06_Walking with God
Gen 5:21-24 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The story of Enoch in Genesis 5:21-24 is a testimony to what it means to walk with God. Among long genealogies of names, years, births, and deaths, Enoch shines like a diamond. His life is different, not just because of its relative brevity, but because he walked with God. Enoch pleased God.
Enoch lived in an era that spanned nearly 2,000 years. Generations overlapped and thousands were born. Of all these long-lived patriarchs, only Enoch and Noah are described as those who walked with God. This is no coincidence. It’s a reminder that amidst the routine, mundane existence of millions, God is always on the lookout for those who walk with Him. In a world teeming with spiritual apathy, Enoch’s life challenges us to rise above spiritual lukewarmness and seek God’s company.
The average lifespan of Enoch’s contemporaries was an astounding 929 years. Enoch lived only 365 years—a third of their age. Yet it is not how long we live that matters; it is how well we live. Enoch’s brief life left an indelible mark because it was a life that pleased God.
What does it mean to walk with God? It signifies oneness of will, and agreement of nature. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Hebrews 11:5-6 emphasizes the foundation of Enoch’s walk with God. Enoch pleased God by his faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God.
Faith is described in Hebrews 11:1 as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Enoch trusted in God’s eternal power and deity from the evidence of the world around him. He walked in faith, believing that God is and that he rewards those who seek him.
Enoch recognized and yielded to God’s sovereign authority in faith. He did not wait for God to do what was pleasing to him. He lived for God’s commendation, rather than for possessions, prestige, or power.
The fact of Enoch’s walk with God is recorded after the birth of his son, Methuselah. At this pivotal moment in his life, perhaps he gained a deeper understanding of his position and duty towards God. Enoch walked with God for 300 years while living with his family. Walking with God does not require retreating to a monastery or mountain. It is perhaps in the midst of our daily responsibilities that we walk most closely with God.
No miracles or great works are recorded of him, but he knew God’s secrets. He prophesied the coming of the Lord with ten thousand of His saints to judge the ungodly as recorded in Jude 14-15. In an era where God was beginning to reveal His salvation plan through sacrifices and figures, Enoch saw and believed the end times. He boldly warned his generation, calling out their ungodliness. Walking with God also means sharing His truths with others, and being a voice of truth in a confused world.
By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he did not experience death. This faith was manifested, not first in his translation, but in his daily walk with God. This faith was not based on visible evidence but on hope in the unseen.
The impact of Enoch’s life went beyond his immediate surroundings to challenge all future generations. His great-grandson Noah, born 69 years after Enoch’s translation, chose to walk with God, too. Who knows how much Enoch inspired Noah’s faith and righteousness amid a corrupt generation? Likewise, our walk with God leaves a spiritual inheritance for those who follow. Our faith and obedience can inspire others to seek the same fellowship with God.
So, what can we learn from Enoch’s walk with God? First, faith is the foundation. By grace through faith God reconciles us sinners to himself, as we willingly agree to walk by his guidance rather than our own wisdom. Christ has shown us the open door to reconciliation with God through his blood. What hinders us from surrendering to his love in the obedience of faith? Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Second, our walk with God should permeate every aspect of our lives. Faith is manifested in our consistent and willing submission to his will in all things.
Family, work, and daily responsibilities are not hindrances but opportunities to reflect His presence in the ordinary.
Third, walking with God involves godliness. Like Enoch, we must value God far above all else as the Great Judge of all. This sets us apart, living righteously in a world that often resists godly values. This helps us share God’s truths with love and conviction, warning others of the judgment to come.
Finally, we must live with an eternal perspective. Enoch sought God’s approval alone, and obtained a good testimony from God through his faith. Is this the treasure that our hearts are set upon? Where our treasure is, there our hearts will be. Do wholeheartedly desire to dwell in His presence forever?
Let us look back on our lives and test if we are walking with God. Is your life marked by faith and obedience? “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” This is the living and eternal hope we have when we walk with God.
Let us, like Enoch, choose to walk with God. Let our lives reflect His grace and truth, and shine as a beacon for those who need light. By faith let us seek God’s commendation which will be our glorious reward throughout eternity. God bless.