Scriptures: Genesis 5:18–24; Hebrews 11:5–6; Jude 1:14–15
INTRODUCTION: In every generation, there are a handful of extraordinary people. You can be one of them by walking in the footsteps of Enoch. Everything we know about Enoch (apart from his name in biblical genealogical listings) is found in these three passages. From them we can learn:
1. The Way He Lived (Gen. 5:18–24). He walked with God.
Genesis 5:18–24 18When Jared was 162 years old, he became the father of Enoch. + 19After the birth of Enoch, Jared lived another 800 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 20Jared lived 962 years, and then he died. 21 When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. + 22After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23Enoch lived 365 years, 24walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.
Hebrews 11: 5 explains what Genesis 5: 24 means: Enoch was taken directly to heaven without seeing death. Enoch, then, lived longer than any of the other patriarchs, for he never died at all.
Hebrews 11:5–6 5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying – “he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. + 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6: 1-2, “1 As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. + 2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.”
2. The Way He Trusted (Heb. 11:5–6). He pleased God by being a man of faith.
Hebrews 11:5–6 5. It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying – “he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. + 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
3. The Way He Preached (Jude 1:14–15). He was among history’s first preachers, and we even have an extract from one of his sermons here in Jude 1. His theme: The Second Coming of Christ!
Jude 1:14–15 14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones + 15to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
4. The Way He Departed (Gen. 5 and Heb. 11). He was not, for God took him.
Hebrews 11:5–6
5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying – “he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. + 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
CONCLUSION: Dare to be an Enoch!!!
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