Shiloh Bible Church
Hebrews 11:5
Faith’s Hall of Fame: Enoch
Introduction
There is only one left in the United States of America.
Since Harry Richard Landis died 2 weeks ago, there is only 1 left. Landis was the oldest U.S. veteran of World War I. He died on February 11 at the age of 108.
More than 4 ½ million Americans joined the military in 1917 and 1918 to serve in World War I. Now there is only one remaining: Frank Buckles of Charles Town, West Virginia who is 107.
It’s amazing to think that there is still one man living today who served in World War I—90 years ago. Present day longevity is incredible. But it’s nothing compared to the longevity experienced by the antediluvians—the people who lived on earth before the flood of Noah. One such person was a man by the name of Enoch. We are told about him in Hebrews chapter 11. Please turn there with me in your Bibles.
Hebrews chapter 11 lists men and women of the Old Testament who lived their lives by faith. Last week we considered the first inductee into Faith’s Hall of Fame—Adam and Eve’s second child—Abel. This week we want to examine the life of another man of faith—a man by the name of Enoch. In Hebrews 11:5 we read: “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”
Now, Enoch’s story is recorded for us in Genesis chapter 5. Keep one finger in Hebrews 11 and turn back with me to the first book of the Bible—the book of Genesis chapter 5.
Now, I realize that Hebrews 11 doesn’t give us much information about Enoch. But neither does Genesis 5! As a matter of fact, Enoch story is told in only 4 verses, totaling 51 words. Look at Genesis 5:21: “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
From this account we learn that Enoch lived over 3 ½ centuries—365 years to be exact. That’s a long time! And yet, men’s lives spanned hundreds of years in the antediluvian period. Apparently, before the Flood, the earth’s environment enabled people to live longer. Also, it’s possible that the effects of Adam’s sin had not taken its toll on man’s longevity. Either way, the Bible tells us that Enoch lived to be 365 years old.
Now, use your sanctified imagination with me for a moment. If Enoch’s life ended this year—in 2008, that means he would have been born back in 1643—365 years ago. The same year that …
· Sir Isaac Newton—the famous English astronomer and physicist—was born
· Louis 14th became King of France
On Enoch’s 100th birthday in 1743 …
· Thomas Jefferson—our 3rd President—would have been born
· Handel would have first performed his oratorio Samson
When Enoch celebrated his 2nd century in 1843 …
· Ulysses S. Grant graduated from West Point
· Frank James—the famous outlaw and William McKinley—our 25th President were born
· Charles Dickens 1st published A Christmas Carol and Edgar Allen Poe 1st published his short story The Tell-Tale Heart
In 1943, on Enoch’s 300th birthday …
· The United States was entrenched in World War II
And finally, in 2008, the whole world would know of Enoch’s departure in one instant through satellite communication.
Not only that, but Enoch’s son, Methuselah who would have been born in 1708 when Enoch was 65 years old, would not die until the 27th century—in AD 2677—at the ripe old age of 969 years.
Now, Enoch’s lifespan was brief compared to that of his son. But he still lived a long time by present day standards. And his quality of life was equally amazing—300 of his 365 years were characterized by a life of faith.
Now, Genesis 5 has been called “The Graveyard Chapter of the Bible.” Repeatedly throughout the chapter we read the words “and then he died.” We find that phrase in verses 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, and 31. We read that someone was born; he lived; he had children; and then he died. We see this cyclical pattern throughout chapter 5—with one exception. Look at verse 24 with me again: “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
What does that mean: “Then he was no more, because God took him away”? It means that Enoch didn’t die—he was taken up bodily into heaven. Keep one finger here in Genesis 5 and turn back to Hebrews 11 with me. Look at how the writer of Hebrews explains this event in verse 5: “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away.”
Enoch was suddenly and supernaturally removed from this earthly existence and escorted into the very presence of God in heaven. A similar experience happened to the prophet Elijah in 2 Kings chapter 2. Elijah didn’t die. God took him up to heaven in a whirlwind. And believers will have a similar experience when Jesus Christ returns to the clouds of the air in His second coming. We’re told in 1 Thessalonians 4 that believers who are alive at Christ’s coming will not experience death. We will be taken up bodily to meet Jesus in the clouds. And from there He will escort us back to heaven to be with Him.
Now, the Bible doesn’t tell us how God took Enoch.
· Maybe it was like Elijah’s experience. One day Enoch was walking along and suddenly he was caught up in a whirlwind—sucked right up the spiral of a Kansas tornado!
· Or maybe he was walking along one day and suddenly—poof! He was gone!
· Or maybe Enoch was walking along, fellowshipping with God one day and it was getting late and dark outside. So God said to Enoch, “Instead of you walking all the way back to your house tonight, why don’t you just come home with Me?” And so God took Enoch by the hand and brought him up to heaven.
Well, however it happened, Enoch didn’t experience death. God just took him to heaven. And why did God do this? Look at the end of verse 5: “For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”
Enoch pleased God. And he pleased God by living a life of faith. But what does that mean? What does it mean to live by faith? Turn back again to Genesis 5. Look at verse 21: “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
Twice in this passage it states that Enoch walked with God. And that’s what it means to live a life of faith. We read that Enoch lived for 65 years, fathered a son, and then he began to walk with God.
But what caused Enoch to start walking with God at that particular point in his life? Well, we don’t know for sure.
· Perhaps it was seeing the childlike faith of his little boy, Methuselah, that prompted Enoch to take the first steps in his walk with God
· Perhaps it was the awesome responsibility Enoch felt of raising his son in the midst of a wicked culture that had turned its back on God
· Perhaps it was the knowledge that one day God was going to judge the world for its sin
We read these words about Enoch in the epistle of Jude 14-15: “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’”
Well, whatever the reason, Enoch began to walk with God when he was 65 years old. And he walked with God for 300 years. But what does it mean to walk with God?
Amos 3:3 says, “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” It’s impossible to walk with someone unless there are a few mutual agreements.
To begin with, if you want to walk with someone, your destination must be the …
· Same Place
If you and I were standing out here on Route 11, and you decided to go to Bloomsburg and I decided to go to Berwick, then we wouldn’t be heading in the same direction. You can’t walk together in you’re going to opposite destinations.
But Enoch walked with God because he was heading in God’s direction.
If two want to walk together, they also must follow the …
· Same Path
Now, it’s entirely possible to be heading to the same destination but to use separate roads to get there. More than one road will lead you to Bloomsburg. You can take Old Berwick Road, Columbia Boulevard, Lightstreet Road, or Millville Road. All roads lead to Bloomsburg!
But Enoch didn’t take just any old road. Enoch followed the same path that God was on.
There’s one other requirement in walking together. Not only must you be traveling to the same place on the same path, but you must also be going at the …
· Same Pace
And that’s what Enoch did. He kept in step with God. He didn’t run ahead and he didn’t lag behind.
When two people walk toward the same place on the same path at the same pace for 300 years, they are going to be in fellowship!
And that’s the primary concept of walking with God—fellowship—a mutual, common bond. And that fellowship is demonstrated by righteous living—obedience to God’s commands. The Apostle John wrote in 2 John 6: “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.”
Conclusion
Now, God gives us many commands in His Word. But let me emphasize just one of them this morning. One of the commands of Christ that is directly tied to walking with God is the command to be baptized.
You see, once a person trusts in Christ as Savior, he receives forgiveness of sin and eternal life. He is also placed on a road where he can walk with God. And the very first step that Christ wants you to take on your walk with God is the step of baptism.
Paul describes it this way in Romans 6:4: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
A believer’s first step in his walk with God should be the step of baptism. And you find this simple pattern throughout the book of Acts. First, you see people getting saved—trusting in Christ as their Savior. Next, you find them getting baptized—as an outward declaration of their faith in Christ. And then, you watch them walking with God—living the Christian life.
Now, you might say to me, “Pastor Lyon, my parents had me baptized as an infant. So, do I really need to get baptized again?”
Well, I don’t want to impugn the motives of your parents. I’m sure they believed that having you baptized as a baby was the proper thing to do. But I would look at that as more of a child dedication than a biblical baptism.
So, if you were baptized as an infant or if you were baptized as a child or an adult before you accepted Christ as Savior—then what should you do? I think the simple, scriptural answer is: get rebaptized. Get baptized again. The biblical pattern is belief then baptism.
Others might say to me, “Pastor Lyon, I’ve accepted Christ as my Savior, but I’ve never been baptized. And I’m doing just fine in my Christian life. So why should I get baptized?”
Well, I remind you that walking with God involves being obedient to His commands. If we’re truly walking with God, we don’t pick and choose which commands we’re going to follow. The issue is not: I’ve done fine in my Christian life without baptism so why do it? Rather, the issue is: What does God say I need to do to walk with Him?
So, if you have never been baptized since accepting Christ as Savior, then you need to be baptized. Why? Because Doug Lyon says so? No! Because Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord commands it. Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The first step in your walk of discipleship is the step of baptism.
So, let me ask you: “Have you been baptized in obedient to the command of Christ?” If not, then why not make a decision right now to be baptized? On March 16th, Palm Sunday evening, we are holding a baptism here at Shiloh. If you’d like to be baptized, take a card from the pew rack in front of you right now and write your name and phone number on the card. And then give me the card as you leave this morning, telling me that you want to be baptized. I will send you some information about baptism that we will discuss on March 9th during the Sunday School hour. Now, perhaps you have questions for me about baptism before that meeting. That’s fine. Give me a call. I’d love to talk to you about this crucial step in your walk with God.
Let’s pray.
Our Father, thank you for this glimpse into the life of Enoch—a believer who walked faithfully with you. How we sense the need to walk with you in this day and age as we live in the midst of a confused and bewildered society, a world that is troubled, uncertain, unstable, in the grip of lies that it thinks is truths, and rejecting truths that it regards as lies.
God, may we possess the simple faith of a child by which we can trust your love, trust your Word, and believe you have told us the truth. Teach us to live by faith, walking with you in obedience to your commands.
This we humbly ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
