He Was Not

As a believer in the one, true, sovereign, almighty God, as a disciple of Jesus Christ and a follower of His teachings (... to the best of my ability … which isn’t always very able), I will admit that I wish I had a closer relationship with my Lord.  It is clear to me where my relationship with God falls short.  Paul said it like this, “I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15)  I say it like this “&%!**&@^#*”.  Paul was much more eloquent than I.

So that brings me to Enoch.  What a marvelous man mentioned so briefly in the Bible.  Here is what we know about Enoch:

1. He was the son of Jared, a great great great grandson of Adam.

2. He was father to Methuselah, the longest living person recorded at 969 years.

3. He walked with God.

Enoch is mentioned in the book of Jude, an account that shows him prophesying of coming judgement from the Lord. (Jude 1:14-15)  He is also included in what is sometimes called the Hall of Faith found in the book of Hebrews chapter 11.  In this passage Enoch is acclaimed as one who “pleased God” through his faith.  So, while not many words were used on the life of Enoch, there is no question that his actions definitely impacted people for generations after him.  In fact, his devotion to God and God’s love for him led to one of the most interesting occurrences documented in the Bible.  

Genesis 5 tells us that at a time when his contemporaries were living over 900 years, Enoch’s life only had 365 years, or at least his life on the earth.  As the author of Genesis writes, “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.”  The author of Hebrews refers to this as Enoch being “taken up”.  So basically Enoch lived his life as a walk with God.  A walk that was so fervent and real that in his 365th year he “was not”.  There is evidently a distinct difference between what happened to Enoch and death.  Enoch did not die.  He walked with God. ! Yes I mean !  

Now, I could go off on a tangent (like the one I just erased) asking what Enoch did to get God to just take him!  I mean how many natural laws were broken?  But I don’t think such a tangent would cover the key point God wants made here.  I believe it is more important to understand the surrendered life that gets lost in God.  You see, it’s no biggy for God to take somebody off the earth without death.  God has His purpose and when His purpose will be fulfilled, He’s going to do it.  But it is a big deal when somebody reaches the point where they end and there is only God.  Enoch’s accomplishment was not found in his ability to become something great.  Enoch’s accomplishment was established when “he was not”.  

Being lost in God, not from the sense of being of no earthly value but rather as a measure of devotion to the Lord and His commands, is the greatest of all accomplishments that we as humans can aspire to reach.  If we follow Enoch’s example, if we walk with God until our person is lost and His nature, His power, His life shows through, that is when the greatest achievement will be ours.  Of course, at that point we will likely not recognize the achievement nor will it matter as far as we are concerned.  It will all be God at that point.  

But how is such a life lived?  Frankly, I don’t know.  But I think it starts day by day.  And maybe those days would start with a heartfelt prayer like this:

Lord, help me to live my life in such a manner that I am lost and only You remain.  Let me walk with You until I am not.  

Genesis 5:18-24