Introduction:
Lat week we began a new series entitled: Biblical Instruction for End Time Living. And in that first sermon, we talked about how the Bible tells us about two end times: the days of Noah and the days of the coming of the Son of Man. Noah’s end time occurred by flood; and the second ending will occur by fire. The flood ending has already occurred; the ending by fire is yet to come. We know Noah lived in the first end time, and we might truly be living in the second end time.
And so, I believe it is imperative we need to know how-to live-in light of the second end time. And last week, we learned three things about the way Noah lived as the end time approached in his life that we should be incorporating in our lives as the second end times nears in our life. Noah had a great reverence for God, and we should too; Noah walked with God and we should thrive to walk with God, and Noah planted seeds by telling his generation about God, and we should be found telling our generation about Jesus.
Today we shift from Noah to another man near the first end times and his name is Enoch. Not very much is said Enoch in the Scripture, but we are going to gleam how he lived by what is said. And once again, we need to apply how he lived as he approached the first end time to our lives as we approach the second end time.
So, let’s stand in reverence of God’s Word as we read from Genesis 5:21-24 and Hebrews 11:5-6.
Scriptures:
Genesis 5:21-24 (NIV)
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.
22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Hebrews 11:5-6 (NIV)
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. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Points:
#1
WHEN YOU WALK WITH GOD, YOU DISCOVER THINGS THAT OTHERS DO NOT KNOW OR UNDERSTAND.
24 Enoch walked with God...
Behind Southwest Hospital is a walking track. And this is what I have observed, if two people are walking together then it should be called a talking track because they are spending more energy talking than they are walking. The emphasis is on the communication not on the walking.
Enoch walked with God. I don’t believe that God needed the exercise; and Enoch must have been in surprisingly good shape himself because he lived 365 years before He was taken. None of us will be able to say we lived that long! So, I think the emphasis when God walked with Enoch was on the communication. God was revealing things to Enoch as they walked.
Now listen to the promise of God when you walk with Him and talk with Him. I am going to share one Scripture from the Old Testament and one Scripture from the New Testament.
Psalm 25:14 (NKJV)
14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.
Luke 8:10 (NKJV)
10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.'
God says if you are willing to walk with me and talk with me then you will discover the secret things those others do not know or understand. And in Enoch’s walk with God, he discovered the secret things. Let me show you. At the age of 65, Enoch became a daddy, he had a son, and Enoch called him Methuselah. Methuselah names means: When He Is Dead It Shall Be Sent (Referring to the Flood). The world around Enoch knew nothing about an upcoming flood but Enoch knew because God shared with Enoch the secret things in those walks.
The people in Noah’s day had the sign of that gigantic ark that Noah was building to signal the end is coming. Those who have gone to see the replica of the Ark in Kentucky usually comment how big and massive it is. But the Scripture in Matthew 24 says that the people just went on living. They ate, they drank, and they were given in marriage; no clue about the upcoming flood despite Noah’s daily preaching to them. Noah walked with God; he knew the secret things of God; he knew that a flood was coming.
We don’t have an Ark to know the end time is coming. We have God’s Word and what He says that will occur as we approach the End Times. And those who walk and talk with God can see the signs from God’s Word that end time events are about to occur. But people, who don’t know God, just go on living their life as if nothing is going to occur; they think to themselves things will go on like they have always gone on despite all the access they have to hear God’s Word. But you and me who have walked with God know that the end is near.
So, my advice is to spend time with Jesus and learn the secret things. The secret things of God are going to be more important to you as we approach the end time.
#2
WHEN YOU WALK BY FAITH, YOU SEE THINGS AS GOD SEES THEM EVEN IF THEY HAVE NOT YET COME TO PASS.
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. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
I don’t believe for one second that Holy Spirit haphazardly placed verse 6 (And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.) between the person of Enoch and the person of Noah. It is sandwiched there because both exhibited a great measure of faith.
Enoch so believed God about the upcoming flood that he named his first son to reflect that if God said there was going to be a flood then there is going to be a flood. Every time Enoch called for Methuselah, Enoch would be reminded that God said there is going to be a flood. Noah so believed God about the upcoming flood that he built an Ark to the specifications God gave him. Every time he went out outside of his home, he saw that Ark and was reminded that God is bringing a flood.
And how great was both of these men’s faith? They had never seen a flood because they never seen rain. Originally, the ground was watered by a mist as recorded in Genesis 2:5-6 (NKJV)
5 ...For the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.
But the first mention of rain is not recorded until Genesis 7:4 (NKJV)
4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made."
We know what Enoch’s and Noah’s end time faith looks like; but what should our end time faith look like.
A. WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO GOD FOR OUR HELP NOT WASHINGTON.
Psalm 118:8-9 (NKJV)
8 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes.
As the people in our great country look to Washington, people of faith ought to be looking to God. Enoch and Noah, they didn't look to their city leaders to prepare for the flood; and we would be mistaken to think that government can prepare us for this end time.
God told us in 2 Chronicles that He will heal our nation, not government.
B. WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THAT TIME AND NOT CAUGHT BY SURPRISE.
Jesus after telling his disciples that the second end time will be like the Days of Noah. He warns those who that will be here to experience the second coming to be prepared. Noah was prepared; the Ark was built. We need to be prepared; our spiritual temple needs to be in order. I can understand the world not being prepared for the Second Coming of Christ; but the church, we must be prepared.
Matthew 24:42-44 (NKJV)
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
C. WE OUGHT TO BE ABOUT GOD’S WORK AS THAT DAY APPROACHES.
In Hebrews 11:5, it says that Enoch was commanded as one who pleased God. In other words, God was saying good and faithful servant. Enoch was busy about the Lord work as the Flood was approaching. And in 2 Peter 2:5, we are told that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. As Noah was busy building the Ark; he was also busy doing God’s work.
The church has to guard against going into our little shell; circling our wagons as the end time approaches. The Church of Jesus Christ needs to be bolder than ever. With Covid 19, we got a glimpse as to how easy it is for the church to withdraw rather than stand out front. And if the church is not on guard, it will do the same thing as the end time approach.
3. WHEN YOU WALK, MAKE THE CHOICE TO WALK WISELY.
Hebrews 11:5-For before he (Enoch)was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
On average people walk about 5,000 steps a day. Men a little more than that and women a little less. The question is: does your steps, no matter how many you take bring you closer to God or further away from God?
Do your steps take you to the church house or to the park on a nice Sunday? Do your steps take you to someone to ask for forgiveness or do your steps taking you in an opposite direction, avoiding them? Do your steps take you to help someone in need, or do your steps take you to do something you want to do? Do your steps take you to your Bible, or to the corner package store?
Enoch pleased God, he made wise steps. Noah walked with God and made wise steps. And you and I are called by God to walk wisely also. 1 John 2:6 (NKJV)
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
And I would dare say that Jesus walked wisely? Are you?
Let us pray!
