Bible Society of South Africa

Enoch: walking with faith – 26 August 2021

By Xanthe Hancox

Bible text(s)

Genesis 5

21When Enoch was 65, he had a son, Methuselah. 22After that, Enoch lived in fellowship with God for 300 years and had other children. 23He lived to be 365 years old. 24He spent his life in fellowship with God, and then he disappeared, because God took him away.

Genesis 5:21-24GNBOpen in Bible reader

Genesis 5 gives an account of Adam’s family line. The genealogy follows a pattern: “he lived … and then he died.” But there’s one exception to this, Enoch.

Aside from the fact that Enoch’s father died at age 962, Enoch’s son died at age 969 and by comparison Enoch was young at 365, it appears that he did not die. “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” (Genesis 5:24)

How could this be?

The Bible gives us a clear hint. Twice we are told that Enoch “walked faithfully with God.” The word “walked” here indicates a special relationship between God and Enoch, an – as a result – Enoch did not die. After reading how each generation died, it’s awesome to read of this man, Enoch, who walked with God and then was taken to be with God.

Perhaps today you would like to know how you can walk with God. In Matthew 1 we read that Jesus was the promised Immanuel, which means “God with us”. Jesus bridges the gap between us and God so that we can walk with him not only today but forever, like Enoch. That is why Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25)

Prayer: Thank you, God, for calling us to walk with you today, and thank you for making it possible by faith in Jesus to walk with you forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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