Was Jesus the first to rise from the dead?/

I read a question asking this on a forum recently and posted and answer to it. I thought i would share it on my blog. The poser of the question used the examples of Elijah and Enoch having been "raptured". My response is below.

If enoch and elijah where "raptured" to heaven, why did Christ say no man is in heaven??John 3:13) And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.Also in Hebrews 11 it says firstly:(Heb 11:5) By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.then in verse 39 it says:(Heb 11:39) And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:So Enoch never received the pomise and he couldnt have been in heaven when Christ was here as a man?? So, where was he?The word "translated" in heb 11:5 means to ransfer or transport The Greek word "metatithemi" means "to transfer--literally to transport..." Strong's Lexicon."Transfer" means "To convey or cause to pass from one...to another." And "transport" means "To carry from one PLACE to another [place]..." (The American Heritage College Dictionary).But where too??Now the thief on the cross........when Christ said to him(Luk 23:43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradisethere where no commas in the original manuscripts so if we take away the comma does it change the sentence?Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradise.Lets try the comma after today:Verily I say unto thee to day, shalt thou be with me in paradise.Jesus couldn't have been with the thief in paradise that day because:Jesus did not go to heaven on "that very day" seeing that He was dead in the tomb until Sunday morning. After His resurrection He told Mary that He HAD NOT AS YET ASCENDED to the FatherElijah he's another that is said to have been "raptured" Yet 7 yrs after he was "raptured" he wrote a letter to the king.((2Ch 21:12) And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,So if he was in heaven how could he write a letter????Philip was "raptured" or "transported" by God. The story is told in acts:Act 8:37) And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.(Act 8:38) And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.(Act 8:39) And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.The CLV actually says "snatches"(Act 8:39) Now when they stepped up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord snatches away Philip, and the eunuch did not perceive him any longer, for he went his way rejoicing."So did Philip go to heaven??Well we do actually know where he went it says in acts 8:Act 8:40) But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.So are Elijah and Enoch in heaven.? I beleive scripture when it says these men died WITHOUT receiving the promise and when Christ said that NO MAN is in heaven DEATH IS LIKE SLEEPI have heard many jeer the idea that souls "sleep" in death. Although the phrase "soul sleep" itself is unscriptural, the idea that the dead are "sleeping" is most Scriptural."And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers..." (Deut. 31:16). "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou [David] shalt sleep with thy fathers. (II Sam. 7:12). "David slept with his fathers..." (I Ki. 2:10). "Solomon slept with his fathers..." I Ki. 11:43). Job said, "...for now shall I sleep in the dust..." (Job 7:21). Get this one: David said"...lest I sleep the sleep of DEATH..." (Psa. 13:3). "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep [are dead]" (ICor.. 11:30). "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep ... the dead shall be raised..." ( I Cor. 15:51-52). "...the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep" (I Thes. 4:14). "...My daughter is even now dead ... the maid is not dead, but sleepeth." (Mat. 9:18 & 24). "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption." (Acts 13:36). It is said even of our own Lord:"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruit of them that slept" (I Cor. 15:20), etc., etc. Now I believe all of these Scriptures. Either Abraham is dead, buried and sleeping with his fathers, just as Moses, David, etc., or these Scriptures can’t be trusted. Paul understood this he said in cor:(2Co 5:8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Many dont seem to see the word "rather"So did Paul think he would be with the Lord the very second/minute he died. No! he didn't cause he said:1Co 15:52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.(1Co 15:53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.Notice that Paul includes himself, that he will be DEAD, and 'the DEAD shall be raised.' One of those 'dead' will be Paul himself? So did Paul lie, and mean that he would be changed "instantly" AT death, rather than FROM the dead, AT THE LAST TRUMP?I always accepted what i was taught in church and rejoiced in it for a long time. Then Him in me, i beleive, led me to study the scriptures more myself, rather than accept what i was being told. I was devastated when i realised, through His word that there is NO rapture. I mean i use to plan in case i was "left behind". lol.God is working in us ALL here in this forum, all are searching for truth otherwise there wouldn't be so much debate. May He work in us all and reveal to us all His plan to bring about His will.

I had always beleived what church had taught me on this............until the HS intervened and revealed the truth in the scriptures. No man wil eter heaven until the day of the last trump. When He returns.