Are Enoch, Moses and Elijah really in heaven?

If they were not in heaven, why whould they have come to the transfiguration?

What do you mean? Do you mean when Jesus saw them? At least, the idea for that is that it was just a vision that he saw... apparently.

In response to Debbie, Ellen G Whites writings don't come above the bible... do they? So, obviously, I think we should disregard what she has to say for now, as I'm trying to say that she actually got something wrong biblically. If it turns out that the bible doesn't say that they didn't go to heaven, then obviously Ellen G White would be wrong, therefore we'd have reason to question her creibility on other matters, I'd suppose.

Although after Jesus died, didn't like, apparently people come back to life? And they appeared to people? Maybe this is what happened with Enoch, Moses and Elijah..

The appearance of Moses and Elijah, according to Matthew 17:1-9 was not a vision given to Jesus, but a very real event. Verse 3 says " Then Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking to Jesus." Verse 9 says " Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone about what they had seen." Verse 4 makes it clear that Peter was seeing Moses and Elijah.

II Kings 2:1 tells us what happened to Elijah: " It was almost time for the Lord to take Elijah by a whirlwind up into heaven." Jude 9 tells how Michael disputed with the devil about what would happen to Moses. Moses' appearance with Elijah makes it very clear who won that dispute!

Hope that is helpful....

Debbie's reference in the SOP would be as follows:

Early Writings
page 39.3

The Lord has given me a view of other worlds. Wings were given me, and an angel attended me from the city to a place that was bright and glorious. The grass of the place was living green, and the birds there
warbled a sweet song. The inhabitants of the place were of all sizes; they were noble, majestic, and lovely. They bore the express image of Jesus, and their countenances beamed with holy joy, expressive of the freedom and happiness of the place. I asked one of them why they were so much more lovely than those on the earth. The reply was, "We have lived in strict obedience to the commandments of God, and have not fallen by disobedience, like those on the earth." Then I saw two trees, one looked much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit of both looked beautiful, but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel said to me, "None in this place have tasted of the forbidden tree; but if they should eat, they would fall." Then I was taken to a world which had seven moons. There I saw good old Enoch, who had been translated. On his right arm he bore a glorious palm, and on each leaf was written "Victory." Around his head was a dazzling white wreath, and leaves on the wreath, and in the middle of each leaf was written "Purity," and around the wreath were stones of various colors, that shone brighter than the stars, and cast a reflection upon the letters and magnified them. On the back part of his head was a bow that confined the wreath, and upon the bow was written "Holiness." Above the wreath was a lovely crown that shone brighter than the sun. I asked him if this was the place he was taken to from the earth. He said, "It is not; the city is my home, and I have come to visit this place." He moved about the place as if perfectly at home. I begged of my attending angel to let me remain in that place. I could not bear the thought of coming back to this dark world again. Then the angel said, "You must go back, and if you are faithful, you, with the 144,000, shall have the privilege of visiting all the worlds and viewing the handiwork of God."

Windmill,

The first point to be established is that it was perfectly possible for Jehoram to have received Elijah’s letter before Elijah’s translation. Even if Jehoram received Elijah’s letter after Elijah’s translation, this is no proof that Elijah was on earth, since he could perfectly have written the letter before his translation and left it with one of the sons of the prophets to be delivered to Jehoram at some time in the future.

The second point is to ascertain the meaning of Jesus’ words. Let’s look at the context of John 3:13:

“Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.’”

Jesus was saying, “no one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven” to speak of heavenly things.

See verses 31-34 of the same chapter: “He who comes from above [that is, Jesus] is above all; he who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks; he who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony; he who receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God.”

So, what is the difference between Jesus and the prophets? The prophets were of earth, and they just spoke of what they had received on earth as a revelation from God. But Jesus speaks of what He has seen and heard in heaven from His Father; thus, He speaks the words of God Himself.

Therefore, what is v. 13 really saying? That no one has ascended into heaven and descended again to tell what he had seen and heard from God Himself, except Jesus, who came from heaven. Some people did ascend to heaven, but they didn’t descend again to communicate the words of God.

The third point is that it makes no sense to say that Enoch was translated to another place of this earth in order not to be killed by his enemies (a groundless conjecture, since the Bible doesn’t mention anything about that), but that poor Enoch died some time later, isolated from his family and friends, when Hebrews 11:5 says clearly that “by faith Enoch was translated--not to see death”.

And it makes no sense for the Bible to say that Michael contended with the devil about a corpse. What would Michael do with a corpse? But if Michael contended with the devil to resurrect the body of Moses, then Jude 1:9 really makes sense.

Some good points about the death thing- the article mentioned that the not to see death thing meant that no one would see him die, though it was an... well, an odd explanation. Infact, the idea that God put them on a deselate place made me wonder about that. Odd, very odd indeed. And thank you for answering the verse thing that helped lots.

*Reads the excert from EGW* Hm... her books always looked kinda dull, but thats rather interesting, maybe I should give one a go? Tried the great controversy.. in my opinion, thats very heavy reading

But then, why were they given immortality? Obviously, God had to intervare to make their lives last longer, as naturally, they'd have just died. Why did God take them up there? How is that justified? o.O They're sinners. Even if (this is my grandmas explanation) they would have to leave is Jesus died, why were they allowed up there and have their lives prolonged in the first place?

Windmill,

In order to go to heaven, they were given immortal bodies, for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable" (1 Cor. 15:50).

Probably Enoch, Elijah and Moses were chosen as samples of what will finally happen to those who believe in Christ. The first two represent those who will be living on the earth at Christ's coming, and who will be "changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" (1 Cor. 15:51); and Moses represents those who died in Christ before His coming and who will come forth from the grave at the resurrection of the just.

And perhaps God also wanted some representatives of our race up there in heaven with Him so that they could witness personally everything that He did along earth's history in order to save earth's inhabitants.

though, couldn't he have just taken Moses and one of the others up with him in that case? I dunno, I just think its a little unfair that they got to go... since they're sinners.

Windmill

That thay as sinners have been admited to heaven is one proof that our blessed hope is not vain.

/Thomas