JRM Sison Chapter - October 18, 2009

It is very interesting to note what happened to Enoch, the descendant of Seth and not of Cain. He has special mentions both in the Old and New Testament;
     ²¹ And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
     ²² And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
     ²³ And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
     ²⁴ And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
                                                                                               Gen 5:21-24

     ⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
                                                                                               Heb 11:5
Paul mentioned him as one of the heroes of faith.

The Two Enoch in Genesis 4 and 5

In Genesis chapter 4, Cain’s first son was named Enoch. Cain built a city and named it after his son. Note the difference between the line of Cain and Seth. It was in Cain’s line where
     ·     a city was established (Gen.4:17)
     ·     the practice of having more than one wife started (through Lamech in v.19)
     ·     business started through Jabal (v.20)
     ·     musical instruments were born through Jubal (v.21)
     ·     the use of brass and iron started through Tubal-cain (v.22)
     ·     murders, cruelness and pride started in the life of Lamech (v.23, 24).

Take a closer study of what happened to the line of Cain. They started to bring birth to a new civilization; and through the development of their new found civilization came boastfulness (pride), murders, cruelness, disrespect. They began to be civilized yet started to become barbarians.

Let’s take a look on the line of Seth (Genesis 5:3-32).
     ·     Seth was described as Adam’s begotten son in Adam’s image after his likeness. Note that chapter 5 of Genesis is the generation of Adam yet Cain was not mentioned.
     ·     There was no mention of any development or technology like Cain’s line.
     ·     There were two persons that were named as just men and men that walked with God; Enoch (Genesis 5:22) and Noah (Genesis 6:9).
     ·     Enoch was given praise and credit because God took him.

Seth’s line can be described as a holy line while Cain’s line as a wicked line. Note that holiness is not in parallel with technology but patterned by one’s walk in life; walking in the flesh or in the Spirit.

Another worth noting was the name Lamech. It appeared on both lines. The similarity is the name but the difference is the fruit. Cain’s Lamech had a very wicked fruit; he was a ruthless man that will kill anyone who stands in his way; he had no respect for women; he had no respect for God. The complete opposite can be seen on the life of Seth’s Lamech; he begat a son named Noah and Noah found grace in the sights of God and was preserved during the flood.

The Beauty of Walking with God

The instance that happened to Enoch was rare. It happened only to two persons; Enoch and Elijah. Let us try to study what really happened with Enoch; how he found favor in God’s sight.

Enoch didn’t start as a man that was righteous. Genesis 5:22 states that Enoch walked with God AFTER he begat Methuselah. What was Enoch doing before that? One thing for sure, he was not walking with God. But something happened; Methuselah came. And this made Enoch to walk with God. He walked with God for 300 years. Paul mentioned in Hebrews 11:5 that “before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” For 300 years, all that Enoch ever did was to please God. And by pleasing God he was translated and that he should not see death.

But how can we please God? Paul continued in v.6, “But without faith it is 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.” It all boils down to one thing; all fingers point to only one direction; FAITH.

How to Please God

There are many ways to please a person you love; you may please a person by giving flowers, chocolates, a book to read, precious jewelries, a house, a car, etc. You may please the one you love by offering your love for that person, giving promises (that sometimes are not kept), being truthful and honest, and giving respect to the people that are important to that person. So many ways for man and don’t you know that it is very hard to please man. You can please a person today by giving yet cannot please that person tomorrow even if you give. But things are different with God. We can please God by having faith in Him; know that He is our God (2 Tim. 2:15), that He provides and rewards all those that diligently seek for Him and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33; Heb. 11:6).

We can have an increased faith by WALKing with God; to continue on WALKing on the path of righteousness.
     ·     Win souls. Every Christian is a soul-winner. If we can’t win a soul for Christ then we don’t bear any fruit for Him (John 15:16). And if we are not bearing fruit we might wither just as Jesus had commanded the fig tree to wither because it doesn’t bear any fruit (Matt. 21:19). Thus, we must go and win souls for Christ (Matt. 28:19).
     ·     Abhor evil things. Romans 12:9 says it all, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” Paul , in this verse had told us what to do on how to walk with God
          Ø     Love without pretense
          Ø     Hate what is evil
          Ø     Cling to what is good
     ·     Live a holy life. Heb 9:27 states, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” We have to live a holy life. If we don’t, then rest assured we’re going to have a very rough second life. From what is happening in our country, with the storms that keep on pounding us, we have to live a holy life. The storms ‘Ondoy’ and ‘Pepeng’ are our wake-up call to live a holy life. That is why we have to memorize this verse, “¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: ¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; ¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:14-16).”
     ·     Know that we have the promise of eternal life. Let us learn from Paul: Hebrews 11 described the heroes of faith. All these heroes desired a better country, which is heavenly (v.16). They knew that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. That is why they cling unto the promise of God; the promise found in Titus 1:2 (In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.)

Benefits on Pleasing God

God is a just God and knows who to bless. Walking with God allows us to reap the goodness of God. Hebrews 11 stated some of the benefits on pleasing God:
     ·     v.5 Not to see death (second death that is eternal suffering in hell - Romans 6:23)
     ·     v.7 Become heirs of righteousness
     ·     v.9 Become heirs of God’s promise
     ·     v.33 Subdue kingdoms, work righteousness, obtain promises, and stop the mouths of lions
     ·     v.34 Quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, out of weakness are made strong, wax valiant in fight, turn to flight the armies of the aliens

Brethren, the world we know and we live in is not better than the world that our Lord Jesus Christ is about to give. The world we live is corruptible while the world that our Lord gives is incorruptible. Work out your faith. Don’t settle for less if you can have the best. Christ is the best thing that will ever happen in your life. Receive Him and the gospel that He preaches; Christ has come, Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will rise again.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (1 Tim 6:12).