Pleasing
God
Series – Part 1
Enoch
Gtcotr/ss011016
Jude
14 Now Enoch, the seventh
from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord
comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 to execute judgment on
all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which
they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which
ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
Who
is Enoch and what makes him so special that he saw and accurately described
what would take place 7000 years into the future? Enoch was the seventh
generation on the earth, counting Adam. Enoch was born 622 years after God
created Adam and Enoch knew Adam, his Grandfather, (x6), for 308 years before
Adam died. Enoch is also the father of several children including Methuselah,
the oldest human on record – who lived to be 969 years old. But what else makes
Enoch so special? Enoch never died!
Genesis 5
21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot
Methuselah.
22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with
God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.
23 So all the days of Enoch
were three hundred and sixty-five years.
24 And Enoch walked with God;
and he was not, for God took him.
The
writer of the Book of Hebrews, assumed by many to be the Apostle Paul, reveals
why God treated Enoch with such favor. The period of time in which Enoch lived
was the time right between Adam and Noah, right at the mid-point between the
seven days of creation and the flood which destroyed the earth and every living
creature in which there was breath – with the exception of those who trusted
God and got onboard Noah’s ark.
At
a time when the world was turning away from God and people were beginning to
live wicked and ungodly lives and saying harsh things about the God of all
creation, here we find Enoch. I don’t understand how the world could turn
against their Creator in only six generations. How do people forget the God who
loves them so much. Hebrews gives us a greater glimpse into the heart and hope of
faithful Enoch. Even in the midst of a world turning away from God Enoch
trusted God.
Hebrews 11
5 By faith Enoch was taken
away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had
taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased
God.
The highest eternal truth in the universe and
the greatest power known throughout creation is and always has been the answer
to every dilemma, the direction in every situation and the salvation for every
soul …
The highest eternal truth in the universe which is the greatest
power known throughout creation is to simply Please God.
When we please God we have done all we should
ever and all we could ever do. Our highest calling, our greatest hope is to
please Him.
Jesus said it this way: John 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The
Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please
Him."
O that men would please Him. Do you want to
please God? There is always something we can do to please God. What can you do
to please God right now? What can you do to put a smile on God’s face? Let’s
pick back up with the continuing account of Enoch in:
Hebrews 11
5 … before Enoch was taken he
had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is
impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He
is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
When
others around us say harsh and ungodly things about our heavenly Father … we
should strive to always please God – How?
1.
Believe in God
2.
Believe God rewards all who diligently seek to please Him
