The Great Disappearance

THE GREAT DISAPPEARANCE

Gen. 5:21-24

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: HER AGE

1. A nurse was writing down necessary information about a new patient, in preparation for her physical examination. Nurse: "How old are you, Mrs. Smith?"

2. Patient: "None of your business." Nurse: "But the doctor must know your age for his records."

3. Patient: "Well, first, multiply twenty by two, then add ten. Got that?" Nurse: "Yes, fifty."

4. Patient: "All right, now subtract fifty, and tell me, what do you get?" Nurse: "Zero."

5. Mrs. Smith replied; "Right. And that's exactly the chance of me telling you my age."

6. We’re going to look at a man who had a problem with age.

B. TEXTS

21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Gen. 5:19-24, NKJV.

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” Hebrews 11:5-6.

C. THESIS

1. That we’re living in the closing hours of human history is obvious. Peter referred to the last 2,000 years as “the last days;” Daniel called our time the “time of the end” (8:17; 11:35).

2. A huge sign of the Coming of Christ is that Israel is a nation again after 2,000 years. This was prophesied in Scripture as a sign of the end.

3. Israel is God’s timepiece; we can gauge our closeness to the end by watching the events in & around that country.

4. We’re going to look at a remarkable person named Enoch and see four characteristics that made him a candidate for a special evacuation from Earth, that all of us should strive for.

5. The title of this message is “The Great Disappearance.”

I. ARE YOU AWAKE TO THE FUTURE?

A. THE GREAT TRIBULATION

1. The 1st characteristic was that he walked with God. In only two places does the Bible say that a man walked with God. Enoch is one and the other was Noah.

2. Both of these men lived prior to the great flood. And both were spared from its choking waters, Enoch by translation and Noah by a boat. This may be symbolic of 2 groups of Saints – Raptured Saints & Tribulation Saints!

3. Many times down through history, God has poured out His divine wrath on the Earth, but God always evacuates His people before His wrath is poured out.

4. Friend, you do NOT want to be on Planet Earth during the Great Tribulation. I cannot over-emphasize that.

5. For seven years, the world will endure unbelievable bloodshed, rampant pestilences, and famines will rack the Earth. The Sun will be destabilized and the entire ecosystem will be disrupted. More than half of all Earth's population will die. But the Rapture will come first.

B. THE RAPTURE

1. Here is what the Bible says:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant…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. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (Gr. “harpadzo”) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” 1 Thess. 4:13-17.

2. It is imperative that you be ready to evacuate before that time occurs. When will it happen? I don't know. Maybe soon. We just know that the Tribulation will happen. And preceding it is the "catching away" of the bride of Christ.

II. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “WALK WITH GOD”?

A. TO WALK BY FAITH

1. First, he walked by faith (Hebrews 11:5), that is, faith was the worldview in which he walked; “Believed God IS & is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

2. So how can a person WALK with God? First, you must agree with God’s Word. Amos 3:3, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

3. If you’re going to walk with God, you'll have to go where He goes; NOT your direction, but His.

B. A DISCIPLINED LIFE

1. The 2nd Characteristic of Enoch comes from his name, which means "disciplined." It describes how he conducted his life.

2. Our conduct is involved in our “walking with God.” Don’t fool yourself: you can’t live in sin and walk with God. We live in a generation that wants you to tell them their sin is ok. That’s compromise!