Unprecedented Faith
“Enoch: A Walk of Faith”
Hebrews 11:5
Watch on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqkjhIwAPEc
A pastor asked three people, “What do you want your friends to say about you after you die?”
The first one said, “I want my friends to say that I was a good person.”
The second man said, “I want my friends to say I was a giving person.”
Without hesitation, the third man said, “I want my friends to say, ‘Look, he’s moving!’”
Most of the time, we struggle to understand what’s happening around us, or what truly matters, until we have a divine encounter. Only then do we realize that all the things we were so worried about really aren’t that important.
Like when a person contracts cancer, a potentially fatal disease, or when someone they love is sick or dying, all those other things that bothered them are no longer the main concern. This is especially true on the spiritual side of the equation when we have an encounter with God.
In the end, it all comes down to one main thing: having a genuine, vibrant, and real relationship with Jesus Christ.
In God’s Hall of Faith, found in Hebrews chapter 11, there is a man named Enoch whose walk with God was so pure, so vibrant, and so honest that it captures the essence of this relationship with Jesus.
Observe how the Bible describes Enoch’s life. It’s only 13 words, but within these words, we see a faith so strong and so alive that God couldn’t wait any longer.
“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24 NKJV)
In these early chapters of Genesis, especially chapter 5, the Holy Spirit records the genealogy from Adam down through Noah and his sons. Although they all lived for a long time, they eventually died. That is, all except Enoch.
And while Enoch is mentioned fewer than a handful of times in the Bible, he was granted one of the most remarkable honors and testimonies ever given—that he walked with God. Then, suddenly, he goes missing because God took him to be with Him.
Since we are in this series looking at men and women of the Bible with Unprecedented Faith and at the type of faith that pleases God through their lives, Enoch’s faith stands above them all because it reveals that God wanted to be with him so badly that He couldn’t wait any longer. That’s some faith. But what insight can we gain from such a brief account?
The first thing I’d like to do is break down Genesis 5:24, and what we’ll see are three ways Enoch’s faith is demonstrated.
Enoch Demonstrated Faith Through Attitude
“Enoch walked with God.”
Now, this phrase appears twice in the Genesis account (Genesis 5:22, 24), which might explain why I see two aspects of Enoch’s faith in it. The first is that Enoch walked with God, and the key word I’d like us to focus on is “walked.”
The word actually reminds me of a story.
As a high school prom was approaching, a young man asked his father if he could borrow his 1963 Corvette to take his date to the prom. His dad didn’t say no; instead, he set a couple of conditions. He said, “If you can improve one letter grade in each of your classes and get your hair cut, then I’ll let you borrow the car.”
A few weeks later, the boy improved all his grades, so he went back to his father to show him and asked for the keys. The dad said, “Sorry, son, but you didn’t get your hair cut.” Indignant, the boy replied, “Come on, Dad, even Jesus had long hair!” And his father just smiled and said, “Yes, and Jesus walked everywhere he went.”
Now, this isn’t the kind of walk the Holy Spirit had in mind. The word walk is synonymous with a person’s way of life. In other words, how you walk reflects how you live your life. Enoch lived his life in a way that pleased God.
But what made his walk so special? Well, the answer may be in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Church.
“Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:1-2 NKJV)
Paul said that to live a life worthy of someone who has entered a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, we need an attitude of humility, gentleness, patience, acceptance, and love.
But what does that look like?
Humility is an attitude that acknowledges our faults and failures.
Gentleness is described as strength combined with humility and a sincere dependence on God.
Long-suffering here is to patiently accept one another, as he said, “bearing with one another in love,” which means forgiving others as God has forgiven us, and then accepting them as God has so graciously accepted us.
The prophet Micah explained how God demonstrated what such a walk looks like.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NKJV)
Enoch Demonstrated Faith Through Association
While Enoch walked with God, demonstrating his faith through his attitude, even more significant was his association, revealed in the second half of this phrase.
“Enoch walked with God.”
The focus is on Enoch’s deep, abiding relationship with God. While God could have defined His relationship with us any way He wanted, He chose to describe Himself as our Father. That’s the kind of relationship God desires to have with us.
However, this is difficult for some to imagine, given their relationship with their earthly fathers. To fully understand, Max Lucado describes this relationship. ?
“If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart…Face it. God is crazy about you.”
Regarding our relationship with God as Father, the Apostle Paul said, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” (Romans 8:15 NKJV)
The word “Abba” is the Aramaic equivalent of our English word, “Daddy.” When we come to faith in Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, God welcomes us into His family and allows us to call Him not just Father, but Daddy or Papa.
Seeing that I’m a grandfather and hearing my grandkids, along with my children and their spouses, call me “Papi” gives me a sense of what this relationship with God is meant to be.
Therefore, “Abba” is a word of intimacy, and this reflects the kind of relationship Enoch had with God.
Enoch Demonstrated Faith Through Ascension
“For God took him.”
Can you imagine how hard it must have been to walk with God during those pre-Flood years, when widespread immorality and godlessness were common, and only a small remnant, or handful of people stayed faithful to God?
Oh, wait, I think we can. I guess Solomon was right when he said that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). We are experiencing in our world today the same thing Enoch experienced in his.
Like everyone else, Enoch was living under God’s judgment, and as told in the book of Jude, Enoch delivered the message that the Lord was coming to judge.
Now, does this mean that God took Enoch to spare him from the coming judgment? While that is certainly a possibility, the Bible clearly emphasizes that Enoch was taken up to heaven by faith.
“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death.” (Hebrews 11:5a NKJV)
Enoch’s ascension foreshadows the church’s rapture before God’s final judgment at the end of the age. Our world is also drowning in depravity, dishonesty, and decadence, placing us in the shadow of God’s coming judgment.
The Apostle Paul describes the rapture in his first letter to the Thessalonians.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV)
Now, whatever your view is on when the rapture will occur, the promise is that it will, and all those who believe in Jesus Christ will be “caught up” in the clouds to meet with Jesus.
Now, when I explain it like this, it’s never enough for some; they seem to want to know my position on the Rapture. Not whether it will happen, but when it will happen—that is, whether I follow the pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, post-tribulation, or another variant of the theory.
My answer is simple: my ultimate position aligns with what Jesus said: “No one knows the day or the hour.” I support what is now called the “Pan” Tribulation theory. That is, “In the end, it will all pan out.”
Enoch trusted God, walked with Him, and then God took him to be with Him. Enoch’s life and faith showed that it ispossible to be faithful to God, and that we can all experience the same.
Warren Wiersbe, in his commentary on Hebrews, said, “No matter how dark the day or how bad the news, we have the promise of our Lord’s return to encourage us and motivate us to be godly. One day sin will be judged, and God’s people will be rewarded for their faithfulness, so we have every reason to be encouraged as we walk with God.”
I believe that Enoch shows us three ways in how we are to walk with God in a fallen world.
A Purposeful Walk
Enoch had a mission and focus, which was to please God. In his daily walk, he would literally walk side by side with God, and then one day they simply strolled off together into heaven.
The prophet Amos said, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed.” (Amos 3:3 NKJV)
This raises the question: as we live out our faith, are we doing so in full agreement with God and His Word?
Enoch’s life was one of purpose, focused on progressing in his walk with God. Walking with purpose also means consistency. Enoch didn’t walk with God only during good times but also through the bad times. He didn’t walk with God for a while and then stopped. He walked with God without ever leaving His side. He maintained unbroken fellowship with the Creator of the universe.
Enoch went where God went. His walk not only drew him closer to heaven, but it also took him further away from the world. He also didn’t try to walk to heaven based on his own rules; instead, he chose to follow the path God laid out for him.
An Intentional Walk
We need to be intentional in what we do, especially regarding our time with God. You might say we must guard our time with God because Satan will throw everything at us, including the kitchen sink.
While a daily meeting with God is one of life's greatest needs, it is also one of the hardest to maintain. So, how can we do it? It’s by making a commitment and not letting discouragement prevent our daily walk with God.
C. Ryle, an evangelical Anglican bishop, said, “Make it a part of every day’s business to read and meditate on some portion of God’s word … yesterday’s bread will not feed the laborer of tomorrow … Gather your manna fresh every morning.” (J. C. Ryle)
What Enoch teaches us is the importance of maintaining a daily, private devotional life to keep our enthusiasm for God high.
And finally, we need to openly share God’s message with those around us.
An Outspoken Walk
Enoch’s message still rings loud and true from Heaven today. His message is that God is coming to this earth in judgment.
In the book of Jude, it says, “Enoch prophesied saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes … to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” (Jude 14-15 NKJV)
Enoch was never influenced by this fallen world, which is why he could walk with God the way he did and deliver God’s message to a fallen people. You see, Enoch never lifted himself up; he only lifted up God and His message.
He also refused to let worldly pressure silence him.
Therefore, Enoch’s faith was pleasing to God, as the writer of Hebrews continues to describe for us.
“For before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (Hebrews 11:5b NKJV)
And he goes on to say in verse six that without faith it is impossible to please God.
And so, what pleases God is having a genuine relationship with Him. Enoch was pleasing to God because he maintained a close, personal relationship with Him.
What I find interesting is that this exactly aligns with what Father God said about His Son, Jesus.
To John the Baptist, the Father said this about Jesus, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NKJV)
What did God take pleasure in? Jesus hadn’t done anything yet. He hadn’t taught any Bible lessons, nor had He healed anyone. Yet God said, “I’m well pleased.”
What pleased God is found in the relationship. God said, “My beloved Son.” In other words, God was well pleased with the relationship.
And can I just add, before we conclude our time together, that God is pleased with everyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ and enters into this relationship with Him as either a son or a daughter of the Most High God.
Conclusion
Some people claim to be Christians but don’t truly have a relationship with God. Let me clarify that just knowing about God is not the same as having a real, loving relationship with Him.
There are many who know all about submission but are unwilling to submit.
They know all about honesty but are far from being honest in their lives.
They know all there is to know about forgiveness, but heaven help the person who does them wrong.
They say they believe God’s word, but don’t follow it for their lives.
And so, what we need to do is start replacing knowledge with obedience and a relationship with Jesus.
And when we understand this relationship with Jesus,
Then we will want to give grace, because of all the grace that has been given to us.
Then we will want to lay down our lives to serve, because Jesus laid down His life and served us in every way possible.
And we will want to forgive others, because of how much God has forgiven us.
This isn’t a religious practice; it’s about building a sincere, loving relationship with Jesus Christ.
And when we have that relationship, ultimately, after we die, we’ll hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant … Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:23 NKJV)
And so, what do we want our friends to say about us after we die? I want them to say, “He walked with God, and the Lordtook him home.”
So, what do you want to hear? What do you want written on your tombstone? What do you want your legacy to be?
