Weekly Reflection 3/4/24

Weekly Reflection – Hebrews 11 part 7: “By Walking With God”

Our view of death drives every decision we make. Or to say it another way, our view of life after death or no life after death drives every decision we make. It dictates our actions, our thoughts, how we use our time, money, resources, how we treat people, every detail of our lives. You either live in slavery to the fear of death or you live by faith in Jesus’ victory over death.

Our human nature, apart from God, fears death. “and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews‬ 2‬:15‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ We try to avoid death, ignore death, pretend that we are not scared of death, do our best to convince ourselves there is no God and when we die that’s it (just sad), or convince ourselves that because God is love that He will save everyone, that there is no hell, everyone goes to heaven and lives happily ever after. Slavery to the fear of death is one way to live.

BUT, there is a way to live that is not a life of slavery to death. A life that is free from the fear of death, free from the dictatorship of death. We can live by faith in Jesus’ victory over death. I believe that Enoch is an example given to us to help us see how this can be. Enoch himself is not the answer, but what Enoch had faith in is THE ANSWER.

Genesis 5

• If you go down the chapter, you see that it lists for us the descendants of Adam and the common theme is that it says, “And he died.” 
• But all of a sudden in verse 21, something breaks the trend. 
• “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis‬ 5‬:21‬-24‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• That’s different. Enoch did not die as we read in Hebrews 11:5-6.

Lamech and Enoch

Lamech is the antithesis of Enoch, Lamech and Enoch are intended to be seen continuing the tension first displayed in Cain and Abel. Cain and Abel were not only the two sons of Adam and Eve, but they were also the human beginning of what would develop into two opposing kingdoms—the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Light and dark, good and evil, life and death. In Cain and Abel, the tension between the two “offspring” or “seeds” of Genesis 3:15 is seen. There will be a battle between the offspring of satan and the offspring of God.

Lamech, the seventh son of Adam in the line of Cain, proudly and boastfully exalts himself. (Genesis‬ 4‬:23‬-24)‬ Lamech, by his own proclamation, is ten times as proud, self-righteous, and murderous as Cain, and Lamech has sworn to take the law into his own hands and execute judgment as though he were God. Lamech, the seventh son of Adam, is truly in line with the seed of the devil. (John 8:44)

Playing opposite Lamech, however, is Enoch. Enoch is also the seventh son of Adam, but he descends from the more faithful line of Seth (Luke 3:23-38). Seth was a child of Adam and Eve; the name carries the meaning of substitute. In a sense Seth replaces Abel who Cain had murdered. (Genesis 4:25-26)

In other words, if you created a family tree of Adam’s descendants, Lamech and Enoch would each be seven generations down, but standing on opposite sides—one in the line of Cain and the other in the line of Seth. One side will prove to be faithful and experience eternal life, and the other will prove to be rebellious and produce eternal death. 

Enoch is an illustration of eternal life.

• Enoch, as it says, lived only 365 years and he is identified as having walked with God. 
• So, walking with God must have something to do with a life free from the fear of death.
• Enoch was in daily, intimate communion with God. It’s talking about step-by-step fellowship, daily communion. 
• Enoch walked with God, he escaped death. He was given the privilege of being an illustration. 
• The truth that God was revealing was that there was eternal life, that men could leave this world if in right relationship to Him and enter into His eternal presence.
• When it says God took him, in the Hebrew the word describes a sudden inexplicable disappearance and the explanation for his disappearance is given here, “God took him.” 
• He is a model of faith that walks with God, being rewarded with eternal life because he walked with God.
• And this is what God has always desired and what God has always provided. God has never been a distant God, God has never been a demanding transcendent God, He is personal God.
• Enoch is a major teacher to us here, an illustration of the walk of faith that one day ends in entrance into glory.

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews‬ 11‬:6‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

 Believe that He exists.

We must believe that He is who He is. That is not just saying, “Oh I believe there’s a God. Oh, I believe in God, I’m very spiritual.” But that He is who He is, the only true God. Not just any God will do. Not just some God will do. Not just the notion of God will do. That’s not sufficient. You must believe that He is the God who He says He is. And how do we know the God who is God? By virtue of His revelation. He has revealed Himself, through His Word, through creation, through Jesus.

Enoch would have known that God was the Creator, that God was the one who created everything and sustained everything. He would have known that God was righteous and holy. He would have known that God was the source of morality and right and that God was a God of vengeance and judgment. “It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” Jude‬ 1‬:14‬-15‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Enoch believed that God was who God said He was.

Must be in agreement with God.

I want to highlight a component of what it means to walk with God. There must be agreement. “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?” Amos‬ 3‬:3‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ To walk with someone you must be going the same place, the same pace, and be on the same path. So, two walking together requires agreement, requires harmony, requires reconciliation, therefore requires salvation. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians‬ 6‬:14‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬ Enoch is a saved man. I think that’s the way to say it. He’s been saved from sin. He’s been given salvation. He walks with God and that implies that God is no longer his enemy, he no longer is in rebellion, he is reconciled to God. 

Desire for fellowship.

I think it also implies something else. It implies a desire for fellowship. Spirituality from the very beginning was a matter of walking with God. God was a companion. God was not a distant deity. This is not only implied in the concept of walking with someone but also highlighted in verse 6: “…for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews‬ 11‬:6‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Enoch knew that. He did not believe in some distant cosmic cause. He believed in a personal caring God. A God who wanted fallen humanity to be reconciled to Him in a personal way. Enoch believed that God existed, and he believed that that very God was a Savior of sinners who came by faith and sought Him. 

David said to his son, Solomon, “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.” 1 Chronicles‬ 28‬:9‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ The true and living God is a rewarder of those who seek Him, even though they are sinners and even though they cannot commend themselves, they cannot do anything to achieve reconciliation with Him, they cannot on their own please Him. He is a rewarder of those who by faith seek Him. He grants forgiveness, He grants a new heart. He gives us the Holy Spirit, eternal life, blessing, mercy, grace, peace, joy, love, heaven, power over evil, and freedom from slavery to the fear of death.

Remember Hebrews 2:15? 

• “and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.“
• “And deliver…” How? Verse 14.
• “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews‬ 2‬:14‬-15‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• “Jesus crushed the head of the one who has the power of death.”
• By faith in Jesus Christ, we are set free from the fear of death!