May 3: THE PROPHET ENOCH

Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. Genesis 5:21

Methuselah! This baby’s name means “When he dies, it will come.” What is “it”? We will get to that…

Something about this baby’s birth turned Enoch’s focus fully toward God. Can you relate? There is nothing to compare with the joyous blessing of a baby’s birth! Enoch’s relationship with God blossomed at this time—and never wavered. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters (v.22).

In many cultures, babies were named after they were born. The name that Enoch gave to his firstborn was in itself a prophecy. When he dies, it will come. This was a prophecy of the great, worldwide flood which God would send because the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5).

At the end of the Bible, as we, the last generation(s) prepare for the second coming of Christ, Jude reminds us that Enoch was a prophet. Indeed, he prophesied about the Lord’s second coming: Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgement on all…” (Jude 14-15a) It is incredible to think that the world’s first prophet spoke of both of the world’s worldwide judgements.

So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (vv.23-24). This is not to say that Enoch got lost or went missing! He was simply not to be found on the earth any more, because his walk with God had thoroughly transformed his character. God took him directly to Heaven.

When Adam and Eve were sinless, they lived in Paradise on earth and walked with God daily. They had an undying nature with full access to the tree of life (Genesis 2:9). It was the Creator’s intent for them to live forever. But after sinning, their undying nature became a dying nature. Enoch’s walk with God wrought a reversal of what happened to our first parents when they shifted their trust away from God. It proved that it is possible to live in a fallen world without succumbing to its satanic influences. There will be faithful ones who are alive and remain (1 Thessalonians 4:17) at the return of the Lord Jesus. Each of us should endeavor to be among them!

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. Hebrews 11:5

Note: When God gave Adam the warning about the one forbidden tree, He said, “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (2:17). The last four words, more literally translated, are “dying, you shall die.”