"And
Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." - Genesis
5:22-24
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Enoch was the
father of Methuselah, the oldest man who ever lived; and the great grandfather
of Noah. His claim to Biblical fame is that after his son was born, he “walked
with God” for about three hundred years. This paints a portrait for us of two
intimate friends unhindered by the lusts of the flesh and the world around them
and totally immersed in one another’s fellowship (Amos 3:3). Scholars tell us that many of
Enoch’s writings had the poetry of the Psalms and the wisdom of Proverbs.
Enoch was
honorable, he loved mercy and He walked humbly with our God. (Micah
6:8). With his will
totally submitted to his Lord, Enoch learned from God. As a man of faith, Enoch
knew it was impossible to please God without trusting in Him. He also pleased
God in his thoughts, words and deeds (Hebrews 11:5). This was the testimony he exhibited
before God and his neighbors. He saw great visions from the Lord about heaven,
Satan’s rebellion, worldly nations throughout the ages, as well as the consequences
of wickedness and the rewards of the just. Enoch instructed his family in the
ways of God.
Jude tells us
that Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam and that he prophesied about
the Lord returning with His Saints and executing judgment on the ungodly for
their unbelief (Jude 1:14-15). Enoch walked in the ways of the Lord and all went well
with him and his descendents (Deuteronomy 5:33). He lived to the age of 365. He saw a
vision of the great flood and told his children about it. Noah lived by his
great grandfather’s example, and walked with God as well (Genesis
6:9). The more Enoch knew
God, the more he loved Him, and his love for the world dwindled (1
John 2:15).
Enoch was a
man of integrity and a pure heart. He saw righteousness flowing like water, and
mercy scattered like dew over the whole earth. He longed to dwell with the
righteous. He realized that the Lord strengthens the spirit of the righteous for
the sake of His own righteousness, and that many see Heaven without tasting the
sleep of death. He saw Christ as the light of the nations, the hope of troubled
hearts, the name by which we are saved and the one, which the righteous lean
upon without falling. He foresaw the destruction of the wicked and the peaceful
dwelling place of the righteous.
Therefore,
rather than allowing Enoch to enter heaven through the gates of endless sleep,
God translated Him to Heaven and he did not see death (Ephesians
5:10; Hebrews 11:5). Like
Enoch, Adam and Eve enjoyed the cool of the day in the garden walking with God (Genesis
3:8). God revealed
Himself to Moses and the face of the deliverer of God’s people shone with the
glory of the Lord (Exodus 34:35). Abraham walked with God (Genesis
24:40). Jesus walked with
God and embodied God personified (John 14:7-9). God loves to walk with all of His
Saints. We are His Temple and He communes with us every moment of the day by
His indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Prayer:
Father God,
we want to walk with You, commune with You, listen to Your wisdom and
direction, and walk by Your Spirit moment by moment throughout the day. Reveal
Yourself to us in Your secret places, and teach us to walk in Your ways (Palm
91:1). Your mercy is
great as is Your patience with us. All of your powerful works are wondrous for
us to behold. You reveal all things to Your Saints, to Your elect. You write
all of our deeds in Your journals and nothing we do escapes Your sight. Let us
walk in justice and righteousness for Your name’s sake now and forever, and if our
ways please You, translate us to Heaven as well.
Thought for
the Day:
If Enoch can
walk with God in this devoted intimacy, we can too.