S111P4 – The other side of faith: Enoch

Gen. 5:21-24

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.  After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.  Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years.  Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

It is a story as old as time.  A master has students or apprentices working to learn everything they can from him.  As they put in the work, he also puts in the work to share with them as much as they desire to absorb.  Over the years, he can name the few stellar pupils who have truly impressed him and remained in his memory.  The fact that only a few have impressed him over time does not speak to his hardness or high expectations, but it speaks to each student’s unique dedication to the craft.  Then, there is the one pupil who surpasses the rest.  This is the one who gains special knowledge from the master because he is the only one who has shown himself worthy of that high privilege. 

Enoch had an opportunity we will not, which is the chance to walk centuries with God in this life.  Wisely, he took advantage of that opportunity and was faithful to God for three hundred years.  Sometimes we find it difficult to be faithful to God for one complete day.  Enoch’s faithfulness was unparalleled in his time, and we see that by how the scriptures tell us this man’s life ended.  He did not die as all the other faithful servants died.  In fact, he never saw natural death.  This is confirmed in Hebrews 11, and this unique blessing is attributed there to his faith.  It was his testimony of pleasing God that opened the door for this incredible blessing to be enjoyed by the surpassingly faithful servant.  There was something special about his faith, and it brought him a blessing recorded only one other time in the scriptures. [2Kgs. 2]

I have had a certain dream several times since giving my life to Christ.  The specific circumstances of the dream change, but the result is the same.  In each of these dreams, I am about to taste death, but death never comes.  Instead, the clouds part, and I ascend toward a bright light.  I never reach the light, and the dream always stops as I am floating in the air on my way to it.  What strikes me each time is that the dream feels so real, and I respond as if it were.  What I can say is that the relief one feels at seeing that death will never come is a feeling of complete appreciation for God’s favor and mercy.  Father, give us a faith that pleases You as Enoch pleased You, that we would find special favor in your eyes.