In Matthew 27:53 it says some saints were raised from the dead after Jesus’ resurrection. Did these saints receive glorified bodies and ascend to heaven or did they just die again like Lazarus?
Also did Enoch and Elijah receive glorified bodies? They were taken to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:24, 2 Kings 2:11) but I imagine that if they remained in their sinful bodies that their sin nature would still wage war against the Spirit while in heaven.… So did God either 1.) Remove them from their sinful bodies and make them go around as ‘souls’ similar to how other believers who have died are absent from the body but present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8) or 2.) Did God give them their glorified bodies when he took them up into heaven? (Jesus being the first fruits of the resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:20) would negate this theory?)
I guess if Enoch and Elijah have already received their glorified bodies then it would exclude them from being the two witnesses in Revelation 11. Since the two witnesses died and the glorified body cannot see death (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Concerning the pre-tribulation rapture it would mean that the two witnesses would be excluded from receiving their glorified bodies at this time (since they later see death in revelation 11:7) and would instead get their glorified bodies when God says “Come up here”? (Revelation 11:12) . Alternatively, the two witnesses could be two believers who have come to Christ after the tribulation period has already begun, thus excluding them from the pre-tribulation rapture but still allowing them to fulfill his purpose.
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on what I have said.
