1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:08,180 Please open your Bible at Hebrews and chapter 11 as we continue our series entitled, Living 2 00:00:08,180 –> 00:00:10,580 by Faith. 3 00:00:10,580 –> 00:00:15,540 Hebrews 11 as we’ve seen and as we’ve just heard, begins by telling us what faith is. 4 00:00:15,540 –> 00:00:19,100 It is the assurance of things hoped for. 5 00:00:19,100 –> 00:00:23,340 The conviction of things not seen. 6 00:00:23,340 –> 00:00:27,780 And the hoped-for things that we are sure of are the things that God has promised. 7 00:00:27,780 –> 00:00:34,099 The unseen things that we are convinced of are the things that God has revealed. 8 00:00:34,099 –> 00:00:41,099 So we have seen that faith believes what God has revealed and trusts what God has promised. 9 00:00:41,099 –> 00:00:45,340 Now, what does it mean for us then, to live by faith? 10 00:00:45,340 –> 00:00:54,060 Well, in this chapter God teaches us by pointing us to real life examples of faith in action. 11 00:00:54,119 –> 00:01:01,400 And each of them in this chapter really highlights a different aspect of faith. 12 00:01:01,400 –> 00:01:07,519 Last week we looked at the story of Abel that highlights the great truth that faith listens 13 00:01:07,519 –> 00:01:08,519 to God. 14 00:01:08,519 –> 00:01:15,199 He was commended as righteous because of the sacrifice that God accepted. 15 00:01:15,199 –> 00:01:17,839 He offered a first born lamb from the flock. 16 00:01:17,839 –> 00:01:21,099 A life was laid down in his place. 17 00:01:21,239 –> 00:01:26,080 And Abel’s sacrifice, of course, points us forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes 18 00:01:26,080 –> 00:01:29,279 away the sin of the world. 19 00:01:29,279 –> 00:01:35,480 Offering a lamb was a sign that Abel trusted the promise of God, and that promise, of course, 20 00:01:35,480 –> 00:01:40,279 was fulfilled when Jesus laid down his life for us on the cross. 21 00:01:40,279 –> 00:01:47,160 God gave his one and only son as the sacrifice for our sins. 22 00:01:47,180 –> 00:01:52,900 And we saw that Abel knew that a life needed to be laid down because God had revealed that 23 00:01:52,900 –> 00:01:59,500 way back in the garden when he made garments of skins to clothe Adam and Eve. 24 00:01:59,500 –> 00:02:07,739 God revealed the acceptable sacrifice, and faith listens to what God has revealed. 25 00:02:07,739 –> 00:02:16,039 Now, Hebrews 11 really paints a picture of what this life of faith looks like, and each 26 00:02:16,119 –> 00:02:23,160 of the characters, as it were, adds more colour, fills out the picture of a life of faith. 27 00:02:23,160 –> 00:02:28,699 And today we come to the story of Enoch, where we learn that faith walks with God. 28 00:02:28,699 –> 00:02:36,759 Hebrews 11.5, By faith Enoch was taken up, so that he should not see death and he was 29 00:02:36,759 –> 00:02:41,279 not found, because God had taken him. 30 00:02:42,039 –> 00:02:48,059 Now the story of Enoch is found all the way back in Genesis and chapter five, and you 31 00:02:48,059 –> 00:02:54,300 might like to turn back to that first book of the Bible with me now. 32 00:02:54,300 –> 00:03:02,119 God records there you will see the generations, ten generations from Adam to Noah, ten are 33 00:03:02,119 –> 00:03:08,100 recorded and we will look God willing at the story of Noah next week. 34 00:03:08,100 –> 00:03:16,559 Here we read about Adam and Seth and Enos and Kenan and Mahalallel and Jared and Enoch 35 00:03:16,559 –> 00:03:20,360 and Mithuselah and Lamech and Noah. 36 00:03:20,360 –> 00:03:27,300 Two questions, first, why are these names recorded? 37 00:03:27,300 –> 00:03:36,779 Well, if you were to look at the end of Luke chapter three, you will see that precisely 38 00:03:36,820 –> 00:03:44,020 the same list of names is recorded and that these are the line of descent into which the 39 00:03:44,020 –> 00:03:47,940 Lord Jesus Christ was born. 40 00:03:47,940 –> 00:03:55,059 In other words, and this is very important, what matters about each of these men is their 41 00:03:55,059 –> 00:03:58,419 relationship with Jesus. 42 00:03:58,419 –> 00:04:02,960 I mean what do we know about Jared, what do we know about Enoch? 43 00:04:03,559 –> 00:04:08,479 I mean these were unremarkable lives. 44 00:04:08,479 –> 00:04:18,260 No great triumphs, no great disasters, just ordinary folks of whom the thing that is of 45 00:04:18,260 –> 00:04:24,660 eternal significance is their relationship to Jesus Christ. 46 00:04:24,660 –> 00:04:28,679 That’s the only thing that ultimately mattered about them, it’s the thing that will ultimately 47 00:04:28,980 –> 00:04:33,339 about each and every one of us. 48 00:04:33,339 –> 00:04:38,200 What will matter about you forever is not how many people know your name, not how many 49 00:04:38,200 –> 00:04:45,700 people will follow you on social media, not a list of great things that you may have accomplished. 50 00:04:45,700 –> 00:04:51,399 It is the relationship that you have with Jesus Christ. 51 00:04:51,399 –> 00:04:55,779 Second question, why did they live so long, is a very obvious question when you read from 52 00:04:56,660 –> 00:05:01,899 Genesis and chapter 5, look there the life spans of these generations are roughly 10 53 00:05:01,899 –> 00:05:06,859 times as long as a typical life span today. 54 00:05:06,859 –> 00:05:11,540 Look Adam lived, verse 5, 930 years. 55 00:05:11,540 –> 00:05:13,640 Seth lived 912 years. 56 00:05:13,640 –> 00:05:14,660 Verse 8. 57 00:05:14,660 –> 00:05:18,000 Enosh, verse 11, lived 905 years. 58 00:05:18,000 –> 00:05:25,179 10 times as long as we might expect a life span to be today. 59 00:05:25,179 –> 00:05:33,380 It does seem that this was God’s provision for multiplying the human population in these 60 00:05:33,380 –> 00:05:35,880 earliest generations. 61 00:05:35,880 –> 00:05:40,820 After the time of Noah and the flood what you find is that human life spans come down 62 00:05:40,820 –> 00:05:41,820 very fast. 63 00:05:41,820 –> 00:05:50,140 It’s very different and they come down rapidly to what we are used to today. 64 00:05:50,140 –> 00:05:58,220 Now these first generations then lived for very long, ten times the life span that we 65 00:05:58,220 –> 00:06:01,140 have today before the flood. 66 00:06:01,140 –> 00:06:04,739 But they have one thing in common, and it is very obvious – it runs right throughout 67 00:06:04,739 –> 00:06:06,700 Genesis in Chapter 5. 68 00:06:06,700 –> 00:06:08,059 Look at verse 5. 69 00:06:08,059 –> 00:06:16,239 All the days that Adam lived were 930 years and he died. 70 00:06:16,640 –> 00:06:17,440 Verse 8. 71 00:06:17,440 –> 00:06:23,940 All the days of Seth were 912 years and he died. 72 00:06:23,940 –> 00:06:24,940 Verse 11. 73 00:06:24,940 –> 00:06:31,100 All the days of Enosh were 905 years and he died. 74 00:06:31,100 –> 00:06:39,959 You read this chapter, and the phrase, and he died is like a grim drumbeat that relentlessly 75 00:06:39,959 –> 00:06:42,000 continues throughout the entire chapter. 76 00:06:42,299 –> 00:06:47,619 It’s rather like when you’re on a train and it gets up to speed and you have 77 00:06:47,619 –> 00:06:51,220 that repeating sound of the wheels clicking on the rails. 78 00:06:51,220 –> 00:06:52,899 You know, and then he died. 79 00:06:52,899 –> 00:06:53,899 And then he died. 80 00:06:53,899 –> 00:06:54,980 And then he died. 81 00:06:54,980 –> 00:06:56,040 And then he died. 82 00:06:56,040 –> 00:06:57,220 And then he died. 83 00:06:57,220 –> 00:07:05,299 It’s right across the human race, with one exception in this chapter you come to verse 84 00:07:05,299 –> 00:07:11,260 24 and in the middle of this relentless rain of death. 85 00:07:11,260 –> 00:07:20,440 We read these words, Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him. 86 00:07:20,440 –> 00:07:27,100 Now, by any standards, this is a wonderful and a remarkable story. 87 00:07:27,100 –> 00:07:36,739 Suddenly, there is a break in the dark cloud, light shines into the darkness and we have 88 00:07:36,739 –> 00:07:43,019 reason to hope that the reign of death may not be forever. 89 00:07:43,019 –> 00:07:48,220 The story, of course, points us to the marvellous hope that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ 90 00:07:48,220 –> 00:07:55,820 who broke through the power of death and ascended into Heaven. 91 00:07:55,820 –> 00:07:57,859 Now this is the story that’s before us today. 92 00:07:57,859 –> 00:08:00,559 I want to make a number of observations from it. 93 00:08:00,559 –> 00:08:05,019 The first and most important is that Enoch walked with God. 94 00:08:05,140 –> 00:08:07,619 Do you see that that is stated twice? 95 00:08:07,619 –> 00:08:15,140 In the short verses, first verse twenty-two, Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah. 96 00:08:15,140 –> 00:08:22,299 And then verse twenty-four, Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. 97 00:08:22,299 –> 00:08:28,799 Here’s the great thing for which this man was remembered, he walked with God. 98 00:08:28,799 –> 00:08:31,000 Now what does it mean to walk with God? 99 00:08:31,859 –> 00:08:41,400 Well to walk with God is very simply to live in a constant, conscious, enjoyment of the presence of God 100 00:08:41,719 –> 00:08:45,179 Let me suggest just five things that it involves. 101 00:08:45,179 –> 00:08:48,419 First, it involves peace. 102 00:08:48,419 –> 00:08:54,520 God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, you remember, but when they sinned, they hid 103 00:08:54,520 –> 00:08:55,520 from Him. 104 00:08:55,520 –> 00:08:59,619 Now, you can’t walk with someone when you’re hiding from them. 105 00:08:59,619 –> 00:09:03,820 To walk with God means that you are at peace with Him. 106 00:09:03,820 –> 00:09:11,919 It means that any known sin in your life has been confessed and it has been forgiven. 107 00:09:11,919 –> 00:09:20,059 And you are at peace in the presence of God because you have nothing to hide from Him. 108 00:09:20,059 –> 00:09:24,159 Second, to walk with God involves purpose. 109 00:09:24,159 –> 00:09:28,280 Walking always involves movement in a particular direction. 110 00:09:28,380 –> 00:09:32,979 If two people come to a crossroads one wants to go one way, the other goes the other way, 111 00:09:32,979 –> 00:09:35,900 well then by definition they cannot walk together. 112 00:09:35,900 –> 00:09:38,580 Amos says, can two walk together? 113 00:09:38,580 –> 00:09:42,119 How can two walk together unless they are agreed? 114 00:09:42,119 –> 00:09:48,380 So to walk with God then is to go in the direction that he is going. 115 00:09:48,380 –> 00:09:53,820 So for example, God is the great peacemaker, and when we seek to make peace we are walking 116 00:09:53,820 –> 00:09:55,280 with Him. 117 00:09:55,280 –> 00:09:57,619 God is merciful, and God is just. 118 00:09:57,619 –> 00:10:03,940 So when we do justly and when we love mercy that’s when we are walking humbly with our 119 00:10:03,940 –> 00:10:06,359 God. 120 00:10:06,359 –> 00:10:09,940 Then walking very obviously involves progress. 121 00:10:09,940 –> 00:10:14,539 Walking isn’t sitting, and walking isn’t sprinting. 122 00:10:14,539 –> 00:10:15,539 What is walking? 123 00:10:15,539 –> 00:10:23,219 It is a slow, steady movement forward, and to walk with God therefore, does not mean 124 00:10:23,219 –> 00:10:24,299 that you are perfect. 125 00:10:24,619 –> 00:10:28,739 It doesn’t mean that Enoch was, but if you are walking, you are making progress. 126 00:10:28,739 –> 00:10:31,780 That’s why Paul says, I press on. 127 00:10:31,780 –> 00:10:34,419 I am straining towards the mark. 128 00:10:34,419 –> 00:10:40,900 I am not there yet, but I am seeking to move in the direction that God is calling me. 129 00:10:40,900 –> 00:10:44,580 Walking isn’t always easy, if the wind is against you, you may need to lean into the 130 00:10:44,580 –> 00:10:45,619 wind. 131 00:10:45,619 –> 00:10:49,700 You may feel that you are making progress, very slowly indeed, but at least when you 132 00:10:49,700 –> 00:10:53,580 are walking you are moving foreward. 133 00:10:53,580 –> 00:10:57,380 Fourth, it involves the greatest privilege. 134 00:10:57,380 –> 00:11:06,580 Think about this, walking with God. 135 00:11:06,580 –> 00:11:10,320 What could be a greater privilege than that? 136 00:11:10,320 –> 00:11:16,460 What could compare with the creator of heaven and earth, the sovereign Lord of the universe, 137 00:11:16,460 –> 00:11:22,859 who is your heavenly Father, so intensely interested in your life? 138 00:11:23,640 –> 00:11:32,780 So intimately involved in all that concerns you that he would choose to walk with you. 139 00:11:32,780 –> 00:11:36,239 And then think of the pleasure involved. 140 00:11:36,239 –> 00:11:40,619 If you want to get to some place fast, go in a car. 141 00:11:40,619 –> 00:11:47,500 But if you want to enjoy a place, get out of the car and go for a walk. 142 00:11:47,799 –> 00:11:53,580 When you get out of the car and go for a walk, you will see things that you would not see 143 00:11:53,580 –> 00:11:55,219 as you’re just driving by. 144 00:11:55,219 –> 00:11:59,859 You will smell things, you will hear things, you will touch things. 145 00:11:59,859 –> 00:12:02,900 Walking with God is the greatest pleasure. 146 00:12:02,900 –> 00:12:06,719 David says this to the Lord, 147 00:12:06,780 –> 00:12:14,979 at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 148 00:12:14,979 –> 00:12:20,380 Now that means more than that heaven is a place of great happiness. 149 00:12:20,380 –> 00:12:26,419 What He says is, pleasures are found at your right hand. 150 00:12:26,419 –> 00:12:36,539 And those who walk with God, taste these pleasures on earth before they ever arrive in heaven. 151 00:12:36,539 –> 00:12:45,219 So there is this conscious, constant enjoyment of the presence of God. 152 00:12:45,219 –> 00:12:48,260 That’s what walking with God is. 153 00:12:48,260 –> 00:12:53,900 It is a taste on earth of the joys of heaven. 154 00:12:53,900 –> 00:13:01,020 It involves peace and progress and purpose and privilege and pleasure. 155 00:13:01,020 –> 00:13:05,460 Enoch walked with God. 156 00:13:05,460 –> 00:13:10,500 Second observation, Enoch walked with God in the light of the coming judgment. 157 00:13:10,500 –> 00:13:16,200 Enoch walked with God in the light of the coming judgment. 158 00:13:16,200 –> 00:13:23,020 Now the early chapters of Genesis really chart the growth of sin in the world and its devastating 159 00:13:23,020 –> 00:13:24,940 effects. 160 00:13:24,940 –> 00:13:30,539 Remember Adam and Eve had disobeyed a single command of God. 161 00:13:30,539 –> 00:13:33,099 You might think, well, is that really such a big deal? 162 00:13:33,239 –> 00:13:38,760 You read the chapters of Genesis and you see what a big deal it really was. 163 00:13:38,760 –> 00:13:43,380 One generation gives birth to this little lad Cain, and the world’s first baby becomes 164 00:13:43,380 –> 00:13:46,340 the world’s first murderer. 165 00:13:46,340 –> 00:13:52,940 Now, ten generations are recorded here from Adam to Noah. 166 00:13:52,940 –> 00:13:58,919 By the time of Noah, we read in Genesis chapter 6 verse 5, that the Lord saw that the wickedness 167 00:13:59,559 –> 00:14:06,559 was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart were only evil 168 00:14:07,739 –> 00:14:08,799 continually. 169 00:14:08,799 –> 00:14:15,799 Now, Enoch was the seventh of the ten generations from Adam to Noah. 170 00:14:16,219 –> 00:14:21,979 You can be pretty sure, that if wickedness had absolutely filled the earth by the tenth 171 00:14:21,979 –> 00:14:27,380 generation, it was pretty rampant already by the seventh. 172 00:14:27,380 –> 00:14:34,380 And that is confirmed by a prophecy, a word spoken directly from God through Enoch that 173 00:14:34,780 –> 00:14:41,020 is recorded in the letter of Jude at the end of the new testament. 174 00:14:41,020 –> 00:14:48,020 Enoch was given a prophetic glimpse of the day of the glorious return of our Lord Jesus 175 00:14:48,400 –> 00:14:54,979 Christ, when he will bring judgment, establish truth, right every wrong, and bring the whole 176 00:14:55,080 –> 00:15:02,080 world to justice. And we read in Jude that Enoch the seventh from adam prophesied, and 177 00:15:03,539 –> 00:15:09,059 here is what he prophesied in his day, saying, Behold the Lord comes with tens of thousands 178 00:15:09,059 –> 00:15:16,059 of His holy ones to execute judgment, on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their 179 00:15:16,280 –> 00:15:21,919 deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh 180 00:15:22,219 –> 00:15:29,099 things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Now notice that the word ungodly or ungodliness 181 00:15:29,099 –> 00:15:36,099 occurs four times because that was the environment in which Enoch lived. Enoch was surrounded 182 00:15:43,380 –> 00:15:50,380 by people who had no place for God. People who spoke against God. People who were dying 183 00:15:51,919 –> 00:15:58,919 or defiant towards God. And that sounds familiar, doesn’t it? And here’s the encouragement 184 00:16:01,500 –> 00:16:08,500 for us that in such a world Enoch walked with God. That’s what he did and that is what 185 00:16:10,260 –> 00:16:17,340 we are called to do today. Now, Enoch did live with a profound awareness 186 00:16:17,340 –> 00:16:23,080 that judgement was coming and we know that not only because of the prophecy that is recorded 187 00:16:23,080 –> 00:16:30,080 in Jude. But there may also be a hint of it in the name that Enoch gave to his son. 188 00:16:33,619 –> 00:16:40,619 E. W. Pink says that the name Methuselah, which Enoch gave to his son can mean 189 00:16:41,460 –> 00:16:48,460 when he is dead it shall be sent. Now that’s a strange name to give your son. 190 00:16:52,859 –> 00:16:57,900 When he is dead it shall be sent. 191 00:16:57,900 –> 00:17:04,900 E. W. Pink suggests that perhaps Enoch gave this unusual name to his son because 192 00:17:05,900 –> 00:17:12,900 God had revealed to him that when Methuselah died the flood would come. 193 00:17:13,699 –> 00:17:18,359 And that of course is exactly what happened. 194 00:17:18,359 –> 00:17:25,359 The Flood came in the 600 year of Noah’s life and if you compare that 195 00:17:25,459 –> 00:17:29,780 with the long years of Methuselah’s life you will see, 196 00:17:29,780 –> 00:17:33,599 when you put the numbers in Genesis chapter 5 together and add them all up, 197 00:17:33,680 –> 00:17:40,680 you will see that God sent the flood in exactly the year that Methuselah died. 198 00:17:40,780 –> 00:17:45,400 When he is dead it shall be sent. 199 00:17:45,400 –> 00:17:52,400 Enoch the world as you know it is going to be washed away 200 00:17:55,400 –> 00:18:02,400 and I’m going to let you in on a secret as to when it will happen. 201 00:18:02,400 –> 00:18:09,400 When your son dies the judgment will come. 202 00:18:10,520 –> 00:18:14,000 Now P!nk asked this question. 203 00:18:14,000 –> 00:18:21,000 If that revelation has been given to you what effect would it have on you? 204 00:18:21,420 –> 00:18:28,500 Every time the boy takes sick, you’re going to say. 205 00:18:28,500 –> 00:18:32,300 This could be the end of the world. 206 00:18:32,400 –> 00:18:35,800 When he is dead it shall be said. 207 00:18:35,800 –> 00:18:42,800 You would live in the constant awareness that it could come at any time. 208 00:18:42,959 –> 00:18:45,939 Enoch knew that the Judgement of God was coming soon. 209 00:18:45,939 –> 00:18:52,540 He knew that he had to be ready to meet with God at any moment! 210 00:18:52,540 –> 00:18:59,540 And in the light of that Enoch walked with God. 211 00:19:00,280 –> 00:19:02,099 Now do you see how that speaks to us today? 212 00:19:02,099 –> 00:19:04,260 Are we not in the precisely the same position? 213 00:19:04,260 –> 00:19:09,800 It is appointed to man once to die, and after that is the judgement. 214 00:19:09,800 –> 00:19:15,219 And not one of us knows what that is, today, tomorrow, ten years – whatever. 215 00:19:15,219 –> 00:19:20,459 Therefore at all times we must cling to Jesus Christ as our Saviour. 216 00:19:20,459 –> 00:19:27,459 We must walk with God by faith, so that we are always ready to meet him by sight. 217 00:19:28,219 –> 00:19:33,180 Enoch walked with God in the light of the coming judgement. 218 00:19:33,180 –> 00:19:38,859 3rd – Enoch walked with God after he became a father. 219 00:19:38,859 –> 00:19:41,680 Notice Genesis chapter 5 and verse 21. 220 00:19:41,800 –> 00:19:47,640 When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he fathered Methuselah. 221 00:19:47,800 –> 00:19:56,739 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah. 222 00:19:57,359 –> 00:20:04,979 seems the responsibility of becoming a father caused Enoch to feel that he needed God in 223 00:20:05,099 –> 00:20:17,599 a way he had not felt before. 224 00:20:17,599 –> 00:20:24,180 At this point, in the scale of things – these folks are living typically ten times as long 225 00:20:24,180 –> 00:20:31,619 as their regular lifespan today, and at 65 Enoch was about one-fifth of the way through 226 00:20:31,619 –> 00:20:37,920 his lifespan. So a person a fifth of the way through their life span on a normal span today 227 00:20:37,920 –> 00:20:42,300 might be around eighteen years old, I guess. 228 00:20:42,300 –> 00:20:48,920 So here then is a young man who suddenly finds himself in a place where he knows he needs 229 00:20:48,920 –> 00:20:55,739 the help of God as he had never quite seen or felt it before. Somehow, Enoch had got 230 00:20:55,739 –> 00:21:03,420 through his early years without too much trouble. Always believed in God. Always come to worship. 231 00:21:03,420 –> 00:21:11,760 Always offered the right sacrifice. But when Methuselah was born, Enoch knew that he needed 232 00:21:11,760 –> 00:21:16,099 help. And he began to walk with God. 233 00:21:16,719 –> 00:21:28,060 Now maybe some of us today know what this is like. Something big changes in your life. 234 00:21:28,060 –> 00:21:36,020 You have a new responsibility. You are not in the position that you were in before and 235 00:21:36,020 –> 00:21:44,459 suddenly you have an awareness, I am out of my depth. Has it occurred to you that God 236 00:21:44,459 –> 00:21:50,819 may have pushed you out of your depth so that you will seek him in a way that you’ve never 237 00:21:50,819 –> 00:21:58,500 really done before? You become a father and a mother. You find 238 00:21:58,500 –> 00:22:05,119 yourself saying, God has given me this wonderful gift of a child, if I am to raise a child 239 00:22:05,119 –> 00:22:13,599 in this ungodly world I’m gonna need strength. I’m gonna need wisdom. I’m gonna need patience. 240 00:22:13,599 –> 00:22:21,280 I’m gonna need to have a really pure heart. How am I gonna get these things? I can only 241 00:22:21,280 –> 00:22:26,800 get them from God himself. I need to walk with him. 242 00:22:26,800 –> 00:22:35,119 So Enoch walked with God. He walked with God in the light of the coming judgment. He walked 243 00:22:35,119 –> 00:22:41,619 with God after he became a father. And then fourthly, Enoch walked with God until God 244 00:22:41,619 –> 00:22:48,520 took him home. This was the pattern of his life after Methuselah was born. Not just for 245 00:22:48,520 –> 00:22:53,699 a short time, we’re told verse 22, Enoch walked with God after fathered Methuselah 246 00:22:53,699 –> 00:23:00,780 300 years, that’s the rest of his life. Enoch walked with God, verse 24, and he was 247 00:23:00,780 –> 00:23:09,640 not for God took him. Now here’s something that I found fascinating 248 00:23:09,780 –> 00:23:14,099 and I think that there is some significant things here for us today. Genesis chapter 249 00:23:14,099 –> 00:23:21,959 five is a chapter of numbers, and you can just see that, looking at it. And as every 250 00:23:21,959 –> 00:23:31,060 accountant knows, the numbers always tell a story, and I want to make two observations 251 00:23:32,020 –> 00:23:42,579 today. First, Adam was still living when Enoch was born. And you can have some fun if you’re 252 00:23:42,579 –> 00:23:49,780 inclined to just adding up the numbers perhaps later today, but if you add the ages at which 253 00:23:49,780 –> 00:23:55,780 each of these patriarchs became a father, just put them end to end, you will find that 254 00:23:55,780 –> 00:24:06,260 from Adam to the birth of Enoch was 622 years. That’s 130 plus 105 plus 90 plus 70 plus 65 plus 255 00:24:06,260 –> 00:24:18,420 162, 622 years. Then, we’re told in verse 5 that Adam lived for 930 years, so clearly, 256 00:24:18,420 –> 00:24:27,699 Adam was still living when Enoch was born. More than that, Adam was still living, if you add the 257 00:24:27,699 –> 00:24:33,739 numbers further, when Enoch’s son, Methuselah was born, and he was still living when Enoch’s 258 00:24:33,739 –> 00:24:43,040 grandson, Lamech, was born. In other words, 9 generations, imagine this, 9 generations were all 259 00:24:43,040 –> 00:24:52,140 living at the same time. Adam lived to see his great-great-great-great-great-Great grandchildren, 260 00:24:52,140 –> 00:25:01,959 that is an awful lot of birthdays to remember. Nine generations living at the same time. Second, 261 00:25:01,959 –> 00:25:11,099 Enoch was taken soon after Adam died. Now, again, this is just very clear from 262 00:25:11,099 –> 00:25:19,420 the numbers in Genesis chapter 5. Adam died after 930 years. And if you add up all the numbers, 263 00:25:19,420 –> 00:25:29,979 you will find that Enoch was taken up to heaven after 987 years. So this was soon after the death 264 00:25:29,979 –> 00:25:40,099 of Adam and before any of the others listed in Genesis chapter 5 had died. Now, as you 265 00:25:40,099 –> 00:25:51,780 think about that, imagine the impact of the first recorded natural death in the Bible. 266 00:25:51,780 –> 00:25:59,780 Remember Abel had died but he had been murdered and that had happened before Seth or any of 267 00:25:59,780 –> 00:26:08,839 the other characters listed here in Genesis chapter 5 had even been born. But at some 268 00:26:09,500 –> 00:26:24,459 Adam began to get weaker. And can you now picture Seth and Enoch and Kenan and Mahalalal 269 00:26:24,459 –> 00:26:32,680 and Jared and Enoch and Methuselah and probably little Lamech as well, they’re all gathering 270 00:26:33,239 –> 00:26:41,979 old man. And they knew what death was because they’d seen it in the world of the animals. 271 00:26:41,979 –> 00:26:54,219 But they’d never seen it in a man before. And then the first man died. And all the others 272 00:26:54,219 –> 00:27:06,079 are looking and saying, Oh, this is what’s going to happen to me. It’s the first awareness 273 00:27:06,079 –> 00:27:19,140 of death in the Bible. Death by natural causes. Death by the passage of years. But God is 274 00:27:19,500 –> 00:27:26,500 full of grace and of mercy. And soon after the death of Adam, the first death by natural 275 00:27:27,380 –> 00:27:34,380 causes, before anyone else in this list has passed that way. God gives this wonderful 276 00:27:34,660 –> 00:27:41,660 sign that one day the power of death will be broken. Death, you see, is like a river 277 00:27:42,260 –> 00:27:49,260 that separates us from the presence of God in heaven. All of us have to cross the river, 278 00:27:54,739 –> 00:28:01,020 but Enoch did not go through it. God, as it were, picked him up and just took him across 279 00:28:01,020 –> 00:28:08,020 it. Enoch walked with God, verse 24, and he was not, for God took him. Hebrew 11, verse 280 00:28:08,859 –> 00:28:15,859 6 says, Enoch was taken up, so that he should not see death, and he was not found because 281 00:28:18,060 –> 00:28:25,060 God had taken him. God is giving, do you see, to all these other men, this marvelous assurance 282 00:28:27,859 –> 00:28:34,859 that one day, even death itself will be conquered. Enoch was taken. Of course, as we stare back 283 00:28:35,099 –> 00:28:42,099 into the midst of the earliest history, we find ourselves saying, well, how in the world 284 00:28:42,180 –> 00:28:48,459 can that be, and the answer of course lizes in the resurrection and the ascension of the 285 00:28:48,459 –> 00:28:54,819 Lord Jesus Christ, to which this story so clearly and so wonderfully points. Our savior 286 00:28:54,819 –> 00:28:59,699 broke the power of death when he rose from the grave, and the scripture tells us that 287 00:28:59,699 –> 00:29:08,339 he was taken up into heaven, Acts chapter 1 and verse 11, and he says, I go to prepare 288 00:29:08,339 –> 00:29:19,260 a place for you and I will come again and take you to be with myself, that where I am 289 00:29:19,260 –> 00:29:29,300 you may be also. You know, death for a believer, whenever it comes, is Christ taking you 290 00:29:29,619 –> 00:29:39,660 home. Most of us will be taken through the river. Those who are alive when Christ returns 291 00:29:39,660 –> 00:29:49,660 in glory will be taken across the river without ever going through it. Either way, it is Christ 292 00:29:49,660 –> 00:30:01,380 who takes us up and we will be at home with Him. Enoch walked with God. He walked with 293 00:30:01,380 –> 00:30:06,839 God in the light of the coming judgment. He walked with God after he became a father and 294 00:30:06,839 –> 00:30:14,900 he walked with God until God took him home. And here’s the very last thing today, Enoch 295 00:30:14,900 –> 00:30:21,599 walked with God by faith. Of course, that’s the central emphasis of Hebrews and Chapter 296 00:30:21,599 –> 00:30:23,359 11 that we’re looking at. 297 00:30:23,359 –> 00:30:30,540 And immediately after, telling us the story of Enoch, it’s applied in this way. Hebrews 298 00:30:30,540 –> 00:30:31,540 says, 299 00:30:31,540 –> 00:30:36,819 Without faith it is impossible to please him that is God, for whoever would draw near to 300 00:30:36,819 –> 00:30:46,380 God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 301 00:30:46,380 –> 00:30:50,660 Now here’s where it comes right home for us. You see, we were looking at this marvelous 302 00:30:50,660 –> 00:30:51,619 story. 303 00:30:51,619 –> 00:30:56,939 Enoch walked with God. Well, that’s wonderful for Enoch. What has that got to do with us? 304 00:30:56,939 –> 00:31:03,280 But do you see how Hebrews Chapter 11 and Verse 6 applies it to us directly, after telling 305 00:31:03,479 –> 00:31:04,359 us about Enoch? 306 00:31:04,359 –> 00:31:11,359 Hebrews says, whoever would draw near to God? 307 00:31:12,160 –> 00:31:15,739 This is not just something for Enoch years and years and years ago. 308 00:31:15,739 –> 00:31:21,880 This is for us today. Here’s an open invitation as inclusive as it could possibly be. 309 00:31:21,880 –> 00:31:25,520 The word whoever, whoever would come near to God? 310 00:31:25,520 –> 00:31:30,599 Do you want to walk with God? Do you want to know the conscious enjoyment 311 00:31:30,640 –> 00:31:31,640 of His presence? 312 00:31:31,640 –> 00:31:33,819 Yes, this is open to you. How? 313 00:31:33,819 –> 00:31:38,800 It’s open to you by faith. 314 00:31:38,800 –> 00:31:42,319 Notice what Hebrews says in particular. 315 00:31:42,319 –> 00:31:49,319 If you would come near to God, if you would walk with Him, if you would live in the conscious 316 00:31:51,099 –> 00:31:54,699 enjoyment of His presence. 317 00:31:55,660 –> 00:31:57,500 Two things. 318 00:31:57,500 –> 00:32:01,540 You must believe that He exists. 319 00:32:01,540 –> 00:32:08,540 Now, there’s clearly more to that than believing that there’s a God. 320 00:32:09,599 –> 00:32:15,780 Whoever would draw near to God, literally translated, must believe that He is. 321 00:32:15,780 –> 00:32:17,859 He is. 322 00:32:17,859 –> 00:32:24,640 And there’s a clear allusion there to the wonderful revelation that God gave to Moses 323 00:32:24,640 –> 00:32:28,640 when Moses said, What is your name? 324 00:32:28,640 –> 00:32:34,599 And God said, I am who I am. 325 00:32:34,599 –> 00:32:39,099 And Hebrews says, If you’re going to walk with God, if you’re going to draw near to 326 00:32:39,099 –> 00:32:44,380 Him, you must believe that He is who he says He is. 327 00:32:44,719 –> 00:32:51,280 In other words, don’t go looking for a god of your own imagination. 328 00:32:51,280 –> 00:32:57,400 God has made Himself known in the Scriptures and supremely in the Lord Jesus Christ. 329 00:32:57,400 –> 00:33:04,780 And if you want to walk with Him, you must begin here by believing what He says about 330 00:33:04,780 –> 00:33:06,219 Himself. 331 00:33:08,680 –> 00:33:12,640 And second, if you would draw near to God. 332 00:33:12,760 –> 00:33:15,400 This is open to any person. 333 00:33:16,180 –> 00:33:21,479 If you would draw near to God, walk with Him as Enoch walked with God, then you must believe 334 00:33:21,479 –> 00:33:28,800 that He rewards those who seek Him. 335 00:33:29,459 –> 00:33:33,099 In other words, there really is something for you to do here. 336 00:33:33,119 –> 00:33:36,660 You must seek Him. 337 00:33:36,660 –> 00:33:40,140 Walking with God doesn’t just happen. 338 00:33:40,160 –> 00:33:44,959 There’s an intentional activity on your side as well as on the side of God who draws 339 00:33:44,959 –> 00:33:45,979 near to you. 340 00:33:45,979 –> 00:33:47,420 You must draw near to Him. 341 00:33:47,420 –> 00:33:49,579 You must seek Him. 342 00:33:50,520 –> 00:33:55,939 So it’s no use saying, if God wants me He can make Himself known to me. 343 00:33:55,939 –> 00:34:01,979 No, God has made Himself known to you in Jesus Christ, and our calling — your calling 344 00:34:01,979 –> 00:34:04,540 — is to seek Him. 345 00:34:04,540 –> 00:34:07,300 This is a constant theme of the scripture. 346 00:34:07,300 –> 00:34:09,719 Ask, and it will be given to you. 347 00:34:09,800 –> 00:34:12,879 Seek, then you’ll find. 348 00:34:12,879 –> 00:34:15,520 Knock, and it will be open to you. 349 00:34:15,520 –> 00:34:17,439 For everyone who asks, receives. 350 00:34:17,439 –> 00:34:19,800 And to the one who seeks, he finds. 351 00:34:19,800 –> 00:34:22,860 And to the one who knocks it will be opened. 352 00:34:23,959 –> 00:34:26,620 Or back in Isaiah, in chapter 55. 353 00:34:26,620 –> 00:34:30,620 Seek the Lord while he may be found. 354 00:34:30,800 –> 00:34:35,199 That’s now, because he’s made Himself known in Jesus Christ. 355 00:34:35,199 –> 00:34:37,459 Call upon Him while He is near. 356 00:34:37,459 –> 00:34:41,100 Now, as he speaks to us in and through his Word. 357 00:34:41,100 –> 00:34:42,879 Let the wicked forsake his way, 358 00:34:42,879 –> 00:34:44,860 and the unrighteous man his thoughts. 359 00:34:44,860 –> 00:34:46,560 Let him return to the Lord, 360 00:34:46,560 –> 00:34:49,120 that he may have compassion on him, 361 00:34:49,120 –> 00:34:53,060 and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. 362 00:34:54,399 –> 00:34:57,379 And as you seek the Lord, 363 00:34:58,100 –> 00:35:02,139 He gives you this marvelous promise. 364 00:35:02,300 –> 00:35:06,979 He rewards those who seek, 365 00:35:07,560 –> 00:35:09,639 Him. 366 00:35:09,639 –> 00:35:12,260 You say, what is the reward? 367 00:35:13,639 –> 00:35:16,899 The reward of seeking God 368 00:35:17,459 –> 00:35:20,199 is finding Him. 369 00:35:20,540 –> 00:35:23,679 God is the reward of all who seek Him. 370 00:35:24,060 –> 00:35:25,360 God says to Abraham, 371 00:35:25,360 –> 00:35:27,659 Do not be afraid, I am your shield, 372 00:35:27,659 –> 00:35:34,239 and I am your very great reward. 373 00:35:35,239 –> 00:35:39,560 God has revealed Himself in 374 00:35:39,560 –> 00:35:42,199 the scripture and 375 00:35:42,199 –> 00:35:45,280 supremely in the Lord Jesus Christ. 376 00:35:45,280 –> 00:35:51,000 So that all who seek him will find him. 377 00:35:51,000 –> 00:35:56,080 You will seek me and you will 378 00:35:56,080 –> 00:36:03,479 find me when you seek me with all your heart. 379 00:36:04,120 –> 00:36:07,639 Let’s pray together. 380 00:36:07,639 –> 00:36:09,959 Father we marvel at 381 00:36:09,959 –> 00:36:13,000 that amazing promise that 382 00:36:13,000 –> 00:36:14,639 you, the invisible and 383 00:36:14,639 –> 00:36:16,760 inscrutable God, who would 384 00:36:16,760 –> 00:36:19,199 be beyond our knowing if 385 00:36:19,199 –> 00:36:20,620 you had not made Yourself 386 00:36:20,620 –> 00:36:22,939 known, should have so 387 00:36:22,939 –> 00:36:24,520 revealed yourself to us in 388 00:36:24,520 –> 00:36:26,300 Christ and so drawn near 389 00:36:26,300 –> 00:36:29,100 to us in Christ that we 390 00:36:29,100 –> 00:36:30,840 by your gracious invitation 391 00:36:31,060 –> 00:36:34,139 may in faith draw near to 392 00:36:34,139 –> 00:36:38,520 you and know the conscious 393 00:36:38,520 –> 00:36:41,100 enjoyment of Your 394 00:36:41,100 –> 00:36:44,340 marvelous presence. May 395 00:36:44,340 –> 00:36:47,020 it be so, we pray in 396 00:36:47,020 –> 00:36:49,840 Jesus’ Name, amen.