Walking With God: Life Lessons From Enoch

Can you imagine what it would be like to literally walk in the presence of God? The creator of the universe. That’s more than our human minds can fathom. The Bible offers examples of people who experienced a closer walk and pleased God by spiritually walking in a close relationship with Him leading to physically walking with him.

The Days of Enoch: Lessons from Genealogy

Genesis 5:21-24 (NET)
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God for 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 The entire lifetime of Enoch was 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away.

In Genesis chapter 5, we see the family line from Adam leading to the days of Enoch in the seventh generation after 622 years had passed. In fact, Adam lived another 308 years after the birth of Enoch.

Many times, when we see a genealogy list showing human history in the Bible, we read past it quickly. I find it fascinating to take a closer look to get some perspective on the time when things occurred.

Reading through the list of people in the genealogy from Adam to Enoch, it’s amazing to think that the first man created was still alive when Enoch was born.

Even more amazing, is that after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, where they had once walked in the presence of God in the cool of the day, it was 622 years before someone walked in close fellowship with God again according to the Bible.

Early on we begin seeing the wickedness of man when the Bible records the first murder when Cain kills his brother Abel.

What practical lesson can be learned from the genealogy of Enoch?

 

The past doesn’t have to define your future

Your family genealogy may have a long line of people who didn’t or don’t currently have a relationship with God. Like Enoch, walking with God may not be a part of your history.

Just about all of us have at least a little bit of family history somewhere in the generations before us like Enoch that may look like the ungodly people of his time.

The good news! You can be the Enoch in your family. You don’t have to be swayed by the ways of the world.

You’re one decision away from being the righteous man or woman the God of heaven desires you to be.

I’ve always admired followers of Christ who were not raised in Godly homes yet became believers. From the time I was a child, I was taught about Jesus. That’s all I’ve ever known. Like many people, I spent a period of my young adult life running from a relationship with Jesus while taking part in many ungodly deeds.

During these times I never forgot what I was taught. After several years of running away from God, I repented, and my relationship was restored. Jesus was always waiting for me to turn around and continue walking with Him.

Thankfully, God cares for and loves everyone regardless of your past or the past sins of your family. Your relationship with God is not based on what you’ve done. It’s not based on your works. It’s based on the work of Christ.

Galatians 2:16 (NET)
16 Yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

The Apostle Paul tells us in this passage that we are saved not by the good works that we do, but by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

Regardless of your past, the moment you accept the free gift of salvation paid for by Christ Jesus, your walk with God almighty begins just like Enoch. Thus begins a life of faith leading to eternal life.

Genesis 5:21-24 (NET)
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God for 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters.

A study of different versions of this verse indicates that it was after Enoch became the father of Methuselah at 65 years old that he began walking with God. He didn’t necessarily start strong.

How you start doesn’t have to define how you finish

I’m 5’ 4” tall. I always tell people I grew really fast until the age of five and then I stopped growing. It’s not true but it sounds good. It’s been a long time since then and I still haven’t grown much.

One of my favorite examples of finishing strong is another man who is short in stature like me, Tyrone Curtis “Muggsy” Bogues.

Muggsy’s life started with some difficult times in the projects of Baltimore, Maryland. He was hit by a stray bullet at 5 yrs., witnessed a man get beaten to death with a bat as a child, and experienced his father going to prison at 12 yrs.

Not only was he smaller than many boys, but he also experienced several traumatic events that would sink many people. Thankfully, that’s not the end of the story.

Through hard work and determination, Muggsy became a standout athlete eventually earning a spot in the first round of the 1987 NBA draft. At 5’ 3” he became the shortest ever NBA player completing 14 seasons in a sport dominated by big men.

We don’t know if Enoch’s life started as rough as Muggsy Bogues. The Bible doesn’t go into detail about what the younger days in the first 65 years of his life were like, but it’s very clear in the latter part of his life Enoch was a friend of God.

He finished strong and in so doing experienced something we can only dream about. He cheated death, or more accurately, God cheated death for him.

Genesis 5:24 (NET)
24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away.

I’ve never met anyone that looked forward to dying. We all want the great reward awaiting us in Heaven, but the dying part is not exactly appealing.

Not only did Enoch not have to deal with his own death, but God also took him before any of the children listed in his genealogy died as well.

In fact, Enoch was taken by God before his father, grandfather, and nearly his entire genealogy leading back to Adam. From all accounts, he didn’t have to experience much death in his life like many others we read about in Bible verses.

Anyone can start a race, finishing is what matters

Fast forward to the Lord Jesus Christ coming to earth to save mankind. At the beginning of his ministry, he chose 12 disciples to mentor that had the opportunity to go on and change the world.

Numerous accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth show his disciples physically walking with him. They developed an intimate relationship with Jesus and He even imparted some of himself to them.

Matthew 10:1-4 (NET)
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Judas Iscariot was in this group. In the New Testament, Judas is mentioned as one of the 12 disciples whom Jesus gave authority to work miracles as He had done. Judas walked with the Son of God.

Jesus imparted His own power to these disciples including Judas. Being given that kind of power had to be exciting and overwhelming at the same time.

Imagine preparing for a race and Superman gives you the same power he has. You are starting in a position of strength. Your chance of winning is pretty high.

Then midway through the race, a shiny object catches your eye on the side of the road, you take your eyes off the finish line, and stop to explore the object.

You quickly find the object is kryptonite. Suddenly your strength and power are zapped and you are no longer able to finish the race.

This is essentially where Judas found himself. He started in a position of strength walking with God. He experienced the benefits from walking with Jesus, but the desires of the flesh led him from life to death.

Starting strong is great, but if you don’t finish the race, it’s all for nothing.

What does walking with God mean for you?

 

The Amplified version of Genesis 5:24 says, “And in reverent fear and obedience Enoch walked with God.”

When reading this description, I think back to my father growing up. I loved my dad, and we were buddies. We are very close to this day.

While I loved him, I also had a reverent fear of him. I knew when I stepped out of line, he would punish me for my own good.

He set rules and punished me when I disobeyed them because he loved me and did what was necessary to help me grow.

Over time, I learned to obey my dad’s rules. As I matured, I realized all these rules were for my good. The older I got, the more I obeyed my dad out of love and a desire to please him.

I also discovered the older I got, the smarter my dad got.

Like the reverent fear I had of my earthly father helped me, the fear of God and obedience to the commandments of the Lord are for my good as well.

This is what walking with God means for you. As you grow closer to God your natural desire will be obedience and your walk with God will become more intimate.

The ways of God become a way of life and the word of God affects every aspect of life.

Walk with God now, to walk with Him forever

There is no guarantee if you walk with God like Enoch’s walk that you’ll depart this world without dying or be whisked away to heaven in a chariot of fire like Elijah.

What Jesus does promise us in Revelation 2:11 (NET) in a message to the church in Smyrna is, “the one who conquers will in no way be harmed by the second death.”

In Revelation 3:5 (NET) he tells the church in Sardis, “the one who conquers….I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will declare his name before my Father and before his angels.”

This picture of resurrection life from the word of the Lord is promised to every faithful servant. God’s people who walk the faithful walk now will experience his steadfast love now and forever.