Walking in Faith Series - Enoch - A Man Who Walked With God

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Hebrews 11 describes a hall of fame for people throughout the Bible that had extraordinary faith in God. 

This is the 2nd devotional of a series I've entitled "Walking in Faith" that will take a deep dive look into each of the people who earned a place in the hall of fame described in Hebrews 11. We'll look at the lives of each of these people, what earned them a spot in the Hebrews 11 hall of fame, and what that means for us thousands of years later.  (Listen to Last Week's Devotional Here) - Walking in Faith Series - Abel - An Account of Murder and an Ageless L – SimplyHealthyHome (shopsimplyhealthyhome.com)

This week's account is about a man named Enoch who walked with God during his time on earth, and then was taken directly into heaven by God, without experiencing death, 

Who Was Enoch?

Enoch lived in a very unusual time. He was one of the few, if not the only, humans on earth who didn't fall into a lifestyle of moral depravity prior to the flood. 

Below are a few additional quick facts about Enoch - 

• Enoch’s father was Jared and Jared lived 962 years.
• Enoch was the father of Methuselah. Methuselah lived longer than any man on earth and died at the age of 969.
• Enoch became the father of Methuselah at 65 years old, and then walked with God for 300 years, before God took him directly up to heaven at the age of 365.
• Enoch is 1st mentioned in the book of the genealogy of Adam (Genesis 5).
• Enoch was one of the only two people the Bible mentions God took straight to heaven without experiencing death (the 2nd was Elijah – see II Kings 2).
• Enoch was the 7th man from Adam (Jude 14).
• Enoch had the gift of prophecy and prophesizes about God's judgement on a corrupt generation in Jude 14.
• Luke 3:37 shows us the lineage from Jesus to Adam (Enoch is included in this lineage).

What Earned Him a Spot in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame

The Bible mentions 2 key facts about Enoch that I believe earned him a place in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame: 1) He walked with God 2) He pleased God.

Enoch's faith in God kept him from giving in to the moral depravity of his time. Rather than giving into the temporary pleasures and pursuits of the flesh, Enoch's faith led him to obey God and live a life alongside his Creator. 

As Mentioned in Genesis 5:22-24 (NKJV) and Hebrews 11:5-6 (NKJV) -

"After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

“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.”

What This Means for Us

Below are a few key takeaways that struck me when reading through the account of Enoch. 

1. Enoch chose God.

• In an age that hated God and the ways of God, Enoch chose God above himself and the world. He chose to stay close to God. Just like Enoch's faith led him to choose God, we should also strive to choose God. Choosing God is more than just labeling ourselves as Christians. Choosing God, just as we see in the account of Enoch, means putting God above our own desires and above the temporary pleasures that the world promises us. 

2. Enoch prioritized God.

• After Enoch chose God, Enoch continually prioritized God by walking with God. Enoch spent quality time with God to know Him. I believe that in knowing God, Enoch came to love God even more, and this also enabled him to obey God. When we choose God, this means we choose for Him to be at the center of our lives. We cannot have a relationship with God without giving Him our time. 

3. Enoch obeyed God. 

• Enoch obeyed God and chose to please Him rather than to conform to the ways of the world. I believe Enoch's faith in God, but also his love for God, enabled him to deny himself and the world, and take up a position walking alongside God. This obedience to God set him apart from the rest. Just like Enoch, our faith and love for God should never be dormant. It should spring forth the action of obedience, which sets us apart from the world. 

Hope You Have a Blessed Week, and Don't Forget to Stay Tuned In for Next Week's Devotional!

Your Sister in Christ, Julia