“AND ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD” 

ENOCH is not mentioned very often in the Bible, but when we take the time to look at what it says about him, we are soon given a picture of the type of man he was. Enoch was much more than the father of the oldest man who ever lived (Methuselah – 969 years – Genesis 5:18-27). Twice in this portion of Scripture we are told, “Enoch walked with God” (v.22 & 24). He walked with God 300 years! It wasn’t a short walk, but a long-term commitment. What does it mean to walk with God? In Hebrews 11:5 it says of Enoch, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

In Jude 14-15 we read, “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” The word “prophesied” here is “propheteuo” in the Greek meaning: “exercise the prophetic office” (Strong’s); “To hold the office of a prophet; to do the work of a prophet, i.e. to speak forth, in declaration, warning or exhortation, as directed by the Spirit of God” (Bullinger’s). Enoch was the very first human being to function in the prophetic ministry! His prophetic ministry enabled him to see the heart of humanity throughout the ages, in both Old and New Testament times, of the degenerate state that takes over when we do not have a personal walk with God (see Jude 5-16).

Enoch’s walking with God included these things:

Enoch’s walk with God was based upon Holy Spirit principles: listening, faith, prophesying and obedience. These things are what make up a walk with God, a personal walk with God. It is one where we relate to God (through Jesus Christ) in the NOW! There can be no walk with God if the above things are not involved. The name “Enoch” means “dedicated” or “tuition, teacher” and his life certainly demonstrated these meanings. Enoch so pleased God – and walked with such dedication to God - that one day he simply “disappeared without trace.” He was no longer to be found. God took him off to glory to be with Himself – his body was never found. Enoch demonstrated it was possible to live a God-pleasing life of obedience to the Holy Spirit, even though he lived way back there near the beginning of time (he was the seventh generation from Adam).

Is our walk with God today one of complete desire to want to please Him? Are we totally dedicated to Him? Are we totally committed to hearing His voice so that we know for sure what He really desires of – and from – us? Is our faith response to Him a pleasing one? (Surely we should know these things?). Are we pursuing, developing and maturing the prophetic mantle that such a walk with God produces, so that we are able to be “God’s mouthpiece” to this generation in which we live. (Because if we are not, then how is our generation ever going to know how to please God?) Someone – ordinary Christians like you and me – must set the example, show the way, demonstrate what Bible faith is all about. It is all about pleasing God; not pleasing our selves, a religious system, or a host of “churchy programmes and traditions.”

These are days when we need to be simplifying our life-styles, our belief systems and being so in love with Jesus that we only live to please Him. That’s what Enoch did. Enoch was a family man (besides Methuselah he had other sons and daughters), so he obviously was not some recluse living in the hills where nobody knew he existed or took up any of his time. Walking with God is an attitude of a heart of love to God that demonstrates itself in the doing of that which God wants more than anything else. Can it be said of you and me today, “And ___________________ (put your name in this space) walked with God”?   - Rodney W. Francis.

Bible  Readings:  Genesis 17:1-9; 2 Kings 18:1-7; 2 Kings 20:3; 1 Peter 1:3-16; 2 Peter 1:2-11. 

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