Bible Characters – Part 3

Series – May 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Bible Characters
Gleanings From The Old Testament,Part 3

Enoch, the Man Who Pleased God
And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. —Genesis 5:24 NKJV

Enoch As A Prophet
Enoch’s name means “initiated” or “taught one,” and therefore his name can also be defined as “teacher.” Through walking with God he obtained an insight into God’s thoughts and plans, and this enabled him to teach others and to act as a prophet of God in an evil world. The epistle of Jude tells us that Enoch prophesied about the coming of the Lord to judge all the ungodly (Jude 14-15).

Yes, God reveals His plans. We read in the book of Amos: “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). It is in God’s heart to share His thoughts with His own, as we also see in the life of Abraham: “And the LORD said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?’” (Gen. 18:17).

To be taught of God requires true knowledge of Him and a walk that is pleasing to Him. How can a sinful man, who is estranged from God, be brought into a position where he is, so to speak, close to His heart and is taught about His intimate secrets? Closeness and harmony with God can only be realized by the new birth and the indwelling of the Spirit of God. When we are born of God we know that God hides nothing from His dear children. We read in 1 Corinthians 2 that it is by God’s indwelling Spirit and the inspired Word that we know God’s intimate thoughts, His plans of love. Just as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (v.9).

This is our present privilege as children of God while we live in a world that is without God and without hope. Do we know this fellowship, this sweet communion with Him? Do we grow in the knowledge of Him and of His plans and counsels? Let us examine ourselves whether we truly walk with God.

Walking With God Before And After The Fall
Walking with God was Adam’s privilege in the garden of Eden, but it was forfeited by his – by man’s – fall. God walked in the garden in the cool of the day, but after their sin, Adam and Eve hid from the presence of the Lord God. When we read about Enoch, we see he was taken up from the earth, and later Noah was brought safely through the waters of the flood to reach a new world; both men enjoyed God’s presence (Gen. 5:22-24, 6:9). Even after the fall it has remained true that “the secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him” (Ps. 25:14).

Enoch’s being taken from the earth after many years of walking with God is typical of the rapture of the Church, while Noah is a type of the believing remnant of Israel that will have to pass through the great tribulation, pictured by the waters of the flood.

The turning point in Enoch’s life seems to have been the birth of his son: “After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years” (Gen. 5:22). Perhaps he was impressed with God’s majesty as the mighty Creator. The goodness and blessing of God which he experienced in his own family led him to repentance and a real walk with Him. Then he persevered in walking with God during 300 years – an enormous span of time. Perhaps I may venture to say that there was not a day in all those many years when Enoch left God’s side or refused to walk with Him.

As we grow older, having walked a good many years with the Lord, some turn away from Him and follow their own ways. We find this, for example, in the life of Solomon, who served strange gods when he grew old. By contrast, Enoch clung to the LORD until He took him from the earth. He clung to the LORD like Elisha clung to Elijah, and Ruth clung to Naomi. His long life here ended in a glorious way, in that he was suddenly taken up. We as Christians have the same bright future.

Three Aspects Of A Walk With God
Let us now consider three aspects of Enoch’s life, each of which present important consequences of a walk with God:

1. As to ourselves we learn from Enoch that we can walk in happy fellowship with God, in sweet communion with His Son. We as Christians acquire knowledge of God by His own revelation: the Spirit-breathed Word. Through it we learn to know Him as our God and Father, who has been revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord. By the Word of God we also acquire knowledge about ourselves, both of our natural condition and of our standing in Christ. As believers we are complete in Christ, in the Beloved.

We also learn God’s thoughts about the world in its present condition under the rule of the prince of this world as well as in its future condition under the rule of Christ. We are taught about our future portion with Christ, His coming for His own, the rapture of the saints and their introduction into the glory of the Father’s house. Additionally, we learn about our role in the millennium, when we will rule with Christ over the earth after His appearing in glory and power. To walk with God is a prerequisite, or absolute necessity, for all of these things. Only in this condition can we have an understanding of these matters.

In this way we will be blessed in His presence while waiting for Christ’s return from heaven to take us up and receive us into glory (1 Th. 1:9-10, 4:15-18). Yes, we have this blessed hope that we will not see death but will be taken up – will be translated from this earth, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, to meet the Lord in the air (consider 1 Cor. 15:22).

The end of Enoch’s life on earth, as recorded in Genesis 5, stands in contrast with all the others, of whom it is repeated over and over again, “And he died.” In the same way we who are believers will be the great exception in this world, which is still subject to death and corruption. “We who are alive and remain” until the coming of the Lord shall not see death, but we shall be caught up “to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Th. 4:17).

In the meantime, He will bless us in His presence. While we walk with Him through the barren wilderness, we stand as priests in His presence in the sanctuary (Dt. 10:8) and even recline like John on Jesus’ breast in the upper room (Jn. 13:23).

2. As to God, our walk will please Him, for a walk with Him will be according to His revealed will and His thoughts. In this, God will find His good pleasure in His sons in a practical way (see Eph. 1:5). Christ Himself is our perfect Model, for God was “well pleased” in Him (Mt. 3:17). In the Septuagint, quoted in Hebrews 11:5, the words that Enoch walked with God are rendered “he pleased God.” This was his testimony.

Enoch’s life contrasted sharply with that of the people in the line of Cain, who went out from the presence of the LORD and refused to walk with God (see Gen. 4:16).* A very important feature of a walk with God is that it is a life of faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6). “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Then as Christians we should continue to live and “walk by faith, not by sight” for “the just shall live by faith” (2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 10:38).

3. As to the world, we will be faithful witnesses. In the same way as Enoch, we will testify of things to come, to the judgment that is to fall on this world and on the religious world – nominal Christendom (Jude 14-15). We will warn the world through preaching the gospel. “Knowing … the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11).

We who live in the end time will prophesy, just as Enoch did long ago in the seventh generation from Adam: “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all” (Jude 14-15). He is ready to come and to execute judgment on the unbelieving and rebellious world and on apostate Christendom. Then He will introduce true righteousness, peace and happiness on earth.

Let us therefore walk with God while waiting for His Son from heaven and witnessing for His name in this evil world!

ENDNOTE
* The Enoch who descended from Cain (Gen. 4:17) is different from the one we are discussing. The Enoch on which this article focuses was a descendent of Cain’s brother Seth (5:3).

By Hugo Bouter (adapted)

Look for Part 4 of this Series next month.

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?—Micah 6:8