The Importance of Walking with God

“Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” [1]

The name Enoch (חֲנוֹךְ Ḥănōḵ) in Hebrew means “dedicated,” “trained,” “disciplined,” “inaugurate,” or “initiate.” He was a disciple of the Lord.

“Enoch lived 65 years, and begot Methuselah.” [2]

“The exact meaning of Methuselah’s very ancient name is not certain. Bible scholar and scientist Dr. Henry Morris said it may mean, ‘When he dies, judgment’—referring to the worldwide flood judgment. Similarly, Cornwall and Smith say his name means, ‘When he is dead, it shall be sent’ (‘it’ referring to the Deluge).” [3]

Methuselah died in the year that the flood occurred. So, it seems that when Enoch named him, he was leaving behind a prophetic indication from the Lord for people to observe. Judgment was coming. God even allowed Methuselah to live longer than any other person on earth – 969 years.

Peter referred to the flood in his letter to Christians. Then, he wrote this, “Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a 1,000 years, and a 1,000 years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing, that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” [4] Interestingly, the period of time between when Enoch named his son Methuselah and when the flood occurred was about 1,000 years. God gave the people ample time to change their minds about perishing or being saved.

In fact the Lord gave the world advance notice through His servant Noah. “And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be 120 years.’” [5]

Enoch’s being taken by the Lord before a great global judgment is a foreshadowing of the rapture that will happen for those who walk with God before the great tribulation happens in the last days.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” [6]

Thus, it is good to walk with the Lord daily. No one on earth knows when the trumpet will be sounded, but Jesus did share with us “signs” of those days. He said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” [7]

Everyone except for Noah and his family were living for the moment. They were not thinking about God or about eternity. No one except Noah took the time to listen to God and act upon His Word.

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch.’” [8]

The problem with humanity was corruption and violence. To be corrupt is to be defiled or tainted, not pure. The people did not want to be like God. They were created to bear God’s image but were given free-will to choose otherwise. They chose to live otherwise, and their lives descended into the most vile kinds of violence against one another.

“Noah walked with God.” “Noah did; according to all that God commanded him.” “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” [9]

Peter commended those who were partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. [10]

Partaking of the divine nature is the key to being taken by the Lord before the great tribulation.

“He [Jesus Christ] came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” [11]

Jesus Christ is the ark of God in these last days. We need to receive Him and believe in His Name. His Name means the Lord saves. He saves those who walk with Him and those who trust in Him.

[1] Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5
[2] Genesis 5:21
[3] Cornwall and Smith, Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names via ChristianAnswers.net
[4] 2 Peter 3:8-9
[5] Genesis 6:3
[6] 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
[7] Luke 17:26-27
[8] Genesis 6:11-14
[9] Genesis 6:9, 22; Hebrews 11:7
[10] 2 Peter 1:4
[11] John 1:11-13