Gen 5:24 (KJV)
24) And Enoch walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him.
Heb 11:5 (KJV)
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.
Within the pages of the Bible, we read very little about this man named “Enoch” and, yet, what we are told about him should cause any Christian to appreciate the wonderful testimony that he left behind. Besides his age, lineage and descendants, we are told basically four different things about Enoch:
1. “Enoch walked with God”
2. “God took him (Enoch)”; in other words, “Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found for God took him”
3. “he had this testimony, that he pleased God”
4.”Enoch… prophesied of these saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints”
In our devotion for today, I would like us to consider the testimony of Enoch that we read about in Genesis 5:24 (“and he [was] not; for God took him”). This testimony is restated and more fully explained in Heb 5:11 (“ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:”).
What a WONDERFUL blessing received by Enoch through the grace of God... to not experience death, but to be taken directly from this earth to His presence! For most of saved humanity, to enter into the presence of God involves experiencing physical death and, in many cases, the pain, sickness and heartache that precedes it. But in the case of Enoch we are told that, by faith, God “translated” him.
The word “translate” comes from a fusion of two Greek words that give us a meaning of “to exchange”, “to transfer”, “to change sides”. This same fused word is used only 4 other times in the NT. It refers to change in a physical location (Acts 7:16), status or condition (Heb 7:12), or thoughts or beliefs (Gal 1:6, Jude 7:12).
When we read that Enoch was “translated” by God, it can carry with it several ideas. The basic two ideas are:
1. Enoch experienced a TRANSFER OF LOCATION as he was taken from this sinful earth and delivered into the very presence of God. But it does mean more than that. It also helps us to understand that..
2. he underwent a CHANGE OF CONDITION having his body changed from sinful flesh to a glorified spiritual body. This explains why “he was not” and “he was not found”… his physical body were removed from this earth, therefore, it could not be found by those he had left behind.
Oh what a wonderful blessing that Enoch was given by His God… to be able to enter into God’s presence with a glorified body without the experience of physical death. This wonderful gift of grace was only bestowed one other time, as God took Elijah home in a similar type of experience. (2 Kings 2:11).
As we think on the blessing that the Lord bestowed upon Enoch let’s always keep the context in mind… This took place “by faith” and was done with the express purpose to save Enoch form the experience of death “was translated that he should not see death.” In this event, we can see, both, the power of faith (Matt 17:20) as well as the gracious and loving God who is concerned about our welfare (Psa 138:7-8).
Will others remember our life as an evidence of Christ’s wonderful workings, coupled with a testimony of our faith in Him?
May the Lord bless us as we “Think On These Things”.
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