Introduction
If you could choose how your life would end, what would you pick? Most of us would probably hope for a long life and a peaceful passing, surrounded by loved ones. But the Bible tells us about a man who received a far more spectacular exit. His name was Enoch, and his departure from this world was so remarkable that he is only one of two people in Scripture who never experienced death.
How does a person live a life that merits such an incredible honor? What kind of relationship with God leads to being physically taken into heaven? Our verse today tells us the secret. It wasn't about one grand gesture or a heroic act. It was about a consistent, daily walk that was so pleasing to God that, one day, God simply said, "Enoch, we're so close... just come on home."
I. The Walk of Faith
The foundation of Enoch's life is described in Genesis 5:24: "Enoch walked with God." Our verse in Hebrews tells us how he walked with God: by faith. To "walk with" someone implies three things:
1. Agreement: Amos 3:3 asks, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Enoch’s heart was in agreement with God's heart. He loved what God loved and hated what God hated.
2. Communion: A walk is not a sprint; it's a steady, consistent journey. Enoch's relationship with God wasn't a once-a-week event. It was a daily, moment-by-moment communion. He lived his life in the conscious presence of the God he could not see.
3. Progress: A walk takes you somewhere. Enoch was moving forward, growing deeper in his relationship with the Lord in a world that was spiraling downward into wickedness.
Enoch’s walk was an act of pure faith. He trusted God's unseen reality more than the visible reality of the corrupt world around him.
II. The Witness of Faith
The verse gives us the result of this walk: "...for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." This was Enoch's "good report." This was his reputation in heaven. Before God took him, He made it known that Enoch's life was pleasing to Him.
What does it mean to please God? It's not about being perfect. It's not about elaborate religious rituals. The very next verse, verse 6, gives us the divine answer: "But without faith it is impossible to please him."
Faith pleases God because it is the only response that truly honors Him. It is taking God at His Word. It is trusting His character. It is believing that He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. Enoch’s entire life was a testament to this kind of simple, powerful trust, and it was deeply pleasing to the heart of God. Our primary goal as believers should be to have this same testimony.
III. The Reward of Faith
Finally, we see the spectacular culmination of his life: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death."
The word "translated" means to be transferred from one place to another. One day, while on his daily walk with God, Enoch simply took his next step right into eternity. God just took him home. His walk of faith didn't end; it just changed locations.
This is a beautiful foreshadowing of the Rapture of the church, when believers will be "caught up... to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Enoch’s life shows us that our ultimate hope is not just a better life after death, but a glorious eternity in the immediate presence of the God we walk with today. The world's reaction was confusion: "he was not found." A life lived in close communion with God will often seem mysterious to a world that doesn't know Him.
Conclusion
Enoch's story follows a clear progression: his faith produced a consistent walk with God. His walk produced a testimony that pleased God. And that testimony led to the ultimate reward of being with God forever.
The lesson for us is simple but profound. The spectacular finish of Enoch's life was simply the natural result of his faithful daily walk. If we want to finish well, we must focus on walking well today. Let's cultivate that consistent, moment-by-moment communion with God. If we focus on pleasing Him by faith in our daily walk, our eternal destination is secure, and one day, we too will take that final step into His glorious presence.
