Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.
Genesis 5:18-24

Within the pages of the Bible there are only two persons who did not taste death. They are Elijah the prophet who “went up by a whirlwind to heaven” (see II Kings 2:1-11) and Enoch whose story is found in Genesis 5:18-24.

There isn’t much to Enoch’s story and yet there is a great deal! Enoch was the son of Jared, who was one hundred and sixty-two years old when Jared was born. Jared lived eight hundred years after Enoch was born. Enoch had younger brothers and sisters. Jared lived a total of nine hundred and sixty-two years. When Enoch was a young sixty-five years old he became the father of Methuselah, whose life span would exceed his paternal grandfather’s by seven years.

Enoch’s relatively short life would consist of three hundred and sixty-five years. One year for every single day of a year (365 days = 1 year).What stands out in these seven verses is a phrase repeated, “Enoch walked with God” (verse 22 and 24) Enoch thus must have come closest to God’s desire for humankind. Obviously God looked forward to walking and talking with Adam and Eve in the Garden, yet after they sinned they hid from God. (Genesis 3:8) Hebrews 4:14-15 remind us that there was only one person who never sinned and that is Jesus Christ. Enoch must have been most like the human beings God desired us to be … to walk and to be in communion with God each and every day.

Perhaps because Enoch walked with God, he was taken and did not taste death. Our closest experience to Enoch’s may be when a person dies while asleep. Many people often admit that is the way that they would like to go when Jesus calls them to “Come home.” Dying in one’s sleep can be a blessing for that person. When a loved one dies while asleep it can be difficult on the survivors, who would have liked some notice so they might tell them how much they appreciated and loved them. If that is the case, tell your loved ones today! Enoch’s story reminds us to enjoy walking and talking with God in this Garden we call earth until we are whisked away to glory … to our eternal home.

Prayer

O God, help us to walk and talk with You every day and follow the examples of Enoch and our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, in whose name, we pray. Amen.