2. Enoch’s Faith

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Hymns: RHC 552 God of Our Fathers, 546 For All the Saints, 549 When We All Get to Heaven

 

Hebrews 11:5-6 (KJV)

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. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Enoch’s Faith

OUTLINE

(1) Rewarded (v5a)

  1. Taken to Heavenly Bodily

(2) Worthy of Reward (v5b-6)

  1. He Pleased God –
    1. Walked with God (Gen. 5:21-24)
      1. Walk in the Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:1-8)
      2. Walk in Holiness (cf. 1 Thess. 4:1-8)

 

INTRODUCTION

There are two “Enoch”s in the book of Genesis. The first man Enoch was recorded in Genesis 4, the second Enoch in Genesis 5. Genesis 5 is a description of the godly line through Seth whereas Genesis 4 is a description of the ungodly line through Cain. Though both bear the same name “Enoch” which means “dedicated”. One was dedicated to God and the other was dedicated to self. One walked with God and the other walked in pride and violence.

The “Enoch” in Genesis 4 is not the same Enoch in Genesis 5. This Enoch in chapter 4 does not walk with God. He descended from Cain who is a violent man and he is also the great-great grandfather of Lamech. Again not the Lamech in chapter 5, this is the ungodly Lamech. He started the first polygamy.

Genesis 4:19 “And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.” You will notice that there was a rapid development of culture and materialism.

Genesis 4:20-22 “And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.”

At the same time, man’s depravity sinks deeper and deeper. This ungodly Lamech was a violent murderer. Genesis 4:23-24 “And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”

He proudly announced that he killed a man for wounding him and he killed a boy who got into his way and perhaps bumped into him and he killed him! Anyone who wants to avenge his blood will suffer seventy and sevenfold. He lived the way he pleased in defiance of God. Total disregard for the sanctity or sacredness of human life, made in the image of God!

At least Cain was afraid and pleaded with God and God spared his life but, this man Lamech’s violent behaviour is much worse. He kills a man that is not enough, he kills a boy, all in perhaps a day’s work. He was a self-willed man, did what was right in his own eyes. Such heinous crime multiplied so much by chapter 6 that God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of the hearts was only evil continually (Gen 6:5), the earth was corrupt before God and filled with violence and it grieved Him at his heart (Gen. 6:6) that he had to judge the earth by a global flood.

Genesis 5, though is a description of the godly line, is a diary of death. 10 generations of famous patriarchs were described from Adam to Noah. It is like reading the orbituary page in the newspaper. Because of man’s sin passed down from Adam’s fall, men thereafter suffered the judgment and curse for sin, which is physical death.

And we notice, these men were born on such a date, lived for so many years, and died on such a date. A sobering and sad truth that death is the greatest impasse for all mankind. With one exception, Enoch, the Bible described did not die. It was “translated”. He was transported physically, bodily to heaven without seeing physical death.

Genesis 5:21-24 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

 He was not for God took him. Hebrews 11:5 tells us how Enoch was not and how God took him. Enoch was translated that he did not see death. Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him.

 The word “translated” literally means “as causing a change from one place to another transfer, bring to, transplant.” He was transported from earth to heaven.

This Enoch was the seventh from Adam who did not die. Hebrews 11:5 tells us what distinguished Enoch was his faith! What is the special character of Enoch’s faith? He pleased God. God was a man approved of God and received a pleasing report of his life from God. Genesis 5:24 tells us that Enoch walked with God.

Two thoughts: (1) Rewarded (v5a) (2) Worthy of Reward (v5b-6)

(1) Rewarded (v5a)

  1. Taken to Heavenly Bodily

(2) Worthy of Reward (v5b-6)

  1. He Pleased God –
    1. Walked with God (Gen. 5:21-24)
      • Walk in the Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:1-8)
      • Walk in Holiness (cf. 1 Thess. 4:1-8)

(1) Rewarded (v5a)

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him

 Enoch did not see death for he simply disappeared. So did Elijah, 2 Kings 2:11 “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”

It was the greatest honour that God can bestow upon us to be brought to heaven without seeing death. In Genesis 5, all the patriarchs died with the exception of Enoch. He understood the timetable of God for this world and aligned his life to it. It was pleasing to God!

He spent his time sharing the living and true God that he knows with others. Jude 1:14 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.” Enoch prophesied of our Lord Jesus’ 2nd coming, he knew the seed of the woman who will come to bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). He took God’s revelation to him seriously and lived a life well aware of the coming judgment of God.

 He being dead yet speaks. This is a warning to us that Jesus is coming again. He will return with His saints as the Judge of judges. Before that, He will come to receive His church at an event called the rapture. A term used to described a time of mass translation of believers.

The signs around us tell us that it can be anytime. The question before us is this, are you ready? Is your family ready? May this truth help us to live circumspectly redeeming the time!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

 

(2) Worthy of Reward (v5b-6)

5 … for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

How did Enoch please God? Genesis 5:21, 24 tells us that Enoch walked with the living and true God.

Genesis 5:21-24 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

This Enoch lived a godly life. Notice that the word God “Elohim” has a definite article attached to the original Hebrew Scriptures. Enoch walked with “the God”. Why did the inspired writer put the definite article? And if you make a search, this is the first time that “ha-Elohim” is used in the Old Testament, to distinguish the living and true God from the gods of world worshipped at that time.

You will notice from Genesis 1:1-2:3, the word “Elohim” God was used to describe the Creator of heaven and earth in the creation account. And when Adam was created, God is called the LORD “Jehovah” God, to signify the personal relationship that man has with his Creator for in him was made the image of His Creator. This you will see from Genesis 2:3 to the end of Genesis 3 that described the fall of man!

But from Genesis 4, Cain’s worship was faulty for he worshipped God on his own terms and God had no respect for Cain’s offering which was the fruit of the ground instead of the firstling of the flock! That severed the relationship with the living and true God for they stopped calling upon the name of the LORD until the birth of Enos at the end of chapter 4. And the next time the phrase “the God” was used is in chapter 6 to describe the “sons of God” who married the daughters of men. This unequal yoke plunged men into greater depravity. The next person described who walked the “the God” is Noah in Genesis 6:9 “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” The next person that “the God” was used is all the way to Genesis 17:18 to describe Abraham and Genesis 20:17 “So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.”

What am I arriving at? These men Enoch, Noah, Abraham are men of God. They had a flourishing spiritual life. They knew the living and true God and chose to serve Him. It was not self-will but God’s will for their lives. They had the true knowledge of the living and true God and flourished by their obedience. Adam must have taught Seth and Seth taught Enos and Enos taught Cainan, and Cainan taught Mahalaleel and Mahalaleel taught Jared and Jared taught Enoch.

And King Solomon at the end of his eventful life summed up his life in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

It is fear “the God”. Why did Solomon use “the God”? Well, at the end of his life, Israel was filled with idols from the foreign wives that he married. He wanted to distinguish between the living and true God with the false gods.

Also, the kings of Israel are commanded by God to write a copy of the law and study it all their life that the fear of God may abide with them, Deuteronomy 17:18-20 “And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.”

I believe Solomon must have copied God’s laws and noticed how the Holy Spirit highlighted the lives of godly men. The first in the line was Enoch! Solomon the basic trait of the godly man is holiness – fear God and keep His commandments. Not sinless perfection but holiness.

And notice also in Moses the law-giver was called the man of “the God” before his earth, Deuteronomy 33:1 “And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.”

Therefore, we can see that Enoch was special because he walked with the living and true God. We can deduce from the phrase study “the God” that Enoch was a God-fearer. Enoch’s life was one of self-restraint and self-mortification. He put to death the carnality within him and lived above the corruption in him.

He embarked upon a ministry of warning preaching even of the Lord’s coming! His great-grandson Noah, preached without apology to warn the people of the coming global flood for he had a good example in his great-grandfather.

Enoch’s walk was characterized by overcoming faith. So in this hall of faith in Hebrews 11, for those who walked with the God beside Abel who was murdered by his brother, the next in line is Enoch followed by Abraham, and his godly seed Issac and Jacob and Joseph and then Moses.

Enoch was singled out as one who walked by faith, Hebrews 11:5-6 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because “the God” had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased “the God”. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to “the God” must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

How would you describe Enoch’s walk? It was by faith, an overcoming faith. This faith in Hebrews 11:6 tells us enabled him to diligently seek the living and true God and overcome every false way and false teaching of the world around him. The word “diligently seek” literally means “seek out or search for”, “To seek diligently or earnestly after God, with a sincere and earnest desire to obtain His favour, (Act_15:17; Rom_3:11; Heb_11:6; Deu_4:29; 2Ch_15:2, 2Ch_15:13; Psa_14:2; Jer_29:13)” (Complete Word Study Dictionary).

He lived a life of dependence upon his God, of close communion. He will not live with anything less than God’s will for his life. Therefore, in every decision that he makes, he sought the Lord. In our terms, he searched the Scriptures diligently and will not give up until he has he is able to find out exactly the will of God for each stage of his life. And he will walk in it.

He will not let the tides of worldview to distract him from this walk with God. He was resolute and determined to walk by faith, taking God at His word and living by it.

Indeed, God worked in the heart of Enoch to seek Him, he was a born-again, possessing true faith! You will notice that the “Him” in verse 6 refers to “the God”. In the original Greek, it is interesting to observe that there is a definite article “ho”attached to the “theos”.

I make a search of the phrase “please God” and arrived at 2 passages Romans 8:8 and 1 Thessalonians 4:1.

Enoch was a Spirit-filled man. And Enoch lived in holiness before God.

  1. Walk in the Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:1-8)
  2. Walk in Holiness (cf. 1 Thess. 4:1-8)

Romans 8:1-8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

He understood that battle within him between the flesh and the spirit and diligently sought God so that he will not succumb to the lust of the flesh!

The life of faith in practical terms means a life of prayer and His Word. He will not be sidetracked by his own self-will but sought to fulfil God’s will for his life. What about us? Are we living with overcoming faith or are we attracted by the life of the Enoch and Lamech in Genesis 4, a life of materialism and seeking to be indulged in the “culture” of our times? A self-seeking life, there is much enslavement in this materialistic world.

Today, every young adult must inevitably be pulled into this materialistic mould. The starting salary for a graduate is perhaps S$1800 about 20 years ago. Today, it is perhaps S$2500. But the cost of a house is many times more. Families will have to compromise perhaps both husband and wife will work to keep up with their lifestyle. This is enslavement. We cannot take a life with less, materially speaking! It’s so sad. When children come no one to take care, children are sent to grandparents or to the child care centre.

Enoch also walked in holiness, not sinless perfection but seek God’s forgiveness when he may have sinned.

1 John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-5 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

Practical holiness is a lifelong process of cleansing yourself from sin and pursuing righteousness. Victory comes through practising our holiness habits. Exercising yourself to godliness through meditation on God’s Word & prayer.

Matthew 6:13a And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

 

CONCLUSION

May we walk with God as Enoch walked with God in the light of Christ’s soon return! Amen.