Enoch Walked with God

There is little about Enoch in the Bible.

He was the great, great, great grandson of Adam and the great grandfather of Noah. He lived 365 years, a relatively short time in those days. He is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Luke 3:37, and most remarkably, he did not experience death. There was only one other who escaped death, Elijah. No reason is given for Enoch being taken and avoiding death, but we do know that the days in which he was living were going from bad to worse which eventually led to judgment and destruction. Perhaps it was God’s grace.

Genesis 5:18-24 (ESV) reads, “When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch.  Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.  When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”

Note that “Enoch walked with God” (v. 24) The term “walked with” expresses the idea of moment-by-moment fellowship with God. This is why God created us—to have an intimate relationship with His creation. He offered his Son to guide and help us. 

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6) 

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30) 

Good things happen when you walk with God:

1. Noah walked with God and escaped judgment. 

2. Abraham walked with God and received a blessing.

3. Enoch walked with God and avoided the death process.

Faith

Hebrews 11:5-6 tells us that Enoch “was commended as having pleased God.”

Hebrews 11:5 says, “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please [H]im, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that [H]e exists and that [H]e rewards those who seek [H]im.”

Before Enoch received his reward in eternity, he had pleased God. Other translations use the word ‘testimony’ or ‘witness’ instead of ‘commended.’ So we can safely say that God was pleased by his testimony or witness.  This led to being found approved by God.

Here is the biblical definition of faith:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Acknowledging God's existence is foundational. This belief is not merely intellectual but involves trust and reliance on His character and promises.

Let’s look at an example. Take a chair. You know what a chair is; you know the purpose of the chair. But you need to have faith that it will not break and it will support your weight when you sit on it. If you look at it all the way down to its atoms, you’d see that those atoms are not solid, but comprised of protons, neutrons and electrons in motion. Yet we all have faith that a chair we are prepared to sit on will not break. 

Faith is not just knowing who God is, but believing that He is, and is your rewarder.

The demons know who God is and what He will do, but do they put their trust in Him?

More is needed than just knowing about God, but knowing Him personally and intimately. Having an intimate relaionship with Him.

Faith is important; how do we attain it?

Faith is not optional for believers; it is essential for pleasing God. Without it, our relationship with Him cannot flourish.

True faith is demonstrated through a diligent pursuit of God. This involves prayer, study of Scripture, and a lifestyle that reflects a desire to know Him more deeply.

Faith must be active, leading to obedience and transformation. It is not static but grows as we engage with God and His Word.

Ultimately, faith is a gift from God to the believer.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are [H]is workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

The last thing we know of Enoch is that he witnessed for God.

Jude 14–15 tells us, “It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of [H]is holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’” 

Not only did Enoch seek God, but he also sought salvation for those around him. So our faith should move us to witness to all who need salvation.

How can we emulate Enoch?

John MacArthur, in his book 40 Lives in 40 Days, summarizes this beautifully: 

“The Genesis account of Enoch’s life draws the final curtain by stating simply, ‘He was not, for God took him.”  Enoch vanished from this earth without a trace. He took a walk with God and never came back. Of course, Enoch’s walk with God did not end when he stepped into heaven.  Rather, it was perfected. Though we may not escape death in this life, we possess the same hope Enoch had. As those who have put our faith in Jesus Christ, walking with Him in full forgiveness and intimate fellowship, we can rest assured that we have escaped eternal death and will live instead in perfect eternal life.”

All Scripture from the English Standard Version (ESV)

Sourced from:

The Thompson Chain Reference Bible, Revised and Updated, Zondervan, 1997, 2023, Grand Rapids, MI

MacArthur, John, 40 Lives in 40 Days, Chapter 25, “Enoch,” Kindle Version.

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