Our Scripture Of The Week Is:

Hebrews 11:1 KJVS
[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

This often-quoted verse gives a direct definition of faith, meant to be read in the context of the rest of this letter. At the end of chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews finished describing why the new covenant in Jesus Christ was superior to the old covenant of animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1–18). This concluded with a reassuring reminder not to "shrink back," but to "have faith" (Hebrews 10:39).

The definition given here is meant to tie this command to the examples given later on. After this verse, the writer will explain how the actions of various biblical figures proved both the existence and validity of their faith. Those contexts—former evidence and future expectation—are essential when interpreting the meaning of these words. In the following verses, the writer of Hebrews will point out examples of believers who demonstrated real, saving faith in God.

Each example of faith demonstrates trust, based on what that person knew and held as reassurance that God would act according to His promises. The "assurance" and "conviction" of faith is not blind belief, or gullibility, or wishful thinking. Study of the various characters mentioned in this chapter shows that they all had good reasons to trust in God.

Their "faith" was not naively accepting fairy tales; it was acting in full confidence that God would do as He had promised, based on those experiences. As the rest of this chapter demonstrates, that kind of faith—trust which produces obedience—results in God's blessings and approval.

Our perspective, looking back on their example, should inspire confidence that God will make good on His promises, even if our earthly lives don't last long enough to see them come to fruition. God "creates" out of things we cannot see—both in a literal, physical sense, as well as a spiritual sense.

Just because we don't understand how God will act does not mean He cannot, or will not act.


Our topic today is:

The Thrilling Story Of Enoch – Jared’s Son Discussion

But before he died, Jared had a son by the name of Enoch. Aside from Adam, Seth, and Noah, two of the most famous names in this chapter of genealogy are Enoch and Methuselah. Enoch fathered Methuselah at the age of just 65, a relatively young age for this passage.

Methuselah's name has a dual meaning: it can be interpreted as "man of the dart," or as "his death brings judgment."

According to this chapter, Methuselah will die in the same year as the flood. Both men represent an interesting extreme within this chapter. Enoch's lifespan is the shortest recorded for these patriarchs. At "only" 365 years, he was on earth less than half as long as others in his family.

However, Enoch's is the only story which does not end with the repeated phrase, "and he died."
Rather, verse 24 simply says that God "took" Enoch. While we're not entirely sure what it means, the contrast to every other man listed in this genealogy is striking. Most likely, this was an event similar to what happens to Elijah at the end of his ministry: taken bodily by God prior to a natural death (2 Kings 2:9–12).

Methuselah, on the other hand, is credited with the longest lifespan of any person in the Bible: 969 years! Methuselah will also be the first of the patriarchs listed here to live until the year of the great flood. Each generation continues to pass on to the following one the image of God, as well as their own human likeness, as Adam did with Seth and his other sons and daughters (Genesis 5:3).

In addition, this line of Seth seems to be passing on a commitment to walking with and worshiping God. This is important in the context of the upcoming flood. The only people saved from that catastrophe were those of this very line.

As usual, we are given the number of years that a man lived after fathering the son who would lead to Noah and his children. This time, though, we're told something about that man: Enoch "walked with God," a fact that will be repeated in the surprising verses to follow. In the Bible, the expression "walked with God" refers to someone who is obedient and devoted to the Lord, resulting in His favor.

In Enoch's case, this was so vital a point that it's mentioned twice: both here and in verse 24.
This passage is primarily intended to explain the family tree from Adam to Noah, so there are few other details given. We really don't know much about Enoch. However, we do know that God chose to remove him from earth prior to his natural death.

To this point, the youngest listed age at death has been 895 years old.

What happened?

The Bible gives no details, other than God was the one responsible, and Enoch did not die. One important piece of information comes from what the Bible does not say about Enoch. All the prior men of Noah's heritage were described with the same basic information, including the concluding phrase, "and then he died." Physical death was the primary, and most obvious effect of the fall of man.

Considering how amazing and unusual this event is, we might have hoped for more details. And yet, every word of the Bible is focused on a particular purpose. In this case, the real purpose is to explain the genealogy from Adam to Noah, through Seth. So far as that is concerned, exactly what happened to Enoch is beside the point. What we do know is that Enoch "walked with God."

In fact, this is such a crucial part of who Enoch was that it's repeated twice. To walk with God means to make a relationship with God part of your everyday lifestyle, to honor God with your choices in every aspect of life. His case is unusual in all of Scripture and, possibly, in all of human history. The only other event which seems similar is when God did something similar to Elijah, who was taken to heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:9–12).

What does it mean that Enoch "was not, for God took him"?

Apparently, in response to Enoch's walking with God, God prevented Enoch from dying.
God just took him away, instead. Hebrews 11:5 says this: "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God."

This life of faith, Hebrews tells us, pleased God so much God prevented Enoch from passing from this life in the normal way.