Hebrews 11 is one of the most well-known chapters in the Bible. Known as the “Hall of Faith,” it is filled with examples of men and women who remained faithful to the Lord. By His grace they achieved amazing things and now stand as an example for us as we walk with the Lord. In this blog series we will explore the lives of these people of faith and see what their stories can teach us.
The next individual named in Hebrews 11 as one who lived by faith is Enoch, whose life we will look at today.
Enoch’s Place in Scripture
In Genesis 5, the descendants of Adam are recorded. Seven generations from Adam, Enoch is named as the son of Jared and then the father of Methuselah. While being the father of the man who lived longest on earth is one way to be known, the verse that sums up Enoch’s life is far more impactful.
“Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24, NASB)
With just four words to describe how he spent his life, he left a faithful testimony of fellowship with God. The phrase “walked with God” is used in Genesis 6:9 to describe Noah, another man of God who lived faithfully and righteously. Enoch was then taken without seeing death, as was Elijah in 2 Kings 2:11.
According to Jude 14-15, Enoch prophesied of the Lord’s coming judgment upon the ungodly. As the author of this passage, Jude warned believers to be aware of people who were creeping in unnoticed and undermining believers with their ungodliness. In his description of these disobedient men, he referenced Enoch in the foretelling of their end: “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Even just a few generations after creation, Enoch was already looking to the redemption promised in the midst of the ungodliness of his time.
Enoch’s Place in Hebrews 11
Once again, Enoch is mentioned only briefly in this passage of Scripture and yet his legacy speaks volumes. More detail is given as to why he was taken up by God, “for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God”.
Ephesians 5:6-10 speaks to the context of these passages mentioning Enoch. In a warning to not partake with the sons of disobedience and the coming wrath of God, Paul exhorts believers, “walk as children of Light, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord”. Enoch, in only a few verses throughout the Bible, is evidence of what it looks like to walk with God and please Him.
Hebrews 11 continues with details on what it means to please God, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Just as we saw in the life of Abel in our previous look at Hebrews 11, those who come before God with faith find favor with Him. Throughout the remainder of Hebrews 11, we can see the continuing theme of seeking God. From Abraham to Moses, believers are seen as faithful in their seeking God, His country, and His reward (Hebrews 11:14-16, 26-27).
Enoch’s Place Today
As we see the testimonies of faithfulness in Hebrews 11, we are reminded to live in a similar manner. It is compelling to consider how our lives would be summed up in four words like Enoch in Genesis. Would others describe us in the same way, “he walked with God” or “she walked with God”, and would that sum up our lives fully? Or would the four words be more along the lines of, “she worked really hard” or “he lived pretty well”?
Enoch’s life is also a reminder to fulfill 1 Chronicles 16:11, “Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.” The two Hebrew words used for seek in this verse hold different depths within their meanings. The first, dāraš, indicates resorting to or frequenting a place, searching out or inquiring of someone or something. The second, bāqaš, involves searching out specifically in worship or prayer or striving after something.
By Enoch’s example, we can learn to frequent the presence of God and walk with Him, in worship and in prayer. As we continue to do so, we will learn to please Him more in living lives of faith like those in Hebrews 11.
