Enoch & Elijah

[BerhaneSelassie]

As Enoch and Elijah were assumed directly to heaven and all created beings in heaven are Saints, why does the Catholic church not venerate Enoch and Elijah as Saints?

They are, generally old testament figures are not popular in veneration in the West, but the East does more veneration of the Prophets

 

[Luke65]

It is said twice that during his life “Enoch walked with God” (Genesis 5:22, 23). What does that phrase mean?

Excellent question! The tradition that Enoch and Elijah are in Paradise is interesting…

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8)

"Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)

 

[Hunho]

**I have no idea what role - if any - Enoch may be destined to play in the future. The brief glimpses we are given in both the Old and New Testaments - in Genesis, in Ecclesiasticus/Sirach, in the letter to the Hebrews and in Jude’s letter - picture a man with a close and unique relationship with God (perhaps even the kind Adam and Eve had before their disobedience and Fall?). In the letter to the Hebrews it is said of Enoch that “before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (11:5-6) It seems to me that this is an example we would do well to follow. **

 

[Mailman]

They were both assumed into heaven.
This is evidence you can use to support the assumption of Mary, because if God assumed them into heaven, why not Mary as well?

Enoch and Elijah are both dead and buried. God did not take Enoch and Elijah to heaven, where His throne is. If He did, they had already been made immortal and that would contradict the biblical revelation.

The NT Scriptures say: “For as in Adam, ALL DIE.” And that includes Mary. It even includes Christ. But then, “in Christ shall all be MADE ALIVE” (1 Cor. 15:22). Christ has to come first and die before anyone can be “made alive” – or resurrected from the dead, to eternal life.

At the age of 65 Enoch had a son named Methuselah. “And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and he begat sons and daughters” (Gen. 5:22). So Enoch followed God’s ways for 300 years. But notice that Moses did not record that Enoch is still walking with God. The scripture says that Enoch walked with God for 300 years and not one year more. So, Enoch is not still walking with God. Why?

Because “all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years” (Gen. 5:23). Notice: ALL the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Not just part of his days, but ALL his days. If Enoch did not die – if he were made immortal – and thus continued to walk with God, then his days would have been more than three hundred and sixty-five years. But the Bible plainly says that all his days were just that many, and no more.

This expression “all his days” is used in the same fifth chapter of Genesis about a dozen time and always it means that the person lived for that long only “and he died.” So Enoch lived no more that 365 years because “all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years.” As he lived only for that length of time, then he must have died.

 

[geometer]

As he lived only for that length of time, then he must have died.

No, jewish and christian traditions both hold that Enoch did not die. Look at the book of Hebrews.

Hbr 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God.

 

[Hunho]

Enoch and Elijah are both dead and buried. God did not take Enoch and Elijah to heaven, where His throne is. If He did, they had already been made immortal and that would contradict the biblical revelation.

Geomancer in his post (#25) answered for Enoch. As for Elijah, in 2 Kings 2:1 we are told “Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.” In 2 Kings 2:11 we are told “And as they [Elijah and Elisha] still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” Therefore, according to scripture Elijah did not die and was taken up to heaven.