The specter of death hangs over all of humanity. With only a handful of exceptions, every person is subject to death. The two exceptions to this rule in the Old Testament are Enoch and Elijah. These exceptions have implications for the death of all the regenerate. This paper argues that these Old Testament accounts of people who did not die suggests that, for the regenerate, death is not judicially necessary and that overcoming death points to the promise of redemption.
The first section examines Enoch’s disappearance in Genesis, arguing for the covenantal associations with Enoch’s “walking” with God. The second section surveys the life and disappearance of Elijah. Drawing on the parallels between Elijah and Jezebel, it argues that Elijah was spared death because of his faithfulness to Yahweh. The third section synthesizes these surveys, arguing that Enoch and Elijah both avoided death on account of their covenant faithfulness. Finally, the fourth section draws implications from these surveys for the death of the regenerate broadly. It argues that, for the regenerate, death is not judicially necessary and the overcoming of death points to redemption in Christ. In their avoidance of death, Enoch and Elijah point to the hope of eternal life and victory over death in and through Christ.