Genesis chapter 5, and I've got
this entitled Enoch part 1, because I don't know how many times we're
going to be in this process, this thought pattern, this person. Enoch. And all we know, all we
know about this one Enoch is found in these three references. That's it. Genesis 5, Hebrews 11, Jude 14,
and verse 15. That's all we know about this
one Enoch. Now, personally, I've been fascinated
by this brother for many, many years. I know Bruce and I have
talked about it. What does it mean that Enoch walked with God? But more importantly, what I
want and what I want for you is what he had. That sweet communion
and fellowship with God. He walked with God. It's stated
twice in Genesis. He walked with God. I want what
he had. I want to do what he did. If all that would be said of
me, your pastor, on my gravestone is that he, like Enoch, walked
with God. That would be OK. Because what
Enoch did glorified our father and glorified the Lord Jesus
Christ. And that's what I want to do
also. And that's what I want for this congregation. That's
what I would desire for you and I is to imitate Enoch's faith,
which is the faith of God's elect. Here's what we know. Here's what we know about Enoch
from these three passages. He was in the pre-flood era because
we saw in that Noah, he came before Noah. He came before Noah because in
chapter six, or the last part, last verse of chapter five, and
Noah was 500 years old and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. So Enoch was before, he was pre-flood,
pre-Deluge. which was a wicked age because
we know that because in chapter 6 verse 5, God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And like
I said, I want to look at more. There's a whole lot more in here
than I've realized. I've been getting everything
I can get my hands on and reading about this. So we know that Enoch
was alive during the pre-flood era, which was a wicked age.
So he didn't have it any easier. He didn't have it any easier
than us. We know that he was a father
because it says in verse 22, Enoch walked with God after he
begot Methuselah 300 years and begat sons and daughters. So,
well, that would have been an easier time to serve God. That would have been an easier
time to walk with God. No. The depravity of man was
as prevalent then as it is now. The duties and responsibilities
of a father is the same then as it was the same now. He walked
with God. We know that he walked with God
from the age of three hundred to the age of... from sixty-five,
he had the age of three hundred and he died at three hundred
and sixty-five. I'm sorry, sixty-five years old. It says, all the days of Enoch
were three hundred, sixty, and five years. Verse twenty-one, Enoch lived
sixty and five years and then he begat Methuselah. In verse
twenty-two, Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah.
So he didn't always walk with God. He's a sinner like you and
I. 65 years old when God did something
for him. We know that he was translated,
that he did not, since God took him, not in anger, not in wrath,
in mercy. He took him and he did not see
death. And it's only spoken of one other
person in the scriptures that that happened to. We say in Hebrews
that Enoch pleased God. And we know that without faith
it's impossible to please God. So Enoch was a man of faith.
The grace of God. It is specifically said that
in Hebrews that God was pleased with him. And there's only one
other person that that's spoken of in the scriptures. That way,
worded that way. He was looked for often after
he was looked for after God took him, because it says in Hebrew that he was not found. So how do you the fact that he's
not found means somebody looking. So he had testimony. He was he wasn't necessarily
somebody, but the fact that he served God and his generation
honored him. In the midst of, you know, as
far as we know, might be that it might have been the only voice
of soundness of the gospel in this time. But he was he had
a testimony among men and said that in Hebrews testimony that
he he pleased God. Well, he prophesied. We saw that
in Jude. He preached the gospel. which
is specifically in Jude. He had a testimony. He prophesied
he was a preacher or testified of God's gospel, God's sovereignty,
God's wrath to come and the triumphant second coming of Christ. We see
that from in Jude. And we see that it says specifically
that he believed God. He believed God. So just from
those three passages, short, short verses, we see these things. But tonight, what I want to look
at is in Genesis. It says twice that he walked
with God. Before I start that, I thought
A.W. Pink, Arthur Pink, had a really interesting comment that I had
never thought before. But he said, in his opinion,
The fact that there's only so little written about Enoch shows
forth the authenticity of this book. Because as much as we know
about Enoch, which is very little, but the things that we know about
him, if this book was written by men, they would have talked
about Enoch, how great he was, how wonderful he was, all these
different things. Three passages, a handful of
verses. Because it's not about men. It's about the God of men. And we're going to look at tonight
the fact that he walked with God. What does this mean? How
was this state or condition of walking with God? How was it
happened upon? May we so to enjoy such a close
walk with our God and Savior. That's what I desire to do. That's
what I desire to do. What does it mean to walk with
God? How was this state or condition of walking? How did it happen
that he just all of a sudden one day decided he wanted to
walk with God? Well, first things first, in Genesis chapter 5,
Enoch walked with God, and in verse 24, Enoch walked with God
and God took him, and he was not, for God took him. Which
incidentally shows the resurrection of the believer. He was translated,
and with his eyes, like Job said, with my eyes, I'm going to see
God. The Old Testament believers, as we saw in Hebrews, that he
had this testimony that he pleased God, and without faith it's impossible
to please God. So the faith of God's elect is
the same. The object of our faith is the
object of Enoch's faith. It's Christ. There's no different
gospel. There's no different Redeemer.
There's no different Savior. There's one. And he saw it and
walked with God in the light of redemptive glory. He understood these things. I
think sometimes we get we think, well, we have more light or I
don't understand that comment. We have more light or we have
more understanding. I'll tell you what I think there's some
simplicity of the Old Testament saints. They just they're sinners
like us. I want to elevate them because
they're sinners just like us, but they knew the same gospel.
They knew the same Christ. They knew the same things. They
looked ahead and they saw Him who was invisible. Now, first things first, he and I
walked with God. I think this presupposes reconciliation. The fact that Enoch, it says
here that he walked with God presupposes reconciliation. Okay, what I mean by that is
that out of verse 22, and Enoch walked with God after he begat
Methuselah 300 years and begat sons and daughters. He did not
always walk with God. And when we're born, we're born
in sin and we are not walking with God at all. So the fact
that this statement is that he walked with God, that presupposes
that there was that reconciliation, something happened and there
was reconciliation between he and God. We know that we are
shaping an iniquity and Enoch was no different. Turn to Amos
3.3. Turn to Amos 3.3. And once you find that, turn
to 1 John 1. Amos 3.3. Can two walk together except they be agreed. Does that
make sense? I had a lady one time said, oh,
we're saying the same thing. We should be having a fellowship.
and after we got to talk I said there's no way because two can
two walk together except they'd be agreed and I said you believe
God saves by works I believe he saves by grace we cannot walk
together we can be friends we can help one another etc etc
neighbors all those different things but we cannot walk together
cannot have fellowship which is another thing what this means
to walk together and have fellowship we can't do it and neither can
Enoch and God who is holy unapproachably perfect and righteous and except
to walk unless they be agreed they can't walk together well
the agreement must be found in the Lord Jesus Christ remove
our sins place on us his righteousness God will agree to that but so
must be look at first John chapter 1 verses 5 to 7 This then is
the message that we heard of him, and declare unto you that
God is light, and in God is no darkness at all. If we say that
we have fellowship with God through Christ, and walk in darkness,
we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light,
as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all
sin. Unless two are in the light,
they can't walk together. And when we're born, we're born
in sin and corruption and darkness. We have no spiritual life at
all. So the fact that this passage
tells us that Enoch walked with God, it presupposes reconciliation. And in order to walk with God,
there must be an awakening in our soul to trust Christ, to
look to Him and agree with God on our sin, what it takes to
save a sinner, on God's grace, His mercy, and peace through
the blood of Christ. And until there's an agreement
or an understanding on these issues, the gospel, how God can
be just and justify the ungodly, There could be no walking together.
So God, in Genesis 5, did for Enoch what he does for you and
I, in order for us to say we walk with God, and that is turn
the light on. Change the heart. The spots are
gone. The robe of righteousness. Christ
in you, the hope of glory. Now that Christ is in us, Christ
is in Enoch, Enoch walked with God. So, we who are from birth
and not by any actions of ourselves, we are not reconciled to God.
This walk with God, like all aspects of spiritual enjoyment,
is all of grace and initiated by God through Christ. So, we've
got to get first things first. It says, Enoch walked with God.
He did so through the blood of a substitute. walking with God,
and there's a whole lot of these, a whole lot more than what I
know about. But as I said, may we seek to
walk with God as Enoch did. May we seek to walk with God
through Christ and only through Christ. And a few of the things
that we've seen in these three passages about Enoch, this is
what I think it means to walk with God. What it shows is it
shows communion. To walk with God shows communion with
Him. The ability to commune with Him. The issue of sin is settled in
Christ and that door has been opened. That throne of grace
we can approach boldly to seek His grace. And to seek Him. Communion. To walk with God. He showed communion, not just
here or there, then or sometimes, but good, solid communion. You know, when you're walking
with somebody. 300 years. Isn't that what he said? 65 years when he had Methuselah
and he walked with God after that. And he died at 365 years. walking with God for His communion. Isn't that true in our own case?
When we seek His face and commune with Him, we're walking with
Him. And there's times it's short, and there's times it's blessedly
long. It seems like it's all too often
it's too short. But what a blessed 300 years
of communion with God. It also shows, to walk with God
shows a surrendered will. There was no forcing here. No
forcing of one's ways upon another, but happy, sweet, will worship
and walking with God. He makes his people willing in
the day of his power to walk with him. We're willing. And Bruce has made this comment
in Bible class in Romans, if you're doing something because
somebody else is watching you, religious and spiritual, and
you're coming and you're agreeing with the doctor, all these different
things, you're a miserable person. But when God changes the heart,
and you walk with Him, He causes us to walk with Him.
We want to. We want to. You've got to go
to church. We want to go and walk. Here were the Gospels preached.
Hear about Christ and walk with Him. Didn't Christ say, well,
stay there. I like how these passages are
worded. Take my yoke upon you and learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And he says, take my
yoke and we say, okay. Because the gospel, to believe
the gospel, it costs. But we do so willingly. Willingly. Thirdly, to walk with God I think
shows long commitment. It's continuous. It's not fits
and starts and spurts, not only in sunny weather, but in stormy
times as well, to walk with God. It's continuous. As I said, 300
years. Now, there's people that you
know, there's people that I know that they started out real thunderous,
real boisterous, real, ah, this God, this gospel, oh, it's wonderful.
And then two or three years later, where are they at? They're gone.
Something happened, something came up they can't explain. They
try to figure it out, work it out instead of by faith, believing
that He is and He's a rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him. And there's people that I know and you know that they
start out and that's why I told you this story about a friend
of mine. His brother got religion and he's out at one of the parks
with a microphone and loudspeaker and tell everybody what God's
done for him and what he used to be. And that lasted about
two years. And where's he at now? He's driving a truck, doing
something. He's not doing anything for God.
He could care less. To walk with God. shows long
term commitment. Those who endure to the end.
The same shall be saved, I would say, and also the same that walk
with God. To walk with God shows growth
and grace. You just think about it. When
we started in our journey, when we first start walking with God.
And in 300 years later, are you going to be in the same spot?
No, no. We are not at the same point
that we were when we first started walking with God, but further
down the road. One of the writers said we're
more sensible at times of our sin and his grace and God's son
and mercy towards us. We're more aware of our frailty,
our weaknesses and our need of grace. Any better? No. Any wiser? We should be. Right? Because we're not at the
same spot that we started. When you walk with somebody,
unless you're walking in circles, and that's not what we're talking
about. Walking, long-term commitment, and communion, and fellowship
with God. You start at point A, and we're
heading to Canaan. We're not at the same spot. And
Bruce brought this up again in Bible class. We're all at different
spots, different locations in our walk. But there is growth
and grace. Absolutely. walking with God. When he first started at 65 years,
he wasn't where he was at 365 years. He knew a few things. He'd been around the turn. You
know, I love listening to Henry preach Christ and Him crucified. And oftentimes when I hear him,
he says, I haven't just started preaching. I've been preaching
for 40, 50, 55 years. I've seen a few things. Saying that we grow, we grow
in grace. Not that we're any better and
not any more perfect, not any more sanctified, none of that.
Not progressive sanctification, not at all. Growth in grace. We're still in Christ. But we're
further down the road. I also think to walk with God
means that we have a reasonable knowledge. The longer you walk
with someone, the more you get to know them. It's reasonable
knowledge that we have walking with him. It's instructive. You
can't walk with somebody who you're a mentor, you're learning,
or you're looking up to, and when you first start, have more
instruction and more knowledge of him. You know, when you first
come to know the gospel, there are certain things that you can't
pick out. And I've heard you all say this
to me before, but when you hear somebody preach something that's
not sound and not clear, that's not right. Now you can put your
finger on it. You might not be able to put
your finger on it, but just you know. Because His sheep hear
His voice, they know Him. And I'm not saying, you know,
I'm not saying The gospel has to be preached, and clearly we
understand that. But those many are the devices of Satan. But
the more you walk with someone, the more you know of them, the
more instruction you get from them about his attributes, his
rock-solid perfections, his trustworthiness. I've been through this before,
God showing me, you know, how many times have we talked about
with one another, problems, financial or whatever. Been through that. Lord's taken us through that.
Lord's taken us through this. The tool company shouldn't be there in Greenbrier.
She lost everything. God should take care of us. Same
thing. God's been faithful. He's faithful
still. And I don't hesitate to say these
same things about my walk with my brother Bruce. I've known
him for a long time now. I know him more than I knew him
before. And we've been through some tough days together. But
he's kept us. I don't want to do this alone. I want God to keep us together.
We know more about one another. And we try to deal with that
in love. But it's reasonable knowledge when you walk with
someone. We think about some of the situations that we've
gone through that have hurt us. We thought we were walking with
somebody and then they turn on us. Lynn and I were talking about... I had some thoughts about stuff
that we used to go through with people that we thought we were
so close to. But it all goes back to, as I
said before, it all goes back This walking with God, like all
aspects of spiritual enjoyments, is all of grace initiated by
God through Christ. That's what it's all about. Faith. To walk with God, as we saw about
our brother here in Hebrews, it's faith. To walk with God is to have faith
that God is who He is. He's going to do what he says.
He has to have faith. He has to have confidence. Like
a father and a child. That child who walks with his
dad and looks up to his dad. Where are we going? We're going
to take a walk in the park. Complete trust. Complete confidence. You know, I remember our kids.
I remember Karen. I remember those things. You
can't hurt me because my dad's here. That childlike trust in
Christ. Looking at the things of these
promises with children's eyes. Trusting Him absolutely, completely
to walk with God is to have faith. Let me read it in Hebrews. I like the way it's worded so
well. Hebrews. By faith, Enoch was
translated that he should not see death, but was not found
because God had translated him. For before his translation, Enoch
had this testimony, that he pleased God. And we know that without
faith, it's impossible to please Him. For he that walks like Enoch,
that has the faith of God's elect, that comes to God, must believe
that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him through the blood. I like what, I can't remember
who wrote it, I've read so many articles on this thing, but I
love the way this was worded. Understanding does not produce
faith. Think about that. We have people that understand
the doctrine, and people who have left us that understood
the Calvinistic doctrine and all these things, but understanding
does not produce faith. Faith produces understanding
in this book, and faith is the gift of God. Isn't that what
Ephesians tells us? Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't preach
the gospel, but I'm saying we shouldn't indoctrinate people.
We ought to preach Christ. And I guess what Bruce was saying
this last Sunday, Christ, not formalism, traditionalism. And what does this system of
theology say about what this book says? No, you do not get
faith by understanding this book. Faith produces understanding
and the realization of God and his person and the son's work
and the son's nature. That's what faith does. It opens
the things of God to us. Walking with God implies friendship,
love, and intimacy. Remember those two as they were
walking on the road to Emmaus and Christ was with them? As
they walked, they said their hearts burned when he spoke. When he opened up that book,
he spoke to them. Friendship, love, and intimacy. And I close with this, walking
with God is an honorable walk. Enoch was despised and hated
for what he preached. We saw in Jude that he prophesied,
he preached of who God was, his wrath to come, that he's over
all things. He's going to execute his justice
because of who he is. And he can do that because he
is the only true God and Savior. But to walk with God is honorable. In the face of all opposition,
Enoch held his ground. Can you find anything that can
equal to walking with God? Is there anything more noble
than to walk sweetly and contentedly with the king and majestic sovereign?
Many would faint at the time spent with earthly presidents
or monarchs. I mean, they would give anything
to see or to be able to spend 5, 10, 20 minutes with the president
or king. Yet much happier and much safer
are you who have walked with King Jesus, who is the Creator,
the Holy Potentate above and over all. I exhort you and I
exhort myself. Be not ashamed to walk with Him.
Be ready to run with Him. Be glad to be in His splendid
and lovely presence. Grace, O grace, to walk with
God in Christ Jesus.