1 ENOCH
He Walked With God
ENOCH knew what it meant to feel alone. He stood apart from the world of his day. He was the only man of his time whom the Bible describes in this way: “Enoch kept walking with the true God.” How was this possible for a mere human on the earth? And what can Enoch teach us today about courage?
Enoch walked with the true God in at least two ways—in what he refused to do and in what he did. He refused to fit in with the ungodly world around him. His was the seventh generation from Adam and Eve; Adam was very old but still alive. (See the timeline “From the Days of the Patriarchs to the Time of the Judges.”) The rebellious spirit of mankind’s first parents had spread throughout the human family. Their son Cain murdered his own brother Abel, the first man of faith. Some of Cain’s descendants were just as vicious, if not more so. (Gen. 4:23, 24) Enoch courageously refused to be influenced by the violent spirit of the times. He remained a man of peace, and this pleased God.
A few generations before Enoch was born, “people began calling on the name of Jehovah.” (Gen. 4:26) It seems that they did so in a blasphemous way, which amounted to false religion. Enoch refused to take part. He loved and revered Jehovah’s sacred name, so he stood apart from his contemporaries.
When Enoch faced the fury of those who hated his message, Jehovah took action to protect him
Enoch needed even more courage when he did what Jehovah asked him to do. God gave Enoch a special assignment—to act as a prophet. He was to deliver a message to people who were very different from him. This was the message: “Look! Jehovah came with his holy myriads to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”
Notice that Enoch’s prophecy was worded in the past tense, as if God’s judgment were a historical event that had already taken place. That is how sure it was that Enoch’s words would come true. And the message was a strong judgment. Enoch repeated the word “ungodly” four times! Those words surely stung the people who heard Enoch preaching. Yet, he courageously told them what Jehovah wanted them to hear.
How did the people react? The Bible does not say exactly, but it strongly suggests that a time came when Enoch was in great danger. How so? We read: “Then he was no more, for God took him.” What happened? It seems likely that Enoch was persecuted by the wicked people of his day. Instead of letting them hurt or murder Enoch, Jehovah lovingly transferred his dear friend from the dangers of life to the peaceful sleep of death. In that way, Enoch would remain safe in Jehovah’s memory, where no one could harm him.
First, though, Jehovah gave Enoch a special gift. We read: “Before [Enoch] was transferred he received the witness that he had pleased God well.” Perhaps Jehovah gave Enoch a vision about what lay ahead of him—a peaceful life in a paradise on earth! Before Enoch closed his eyes for the last time, he knew one thing without question: Jehovah loved him and blessed him for showing strong faith and unshakable courage!
Read the Bible account:
For discussion:
In what ways did Enoch show courage?
Dig Deeper
1. How might people have begun “calling on the name of Jehovah”? (Gen. 4:26; w01 9/15 29 ¶3)
2. Enoch was the first faithful human to do what? How was he able to fulfill his assignment? (w01 9/15 31 ¶5)
3. Even before he started prophesying, why would Enoch have likely known that his courage would be put to the test? (w06 10/1 3:13-14) A
Picture A
4. How could you show that Enoch was not taken to heaven, as some believe? (John 3:13; Heb. 11:5, 13)
Reflect on the Lessons
When might we especially need courage to preach? Based on Enoch’s example, what can help us? B
Picture B
How does Jehovah feel when we walk courageously with him? (Prov. 27:11; Heb. 11:5)
How might you imitate Enoch’s courage in your life?
Meditate on the Bigger Picture
What does this account teach me about Jehovah?
How does this account tie in with Jehovah’s purposes?
What would I like to ask Enoch in the resurrection?
Learn More
How can the example of Enoch help you to cope with violence?
Imitate the Faithful, Not the Faithless—Enoch, Not Lamech (2:53)
Consider what helped Enoch to develop faith.