There are many accounts in the Bible of persons, families, even entire peoples suddenly disappearing because of massive kidnappings, dispersions and exiles. But there is the very peculiar case of the disappearance of Enoch. Genesis 5:22,24 and Hebrews 11:5 speak of Enoch as a man who “pleased God.” The Bible says that Enoch “was not found, because God had translated him.” This means that God had taken him directly to heaven!

A similar thing happened to the prophet Elijah who “went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”  (2 Kings 2:11) The other prophets in Elijah’s day were very disturbed over his sudden and unexplained disappearance.  While Elisha, Elijah’s successor, knew Elijah was in heaven, they would not believe him.  So Elisha let the other prophets search for Elijah for several days.  Again, Elisha had tried to assure them that the missing prophet could not be found, knowing that God had taken him to heaven without his dying first. But they searched for him anyway for three days!  Enoch and Elijah were two men that God took to heaven without dying. Their “translation” was a mystery to the world.  One day, millions of born-again Christians will suddenly disappear!

Revelation 11 predicts that there will be two witnesses who will appear at the height of the rise of the Antichrist during the future Tribulation Period. Many believe that these two witnesses will be Enoch and Elijah back on earth to witness for Jesus Christ and against the Antichrist.  The Lord predicts: “And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”  (Revelation 11:3)  They will perform supernatural deeds to strike against Antichrist’s wicked kingdom. These two witnesses will finally be killed and their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three days. All the world will see them on their televisions and computer screens and send presents in celebration because the witnesses will have been silenced. After three days these witnesses will rise again before the eyes of all the world, and then they will be taken up to heaven again.  Revelation 11:12 says: “And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.”

The Bible also predicts that born-again Christians who are alive today may not have to die at all, but will be taken up to heaven at the Rapture. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52;                          1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)  I do not believe that the Great Tribulation can begin as long as the Church is on the earth. After the removal of the Church to heaven, then the Seventieth Week prophesied by Daniel (9:24-27) will commence, and the Antichrist will manifest on the Earth because the restraining ministry of  the Holy Spirit will cease. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)

Today, the unexplained disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, along with its crew and over 230 passengers, is a tragic and astounding surprise to most of the world! Reports are, pilot of flight 370, Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was an avid supporter of Malaysian Muslim radical Anwar Ibrahim.  Ibrahim is associated with the Muslim brotherhood.  He was highly resistant to the Malaysian government’s proposal to cut off gasoline supplies to Iran  thus indicating his support for Iran.  Ibrahim also visited the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran in the 1970’s.  Captain Shah attended Ibrahim’s trial in Malaysia just seven hours before boarding his flight.  Late reports state that the Captain had already turned off one of the plane’s transponder units before he said ‘goodnight’ on his last communication on the radio.  Thus, authorities believe this shows that Captain Shah is probably responsible for deliberately pirating the airliner.

This kind of criminal act of man can cause great fear and even despondency not only on the part of the families involved, but on the part of many millions of people today!  The supernatural evil of Satan is certainly behind this missing flight.  It is not unreasonable to consider the real possibility that this was well planned as a part of a greater terrorist exploit.  I believe that it will be some time before answers are forthcoming as Russia completes its takeover of Crimea and even all of Ukraine.  Iran, along with Russia will continue biding its time in their promised plans to destroy Israel.  Russian ships have made their way to Havana Harbor just one hundred miles off the Florida coast.  One of them is a Russian spy ship!  Rosh (“Chief Prince”), or Russia (Ezekiel 38:2-3 NKJB), has big plans and I believe they may have something to do with today’s issues surrounding missing Flight 370, but time will tell.

Many earthquakes, unusual weather, strange occurrences, along with willfully weak and morally arbitrary American leadership all speak of preparations for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.  We could well be seeing signals of the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 24:1-14)

Born-again Christians who have trusted in Jesus Christ and who look for His return can pray for and encourage those who are hurting, confused and fearful over today’s events.  Mysteries to man are clearly known to God who knows all things.  Jesus Christ is never taken by surprise! Neither should we be!  We can place our confidence in the Lord as our soon coming King who will one day make all things clear.

Meanwhile, we can trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to know what He is doing in spite of man’s best efforts, under the influence of false beliefs and evil spirits, to do his worst!  There is no doubt that a false idea about a false and cruel god motivated the criminal stealing of Malaysia Flight 370 with all on board!  Therefore, what one believes about God and the Bible DOES make a difference!  So today, trust in the one true God of the Bible, in His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Prophet, Priest, and soon coming King!  Many today are trying to scare and intimidate people into bowing to a false god and submitting  to a false kingdom.

Preparations are already being made globally for the appearance of the false messiah. The mysterious and planned disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370, I believe, are a part of these nefarious preparations.  Meanwhile, remember how  Hebrews 10:35-37 tells us in these times of great confusion:  “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.   For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:  ^‘For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.”