Genesis - The Beginning Of Heroes #1 Enoch: The Hero Who Walked With God
I’m not sure if any of you are aware of this but I thought I should probably share with you that today is the Super Bowl. So, in honor of the Super Bowl being played today, I think we should have our first evening service in about 2 years. We’ll meet back here at 6pm and I promise to get you out of here in time to catch the post-game interviews. You don’t have to thank me I’m just trying to be a good pastor. Actually, that’s not going to happen. But what is going to happen is that I’m going to tell you a football joke.
It’s a football joke that involves the seven dwarves. All of the Seven Dwarves were marching through the forest. Yes they were singing, “Hi, Ho. Hi, Ho.” But as they marched along they walked to close to the edge of a deep ravine and fell in. Fortunately, they were close to the house and Snow White heard them fall. (Can you see the football part of this joke yet?) Anyway, Snow White ran to the edge, peered over into steep gorge and called out to her fallen friends. “Are you okay?” From the depths of the deep crevasse, a voice called back. “The Dallas Cowboys will be in the Super Bowl next year.” Snow White was so relived, and she called back, “Dopey, is anyone else alive?”
Years ago and I mean many, many years ago there were reasons to look up to athletes. I’m very grateful for those athletes today who are not ashamed of their testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ. Both quarterback for both teams are very open about their testimony of being believers in Jesus Christ. We need a lot more like them, but overall the age of the role-model athlete has gone the way of the Model-T Ford and the ice delivery man. But one place where we can still find role-models and heroes is in God’s Word. We are starting a short series from Genesis today entitled Genesis: The Beginning of Heroes. And our first hero is found in Genesis 5:22, Enoch the Hero who Walked With God.
Enoch’s Walk - Genesis 5:21-24
Genesis 5:21–24 21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Enoch Walked With God
How do should we understand this phrase, walked with God? We know that the Lord came and walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden before the time of Enoch. We know that the Lord from time to time, at special places in His plan and history, walked and talked with other heroes of the Bible. But I don’t think that that fully explains Enoch walk with God. I’m sure all those things happened but there was more because Enoch’s walk was directly related to God taking him.
In the genealogies from Adam to Jared we see this pattern of writing, Genesis 5:19-20 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. Jared lived had his first son and Jared died. We see this for all the scions of Seth.
But when we come to Enoch, that pattern is broken. It doesn’t simply say “Enoch lived” it says, “Enoch walked with God.” Even more dramatic the scriptures tell us that Enoch because of his walk with God did not die. Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. It was not the length of Enoch years that are notable, in fact his years on earth are the shortest of all the sons of Seth, only 365. His son Methuselah will live to be 969 years, but Enoch lived only a third of that time.
Instead, it is this phrase “Enoch walked with God.” It is only applied to Enoch and his great grandson Noah. It denotes the closest, most confidential, most personal relationship and communion with God. The phrase gives us a picture of Enoch walking side by side down a path with God. God, who in this case still appears visibly, converses and encourages Enoch, His friend and companion.
It is different from “walking before God” and “walking after God.” Both of these are found other place in the Bible, and they describe a pious, moral, blameless life under the law of God, but Enoch’s walk with God is not defined by the law but by his time and intimacy with God Himself.
This personal, intimate walk with God brought Enoch to his taking, his translation, his transfiguration. One of my commentaries puts it this way. “In Enoch, the seventh from Adam through Seth, godliness attained its highest point; whilst ungodliness culminated in Lamech, the seventh from Adam through Cain, who made his sword his god. Enoch, therefore, like Elijah, was taken away by God, and carried into the heavenly paradise, so that he did not see death; i.e., he was taken up from this temporal life and transfigured into life eternal, being exempted by God from the law of death” - Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 1:79.
The taking of Enoch at such a young age compared to his ancestors and to his children happened in such a way that it was shocking. One of my resources states it this way, Enoch continually walked with God—then he was not there, because God took him. - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), Ge 5:24.
Enoch’s walk with God was so visible, so powerful, so well known to those around him that his taking was understood as being the reward of God.
It is not by accident that the writers of the New Testament picked up this phrase and applied it to a new relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Walking With God
Paul says in Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
This theme of walking with the Lord is detailed by Paul in the last few chapters of Ephesians.
In Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul says of that we are to Walk Worthy, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:1-6
In Ephesians 4:17-32 He tells the Ephesians and us to “Walk As New Creations” henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
We are to remember who we are in Christ. Ephesians 4:20-24 But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
He then gives them a description of what it means to walk as new in Christ. Ephesians 4:25-32 Put away lying, speak truth. Don’t let the sun set on you anger. Don’t compromise with the devil. Don’t steal anymore. Work with your hands. Don’t let communicate corruption. Instead speak good, edifying words that minister grace. Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit. Put away bitterness, and wrath, and anger, clamour, evil speaking along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake forgave you.
Nor is Paul done talking about our walk with God, iIn Ephesians 5:1-7 we are to Walk in Love Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
The in Ephesians 5:8-14 Walk in Light, vss 8-11 “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Finally, in Ephesians 5:15-21 He tells us to Walk in Wisdom, vss. 15-17 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Walking With the Lord means being in accord with the Lord. You can’t walk with Him if you are not willing to go where He is going and walk the way He walks.
Be like Enoch walk with the Lord as you would walk with your dearest friend, talk with Him, share with Him, cry with Him and especially listen to Him and then do what He your most precious friend tells you to do.
Now it is interesting that Enoch has more written about him in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. And to fully gauge this hero we need to turn to …
Enoch’s Testimony - Hebrews 11:5-6
Hebrews 11:5-6 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Enoch Pleased God
Now Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit expands the heroes tale of Enoch. He tells us that Enoch was “translated.” He uses the Greek word, μετατίθημι, metatithēmi; which means to transfer, its literally means is to transport.
Paul says that before he was transported Enoch had this testimony. “He pleased God.” Then in the next phrase he explains what Enoch did that was pleasing to God. “For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe.” Enoch had faith. Faith in God whom he walked with as a friend and who God, as a friend took Enoch to live with Himself in heaven. Isn’t that amazing? That is why it made such an indelible memory and impact upon those antediluvian, pre-flood people. He walked with God as a friend and had such faith in God that God one day snatched him up, as he did Elijah.
Pleasing God
I don’t need to remind you that the entire 11th chapter of Hebrews is all about faith. It is the Hall of Faithful Heroes. Enoch’s faith is singled out here as well but even thousands of years after it happened it was still such an amazing thing. Enoch pleased God because he had faith in God. That was his testimony, his faith was his statement of life.
Now we could spend the rest of today and preach right on through the Super Bowl just talking about faith. It could be a very profitable day if we did, but ….. we won’t. Instead I just want to share a verse or two with you.
When Paul comes to the end of the 11th chapter of Hebrews he says this, Hebrews 11:39-40 And these all, (including Enoch) having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Wait, what is Paul saying? These great heroes of faith, these proven warriors of trusting God in all situations, didn’t receive the promise? Why would they not? Because God has provided some better thing for us, that they without us are not yet complete. The end of these stories of the heroes of faith is waiting to be written by us.
Paul says that these great examples of faith are waiting and they are waiting for us. Waiting for us to follow their examples and have the same kind of faith as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Jacob and all the great heroes of Faith from the Old Testaments. We are called to be the heroes of faith in the New Testament.
Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 21:21? Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
What is the most quoted verse in the New Testament from the Old? Habakkuk 2:4 “…the just shall live by faith.”
Pleasing God is having faith in God and if we have faith in God, faith in God’s Word, faith in God’s love, faith in God mercy and yes even faith in God’s judgment, then we will be the heroes of faith for our age.
There is one final word about Enoch that we will quickly cover, even though it is the most controversial. It is found in …
Enoch’s Message - Jude 1:14-15
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.Enoch Spoke For God
Enoch Preached For God.
This passage is controversial because it references an apocryphal book, a book that was not actually written by Enoch and is not part of the Bible. There are myriad debates about this and we could go over them all and not finish before the kick-off, it wouldn’t be as profitable as discussing faith but it probably would be as long. But we’re not going to do that either.
Suffice it to say that whatever else the Book of Enoch says, Jude under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says this part is true. Enoch was a preacher to the last age before the flood.
Probably like Noah, his great grandson and Lamech his grandson they lived as examples of faith and righteousness but they also spoke and preached as messengers for God.
Enoch preached, “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all.
His grandson Lamech preached hope through the naming of his son, Noah. Genesis 5:29 he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.
Noah preached the loudest message of all back in Hebrews 11:7 we read Noah … prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world. Noah built a monument of faith that preached a message of repentance.
Proclaiming for God
Just like the Heroes of Faith in the Old Testament we also are called to sound the warning, preach the message and proclaim the Gospel. True heroes of God will never be silent about the Word of God. There are so many places we could go in the New Testament to be reminded, exhorted and commanded to go and preach. We could probable spend the rest of the day and preach right through the Super Bowl, but we won’t do that. Instead just listen again to the words of the Lord speaking to us His church in…
Matthew 28:18-20 All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world. Amen.
Or Mark 16:15 Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Or Acts 1:8 ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
All of these share the same imperatives if not the same words. That imperative, that command is Go and preach the Gospel. Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah stood at the end of the first age of mankind, the last era before God destroyed the world with a flood. We stand at the end of the last age of mankind before Jesus returns and in His power and authority destroys the power and authority of all the nations and kingdoms of this earth.
Enoch preached and taught his family of God. They in turn preached when Enoch was taken by God, proof I’m sure his family would cite of a God in heaven who still walked with man on earth. Noah built an ark that was the last testimony of God’s mercy but also of God’s judgment.
We are called by our Lord to preach the gospel and teach our families that there will always be a righteous remnant to stand as a true testimony in wicked world. As Noah built the ark showing the world God’s present mercy and His coming judgment, we are to build our church that it would stand as a monument of God’s continuing grace but also of his coming wrath.
Do you feel overwhelmed in the task? Well of course, it is overwhelming but we can and will do it if we like Enoch will walk with God. That is where it all began for Enoch and that is where is must begin for us.
Conclusion
A Story about a Funeral
Let me close with a story about a funeral I attended for my great aunt at the Methodist church in Cooper Texas. We grew up always calling her Nani Mom. Until I was 20 I thought that was here name. Its an east Texas thing. I’m still not sure but I think her actual name was Selma Cates, so we called her Nani Mom. In her later years, she had diabetes and had gone blind, spending her last days in the dark in a nursing home and in the hospital. She was a large lady with a big lap that as children we always were told, “Come sit in my lap and tell me how you are.” She was so very, very sweet and loving.
At her funeral her preacher told the story of Enoch this way. “The Bible tells us that Enoch walked with God as was not for God took him. I like to think that every day as Enoch walked with God, he walked longer and he walked further until one day as the time came for Enoch to go back home, God said, “Enoch, its closer to my home than it is to yours. Why don’t you come home with me? He then related that to my great aunt. “Sister Cates walked with God her whole life and recently as she walked with him she heard the Lord say, “You know today we’re closer to my home than to yours. It time you came home with me.” That’s a pretty good story for a Methodist. I’m sure he borrowed it from a Baptist.
Here is the point as if walk with God as His children, as His redeemed, one day on one of our walks we don’t know which on or when, but on one of those walks with the Lord we will hear Him say, “It’s closer to my home than it is to yours. Time for you to come home with me.”
Won’t that be the greatest walk any of us will ever take? To walk right out of this world and into the home of God in heaven. I pray you are walking with God this morning. I pray you know Jesus as friend and companion. I pray that when you take that last walk you will hear the voice of God telling you its time to come home.
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