WHY DID ELIJAH NOT EXPERIENCE DEATH? | A Lesson for America after the 2026 Midterm Elections
THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET ELIJAH
The Bible records two very unique figures—Enoch and Elijah—who are the only individuals to have bypassed physical death. According to God’s decree, all human beings are destined to die once and then face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Yet Enoch and Elijah were exempted. The reason they were granted such a special grace offers a lesson worthy of reflection and application—not only for individuals but also for groups, the Churches, and entire nations.
In reality, history demonstrates that all people eventually die, every organization eventually dissolves, churches may gradually lose their influence (much like the seven churches in Asia), and great powers eventually perish. To endure and persist, we must understand, remember, and—most importantly—put into practice the lessons from the lives of Enoch and Elijah. The Lord is the righteous God who rewards each person according to their deeds (Psalm 62:12). Since God rewarded Enoch and Elijah by sparing them from death, anyone—whether an individual, a group, or a nation—who follows their example may likewise receive such a reward.
Let us examine the lives of these two men to understand why God granted them this extraordinary reward. The life of Enoch is recorded only briefly in the Bible: he “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22, 24). This means he consistently walked on the path that the Lord had laid out (John 14:6). When Jesus declared that He is “the Way,” it implies that from before the foundation of the universe and into eternity, the path ordained by the Lord for both angels and humanity has remained singular and unchanging, for He is the One who never alters (Hebrews 13:8). Thus, when the Bible states that Enoch walked with God, it signifies that he remained steadfastly faithful to the Lord’s path—never wavering, never shifting, and never turning to the left or the right. He kept his focus fixed solely on the direction ahead.
Many saints throughout history have followed this same course—the Apostle Paul, for instance (Philippians 3:14). Yet Paul still had to experience death (2 Timothy 4:6–7). This suggests that Enoch and Elijah had unique characteristics that set them apart, even from Paul. Let us, therefore, examine the life of Elijah to gain further insight.
The first detail the Bible reveals about Elijah is that he “served the Lord.” Although Elijah was a prophet of the LORD, the term “served the Lord” in this context does not necessarily refer to holding a formal spiritual office—such as a pastor, evangelist, or missionary today. The Bible does not indicate that Enoch held any specific spiritual office or ministry. Thus, “serving the Lord” refers to focusing on ministering to Jehovah, regardless of one’s circumstances or social standing in the world. Jehovah looks at the heart (Proverbs 23:26; John 4:23–24), not external circumstances or status. This principle applies to all individuals, organizations, and nations. More broadly, this means that for any individual, group, or nation to endure, they must center their existence on serving the Lord.
To clarify this further, we can understand it as follows: In one’s personal life—whether one is a laborer, a teacher, an athlete, a businessperson, an engineer, a judge, or a politician—one must always strive to live and work in a manner worthy of one’s role, according to the standards established by Jehovah in the Bible, to bring glory to Him (Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
In reality, however, from Elijah’s time to the present day, no one has perfectly succeeded in doing so. This is because everyone, at times, lets their own perspectives or perceptions lead them to treat Jehovah’s will with less than the proper regard. Consider the examples of Moses and Paul, from whose lives we can draw cautionary lessons. God used both men extensively in writing a large portion of the Bible: Moses wrote the core of the Old Testament, while Paul wrote more than half of the New Testament. Yet both men had moments when, driven by their own emotions, they overlooked or set aside God’s will.
For instance, when Moses saw the Israelites committing the sin of worshipping the golden calf—and fearing that Jehovah might destroy them all—he pleaded with God to forgive them. He demonstrated his love for the Israelites by even offering to forfeit his own eternal life to save them (Exodus 32:31–32). To an ordinary person, such a plea from Moses might seem appropriate, as he loved the people of Israel more than his own eternal life. In reality, however, this request ran counter to God’s will for Moses. God’s will is that all people be saved (1 Timothy 2:4)—a group that includes Moses himself. Yet, out of love for those who had sinned, Moses expressed a disregard for God’s will—the very will for which Jesus Christ would later come into the world to die. Even when Jesus Christ prayed fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord did not alter that divine will. This disregard for God’s will—though framed in the name of love—ultimately led to Moses’ death, even though he was the only person to have ever spoken with the Lord face-to-face (Deuteronomy 34:10).
Paul made a similar error when he expressed his willingness to forfeit his own eternal life if it meant that the people of Israel would turn to believe in Jesus Christ and be saved (Romans 9:3). While this was merely an expression of his profound heart and intense love for the Jewish people, it nonetheless amounted to a disregard for the saving grace that Jesus Christ Himself secured by shedding His precious blood on the cross. Although both Moses and Paul were saints—uniquely loved by the Lord—neither was permitted to disregard His will. What the Lord has ordained, He will surely accomplish (Isaiah 14:24); what He has spoken, He will bring to pass (Isaiah 55:11); and His will must be obeyed (John 4:34; Philippians 2:13). No one is exempt—not Moses, not Paul, and not even the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. As Christians, we must bear this in mind.
This principle—serving the Lord by respecting and carrying out His will—applies equally to all organizations, groups, and nations. Consider the example of Israel: when David reigned as king and served the Lord in his capacity as a national leader, Israel entered a golden age of great strength. Conversely, toward the end of Solomon’s life—when he turned to idol worship—and throughout the reigns of his successors who followed the same path, Israel fell into decline and destruction, ultimately leading the entire nation into exile.
At this point, some might argue that such ideas belong to the past—that today, many nations exist without fearing God or serving Him according to those principles. True, but such existence is merely nominal; it lacks genuine prosperity and happiness. Ask the people living under dictatorial regimes—whether political, religious, or both—and they would tell a very different story. In today’s world, who would choose to live under a dictatorship—a system defined by a lack of freedom, rampant corruption, and the abuse of power, where the populace is left to suffer in poverty, sickness, and deprivation? Consider how many millions of people flee such nations every year.
Among all the countries in the world, the United States is perhaps the only one from which few people feel the need to escape in search of a better, freer life. Yet, if the American people lose the spirit and the intent to serve God according to His will, then within a few decades, they too may find themselves forced to flee their own country. By then, they might find nowhere else to go for a better life. The United States stands as the final bastion on Earth where freedom and prosperity still endure. But as Americans cast their votes based on mere sentiment, personal bias, deceptive propaganda, or populist fabrications—thereby empowering those who oppose God, are corrupt, or harbor aberrant values—then the United States, too, will inevitably fall into decline and poverty, just like so many other nations. The rest is just a matter of time.
(to be continued)