way.

Dave: All right. Let me phrase it this way: what was a common complaint that the Pharisees leveled against Christ?

Miles: Well . . . besides accusing him of being a law-breaker, I guess . . . Oh! They complained that he associated with sinners. He didn’t hold himself aloof as they did.

Dave: Exactly. Yahushua lived to demonstrate the Father’s love and acceptance. The way he did that was by loving and accepting those with whom he came in contact. Obviously, a Christian isn’t going to join in sacrifices to idols or anything like that. However, a harvest celebration, being thankful for the earth’s bounties, I don’t think there would be anything wrong with that.

Miles: It would be an opportunity to demonstrate love and acceptance. It would be an opening to witness for Yah as well.

Dave: And that can only be done when we meet sinners where they’re at, like Yahushua did. Holding ourselves aloof will not do that. There’s a Bible verse I’d like you to read. James 1:17. Could you pull that up on your monitor?

Miles: Sure. Give me just a second . . . all right. It says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

Dave: The god of the harvest is Yahuwah, who sends His rain on the just and the unjust. In this, let us follow Yahushua’s example. As long as we’re not offering things to idols, we can meet people where they are and look for openings to share about the Creator of All.

Miles: Good point. I like it. It’s a balanced perspective.

Okay. Time for one more question. I don’t know where this one’s coming from. It just says, quote: “Our family is divided on an issue. The teenagers want to wear makeup; the parents say no. It is causing a lot of fights and unhappiness on both sides. Is there any direction you can give us on how to resolve this?” Unquote.

Well! Okay, Solomon. How are you going to divide this baby?

Dave: Well, it’s not an easy question to answer. We’re a world-wide ministry. I think it’s safe to say there’ll be cultural differences at play here. What’s acceptable in one culture isn’t necessarily acceptable in another culture and we shouldn’t ignore that.

Miles: Like Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 9, he became all things to all people so that by all means possible, he could save some.

Dave: So, let’s look at principles. Principles can be widely applied, not just whether or not teens should wear makeup. The principle that motivated Paul was to make whatever sacrifice necessary to save souls. That should always be our primary motivation, too.

Miles: So, you’re saying the girls should not wear makeup.

Dave: No. I’m not going to say whether they should wear it or not. I’m saying both the teens and the parents should be aware of this principle.

Miles: Well, if you’re going strictly off principles, Ephesians 6 verse 1 says: “Children, obey your parents in Yahuwah, for this is right.”

Dave: Yes, and verse 4 says: “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of Yahuwah.” That’s repeated in Colossians 3:21 which says: “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

Miles: So, then, what’s your answer to the question? Should women wear makeup?

Dave: I’m not going to say! That is a personal decision, influenced by beliefs and culture. I cannot make that decision for anyone else.

I will say that if you live in a culture where it is considered cheap or low class, then it would not be something a Christian woman, who wants to reflect Yah in her life, would choose to do.

For example, take nose rings. In most western cultures, that is looked down on. But when Eliezer went to Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac, what did Eliezer give Rebecca as a gift?

Miles: Jewelry.

Dave: Including a nose ring. I wouldn’t want my daughter wearing a nose ring, but it’s not as culturally acceptable here. Now getting back to makeup, I’m not going to say it’s a sin for women to wear. What if a woman has a disfiguring birthmark or a scar and some makeup will help her feel more confident? Who am I to say it’s a sin for her to wear it?

I would say—and this is based on my cultural background—that if a woman is going to wear makeup, a more natural look would be more fitting for a Christian than a full-on painted mask. But again, that’s influenced by my cultural background.

Miles: You’re not really giving much of an answer here.

Dave: My answer is this: parents and teenagers should both think about what, in the culture, presents as Christian and having high standards. An arbitrary rule of “No makeup!” does not necessarily prove a person is a Christian if other areas in her life—or the lives of her parents—do not also reflect the heavenly values of kindness, compassion for others, forbearance, and a non-critical, non-judgmental attitude.

We are to keep our eyes on Yahuwah, not what we perceive to be the failings of fellow believers.

Miles: I think often there’s a double standard, too. My American cousins will crack jokes about how, in their culture, having a “big rig” is seen as masculine.

Dave: A “big rig”?

Miles: “Rig” is their word for a lorry. Or, as they call it, a large “pickup truck.” A large lorry can cost tens of thousands of dollars and no one bats an eye because it is seen as masculine. It’s normal in most cultures to celebrate and promote masculinity. I think we need to be careful not to stigmatize as sinful that which is simply “feminine” or celebrates femininity.

Dave: The main take-away is simply this . . .

If you’re a parent or a teen, ask yourself this: “In my culture, can I wear makeup and still clearly be viewed as a Christian?” The second question to ask is: “Am I equating righteousness with acts of the flesh? Or by the blood of Yahushua?”

In other words, am I judging others for . . . wearing makeup in this instance, as being less-than-committed Christians because they choose to wear makeup? That is the more serious issue because what did Yahuwah tell Samuel when Samuel thought David’s big brother, Eliab, would make a great king for Israel?

Miles: “Yahuwah does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahuwah looks at the heart.” [1 Samuel 16:7]

Dave: That is what we are to remember. Yahuwah looks at the heart. We can’t see the heart so we tend to judge by appearances, but that itself is a sin—often worse than the sin being judged.

Miles: Reminds me of the Saviour’s words in Matthew 7: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” [Matthew 7:1-5]

Dave: So, kids: respect your parents. They’ve been given by Yahuwah to train you in the way you should go. Parents, provoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged. They are younger members of the kingdom of heaven. Let kindness be your standard of action, your guide in all things. It’s so easy to come up with our own personal definitions of righteousness, but too often those are man-made definitions. There’s nothing wrong with being sensitive to, and aware of, cultural norms. However, never forget that we’re saved by grace, not works, and certainly not abstinence.

In conclusion, I’d like to read Micah 6, verse 8. This is the foundational principle that is to guide our lives, regardless of cultural differences. It says:

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does Yahuwah require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your Eloah?

This is the principle we must always bear in mind on every issue.

Miles: If you’ve got questions or comments, we’d like to hear from you. Go to our website at WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We always enjoying hearing from our listeners.

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with your daily promise from Yah’s Word.

When the coronavirus outbreak reached South America in early 2020, Ecuador was particularly hard hit. The government quickly took measures to limit the spread of the virus. Borders were closed, bus travel was suspended, food stores and pharmacies were the only businesses allowed to remain open, cars were assigned one day a week to drive based on their license plate number, and a national curfew was imposed from 2 pm until 5 am. Even national travel was severely restricted. In order to be allowed past military blockades to drive the next town, it was necessary to provide a government issued-permit—and those weren’t easy to obtain!

The strictly enforced curfew, along with travel restrictions, quickly resulted in people living in outlying areas running out of food for their families. With everything shut down, they had no way to work, and with public transportation suspended, they had no way to get into markets to buy food, even if they’d had the money. During this time, both the government and citizens alike worked together to get food to those in need. If a family was out of food, they would hang a piece of red cloth—maybe a kerchief or a pillowcase, even a shirt—outside their home. This signaled that they had no food to those who had some to share.

As month after month passed, more and more red flags appeared, the need quickly outstripping the ability to provide help. But then, something else started happening. White flags started appearing. One of our WLC team members lives in southern Ecuador and told us of seeing a white flag appear outside one of the poorest homes in the village. In this small, four-room home lived three generations of one family and they had hung out a white flag. You see, a red flag meant the family was out of food and needed help. But a white flag, well, a white flag meant the family had food to share. One of the poorest homes in the village, and they were letting those in need know that they had food to share.

In Matthew 25, Yahushua foretold what would occur upon his return to earth. He said:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’ And the king will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25: 31-40)

You don’t have to be rich to be a blessing to those around you. You can be Yah’s hands to help; His voice to speak words of strength and kindness. And as you do this, you will be blessed in turn. Proverbs 19 verse 17 says: “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto Yahuwah; and that which he hath given will He [Yahuwah] pay him again.”

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: You know, today’s discussion really reveals the danger of assumptions. We build this entire belief structure on an assumption that’s wrong, and we don’t even know it!

Dave: And that is precisely why, no matter how much we’ve learned, no matter how much we think we know, we must never stop digging for more. There is always more to learn. New truths lay a foundation for understanding more advanced truths.

Miles: I know that, growing up a Christian, I heard a lot about the Laodicean church—the church that thinks they are “rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing.” I remember listening to sermons about the dangers of spiritual pride, and nodding my head: “Oh, yes! I’m a Laodicean, too!”

But the very act of acknowledging that I was a Laodicean fed my pride. It made me think I was safe because, by agreeing that I was Laodicean, I was showing that I was a repentant Laodicean, right?

Dave laughs: Oh, I know exactly what you’re talking about! The problem is, Laodiceans are blind. They don’t know what they don’t know. This is why we must, each one of us, go to Yahuwah just as we are. We must confess that we are blind. We may not see how the Laodicean message applies to us, but we can take it by faith that it does. And we can lay hold of the promises by faith, asking Yahushua to cover us with his robe of righteousness, gifting us with the gold of his faith and love, and anointing our eyes with eye salve.

It’s crucial that we accept by faith that the Laodicean message applies to us because, I’ll tell you, folks, there’s a lot more Yahuwah wants to teach us, but He can’t if we’re all so self-satisfied that we don’t think we need to learn anything new.

Miles: I think another point we need to remember is that Satan builds his lies and his most deceptive delusions on the errors we cling to. It may not seem all that important a point right now to know that Enoch and Elijah were not taken to Heaven without seeing death as we’ve always assumed, but guaranteed, any point of doctrine that is not in line with the truth, any particular where we’ve read into it what Scripture does not actually say, opens us up to more easily accepting Satan’s lies.

Dave: You’re right. And that is why, I believe, Yahuwah is pouring, literally pouring out truth.

Miles: I agree. Hosea 6 gives us the promise that if we follow on to know Yahuwah, we shall know. Then it says, “He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” [Hosea 6:3b] But where it gets really interesting is when you do a word search for “rain” in the Bible, you find that Deuteronomy defines “rain” for us as “doctrine.”

Here, give me just a minute to look this up. It’s Deuteronomy 32 . . . yes, here it is. Verse 2. It says: “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.” So, as we study, we will be taught more truth. And that greater truth is the promised later rain!

But we have to be willing to study for it and not dismiss new ideas as wrong by default since we already know everything we need to know to be saved.

Dave: It reminds me of a precious promise in Isaiah 58. Using the imagery of a garden, it promises that if we will follow Yahuwah’s leading, if we will accept His teaching, then we will be like a bountiful garden. Verses 11 and 12 say, quote:

And Yahuwah shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

Unquote. Isn’t that beautiful? We, each one of us, have the opportunity to cooperate with Heaven in spreading the truth.

Miles: Yes! It’s such an honor and a privilege! By being willing to study and learn more truth, we can be co-partners with Heaven. We can be repairers of the breach. We can be restorers of paths to dwell in.

Dave: It’s such a high calling.

Miles: It really is, and each one of us has our own sphere of influence. Those of you listening at home on your short-wave radio, or on YouTube, or wherever, Dave and I may not know who and where you are, but Yahuwah does. He has a special work for you to do, a special work only you can do! There are souls in your circle of influence that we can’t reach, but you can. Share with your family, your friends. Share with those Yahuwah brings into your life.

We hope you can join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.