Bible Study Genesis Part 58-Enoch And The Gospel

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God's Word is supreme at Chapel Ministries.

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The following program is an edited recording of the regular Bible studies we hold.

And we decided to share these with you in the hope that you too will be able to find inspiration, encouragement, and ultimately salvation through discovering Christ in Scripture.

Our intention is to travel all the way through the Bible.

It will be a challenging journey, but one that will undoubtedly bring you to a decision.

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You know, a lot of people probably tune into this YouTube channel every once in a while and they wonder like, who what is this all about?

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Are they we we don't know how to define ourselves other than we're people that love God and we love God's word.

A little bit about myself, I was never trained as a pastor, never trained as a Bible teacher, never went to seminary or Bible college or anything like that.

I was I'm basically, I I was I was in the Air Force, I was in the technology side of the Air Force for most of my corporate, you know, tenure.

I was in technology.

I started the television, television business with a ministry down in Florida, and it really got me thinking about the power of radio and television, and now the internet and the things that we can do to spread God's word.

Just imagine if the apostles had this sort of power behind them, how quickly the world would have.

I mean, it converted pretty quickly as it is, but imagine how much quicker it would have been.

Anyhow, that's all we do.

We love God's word.

I stopped working in the corporate world, and now I do this full time because I love God that much.

Once I realized how important it was, how important God's word was, I said, I just I feel like I have to share this with people in one way or another.

Wasn't sure how we were going to do that.

We eventually formed chapel ministries, and now we've been doing it 14 or 15 years, enjoying every single minute of it, knowing that what we're doing is helping the kingdom.

We're helping to bring fruit into the kingdom, helping to find people who will join us around the table of the Lord.

Join us as we praise God in heaven.

Once all this is wrapped up, this is going to be a wonderful thing to have all of you with me and with us up in heaven.

That's why we're doing this.

So we are studying God's word.

By the way, we've we've already gone through the book of Ephesians.

We've decided to go through the book of Genesis.

We'll go back to a New Testament book eventually.

We're gonna do that back and forth all the way through the Bible.

We're gonna go all the way through to Revelation.

It's gonna take us some time, but that's what we plan to do.

I study God's book all week long, and then we have this Bible study, and that's where we are here.

We're currently in the book of Genesis.

We are currently in the fifth chapter.

It's taken us a little while to get here, but we're starting to pick up steam now.

I think we've only have a couple more weeks in the fifth chapter, then we're picking up the sixth chapter.

We may slow back down again a bit because that's Noah and all the flood stuff.

That takes a little bit of time, but we're getting through it little by little.

At the moment, in this study of chapter five, we're in the midst of a discussion about one of history's most interesting people.

Sorry, I had to hit my little button there.

His name is Enoch.

The interesting person that we're studying right now, the interesting biblical person we're talking about now is Enoch.

And to be honest, he's actually not interesting for anything he's actually done.

In fact, we are told almost no details about his life.

We know he gave birth to Methuselah, another famous Bible character, way over in the New Testament.

Enoch is mentioned a couple of times.

Jude tells us that he was a prophet.

Well, at least there's a prophecy attributed to him.

I'm not sure if one prophecy maketh a prophet, but nonetheless, there's that.

And then in Hebrews, we learn a little bit about his personality, but that's the extent of what we know about this man.

Okay, then you may wonder why is he so interesting and so famous?

Well, because of this one statement.

And Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him.

What an absolutely unusual thing to say.

Now, last week, now I'm not a big fan of review, mainly because everything we teach is online, so there's really no need to spend a lot of time going over what we already went over, since you can review it on your own.

But in this case, we're going to say a thing or two from our previous lesson just to set up this week's discussion.

This will only take a minute.

Enoch walked with God.

That just means Enoch led a life that was in step with the ways of God.

He lived a life that was directed by the will and desires of God.

Enoch walked with God and he was not.

Now, the original Hebrew is structured in a way that tells us that Enoch went missing.

Missing in a way that no one would be able to find him.

But the Hebrew also tells us, or at least leads us to believe, that Enoch went missing, but not through death.

Anyone reading this statement who understands the ancient language would gather that Enoch was not in the sense that he was gone but not dead.

Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him.

God was responsible for Enoch's disappearance, but he did not take Enoch through death.

That's basically what that statement in Genesis 5 means.

We covered all that last time.

Today I want to ask why.

Why was Enoch spared death?

Well, I suppose that's not so unique nor unheard of.

Paul does tell us that we shall not all die, but some of us will be transformed.

The King James says, changed.

Some of us will be changed.

First Corinthians 15, 51.

The inference is that some people at some point won't die physically.

So death is not always, or at least will not always be the sole transport mechanism from here to there.

So that part is more or less resolved in scripture.

Dying is not the fate of all humans.

Some will be transformed, some will be changed.

So no death, not outside the realm of scriptural possibilities.

Okay, how about this one?

The language of the King James tells us for God took him, meaning took Enoch.

When we read in the English that God took Enoch, it is translating a Hebrew phrase that more accurately means he took Enoch to himself.

If God took Enoch to himself, that could only mean that Enoch went to heaven.

If I borrowed your car and I said I was going to take it to myself, and when you wanted it back, you'd be pretty smart if you came to my house to find it, because that's where I live.

That's where I keep stuff to myself.

Well, God lives in heaven.

If God takes anything to himself, it's going to go to heaven.

So Enoch went to heaven without death.

That's what has me puzzled.

Because again, I say, why him?

Now there can really be two ways we approach this.

First of all, we could see this event as inconsistency in the Bible.

This is wrong, or it's inaccurate, or it's just a lie.

Or we can see this as a mystery that we must apply God's truth to in order to understand what is going on if we can.

Now, wait a second, wait a second, John.

Why are we going to do that?

Why are we going to so much trouble?

Aren't we taking a risk?

Isn't it possible that someone just might think that first explanation is the right one?

You're suggesting it to them.

Maybe that's what they decide on.

Okay, I'll agree.

We are taking that risk.

This is risky.

It is possible that someone will argue that God has changed the rules.

We'll get to the rules in a second.

Or that He has exceptions to these standing rules.

Or this is just nonsense.

Someone might get stuck on one of those explanations, lean that way, opt for that possibility.

That's a danger we will encounter.

But you know, I think those that truly love God and his word and his son and trust his spirit want to see possibility too as the true meaning of this verse.

They know God is true, they know his word is perfect, but sometimes it's just so hard for our mortal, earthbound, sin distract brains to see it work out that way.

And you know what?

It's okay.

You should expect that.

If you think you're going to be able to go through all of this eternal stuff without stopping and wondering, you're fooling yourself.

And on the other hand, I think the only ones who would even consider choice one as the true meaning are just looking for a way to discredit God.

They want to disprove the Bible in their mind because either their make their master Satan wants them to, or they just want an excuse to once and for all silence their conscience about eternal things.

They have this nagging feeling that the Bible could very well be true, but they just can't allow that.

It simply won't fit into their life.

They think it's too restricting, it's too condemning.

And besides, none of my friends believe the Bible.

And it would be great if I could just finally tell them that I don't believe it either and be done with the whole thing.

If I could just find the slightest variation in the message, the tiniest chink in the armor of God, then that'd be all I need to walk away forever.

Now I'm fairly certain you know on which side the fence I sit on.

Okay, fine then.

Why don't you just say you believe it and forget all this silly analysis?

Close your eyes, say it's true, and then just move on to the rest of the chapter.

Don't risk investigating something that might get away from you.

Well, I suppose I wouldn't be the first person to do that.

There are plenty of people that handle these things that way.

But I'm just not wound like that.

I can't say I believe something without at least putting it through a few paces.

I can't tell you to believe something unless I can be sure of my own advice.

Listen, this is a major responsibility that I took upon myself that God called me into.

The things I say to you, I'm going to be responsible for.

The Bible makes that clear.

I'm going to answer for you.

And I want to make sure that what I tell you is true.

And I think that's how God would have me do it, don't you?

He gave me a brain for some reason.

He gave us this book for some reason.

Don't you think that he wants his intelligent creatures to make an intelligent stab at what makes him tick, so to speak?

And besides, this deserves more.

It's too important to just wave off.

It's too magnificent to give it a mere glance.

This is the mind of God, and I can't help to think that our that there are really incredible things out there to discover.

I mean, that's been that's been the pattern so far.

Once I fell in love with this book, I couldn't put it down.

And besides, I can't help but to think that if I was too afraid to look closely at scripture, it would be because I don't have all that much faith that it does rest on a solid foundation.

You know what I mean?

In a staring contest, who always looks away first?

The one who lacks confidence.

I mean, it's human nature to avoid the things of which we are uncertain.

Some of us don't go to our annual doctor's visits because we're afraid of the bad news.

We don't tell our soul mate, I love you, because we're afraid of rejection.

Listen, I already told you I've been having a very tough time with this verse, but I'm not going to let that stop me.

On the surface, this looks contrary to the gospel.

This looks like it is against what the gospel tells me.

So listen, I have to look deeper.

God's truth is too important to me.

I will not let doubt win.

Remember, that's what got Eve in trouble.

God told her one thing, the serpent told her another, and she gave in to the doubt.

If you don't think the devil tries that on all of us every day, then you're risking becoming a victim, just like Eve.

And listen to me.

If there's one person you don't want to mimic in Scripture, it's Eve.

So with confidence in our Lord's holy word and confidence in his spirit to guide us into all truth, let's get back to the task at hand.

Listen, the reason why I go on these side trips is because I want you to understand that we're in this together.

That if you if you think that you're not, there's something wrong with you because these things are difficult to understand, I'm going to tell you everybody feels that way.

From the most intelligent Bible expositor all the way down to the altar boy at Mass this morning.

Everybody has a problem trying to understand the mind of God because we have the mind of man.

It's okay, but don't give in.

Just because you can't find the answer doesn't mean it's not true.

We already said that it's not.

I'm going back, I'm going back to the lesson because I'm taking too long.

We already said that it's not out of the realm of scriptural authority to leave this world without dying.

Indeed, Paul tells us that some of us should expect it.

He told us that in 1 Corinthians, as I just said.

Now, the other part of this we took a quick look at was where was Enoch going to?

Where did Enoch end up?

Remember, we stated that Enoch must have gone to heaven because of the structure of the original statements as well as the structure of the statements in Hebrews indicate that God took Enoch to himself.

The letter to the Hebrews, I mean.

The English translation is simply for God took him, but that's just a tiny bit incomplete.

I mean, I'm sure we all figured out that God took Enoch to be with him, but it's nice to have validation in the form of the way the Hebrew and the Greek lays it out.

So God took Enoch to himself, which means Enoch is in heaven.

Which brings us back to my big question.

Why Enoch?

Here's my trouble.

The Bible tells us the only way anyone can be with God where he is, which is in heaven, the only way a human can go to be in God's presence in heaven is if they are sin free.

That is what the Bible tells us.

Well, Enoch could not have been sin free, even if he never committed a sin, which is impossible, but even if he never fell short of God's standard himself, Enoch was still a son of Adam like the rest of us.

I hope that's penetrating your brain.

So many of us try and try and try and try to live a good life and try to do the try to do the right thing and stop sinning and all that stuff, and we think that's gonna mean something to God, and that that's gonna get us into heaven.

It doesn't, it doesn't matter if you did or didn't do anything, you were still born a sinner.

Enoch was still born a sinner.

Enoch's very nature, like ours, is stained with sin.

Original sin is how it's described in some theological circles.

I like that.

Original sin.

How could, this is my problem, how could a sinful from birth man end up in God's presence?

How could I believe that Enoch is in heaven and believe in the gospel?

That's our basic yet profound conundrum.

Do not leave this program until you until it's the end.

Don't leave with this doubt.

I mean, I suppose, and believe me, I've contemplated this.

I suppose I could just chicken out and say, well, you know, God is God, and who's bold enough to question him?

He can do anything he wants.

After all, he's the boss.

If he wants to bend the rules and bring Enoch in as a sinner, then who's gonna tell him he can't?

Who's gonna call God out?

I'll tell you who, he will.

He's the one who declares that his word will forever be settled in heaven.

It was he who said when he was in the form of his son, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.

One of his very own spokespersons, we call this type prophets, the prophet of God, um Samuel said.

Said, the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent, for he is not a man that he should repent.

The New Testament writer to the Hebrew says plainly, Hebrews 6, 18, it is impossible for God to lie.

These are the things that have gone through my mind while trying to work this out.

There's no way one verse can nullify the whole rest of Scripture.

And besides, why did Christ die?

If there was a qualification that Enoch made that allowed him to bypass the gospel, then why couldn't others?

In fact, why didn't Enoch hang on that tree?

Because that's what it would take as a person who could go back and forth into heaven, like Jesus.

If Enoch could do that, why didn't he hang on the cross?

Why would God send his own son?

If Enoch were in heaven in the same way he was in the earth, then the rest of the Bible, especially the gospel, is in doubt.

Therefore, there must be another answer.

For the whole Bible to be true, Enoch could not have been a sinner in God's presence.

I've truly struggled with this.

So I did the only thing I could think of.

I prayed.

I prayed and I prayed and I prayed.

And God heard me.

His Holy Spirit heard me and gave me the answer.

Now, I don't want to disappoint anyone.

He didn't come into my office, sit down next to me and say, Okay, John, here's the deal.

That's not the way that that's not the way it works for me.

Others say that happens to them.

Okay, but I'm not one of those.

And to be honest, I'd rather get the answers the way I've been getting them.

So I think it all started with this rhetorical question in my heart.

Didn't Enoch walk with God?

Of course, we already determined that this wasn't a physical walk, but it must have been pretty special.

God told us about it a few times.

It must have been a special walk.

Enoch and God must have had a very special bond, right?

It lasted for 300 years.

Well, what do you think they would have talked about the whole time?

The weather?

How the local semi-pro basketball team is gonna do in a championship?

Hey, Enoch, what's your plans for vacation?

Oh, that's interesting.

Listen to me.

There's only ever one thing on God's mind when he's talking to any of us redemption.

Maybe he'll shoot the breeze with us when all this is done, but for now, he's all business.

And I don't know about you, but I'm glad for it.

Listen, the last thing the lifeguard that's pulling me to shore after a near drowning wants to talk to me about is how Catherine and I first met.

At the moment, he's sort of busy.

When Enoch walked with God, I am sure their conversation had but one theme.

The very same theme he shares with you and I every day.

God must have told Enoch about the Redeemer, the coming king.

I'm sure God's focus was on his only perfect son and what that son was going to do.

He told Enoch about our sin state.

He said we needed to be ransomed.

And I'm sure at one point, just like you and I, when we heard the story for the first time, when God was talking about the penalty of sin, Enoch must have fallen into despair.

He must have thought, I'll never get to where my friend God is.

How will I ever manage to leave this earth?

But that's probably when God went on and said his son would come far off in the future and live a perfect life and die a sinner's death because mankind, and that includes you, Enoch, all men have a debt that has to be paid.

A debt we simply are not prepared to satisfy.

May have taken a couple of days to fully explain, but I'm sure God left nothing out.

And you know what must have happened.

This had to have happened.

Enoch believed.

Come on, how do you know that?

Well, because God told us.

He said, Hebrews 11:5, by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death.

Hebrews 11:5

And he was not found because God had translated him.

For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God.

And what's more, we're told how he pleased God in the very next verse.

But without faith, it's impossible to please him.

For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

That is the context of the idea that faith pleases God.

Enoch is the context of that statement.

You've heard me say over and over again.

By faith, without faith, it's impossible to please God.

And with that faith, God rewarded Enoch.

Isn't that what it says?

That God rewards them that diligently seek him.

Enoch diligently sought him.

He had to.

I don't know how well.

That's the results tell us that.

Enoch got the same reward you and I are going to get eventually.

Enoch diligently sought God, and God rewarded him in the same way we'll be rewarded off in the future.

I assume you're seeking God as well.

You wouldn't be here otherwise.

And God put this, listen to me.

God put this man in this Bible.

God put this story here in the midst of all the dying in chapter 5.

Remember, Jay Vernon McGee called it the graveyard.

And he died, and he died, and he died, and he died.

And Enoch was taken by God to heaven.

In the midst of all of that, in the midst of the dying in this genealogy, Enoch's story is there to show us that there will be a taking away of those who have faith, a faith that pleases God.

Yes, there will be death.

We're all going to feel that sting.

But in the middle of all that, faith will prevail over the grave.

In my opinion, the only way I can see it is that is that's all Enoch was born for.

To live the gospel story.

And by the way, I'm sure that Enoch believed in the story of Christ because what other type of believing results in being with God for eternity?

Trick question.

None.

Listen, the rank and file Jews have faith in lots of things God's told them.

They believe in the six-day creation, they believe in the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, the passing of the death angel, the value of the first fruits.

Most good Jews have a deep faith in that stuff, but that's not going to do anything to improve their position.

That faith does not rise to the God took him level.

The faith that pleases God is faith and all of those other things, as well as, and especially as the faith that Jesus paid the price for our sins.

The minute Enoch told God, Yes, I believe that your son will die to reckon myself to you, the minute Enoch expressed that faith, his ticket to heaven was issued and punched.

Why are you so sure?

Because the rest of God's book says, in one way or another, what we read from John 3.16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Enoch did not perish.

Enoch could not be in God's presence in the same way he was born into the world.

Something had to change him.

Something had to change his very nature.

Or God's unjust.

Otherwise, God's not being honest with us.

And that's an impossibility.

There's only one gospel, and it's the same gospel that applies to all of us, including Enoch.

There can be no other explanation.

The Bible tells only one story.

The news in the Bible is only good news, only the gospel.

Now that may not satisfy you, but I cannot see it go any other way.

Now we're almost done with chapter five.

We'll finish it up next week.

See that.

We hope this study has blessed you.

God's word is a great treasure, and it's our belief that a thorough, purposeful study of it will bring all of God's children to an understanding of his eternal plan of redemption.

It is our prayer that this will be so for all of our listeners.

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