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Hebrews 11:5

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
(NIV)


Here is Enoch. We don't know much about Enoch in this verse except that he was commended by God as one who was pleasing to Him. We also know that he was taken from this world, that he did not taste of death because God took him.

That is pretty amazing. To be taken out of this world by God. There is at least one other case of this happening in the Bible, it is with Elijah. Elijah was taken in a "fiery chariot." Elisha was there to witness this event, and then from that took Elijah's place as the prominent prophet of that time.

We don't know if Enoch was taken in a fiery chariot or not, but we do know that he was taken "by faith." This makes it all that more interesting to me. It adds an element to faith. It is faith that acts as the emulsifying agent between God and man. Therefore Enoch's faith is what made it possible for him to be taken by God.

If you look back to Genesis for a moment to learn more about Enoch, you might be disappointed. There isn't much to learn there, as far as length of narrative. All we see is this short little narrative about Enoch right in the middle of this long genealogy between Adam and Noah. Genesis 5:21-24 states,

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
(NIV)

It really is a cool passage though. Right in the middle of he was born... he had children... he died... he was born... he had children... he died... etc., we see some glimmer of life!

When Enoch was 65, he had Methuselah, then it states that, Enoch walked with God for 300 years! Enoch, unlike the death that was surrounding him, which just keeps echoing the curse, chooses to walk with God.

This walk with God brings him faith and life. This walk was so close to God that God chose to take him. Maybe even a glimmer of what was to come. That all who have faith in God will not ultimately see death, but will see life.

If your life were summarized, would it speak of your walking with God? Would it speak of your faith?
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