Walking and Pleasing
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; "and was not found, because God had translated him": for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:5
In today's world, the "centenarian club"--those living to age 100 or more--is a select group. Thousands of years ago, prior to the great flood, the goal was not living to 100 but living to 1,000! No one made it, but Methuselah came closest, dying at age 969 years (Genesis 5:27). Methuselah's father, Enoch, was a rarity in those days--he lived only 365 years. But there was a special reason why his lifespan on earth was cut short.
Enoch's life on earth ended unexpectedly because God removed him from earth, presumably to heaven. We are not told why God took Enoch, but we are given two clues. First, Enoch "walked with God" (Genesis 5:22). Noah is the only other person in the Bible who "walked with God" (Genesis 6:9). Second, we are told that Enoch "pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5). The fact that Enoch lived in a time of great violence and sin on the earth suggests that God removed Enoch from that environment as a reward for his righteousness.
Regardless of how long we live, our goal today and everyday should be to walk with God in a way that pleases Him.
If I walk with the world, I can't walk with God. - Dwight L. Moody
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