Was Elijah taken to Heaven where God is or a different place?

Answer 1

The Bible speaks of "three" heavens:

"...I will come to VISIONS... I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago... such an one caught up to the THIRD HEAVEN." (II Cor.12:2)

This was Paul, speaking of himself, who had a vision of going to the "third heaven" where the throne of the Father is... just like John did, later:

"...I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither... And immediately I WAS IN THE SPIRIT: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven..." (Rev.4:1-1).

The "first" heaven is the "breatheable air" within the earth's atmosphere [where birds fly].

"...God 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." (Gen.1:20)

The "second" heaven is "outer space"... a vacuous, inhospitable place beyond earth's blessed atmosphere where man cannot live and breathe, normally. The second heaven is where the "stars" are.

"...I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven..." (Gen.22:17).

Many men teach and are taught that "Elijah never died... and was taken to the "third heaven" to be with God."

This erroneous teaching, however, makes a LIAR out of Jesus Christ, who said, centuries later, 'And NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, but HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, even the Son of Man which is in heaven." (John 3:13)

Jesus is speaking here of the "third heaven" of His Father's throne, where the Bible tells us Jesus is at His right hand:

"...he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." (Acts 7:55-56)

Can a man "praise Jesus' name" and call Him a liar at the same time with their false teachings? Evidently, so.

But if a man can bring himself to believe what Jesus plainly says... he may begin to understand that Elijah was NOT [nor has anyone else ever been] taken to the "third" heaven of the Father's throne.

Nor was Elijah taken to the "second" heaven... where he wouldn't have been able to breathe.

He was taken up to the "FIRST" heaven... where birds fly -- and where, today, people go every day as a matter of daily routine in the world. And then... THEY COME DOWN SOME PLACE ELSE on the earth.

That's where Elijah went -- he was transported into the air and set down someplace else on earth, probably someplace restful, quiet, and secluded from men where he could "unwind." God removed him from being the prominent prophet, removed his mantle... and placed it upon Elisha.

"...Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy Spirit be upon me.

"And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.

"And it came to pass... 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... He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him..." (II Kings 2:9-14).

Elijah went to the "first" heaven... and where he was set back down on the earth, the Bible doesn't say.

"They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not." (verse 17)