Walking With God Like Enoch

Genesis 5:1-24

The example of Enoch, who walked with God

(based on chapter 1 of ‘Heading for Heaven’ a series of sermons by J.C. Ryle, one of the outstanding evangelical preachers and writers of the 19th century.)

According to Genesis chapter 5 God created man, male and female;

we did not evolve from dinosaurs or monkeys;

but it does not say if Adam was created as a baby or a boy or an adult.

Any speculation on something the Holy Spirit has not inspired

and preserved for us over the centuries is pointless and a waste of time;

but when Adam was 130 years old, that is 130 years after Creation Day 6

he became the father of Seth and later of other sons and daughters.

By this time Cain had killed Abel and had moved away.

He must have married one of his sisters or cousins and had children by them.

When Seth, born in 130 was 105, that is in the year 235 AC,

he became the father of Enosh; and when Enosh was 90, in the year 325AC,

he became the father of Kenan.

When Kenan was 70, in the year 395AC, he became the father of Mahalel;

and when he was 65, in the year 460AC, he became the father of Jared,

and when Jared was 162 he became the father of Enoch, in the year 622AC.

People lived long lives then;

Adam died at the age of 930; Seth died at 912;

Enosh at 905; Kenan at 910;

Mahalel at the age of 895 and Jared at 962;

but Scripture records that Enoch did not die, ‘for God took him’

(as God also ‘took’ Elijah in a whirlwind in 2nd Kings chapter 2)

at the age of ‘only’ 365; a mere boy compared to his forebears,

and remember if God ‘took him’ in 622 + 365 = the year 987AC,

Adam who died at the age of 930, would only have been dead for 57 years.

The age or time in which Enoch lived is described in the Bible as being very bad.

In those days, we are told, the earth was corrupt and filled with violence.

Every sort of violence seems to have prevailed;

men walked after the vile lusts of their hearts,

and di that which appeared good to them

without fear, and without shame.

(It sounds more or less the same as the times we live in!)

Very few are reported to have showed faith in the true God,

and to have been concerned about His standards of behavior and morality;

so those who did, like Enoch and only a few years later, Noah and his family, would have found it hard.

Laughed at, mocked, jeered, for putting God first;

derided for ‘not being one of the lads’

and ‘being different’, ‘holy’, ‘pious’, ‘sanctimonious’,

they would have had few friends.

But God will not be mocked; people sow what they reap;

and the great Flood would do away with those who ignored

the handed-down stories from their elders

about what had happened as a result of Adam’s sin.

We are supposed to learn from our mistakes,

but Henry Ford is quoted as saying:

‘the only thing we learn from History is that people DO NOT learn from History’.

But in spite of all the wickedness around him,

the Bible says, ‘Enoch walked with God’.

He had no Bible to read and learn from;

no religious leaflets or tracts, no prayer books or hymn books;

no church, no minister, no Services or Sermons;

no Christ to look to,

but in spite of this ‘Enoch walked with God’,

because he obviously was in relationship with the Living God

and benefitted from His grace.

Whereas the people around him were characterized by godlessness;

Enoch’s own character must have displayed Godliness.

Q. When people look at us, whether they like us or not,

do they see people who display Godliness?

A man or woman who ‘walks with God’ is obviously a friend of God.

How else can two people walk together or take part in any activity or relationship unless they are at peace with each other;

are unafraid of each other;

are not ashamed or upset in any way by the other.

Adam and Eve were in perfect harmony with God until they sinned,

then their consciences prevented them from ‘walking with God’;

they hid behind a tree.

Enoch was obviously comfortable in the presence of God

and had no ‘guilty conscience’ which prevented him from enjoying that presence.

Enoch ‘walked with God’ because he wanted to, more than anything else,

and would not have been anywhere near so happy, walking with anyone else.

He could think of no higher or more valuable activity than ‘walking with God’

because they were of like mind, outlook and purpose.