Photo credit: Fimb, Nikki Tysoe
3 1/2 people have already been raptured!
Carried Alive!
By Craig C. White
According to the Bible 3 1/2 people have already been raptured! That is they have been carried away bodily, some up into heaven!
1. Enoch
Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Enoch was Noah’s great grandfather. Enoch never died. He was carried away alive into heaven to be with God. Enoch walked with God. That means that Enoch knew God and talked with him. That is what we must to to be carried away alive into heaven.
2. Elijah
2Ki 2:11 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.
The prophet Elijah never died. He too was carried away alive to be with God and to give Enoch a cribbage partner. Elijah will return to earth before Jesus’ second coming at the end of the Tribulation period (Mat 17:11).
3. Jesus
Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Jesus arose from the dead and 40 days latter was taken up alive in his body into heaven (Act 1:3). Because he rose, we can be confident that we will rise in the same way (1Th 4:14)!
3 1/2. Philip
Act 8:39-40 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
In the verses above the word translated caught away is the Greek word harpazō. Harpazō is the word that we get Rapture from. Philip met the Ethiopian Eunuch between Jerusalem and Gaza. Philip was then Raptured and was next found in Ashdod (Azotus) about 50 miles away.
There are also other people who may have been raptured. It is unclear if they were caught away in body or spirit alone. They include the prophet Isaiah (Isa 6:1), the prophet Ezekiel (Eze 1), the apostle Paul (2Co 12:2-4), and the apostle John (Rev 4:1-2).
High Time to Awake 
Hi Mr. White…. If I’m reading the Gospel correctly it says
Matthew 27:52-53King James Version (KJV)
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Upon reading the account of the Rich man and Poor man’s fate. It is clear that the location of Paradise was in the earth, awaiting for the preaching of the Gospel to allow all the Old Testament Saints an opportunity to get Born Again. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that no one gets into heaven unless they are Born of water and the Spirit. The OT saints had to become new creatures to go to heaven since the Holy Spirit only came upon them and not in them, and Jesus saw to it by preaching the Gospel to them in Hell/Paradise separated by a gulf. Then Hell was enlarged upon the evacuation of all the OT saints that had their souls accounted as righteous but not new creations and born of the spirit. They were first fruits with Jesus receiving and incorruptible and immortal body before being caught up to heaven. Jesus stayed for 40 days longer on the earth but the saints were release unto heaven at His Resurrection. Unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of heaven.
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Hi Mark. I agree with almost everything that you said. Your message is well written and concisely put. I really enjoyed reading it. I gather that your main point is that the Old Testament Jewish believers were raised physically and taken up into heaven. So many more than 3 1/2 people have been Raptured.
I agree that many believers rose from the dead at Jesus’ death. However I don’t think that the Old Testament believers were raised bodily or transformed. There is no mention in Matthew chapter 27 about these people being bodily transformed or physically taken. I think that the believers who were raised from the dead were people who had recently died. They were witnesses to the Jews of the deity of Jesus Christ and his power over death. They were raised like Lazarus. Their bodies were not transformed into everlasting bodies. Even though they were raised from the dead; like Lazarus they eventually died.
Matthew 27:50-54 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
I think that Jesus took the souls of the Old Testament believers with him at his ascension but their bodies are still in the ground.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Here is the verse that most leads me to believe that the resurrection of Old Testament believers will happen in the future. It is the last verse in the book of Daniel. Daniel will rest until he stands in his God given portion of land in Israel at the time of the end.
Daniel 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Also Hosea seems to say that when Jesus comes at his second coming he will restore peace and security to Israel in two days and then resurrect the Old Testament believers on the third day.
Hosea 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
The Prophet Daniel talks about events that will happen at the time of the Tribulation and Jesus Christ’s second coming. I think that the Old Testament believers will be raised from the dead and physically transformed shortly after Jesus returns to vanquish Israel’s enemies. At that time there will be no need of a Rapture because Jesus will be present on the earth. The Old Testament Jewish believers will live with Jesus Christ on earth.
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