To the critic who says, “There is no such thing as a ‘rapture’.” Sorry, that is incorrect. For the very first ‘rapture’, go all the way back to the Book of Genesis. This event takes place before the flood of Noah. Genesis 5:21- 24 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Becoming a father clearly resulted in a changed attitude for Enoch. At that point, the Hebrew grammar suggests Enoch responded to God and “walked with Him”. The name Enoch means “dedicate” per Strong’s Concordance. Enoch dedicated himself to God. Jewish tradition states Enoch was a preacher.
The meaning of the name of Methuselah is a bit of a mystery. Here are a couple of possibilities. One is “man of the dart” per Strong’s Concordance. A second is “when he is dead it shall be sent” per Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names. The issue is the root of the name. Is it “mut” (death) or “mat” (man) in the original Hebrew?
Did Enoch know judgment was coming from God? Something caused Enoch to rethink his attitude. The ages of the people documented in Genesis as time points would suggest the flood began when Methuselah died. Methuselah lived the longest of any man, 969 years (Genesis 5:27). God allowed the greatest amount of time for humanity to repent of their actions before judgment came. But, when the time came He acted swiftly and decisively with a global flood.
Note, Enoch was not around during the course of the flood. He was taken off of the earth before the world wide judgment of God came. He was spared and did not have to go through the tribulation of that time.
… for God took him. The meaning of “took” in Hebrew is “laqach”. Strong’s Concordance defines the word as: to take, take in the hand, carry along, carry away, take away, or to fetch.
Another definition is to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, or accept. The concept of taking in marriage is noted in the Hebrew Old Testament word “laqach” and the Greek New Testament word “harpazo”. Language of a marriage is noted with Christ and His bride the Church throughout the New Testament. Terms for rapture in the Old Testament and the New Testament center around marriage and a groom taking or snatching his bride.
Enoch was not a Jew or citizen of the country Israel. Nations were not in existence before the flood. Is Enoch a type or foreshadowing of the rapture of the bride of Christ, the church? Is there a group of people who will be taken away before a worldwide judgment of God?
Some may say Enoch is just an Old Testament story and fable. The story of Genesis is confirmed in Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.