Featured Scripture
Enoch was taken up by faith so that he should not see death, and He was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. Hebrews 11:5 [Genesis 5:22-24]
Preface
Walking with God isn’t just about religion; it’s about forging a deeply spiritual personal and transformative relationship with the divine. Practically, it is about embarking on a journey of faith, trust, and surrender, where each step is guided by a higher power and infused with divine grace.
In this blog post, we’ll define what it means to walk with God using the intriguing figure in the Bible, Enoch. Our ultimate goal is to identify some practical spiritual lessons that faithful followers of Christ can learn from the life of Enoch and others whom God used to His glory.
“Walking with God is not just about reaching a destination but enjoying the journey with the One who knows the way.” – Unknown
Various Perspectives
Judaic Perspective: In Judaism, “walking with God” symbolizes a close relationship and obedience to divine commandments. It reflects a commitment to living a righteous life according to the teachings of the Torah. Walking with God in Judaism involves ethical conduct, adherence to religious rituals, and a deep connection to God through prayer and the study of sacred texts.
Hebraic Perspective: From a Hebraic standpoint, walking with God encompasses a journey of faith and obedience, akin to the Abrahamic covenant. Genesis 17:1 Hebraic thought emphasizes personal responsibility and righteousness, with walking with God symbolizing a life of integrity, humility, and trust in divine providence.
Christian Perspective: In Christianity, walking with God extends beyond mere obedience to encompass a deep, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It involves surrendering one’s will to God, following the example of Jesus, and being led by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:25 Walking with God in Christianity entails spiritual transformation, reliance on grace, and a commitment to love God and others.
Islamic Perspective: In Islam, “walking with God” is known as “Taqwa,” which means mindfulness, consciousness, and fear of God. It involves living a life of holiness, righteousness, and obedience to Allah’s commands as outlined in the Quran and Hadith. Walking with God in Islam entails striving for moral excellence, avoiding sin, and seeking closeness to Allah through prayer, charity, and devotion.
Walking with God requires Faith
Perhaps the universal definition of faith is Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 Spiritual faith requires people to put their livers completely into the hands of God, no matter what happens.
The spiritual faith is far beyond man’s normal knowledge or powers of comprehension. For believers in our current generation, our trust and confidence in God must be based on the permanent atoning work of Christ.
Faith is a supernatural blessing, not of this world but by the Holy Spirit of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. Galatians 5:22
Two of the most distinctive spiritual traits of the “faithful ones” in Hebrews 11 are their testimonies [witness, which we will discuss later] and that many did not receive the very things that were promised to them. Hebrews 11:2;39-40. The latter passage communicates about the coming of the Messiah for the ancient faithful ones, and for us, His second coming.
“Walking with God is not about being perfect but about being willing to follow Him wholeheartedly.” – Unknown
Enoch Walked with God
Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
In the Commentary of the Torah, Richard Elliott Friedman defines Enoch’s walking with God as an expression in ancient Near Eastern texts to express continuous fidelity so here it would mean that Enoch was faithful to God throughout his 365 years before his translation.
In Post Biblical Jewish literature, Enoch 6:9, “The elect shall possess light, joy, and peace; and they shall inherit the earth”. This passage from the Book of Enoch describes a life spent in the closest intimacy with God. [ETZ Hayim-Torah and Commentary]
The Book of Enoch and the Book of Wisdom [see below in the section Hope in Eternal Life] are both considered non-canonical texts by most mainstream Christian denominations. However, they were influential in certain early Christian communities and were occasionally referenced or cited by some early Christian writers.
Enoch’s walk with God is often interpreted as a metaphor for living in close fellowship and obedience to God. The phrase Walking with God implies that Enoch’s relationship with God was not static or passive but dynamic and active, involving constant engagement and movement in alignment with God’s purposes.
Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible defines “walk” as abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to go on habitually. Therefore, the expression “walk abroad, on, to and fro, up and down” as applied to Enoch conveys the idea of a life lived in constant communion and alignment with the divine will.
“Walking with God means surrendering our will to His, trusting that His plans for us are far greater than we could ever imagine.” – Unknown
Enoch was not Alone
Hebrews 11, often called the “Hall of Faith,” provides a list of individuals from the Old Testament who demonstrated exemplary faith in God. Keep in mind the manner and promises that God made to bring the righteous Seed, Messiah into the earth, we find that others like Enoch, also walked with God.
To appreciate this see the genealogy of the Son of Man in Luke 3:23-38 and the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham, Matthew 1:2-17.
Somewhat as a topical study of others who walked with God, we see:
- In Genesis 6:9, Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
- Abram, in Genesis 17:1, God spoke to him saying, Walk before Me, and be blameless.
- Joseph, in Genesis 48:15, He blessed Joseph and said the God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.
- To Israel, Micah 6:8, He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
- To the Priesthood of Levi, Malachi 2:6, True instructions were in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips, he walked with Me in peace and uprightness and he turned many back from iniquity.
- To the Disciples of the Messiah, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, So that you may walk in a manner worthy of God who calls you into His own Kingdom and glory.
What are some practical spiritual lessons our generation of faithful followers learn from the life of Enoch?
Walking with God: Enoch is described as someone who “walked faithfully with God.” Genesis 5:22 This implies that he maintained a lifelong intimate and personal relationship with God Almighty. Faithful followers of the Messiah can learn the importance of daily communion with God through a strong prayer life, Biblical study as a form of worship, and maturity while living out loud publicly, one’s faith.
Consistency and Integrity: Enoch’s consistent walk with God communicates the importance of integrity and steadfastness in the regenerated life of a Believer. Despite the never-ending challenges, problems, and difficult testings in this life, we in our current generation as it was with Enoch, must remain faithful to God.
Hope in Eternal Life: Enoch’s translation into heaven without experiencing death serves as a powerful reminder if not a promise of the hope that all faithful believers have in eternal life. Enoch’s testimony foreshadows the ultimate victory over death through Jesus Christ’s resurrection and the promise of eternal fellowship with God.
Some may question why Enoch was spared by God not to die, which I sense is a legitimate question. In the Book of Wisdom 4:10-15, there is perhaps a clearer reason why Enoch did not physically die:
There was one who pleased God and was loved by Him, and while living among sinners he was taken up. He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile deceive his soul. For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.
Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years; for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore He took him quickly from the midst of wickedness. Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that God’s grace and mercy are with His elect, and He watches over His holy ones.
Enoch’s life exemplifies faith in action. Hebrews 11:5 states, 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.” The expression he was taken away, is also used in describing how God also took Elijah in 2 Kings 2:11, “Elijah when up by a whirlwind to heaven.
The relationship between Enoch’s and Elijah’s lives as faithful witnesses to God who did not experience physical death depicts that those faithful Believers who are alive at the Second Coming of the Messiah, likewise will not experience physical death. The Apostolic Writings of Paul support this Biblical promise in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
Prophetic Witness
Jude 1:14-15 refers to Enoch as a prophet, by quoting his prophecy about the coming judgment of God. What better way to highlight the calling and commissioning of all faithful followers in proclaiming God’s truth while warning others about the consequences of sin and being not connected with God?
Like Enoch, faithful followers of the Messiah are to be prophetic voices where the “Light of God’s Word” leads them. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105
The source of Biblical prophetic witness is the sacred Holy Bible. All of God’s Biblical prophets advocated for adherence to the divine commandments, moral principles, and ethical behavior as revealed in the Scriptures. They challenged societal norms, called for repentance and returning to God, and warned of the consequences of willful disobedience.
The preeminent example and model of a faithful witness is recorded in Revelation 1:5 by John, the beloved disciple of the Messiah:
“and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and releases us from our sins by His blood, and He has made us to be a kingdom, priest to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever“. Amen.
Closing Comments
By reflecting on these aspects of Enoch’s life, modern-day faithful followers of the Messiah can draw the much-needed inspiration and guidance for a mature and productive spiritual journey. Learning to strive to walk faithfully with God, and live lives of consistency and integrity will enable each to bear witness to the world of His truth.
The ultimate model of those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God is the faithful prophetic witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. For within Him we all are loved, freed from sins, reclaimed to the Father by His Blood, and promised to live forever, in His presence. Amen
Grace and Peace
Brother Alonzo
