God Took Him
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Genesis 5:24
Read John 11:20-28
We want to look at the life of Enoch one more time. The words of our text again state emphatically that Enoch walked with God. Then suddenly we read that Enoch is gone, though he was in the prime of his life. We might be inclined to conclude that he was taken away by death. But that is not the case. Among all the obituaries written in this chapter, Enoch’s name is the only one after which we do not read “and he died”. God took him, so he did not see death. What the Lord Jesus later said while He was in Bethany literally took place in the life of Enoch, “Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” (John 11:26)
The last thing mentioned about every person listed in our text chapter, other than Enoch, is, “and he died.” But Enoch did not die; the Lord took him. God took His obedient servant home.
Perhaps you ask, “Why did God take him so early in life?” Perhaps to prevent this faithful prophet from being martyred, because the world would not tolerate his message. Or maybe because Enoch’s work was complete. In any case, Enoch did not see death; he did not have to experience the painful separation of body and soul. In one split second he was changed; he was brought into the presence of the Lord. He was taken home after walking with God for three hundred years. He could exchange his earthly rags for a wedding garment. The rest prepared for God’s people became his portion.
Thought: You are still young. Relatively speaking, Enoch was also young when he was taken up to the Lord. If you were to pass away during your youth, would you be like a traveler that has come home?
Psalter 439:3 (based on Psalm 73) Whom have I, Lord, but Thee on high? None else on earth can satisfy But Thou, O God, my soul’s deep yearning; For Thee my troubled heart is burning. Though flesh should faint and heart should break, Thou art my rock that naught can shake; In life, in death, Thou art my stay, My strength, my portion, Lord, for aye.