Enoch Was In A Number of Ways

a rather unique man. According to Jude 14 he lived in the seventh generation after Adam and that he was a prophet of the Lord. Let's now consider several things that made this man special. First, the Scriptures tell us that "Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God" (Gen 5:21). By any ones standard walking consistently with God for so many years would be quite an accomplishment. Then all of a sudden, something quite remarkable happened, "one day he disappeared, because God took him" (Gen 5:24).

Secondly he was the father of Methuselah who lived for 969 years. He is the oldest person ever to live on the earth. The name Enoch gave Methuselah is unusual, in that it means "when he dies judgment" or "when he dies it will be sent." Since Enoch was a prophet we need to ask the question: Does this name have any particular significance? The answer is: Yes it does! To discover its importance we need to do some mathematics.

The calculation is as follows:

Methuselah became the father of Lamech at 187 years of age (Gen 5:25)
Lamech became the father of Noah at 182 years of age (Gen 5:28)
The flood came when Noah was 600 years of age (Gen 7:11)

Now add 187 + 182 + 600 = 969 the exact age at which Methuselah died. God apparently gave Enoch a revelation concerning the timing of the world wide judgment which was coming upon the earth --- the flood of Noah's day.

A third unique thing about him is a prophecy he made that is recorded in the New Testament. It states "Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on the people of the world" (Jude 14,15). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Enoch prophesied concerning the still future "day of the Lord" when all wicked humanity will stand condemned before God.

The final event in Enoch's life has yet to take place. In Hebrews 9:27 the following statement is made "each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment." Enoch did not die, he was taken to heaven by God. Therefore, the truth of this statement has yet to become applicable to him.

However, the book of Revelation has what appears to be the conclusion to Enoch's life story. During the period of the Great Tribulation two witness' "will prophesy during (a period of) 1,260 days" (Rev 11:3). Their message will be hated by the world's heathen population. At the end of this time "the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit...will conquer them and kill them" (Rev 11:7). After three and a half days God will raise these two men back to life. Then a loud voice from heaven will command them to "Come up here!" (Rev 11:12) and they rise to heaven in a cloud. Enoch is most likely one of the two prophets placed by God on the earth to predict judgment against an apostate world.

Few would question the statement that Enoch is a unique biblical character. Yet, it is important for us to realize that in God's eyes we are all special --- in fact one of kind. May we constantly seek to express this uniqueness through living in constant obedience to him.

Copyright Bruce March 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.


Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.