bodies immediately after death. Resurrection is not one-at-a-time. If we have intermediate forms in the
intermediate Heaven, they won't be our true bodies, which have died. Continuity is only between our original and resurrection bodies. If we are given intermediate forms, they are at best temporary vessels (comparable to the human-appearing bodies that angels sometimes
take on), distinct from our true bodies, which remain dead until our resurrection.
A fundamental article of the Christian faith is that the resurrected Christ now dwells in Heaven. We are told that his resurrected
body on Earth was physical, and that this same, physical Jesus ascended to Heaven, from which he will one day return to Earth
(Acts 1:11). It seems indisputable, then, to say that there is at least one physical body in the present Heaven.
If Christ's body in the present Heaven has physical properties, it stands to reason that others in Heaven might have physical
forms as well, even if only temporary ones. It also makes sense that other aspects of the present Heaven would have physical
properties—so that, for example, when Christ is seen standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56), he is actually standing
on something. Otherwise we would have to conclude that the resurrected (and thus, embodied) Christ has been floating for
two thousand years in a realm without material substance. (He could, of course, but does he?) If we know there is physical substance in Heaven (namely, Christ's body), can we not also assume that other references
to physical objects in Heaven, including physical forms and clothing, are literal rather than figurative?
ENOCH, ELIJAH, AND MOSES
Enoch and Elijah appear to have been taken to Heaven in their physical bodies. "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for
God took him" (Genesis 5:24, NASB). Apparently Enoch's body was not left behind to bury. The Septuagint translates it as Enoch
"was not found." Hebrews 11:5 explicitly says that Enoch didn't die: "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see
death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'" (NKJV). Similarly, Elijah was taken to Heaven without dying and without
leaving a body behind: "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. AndElisha... saw him no more" (2 Kings 2:11:12, NKJV).
We do not know how bodies under the Curse could be taken to Heaven, but doesn't it appear that they were, since no bodies
were left behind? Our spirits are also under the Curse, but based on Christ's redemptive work they are allowed entrance to
Heaven. Perhaps God extended the same grace to allow the bodies of Enoch and Elijah into the intermediate Heaven. If that
is the case, they may even now be living in pre-resurrected bodies in Heaven, just as Christ is living there in his resurrected
body.
Given that at least one and perhaps three people now have bodies in Heaven, isn't it possible that others might be given physical
forms as well?
Moses and Elijah appeared physically with Christ at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36). Because they'd already gone to Heaven
(Moses having died and Elijah having been taken from Earth in a whirlwind), if souls in the present Heaven are disembodied,
God would've had to create temporary bodies for them when they came from Heaven to be with Jesus on the mountain. If so, they
would have gone from being disembodied to embodied, and after the Transfiguration become disembodied again to await the final
resurrection.
A second possibility is that Moses and Elijah came to Earth in the same temporary bodies they already had in Heaven. (In Elijah's
case, his temporary body might even have been his original earthly body, which had never died.) If Moses and Elijah came to
Earth with the same temporary bodies they had in Heaven, they could have returned to Heaven just as they were. Did their joining
Christ on Earth require them to become something else, or did it simply involve their coming
intermediate Heaven, they won't be our true bodies, which have died. Continuity is only between our original and resurrection bodies. If we are given intermediate forms, they are at best temporary vessels (comparable to the human-appearing bodies that angels sometimes
take on), distinct from our true bodies, which remain dead until our resurrection.
A fundamental article of the Christian faith is that the resurrected Christ now dwells in Heaven. We are told that his resurrected
body on Earth was physical, and that this same, physical Jesus ascended to Heaven, from which he will one day return to Earth
(Acts 1:11). It seems indisputable, then, to say that there is at least one physical body in the present Heaven.
If Christ's body in the present Heaven has physical properties, it stands to reason that others in Heaven might have physical
forms as well, even if only temporary ones. It also makes sense that other aspects of the present Heaven would have physical
properties—so that, for example, when Christ is seen standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56), he is actually standing
on something. Otherwise we would have to conclude that the resurrected (and thus, embodied) Christ has been floating for
two thousand years in a realm without material substance. (He could, of course, but does he?) If we know there is physical substance in Heaven (namely, Christ's body), can we not also assume that other references
to physical objects in Heaven, including physical forms and clothing, are literal rather than figurative?
ENOCH, ELIJAH, AND MOSES
Enoch and Elijah appear to have been taken to Heaven in their physical bodies. "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for
God took him" (Genesis 5:24, NASB). Apparently Enoch's body was not left behind to bury. The Septuagint translates it as Enoch
"was not found." Hebrews 11:5 explicitly says that Enoch didn't die: "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see
death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'" (NKJV). Similarly, Elijah was taken to Heaven without dying and without
leaving a body behind: "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. AndElisha... saw him no more" (2 Kings 2:11:12, NKJV).
We do not know how bodies under the Curse could be taken to Heaven, but doesn't it appear that they were, since no bodies
were left behind? Our spirits are also under the Curse, but based on Christ's redemptive work they are allowed entrance to
Heaven. Perhaps God extended the same grace to allow the bodies of Enoch and Elijah into the intermediate Heaven. If that
is the case, they may even now be living in pre-resurrected bodies in Heaven, just as Christ is living there in his resurrected
body.
Given that at least one and perhaps three people now have bodies in Heaven, isn't it possible that others might be given physical
forms as well?
Moses and Elijah appeared physically with Christ at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36). Because they'd already gone to Heaven
(Moses having died and Elijah having been taken from Earth in a whirlwind), if souls in the present Heaven are disembodied,
God would've had to create temporary bodies for them when they came from Heaven to be with Jesus on the mountain. If so, they
would have gone from being disembodied to embodied, and after the Transfiguration become disembodied again to await the final
resurrection.
A second possibility is that Moses and Elijah came to Earth in the same temporary bodies they already had in Heaven. (In Elijah's
case, his temporary body might even have been his original earthly body, which had never died.) If Moses and Elijah came to
Earth with the same temporary bodies they had in Heaven, they could have returned to Heaven just as they were. Did their joining
Christ on Earth require them to become something else, or did it simply involve their coming
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