HEB 11:5* By means of doctrine [resident in the soul] Enoch was transferred so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up. This was much different than death because, as we have noted, this transfer means that the body is missing, and this verse also indicates that there was a lot of searching for Enoch after he was gone. In physical death, the soul leaves the body, but the body stays on earth, but in a transfer such as we have with Enoch, the body goes along with the soul so there is no body, and no sign of Enoch. The rapture will be a transfer, or a permanent change of location, for all believers alive at that time, satanic propaganda will attempt to explain the missing bodies in some way.
So, for Enoch, this was dying grace, Enoch's last super-grace blessing in time. Dying grace is given to the mature believer, it is the experience of physical death under a special provision of grace, where the mature believer experiences both blessing and happiness while dying. Dying grace can occur regardless of the amount of pain and suffering experienced in death. PSA 33:18-19 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear [are occupied with] Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness [have confidence in His grace] , to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine [depression] . Paul talked about dying grace in 2TI 4:6-8 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” PSA 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones [mature believers].
Dying grace removes the fear of death, PSA 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.” Dying grace is the great blessing which comes at the termination of one's life, but it is still a part of living. Physical death, plus doctrine resident in the soul, equals the greatest blessing of life: Dying grace, and it is part of the mature believer's super-grace blessings. It is the link between temporal and eternal escrow blessings (ROM 5:20; HEB 11:13). The mature believer has the best for time, and dying grace is also a blessing from God. ROM 5:12-17 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. This is the a fortiori rationale which says that if God provides the greater in time, He cannot withhold the lesser in eternity. It is easier for God to produce eternal blessing than to produce temporal blessing for the mature believer in time. |
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