Gen. 5: 21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat : 22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Heb. 11: 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jude 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from , prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

There are two Enochs in the . The first we meet in Gen. 4:17-18 where he is the son of for whom Cain built a city and named the city. The second is a different man altogether, and he is the subject of our study this evening. Jude tells us he was the seventh from Adam (Jude 14; cf. Gen. 5) - Adam, , , , Mahalaleel, , Enoch.) Very briefly, … there are a collection of various books that the Roman Catholic Church has drawn together, - they are known by different names (pseduepigrapha, deutero-canonical, Apocrypha). These consist of writings that we do not consider inspired and therefore are not present in our Scriptures. They include such books as the Maccabees, Esdras, Tobit, Sirach. They also include I and II Enoch and contain fanciful tales of Enoch entering Heaven. Interestingly enough, II Enoch divides time into seven one-thousand year periods. Last week we looked at , and we saw how he taught the need for approaching the altar of the Lord with the best of sacrifices, - he laid the firstlings of his flock and of the fat on the altar before God. Then there was Seth and his son Enos, and it was during their time that (4:26) began men to call upon the name of the LORD. They brought the people to the place where they would assemble together to bring God worship. This is a beautiful little picture that shows us the heart must first believe in the great sacrifice with Abel, and then the mouth must confess the same with Seth. Rom. 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. D.G. 2

Enoch continued the early development, because we see how, - in his life, - he went beyond the offering-up and confession of the atonement, for he set before the people the great truth of communion with God. He showed the ultimate in man’s relationship with God and God’s relationship with man. If you like, through Abel the sacrifice was the way; through Seth calling upon the name of the LORD was the truth; and in Enoch we see the next step, the life with God, - And Enoch walked with God. … What does it truly mean to “walk with God”?

HE PLEASED GOD ∗ Hebrews 11 helps us understand this phrase, Heb. 11: 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ∗ That was Enoch’s witness, - we don’t really know too much about this man, but we know this, … that he pleased God. ∗ That’s how the writer of Hebrews saw it. He read the Old Testament and he saw that Genesis said Enoch walked with God and he recognised that God was pleased with Enoch, for he knew that the Lord does not walk with a man or a woman in whom He has no pleasure. - The Bible says, Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? ∗ There had been a time in Enoch’s life when he was like the rest of us , - like us, he was born into sin. ∗ Yes, Enoch was a son of Adam and had fallen foul of the sins of Adam, and yet he sought the pardon from sin and was cleansed by the blood of the sacrifice on the altar. ∗ Enoch pleased God and what a testimony to record. ∗ Imagine! He didn’t have a gravestone, but yet his epitaph in the Bible reads, “He walked with God”. ∗ So, as he walked with God, he pleased God, … and what does that mean? ∗ It means …

HE WAS JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD ∗ How was Enoch justified before God? … surely that’s a New Testament word? … and why was he acceptable unto God? ∗ Well, he was acceptable unto God because he was justified, D.G. 3 ∗ And he walked with God because he was justified, ∗ And he had peace with God because he was justified. ∗ The Bible explains to us that he was justified by faith, But without faith it is impossible to please him (Enoch pleased God [v.5]), : for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. ∗ A transformation had happened in Enoch’s life long before he reached the age of 365 (when he left this world). ∗ He came before the altar, … as Abel came before the altar with the very best he could afford, ∗ It wasn’t an empty ceremony that had been handed down to him, - it was a personal meeting with God when the blood of the sacrifice would atone for his sins. ∗ At the altar he was justified before God, - that was how he began his walk with God. ∗ There was a time in his life when he did not walk with God, - when God and him were travelling in two opposite directions. ∗ One day God stopped him where he was, and turned him around, - that was the day when Enoch began to walk with God. ∗ So, you see, when the Bible says Enoch walked with God it means he pleased God and he was justified by God through the sacrifice on the altar. ∗ And what else does it mean … to walk with God?

HE SHOWED BY EXAMPLE ∗ There at the altar he would have raised his voice in praise and worship as he led his family when men [began] to call upon the name of the LORD. ∗ The whole countryside would have heard him standing out in the open air and he would have shouted the victory of sins forgiven as he stood at that altar. ∗ His family all saw and heard him, - v. 22 tells us he had sons and daughters, - and they would all have been standing around him; … and not just the sons and daughters but the grandchildren, and the great grandchildren. ∗ He taught his generations to follow after the things of God. D.G. 4 ∗ His son was Methuselah, - another great man of God who lived for 969 years, - … and think of the influence that man had, having a father like Enoch! ∗ And Enoch’s walk with God was the manner by which he pleased God, for he was justified by God, and he showed by example how to worship God.

So, … he showed by example as he walked with God. … How did he come to this point? …

HE SIMPLY BELIEVED ∗ He would have been comfortable in life, - God would have blessed his faithfulness. ∗ But he didn’t believe because he offered up on the altar an excessive amount of ornate sacrifices, ∗ Neither was it because he was particularly gifted or talented in some extraordinary way, ∗ Nor because there was so much written about him, - like or Moses or , - because there wasn’t! ∗ He pleased God through simple faith, - he demonstrated that the personal relationship with God is through simple faith. ∗ That’s the way it was, and that’s the way it is! Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. ∗ The object of our simple faith is the Lord Jesus Christ. ∗ We no longer come to an altar, as Enoch came to the altar, - Christ died once and for all and His death spelled the death of the Old Testament sacrifice. ∗ Jesus died on the cross for the sins of His people, and it is to the cross we come and seek forgiveness. ∗ At the cross our need is met by the Saviour, - we simply believe and, in accordance with the work of the Holy Spirit, - we begin our walk with God. ∗ Paul told the church in Colosse, 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him ∗ And what happens when you begin the walk with God? …

HE KNEW THE CONTINUAL PRESENCE OF GOD. D.G. 5 ∗ He didn’t merely believe about God, merely as a matter of creed, like in a catechism, ∗ … but the truth had entered into his heart, and what he believed was altogether true to him, - it was relevant to his daily living. ∗ God was a present reality! … and no-one could argue him out of his relationship with God. ∗ Yes, there was a definite day when Enoch began his walk with God and he kept on walking because the inference of the Bible most definitely is that he walked continuously. ∗ Some people claim to accept Christ as Saviour; they walk well for a few months and then they seem to lose their energy and they start to fall off, ∗ Enoch walked with God, … and he walked continuously! … What an example! ∗ And note that as he walked with God, it doesn’t mean that he read about, or speculated about, or argued about the things of God, - but he walked with God. ∗ God wasn’t like a book you take off the shelf, read it, and set it back again, - Enoch knew the continual presence of God. ∗ And as he increased in his knowledge of the continual presence of God …

HE ENJOYED INTIMACY WITH GOD ∗ He progressed with God. He increasingly enjoyed more and more of God. ∗ He never could get enough of God, - he wanted the pleasure and experience that Paul spoke about when he wrote to the Colossians, ∗ Col. 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God ∗ Enoch walked worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God ∗ The altar of worship was a refreshing time, a time that he looked forward to, … and as he walked along Enoch had all the confidence that God knew the way he was travelling. D.G. 6 ∗ I believe in the sovereignty of God, - that nothing happens outside of the will of God, - He even knows about the sparrow falling. ∗ That is why we can have confidence as we walk with God, because He knows the way. ∗ We don’t always understand why He takes us along a particular rough road or through the thorny hedge, … but He knows the way and it is far better being with Him than without Him! ∗ Ps. 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me ∗ And what else does Enoch’s walk with God teach us? …

HE HAD CONFIDENCE IN GOD ∗ He lived in a very evil age, when sin had taken such a grip upon the world. Few people loved God and served Him in the manner He required. ∗ Enoch would have been constantly battling against the iniquity of the age, - his son was Methuselah, whose son was , whose son was in whose day the Bible tells us, Gen. 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ∗ And Jude 14 tells us Enoch wasn’t afraid to speak out, And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied … ∗ He stood firm and would not compromise the truth that had been granted to him. ∗ He had confidence in God as he walked with God in the midst of a people who were hastily travelling away from God. ∗ It wasn’t fashionable to believe in God, and yet Enoch stands out. ∗ It’s not fashionable to believe in God nowadays either, - in fact, it never has been fashionable to believe in God, - but Enoch didn’t care for fashion and unashamedly he had placed all his confidence in God.

∗ So, when the Bible tells us Enoch walked with God it means that … D.G. 7 ∗ He pleased God ∗ He was justified before God ∗ He showed by example ∗ He simply believed ∗ He knew the continual presence of God ∗ He enjoyed intimacy with God ∗ He had confidence in God ∗ … And then the Bible tells us

HE WAS MISSED ∗ Heb. 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, ∗ “Where’s Enoch? He’s no longer at the altar of sacrifice? Where’s Enoch?” … and they couldn’t find him anywhere. He was ‘away’ and nobody knew where. ∗ But the Holy Spirit records in the Word of God, ∗ 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. ∗ There was no Old Testament funeral procession for Enoch because God came and denied death its hold over this man who walked with God. ∗ The people missed him, … but oh, his departure was a testimony. ∗ He entered into the presence of God, and he is standing around the Throne. ∗ Look at all the age he was, - 365 years. ∗ Adam was 930 ∗ Mahalaleel, 895 when he died ∗ Jared, 962 ∗ Seth, 912 ∗ Methuselah, 969 ∗ Enos, 905 ∗ Lamech, 707 ∗ Cainan, 910 ∗ It was as if God couldn’t wait to have him in His presence. ∗ God lifted up, - transported, - Enoch. There is coming a day when a certain generation of God’s people will not face death. ∗ Just like Enoch and Elijah God will lift them up on to Himself, - it is known as the Rapture of the Church. D.G. 8 ∗ On that day there will be a tremendous sound that every ear shall hear, and God with all the power of His eternal Being will bring unto Himself all those who are walking on the path that Enoch walked upon. ∗ He’s not going to be looking on the highways or the byeways; He’s not going to be looking on the broad road. ∗ He is going to lift on to Himself all who are travelling on the narrow road that leads to Heaven and to home. ∗ Enoch walked with God. Enoch’s life was lived for God, and Enoch was God’s. That’s what a Christian is. ∗ God took him, the Bible says. At the end of your life on earth will they be able to say that about you? God took him/her. ∗ I trust that the Lord will bless His Word to each of us this evening.