Some believe that the Bible teaches that Enoch has gone to heaven.  This is not true.  Enoch is not in heaven but in the grave.

Enoch lived before the Noah’s flood.  He walked with God, that is, he obeyed God.

Gen 5:21  Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah.
Gen 5:22  After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.
Gen 5:23  So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.

It is the next verse which is often misunderstood.

Gen 5:24  And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Some think this means that God took Enoch to heaven because of what is written in the book of Hebrews regarding Enoch.

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.

(The NKJV has “taken away” whereas the KJV has “translated”.)

People can read Heb 11:5 carelessly as follows:

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death [not die]; and was not found, because God had translated him [taken him to heaven]: for before his translation [going to heaven] he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

That isn’t what the verse means, but that is nevertheless how some Christians read that verse.

Let’s take a closer look.  Could Enoch possibly be in heaven?  No, absolutely not, because Christ said no man has gone up to heaven – except the Son of man.

John 3:13  “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

If he’s not in heaven, then where is he?  He’s in the grave.  He’s dead.  For as it says in Heb 11:13, Enoch died and did not receive the promise of eternal life.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises,

It should thus be clear that when it says in Heb 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death” that it does not mean that Enoch is in heaven.  But what does it mean?

Firstly, it is necessary to understand that there is more than one type of death mentioned in the Bible. 

1) The first death is one that all mankind is subject to.  All grow old and eventually die.

2) The second death is eternal death.  There is no coming back after that one.

Rev 2:11  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”‘

Rev 21:8  “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Heb 11:5 must be referring to the second death.  In other words, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see eternal death”. Why should he not see eternal death?  Enoch did not see eternal death because he was faithful and walked with God.

But what do the “translations” mean in verse 5?

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.

The first part of the verse, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death”, means that Enoch was changed or converted that he should not see eternal death.

In the second part of the verse translated means removed.  So, Enoch “was not found, because God had removed him: for before his removal he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

God took Enoch and removed him so that he was not found.  God buried him.  This is not the only time God did such a thing.  A similar thing happened to Moses.  Deut 34:6 describes how God also took Moses and buried him.

Deu 34:5  So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
Deu 34:6  And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.

Likewise in Gen 5:24 where it says “God took him”, it means that God buried him.

Gen 5:24  And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

In conclusion here is Heb 11:5 again with the correct understanding:

By faith Enoch was translated [changed or converted] that he should not see death [eternal death]; and was not found, because God had translated him [removed or buried him]: for before his translation [removal or burial] he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

This verse does not support the doctrine of going to heaven.  On the contrary, it simply says that:

By faith Enoch was converted that he should not see eternal death; and was not found, because God had buried him: for before his burial he had this testimony, that he pleased God.