Enoch walked with God and then God abducted him. He never returned home. Genesis the first book of the Bible has a long list of the patriarchs of the pre flood world. In this list the author casually passes over the seventh from Adam, Enoch, with a unique statement.

Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Genesis 5:24 ESV

God Abducting is Rare

Enoch is unique here because Genesis lists the age when all the other patriarchs died, but Enoch was one day taken, gone, simply no longer around. Enoch being abducted by God is an odd way to end life. What does it mean that God took him? This word here “took” is a common word that can mean to carry away or fetch. But the word “took” used here also has a very personal meaning like we would say to be taken in marriage. God loved Enoch and just one day picked him up and said you are coming with me.

Enoch Walked with God

In addition to being taken the simple sentence states that Enoch “walked” with God. Now we do not know if this means he physically walked with God to travel or if he simply lived a life that traveled where God would have him go. However we have a comparison for this word “walked” and that is Noah who also walked with God.

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. Genesis 6:9 ESV

God created us for relationship and He seeks out women and men who are willing to travel with him. God took note of Enoch in his generation and God saved humanity through Noah in Noah’s generation. While Noah maybe more famous than Enoch we now realize that Enoch walked with God before Noah did. In the Hall of Faith found in Hebrews 11 the Bible tells us more about Enoch.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:5-6 ESV

Draw Near to God

The Author of Hebrews spells it out for us so that we can imitate this amazing person.

1. Enoch walked with God trusting him and built a relationship that has no recorded deeds like Noah or worldly success like King Solomon.
2. Enoch received a reward that only a few people in all of history have received. He avoided death.
3. Enoch pleased God by walking with him. Paul tells the Ephesian Church that they walk in death following the “prince of the power of the air” namely Satan or they walk in the new life of the spirit provided by Jesus.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— Ephesians 2:1-5 ESV

Do you Walk with God?

Dear reader you too can walk with God, lover of your soul, provider of all your needs. He wants you to draw near to walk with him. Turn away from whatever direction you planned to go and travel with God. Put down the labor and toil of your ambitions to see what God’s ambition might be for you. Jesus has provided restoration making the relationship possible. Now is the time to take advantage of this gift.

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*Edited and Revised. Originally Published October 2014