Heaven, as you know, can be translated as the atmosphere, the realm of God, the sky, etc. A whirlwind came from the sky and took Elijah away up into the sky...and then deposited somewhere else on earth.
Why? Because years later Jehoram got a letter from Elijah:
2Ch 21:12 And a writing came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, So says Jehovah, the God of David your father, Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
Apparently God wanted Elijah out of the way for whatever reason and caused a whirlwind to take him far away from where he was...
Really?
When they had crossed, Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Eli'sha said, "I pray you, let me inherit a double share of your spirit"...
If Elijah was not going up to "H"eaven, but was rather merely taking the 5:30 fiery chariot flight to Cincinnati, why does Elisha speak of 'inheritance'?
As far as the letter to Jehoram...well, Elijah was a prophet, correct? Is it beyond the realm of possibility that he wrote the letter before the events of 2 Kings 2? And that someone else later delivered it for him?
Furthermore consider the case of Enoch:
Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24)
This is what the Christian scriptures have to say about Enoch:
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)
Steven, I seem to remember you posting something on this a looooooong time ago, but I can't remember your take on it.