Did Elijah make it into heaven?

[JewishCatholic]

I was always taught that Jesus opened up the gates to heaven by dying for man’s sins? Were the great prophets of the old testament given an exception? Or am I mixing apples and oranges?

You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

 

[twf]

The righteous of the Old Testament waited in the Limbo of the Fathers, also called Abraham’s Bosom. It was a part of Hades (the abode of the dead), but not a place of torment but rather of natural happiness.
In regards to St. Elijah, we don’t know for sure. According to one tradition he was taken to a paradise, but not heaven itself, to await his role in the final days as one of the two witnesses mentioned in the book of Revelation. Certainly Elijah is a Saint and is venerated by the Church (his feast is July 20).

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

Elias was taken to Heaven before Christ’s incarnation by an exception. Elias was an exception since the Jews normally went to Limbo before Christ came. Just as He did with the Blessed Virgin, Our Lord can grant redemption to people before He was incarnated.

 

[Servant19]

I was always taught that Jesus opened up the gates to heaven by dying for man’s sins? Were the great prophets of the old testament given an exception? Or am I mixing apples and oranges?

You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

This is a conundrum for Christianity. Scripture is either lying or has been misinterpreted, for it clearly states that Elijah "went up to heaven"

The conundrum arises from an interpretation that proposes that the gates of heaven were always closed until Jesus arose to open the gates.

A much clearer interpretation arises when we understand that Jesus brought with Him a new heaven and a new earth and with this, He opened the gates to the new heaven. He is the new Adam.

What Christianity does not consider (because there is nothing written about it) is that Moses too brought a new heaven and a new earth, and also was a new Adam. That heaven and earth were abolished with the coming of Jesus.

This process continues and will forever continue throughout history.

It is the essence of the concepts of “Renewal” and “Return”…

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[1neophyte]

Elias was taken to Heaven before Christ’s incarnation by an exception. Elias was an exception since the Jews normally went to Limbo before Christ came. Just as He did with the Blessed Virgin, Our Lord can grant redemption to people before He was incarnated.

It’s always so amusing when people speak so casually and factually about matters that even the wisest human beings do not have the capacity to grasp.

Also, who is Elias?

 

[Todd977]

Some have speculated that when the Bible says Elijah was taken up into heaven, the heaven he was taken up into was the first heaven, what we now call the sky, not the third heaven that we now associate with the word heaven, the dwelling place of God and the angels. They also speculate that when Elijah was taken up into the sky he was transported to the Garden of Eden and that he will return just before Christ’s second coming and be one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11. The witnesses will prophesy for 1260 days and then will be killed. But, after three and a half days they will be resurrect from the dead and then will be assumed into heaven. (See Haydock’s Commentary on 4 Kings ii. 1.)

 

[Servant19]

Some have speculated that when the Bible says Elijah was taken up into heaven, the heaven he was taken up into was the first heaven, what we now call the sky, not the third heaven that we now associate with the word heaven, the dwelling place of God and the angels. They also speculate that when Elijah was taken up into the sky he was transported to the Garden of Eden and that he will return just before Christ’s second coming and be one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11. The witnesses will prophesy for 1260 days and then will be killed. But, after three and a half days they will be resurrect from the dead and then will be assumed into heaven. (See Haydock’s Commentary on 4 Kings ii. 1.)

I find it interesting that the religion of Islam was fulfilled by the Baha’i religion at exactly the year 1260 A.H.

Islam lasted exactly 1260 years…

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[Todd977]

Also, who is Elias?

Elias is from the Greek (Ἠλίας) and Latin (Helias) spellings of Elijah.