Enoch the man who did not die
Jude 14 -15
Introduction
We have been talking about the Apostates for last few weeks on this short but very important Epistle. Today we will be talking about a special man who delivered a message from the Lord in the Old Testament times and that message still is applicable to us now New Testament believers
I. Who is Enoch?
A. The son of Jared, and father of Methuselah (Gen. 5:21; Lk. 3:37).
B. His name means “dedicated” or “disciplined”
C. His father was one hundred and sixty-two years old when he was born.
D. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch “walked with God three hundred years” (Gen. 5:22-24), when he was translated without tasting death.
E. His whole life on earth was three hundred and sixty-five years. He was the “seventh from Adam” (Jude 14), as distinguished from the son of Cain, the third from Adam.
F. He is spoken of in the catalogue of Old Testament worthies in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb. 11:5).
G. When he was translated, only Adam, so far as recorded, had as yet died a natural death, and Noah was not yet born. Mention is made of Enoch’s prophesying only in Jude 14.
II. What is special about him?
A. Enoch is a righteous man, he is a holy man of God!
B. Enoch is the epitome of all godliness and holiness.
C. He is one of two men in scriptures who it was said of they ‘walked with God’.
D. He was one of only two men who were taken to heaven without experiencing death
E. And he is the only man, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, that he pleased God!
Illustration/Application
We don’t read within the Bible that Enoch was a father of a nation like Abraham, or a great leader like Moses, or a warrior like Joshua and Caleb, or a king like David, or a statesman like Daniel. He was an ordinary man like you and me. We can be a man of God! We can walk with God! We can know God in the deepest, intimate fellowship and communion and sense of the word, and it doesn’t matter that we are not an apostle or a prophet. It doesn’t matter that we not a great preacher, or a great intellectual, it doesn’t matter that we don’t know theology – we can know God! We can walk with God!
III. He walked with God, what does it mean?
A. Reconciliation. For in the book of Amos we read these words, chapter 3 and verse 3: ‘Can two walk together except they be agreed?’ – and it presupposes that if Enoch walked with God, Enoch had to be reconciled with God to be in agreement with Him, to be in agreement about his sin, to be in agreement about the remedy for his sin – the grace of God, to be in agreement about God’s holy law and God’s standard and character of holiness. And he – if you like – had to be converted, he had to be reconciled with God, and a man cannot walk with God unless he knows God in reconciliation. Can two walk together except they be agreed?
B. To walk with God means to have fellowship with Him. We are aware of His divine presence and we are in spiritual communion with Him (Amos 3:3). Just like lovers who hold each other’s hands intimacy, agreement, and care is there.
C. To walk with God is to talk to him regularly through prayers (Ps. 55:17) and to listen to His words through Bible reading (Prov. 8:33, Rom. 10:17). Let’s not do all the talking but learn how to listen. I remember my lecturer in Bible College who tells us to learn to listen more specially when praying.
D. To walk with God is to fear Him and to obey (Deut. 13:4) His commandments. God’s word is our rule in everything. Fear here means reverential trust with hatred of evil. For young people, and teen agers, obey your parents (Eph. 6:1, Col. 3:20)
E. To walk with God is to live a Godly and Holy life in the midst of the corrupt people around us even if it means standing alone. I would include here having fellowship with people whom you share the same belief and conviction, like those in the church.
F. To walk with God is to have faith in Him and to His promises trusting Him at all times. Christian walk is by faith only 2 Cor. 5:7.
G. To walk with God is to serve Him continuously and do this that will please Him. It is said that Enoch walked with God for 300 years.
H. To walk with God is to do things that will please Him. In Heb. 11:5 we are told that Enoch has a testimony that pleased God. Is God pleased the way we are living now. I know some brothers and sisters who would rather die that disobey the Lord and commit sin.
IV. His Prophecy:
A. It is remarkable that at least five thousand years ago, he was prophesying of the second coming of Christ and great judgment against sinners.
B. That means he prophesied the second coming of Christ in judgment before the flood. (1 Thess. 3:13)
C. The judgment of course is eternal hell.
V. Conclusion:
During the time of wickedness, a man of God stand firm and walked with God. He was just an ordinary guy like you and me. Because of his righteous living, God took him without experiencing physical death. Would you walk with God just like Enoch? Christ is inviting you to come to Him and walk with Him. Would you respond to His call
