Enoch is one of the most mysterious people in the Bible. He appears in Genesis 5 for about 10 seconds, at which point we’re told that he basically disappeared. He was there one minute, gone the next. Like my wife when the pastor tells us to turn and greet the person next to us. Just “poof,” gone.

And I’ve spoken about this on the podcast before. Not my wife being an introvert, but about Enoch’s sudden evacuation from this planet.

Genesis 5:24

Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

He was not? Right. He was not. He was, and then he wasn’t. Poof.

I have often called this the first rapture in the Bible. And that word comes with a lot of theological baggage. By even bringing up the idea, I have probably already upset some people today. It bothers some Christians because most associate that word with the concept of the rapture of the church.

We’ll talk about that today, because what I’d like to do is de-stigmatize this touchy subject. If you don’t like the concept of a rapture of the church, or if you reject something that’s often called the pre-tribulation rapture, I’m not even gonna try to convince you to believe it today.

This is not an issue in which I’d break fellowship with other Christians over. I’m not trying to be divisive today; I’m trying to be the opposite. I’d like to show, especially for those who reject quote-unquote “rapture theology” that the concept of the rapture is actually pretty common in Scripture.

The reason this is coming up today is because we’re in a study of the Book of Enoch, and we’re going to find out that the first rapture we read about in Scripture was perhaps not the first rapture that ever took place.

But we’ll get to that later. First, the Bible stuff, because a lot of people find the doctrine of the rapture to be weird, and I’d like us to explore everywhere we can find it in the Bible.

Turn to II Kings 2, and let’s get weird.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - The Raptures of the Bible

5:55 - Harpazo

11:00 - Other Raptures in the Bible

15:05 - Enoch 12 and the First Rapture

19:40 - Next Time

21:50 - Mailbag- the Watchers and the Sons of God

27:40 - Closing Thoughts

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

One of the great honors and treasures of my life is that I actually got to speak with Dr. Michael Heiser in 2015, and I’m going to share that conversation with you today.

Not only did I speak with him- this was also the first time I’d ever even heard of the guy. He was not really a big name yet. His epic work The Unseen Realm released that year; that was the book that put him on the map.

And at that time, I hosted a radio program at that time where I interviewed Christian authors, and an advanced copy for Michael Heiser’s book Supernatural came across my desk, and I thought it looked interesting, so I requested a conversation, and that’s how I “met” Michael Heiser, and my life has never been the same since.

I’ve actually read every book he’s written, up until he sadly passed away from cancer in 2023. This week, I’m finishing The Unseen Realm for the third or fourth time- which now has an updated and expanded edition, by the way.

And thank goodness I kept a record of my old interviews because I was actually able to go back and find this brief discussion I was able to have with him. So I’m going to share that with you today. Next week, we’ll get back into our book of Enoch series. I’m just taking a brief break from that here in April to share last week’s and now this week’s special interview.

So a couple notes before we begin. Back in those days, I used a radio name. For real. So when I come on here in a minute, I won’t say my name is Luke Taylor. I’ll introduce myself as Clark Matthews. But it is for-real me. I just had a secret identity back then. And I still think Clark is a way cooler name than Luke, but I don’t use it anymore.

Two- this is really embarrassing but I actually mispronounce Dr. Heiser’s name all through the interview. I cringe so hard when I hear this now, I have no idea why he didn’t correct me; maybe he didn’t catch it. I do remember he was very kind off-air both before and after the interview. I obviously didn’t realize at the time the incredible person I was speaking with, but I remember him being very patient and humble. I had opportunities to interview some big-name people over the years, and sometimes they could actually be kinda pushy or rude behind the scenes. But Dr. Heiser was a genuinely nice guy. I miss him, but I’m super thankful to God that I got to actually speak with him while he was on this earth.

As you listen to this, I think you’ll hear how he influenced me. I probably barely even knew what a podcast was in 2015, but in this interview, you’ll probably recognize the seeds of my own thought process about the Bible, which led to a podcast like this even existing.

So with that introduction, let’s get weird with Clark Matthews and Dr. Michael Heiser…

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You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

Some of the music included in this interview is provided by Blue Tree Audio.
Background Music: www.bluetreeaudio.com

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!

Brian Godawa- author of the new release Daniel: Exile in Babylon- comes back to the podcast today to discuss geopolitical spiritual warfare and the infighting within the Divine Council. Brian has a vision of how the spiritual realm operates and brings it to life in his Chronicles of the Watchers series.

Check out all the books he’s written at his website: www.godawa.com

You can WATCH this interview here: https://youtu.be/M388kMAG2aU

Questions I ask in this interview:

- Tell us about the Chronicles of the Watchers

- Those these books are “fictional,” what are some ways your readers will learn about true history?

- Why do the Watchers battle not just God, but each other?

- How does Satan factor into these conflicts between the Watchers?

- What happens to a Watcher on the Divine Council if he turns against God? Is he kicked out?

Sign up for the weekly newsletter! Get additional insights and Bible study tips for unpacking strange things in scripture. Enter your email here:

https://weirdstuffinthebible.beehiiv.com/

Check out the website! www.weirdstuffinthebible.com

Visit the Weird Stuff store!

https://luketaylorpodcasts.creator-spring.com

You can also find a list of past newsletters at that same link so you never have to miss one.

If you want to get in touch, my email is weirdstuffinthebible@gmail.com

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!