“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 11:6
Speaking at funerals is a duty that most pastors must face from time to time. While it is a solemn occasion, it is also a time to minister to people who need spiritual help. As a bi-vocational pastor, there are times I must miss a day of work to conduct a funeral. I try to be accommodating to families during their time of grief.
Once I had to miss a funeral I was called to speak at. One day, I got home from work and learned that a man in the neighborhood was in the hospital, dying. The family wanted someone to come and visit. So, I traveled to the hospital to visit with the family. When I arrived, I learned that the family had a stomach bug. The dying man was not conscious, so I simply visited, had prayer with the family and came home. For the next several days, I was sick with the same stomach bug the family had. It forced me to miss the funeral.
There was a man in the Bible who never had a funeral or burial. His name was Enoch. Enoch was one of only two men in the Bible who never died. God simply took Enoch away. In Biblical times, there was typically a time of mourning for the deceased. Perhaps after his disappearance, some mourned Enoch's departure. We find no record of this. If they had some kind of memorial service for him, his body certainly wasn't present. He vanished. He was gone. He missed his own funeral, because a funeral was never needed.
These days, funeral homes advertise burial plans. Making your funeral arrangements in advance saves time and trouble for the surviving family members. If Enoch had a burial plot chosen, it was never needed. If he planned a funeral, it never was conducted. God simply took him home.
Why was Enoch taken away like that? What made this man so special? In the book of Genesis, the Bible states, “Enoch walked with God.” This gives us a clue about the man. He had a close relationship with the Lord.
The writer of the book of Hebrews tells it this way, “for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Enoch had an intimate walk with the Lord. His life pleased the Lord. Enoch's relationship with God was obvious before others. Notice the book of Hebrews says, “for before his translation he had this testimony...” Enoch had a vital and visible testimony. While he didn't leave his body behind, he did leave a testimony.
What will you leave behind when it is your time to go? Will you leave a powerful testimony like Enoch did?
Enoch walked God. He pleased God. The Bible tells us how Enoch pleased God: “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death...” Enoch was a man of faith. He believed God. He trusted the Lord. Enoch lived by faith.
Do you have an active faith in the living Lord? Do you live by faith or by your feelings? We need to take God at His Word. We should trust Him to keep His promises. We should rely on Him during tough times. We need to depend on Him to meet every need. It is tempting to walk by sight, but God calls us to walk by faith.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith. God is pleased when we live by faith. Is your life pleasing to the Lord?
Because Enoch had such a strong faith, God simply took him one day. He vanished, never to be seen on earth again.
Brothers and sisters, there's a time coming when the children of God will be taken without warning. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we'll vanish from this planet. When our Lord returns, “... we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” To the Corinthians, Paul put it this way, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
When Jesus comes, like Enoch, we'll be taken away. You may have a cemetery plot purchased. Perhaps your funeral has been planned and paid for. Yet if Jesus returns before you die, a funeral will not be required. Enoch missed out on a funeral, and so will we.
When our Lord returns, He is not coming for everyone. Only those with a real faith in the living Lord will be taken.
Will you be among that number?
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