The Faith of Enoch

Articles

Derek Long
05/05/19 - Faith

The Faith of Enoch
By Derek Long
Enoch’s faith is cited as an example for us to imitate by
the Hebrew writher in Hebrews 11:5-6. He says, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Enoch is not mentioned in very many passages throughout the Bible but there is obviously some important lessons we can take from his example. What are some lessons for us from the faith of Enoch?
• Enoch’s faith allowed him to be taken away without having to go through the process of dying. The idea of a person not dying may seem strange to us because we are so used to everyone dying. God made an exception in the case of Enoch though and Enoch did not have to die. Enoch’s life is mentioned in Genesis 5:18-24. Genesis 5 records for us genealogies between Adam and Noah’s sons through the lineage of Seth. God had promised Adam death would be a consequence for eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God said to Adam, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall
return” (Genesis 3:19). Genesis 5 shows death impacted the human race. Genesis 5 contains an often repeated phrase, “and he died” (Genesis 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31). While the men mentioned in Genesis 5 had long life spans compared to the average life span today, they all still died. Enoch is the one exception to this rule in Genesis 5. Hebrews 11 shows it was his faith which caused him not to die.
• Enoch’s example reminds us it takes faith in order to be pleasing to God. Enoch’s faith led him to live a life walking with God (Genesis 5:24). Walking with God would involve living in a right relationship with God. John reminds us walking with God means we must walk in the light because God is light (1 John 1:5-7). Faith is not just mental assent to certain facts of truth but is the application of those facts to how we live our lives. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us God “is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” If we expect to be rewarded by God, we must be people who diligently seek God.
• Enoch’s faith existed amongst a wicked world. We are not given much detail of the condition of the world between the time of Adam and the days prior to the flood. However, we know by the time of the flood man was very wicked. Genesis 6:5 says, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 4 shows us how Cain’s descendants were becoming wicked during this period of time. Jude 14-15 gives us some indication of the moral climate in the days of Enoch. Jude
14-15 tells us Enoch made this prophesy, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 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.” Enoch’s prophesy shows the people in his day were already wicked. Yet like so many of the faithful throughout time Enoch lived as a light among a wicked generation (Philippians 2:15).
• Enoch’s faith led him to speak forth boldly the word of God. Could you imagine having to be Enoch and proclaim the message God gave him to preach (Jude 14-15)? Enoch’s faith should encourage us to say what needs to be said to those lost in sin today. 2 Timothy 4:1-4 says, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” Are we willing to point out sins and errors people are engaged in today? Are we willing to tell people the truth even if it is not what they want to
! hear? Is our faith like Enoch’s was?
Hopefully as we examine men like Enoch our faith will grow stronger so we too can please God!