The Man Who Walked With God

 “Enoch walked with God.” - Genesis 5:22, 24

“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.” - Hebrews 11:5

If you were to ask the average Christian to name a great man from the Bible, few, if any, would respond with the name of Enoch. Yet God saw him as a great man. In fact, God had the legacy of Enoch memorialized in the hall of fame of Faith, Hebrews 11.

In just a few verses, we learn that Enoch was a man that was different from others of his generation. He was singled out in the books of Genesis and Hebrews as a man who had a special relationship with the Lord. What made this man so special? Let me share three things the Bible teaches about Enoch.

1.  HIS TRUST

First of all, we learn that Enoch trusted God. He was a man of God. Hebrews 11:5 states, “By faith, Enoch was translated ...” Enoch lived by faith. He trusted God. Although he did not possess either the Old or New Testaments, he trusted the Lord. What is keeping us from trusting God?

It is easy for us to idolize others, especially those in the Bible. Yet we must keep in mind that Enoch was just a man. What made him unique was his faith in God. As a man, Enoch was not outstanding, but his God was outstanding. The greatness of Enoch was really found in the greatness of his God. Enoch was a man of faith.

2.  HIS TESTIMONY

Secondly, we see his testimony. The book of Genesis testifies, “Enoch walked with God.” The writer of Hebrews put it this way, “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.” What a great testimony to have! He walked with God. He pleased God.

What kind of testimony will you leave behind? I find Enoch to be a great example for us. Although he was a family-man, Enoch was known best for his walk with God. Shouldn't that be the same for us?

3.  HIS TRANSLATION

It would be great to have the epitaph written on a tombstone: “He walked with God,” or “He pleased God.” That was not the case for Enoch because he didn't have a tombstone. He never died! The book of Genesis simply says, “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." (Genesis 5:24). Hebrews 11:5 states that Enoch was, “... translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him.” In a moment, God took Enoch away. This is similar to the upcoming rapture. God will take His children away in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Enoch was a unique man who lived a unique life and left this world in a unique way. God translated him.

Could this be the generation that experiences a similar translation? Could it be that Jesus will return in our lifetime? I don't know the answer to this, but I do believe that we are being called to walk with God, just as Enoch did. Such a walk will impact those around us and those who follow us. Enoch left a great legacy that we still read about today. Apart from Jude's reference to Enoch being a prophet, we know little about Enoch's activities. Instead, the Bible seems to concentrate on his godly life.

Although there is a need for Christian activity, there is a greater need for Christian character. This is formed in the prayer closet rather than the mission field. We need more men and women who walk with God. Certainly this will impact our homes, jobs and communities, but this impact is just fruit of a life devoted to God.

It is possible for us to walk with God ourselves. It begins with a salvation experience and matures with ongoing communion with the Lord.

The greatest goal of my life is to have an intimate walk with God. When my life is over, others may praise God for the good deeds He accomplished through my life, but most of all, I want people to honestly say of me, “He walked with God.”