In Genesis, Chapters 4 and 5, we learn of two different individuals named Enoch. First, Cain, who did not trust in the generosity of God, bore a son, named “Enoch,” and Cain dedicated his life to his son. Cain named his city after his son, Enoch. The name Enoch (ḥănôḵ) means “dedicated.”[1] On the other hand, there was also a famous antediluvian (pre-flood) prophet, who was also named “Enoch,” who was fathered by Jared. Ancient Jews often recognized this Enoch as the most distinguished antediluvian prophet. However, in contrast to Cain, Enoch was notably “dedicated” to God. As our highest priority, we humans should be dedicated to God as opposed to other humans.
At Genesis 5:24, we learn that Enoch was distinguished as someone who “walked with God.” To “walk with God” is an idiom for functioning in fellowship with God. Enoch learned that the pinnacle of human existence is fellowship with God. To Enoch, life was a moment-by-moment fellowship with God. As I have stated before, Eternal Life is much more than a never-ending existence. Eternal Life is sharing in the life of God, which can be described as walking by the Spirit, wherein the Word is a light to our feet, trusting in Christ Jesus, while have no confidence in our inherent capacity to live this new, supernatural way of being (Ps. 119:105; Rom. 2:28-29; Phil. 3:3).
Enoch so successfully practiced this way of living that he made a seamless transition from this present life to the next life without dying. Because of his life of faith, Enoch received a special reward from God. Genesis 5:24 reads, “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” The Hebrew verb lāqaḥ is defined as “to take, to receive, to fetch, carry away, or seize.”[2]
The uniqueness of Enoch’s life and death was noticed by the writers of the New Testament. At Hebrews 11:5-6, we read:
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for before he was taken up, he was attested to have been pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be the One who rewards those who seek Him.
The writer of Hebrews packed a lot of information into the above two verses. These verses further establish that Enoch did not die. He made a seamless transition from this life to the next. Enoch was rewarded because of his phenomenal faith in God and because he sought God with all of his heart. Enoch lived to please God. We please God by walking with God (a/k/a living in fellowship with God). We can walk in fellowship with God only by God’s power and grace. It is a supernatural way of living. Enoch’s life and departure from this life demonstrates that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
The final mention of Enoch in the New Testament occurs in the Book of Jude. We read:
It was also about these people that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied saying, “Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all of the ungodly of their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all of the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
(Jude 1:14-15)
It took seven generations from Adam to produce a believer of the stature of Enoch. Through his relationship with his Creator, Enoch discovered authentic, near non-stop, living in fellowship with God. It should be noted that the sentence, “Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones” is actually a quote from the Book of Enoch, which is an extra-Biblical book. However, the author Jude was moved by the Spirit to include the quote within his letter, which later became a part of our Holy Scriptures. In my opinion, Jude, by the Holy Spirit, is associating Enoch’s famous and unusual departure event with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the Final Judgment. In my opinion, there is going to be a “rapture type” event associated with the Second Coming of Christ.
It is also noted that there were actually two Old Testament heroes of faith who did not experience physical death. The Old Testament Prophet Elijah was transported from Planet Earth to his next existence by a chariot of fire. At 2 Kings 2:9-11, we read:
When they crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” And as they were walking along and talking, behold a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. And Elisha was watching it and crying out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horseman!” And he did not see Elijah again.
At First Corinthians 15:51-54, we learn that there will be a generation of believers as to which great numbers will receive a transformation without first dying. Paul wrote:
Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on the immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP in victory.
In my opinion, the above verses correspond with Christ’s physical return to Planet Earth (which is often referred to as the Second Coming of Christ). However, I do believe that many Christians have a mistaken timetable regarding the events that will occur after the return of Christ. Of great significance, I do not believe that the 1000-year period (often called the Millennium), mentioned in Revelation, Chapter 20 is a literal period of time. Many Christians have over literalized the Millennium. In apocalyptic literature, numbers should be understood symbolically. The thousand-year period of time should be understood as an indefinite, long period of time. In a similar way, Psalm 50:10 says, “For every animal of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.” As the owner of everything, God owns far more than the cattle on a thousand hills. We have more than a thousand hills here in East Tennessee. The “cattle on a thousand hills” should be understood figuratively as an indefinite, large number of hills, and in a similar way, the thousand years mentioned in Revelation, Chapter 20, should be understood as an indefinite, long period of time.
Further, of great interpretive significance, I believe that the Thousand Year Millennium, mentioned in the Book of Revelation, is happening now and has been happening since Christ’s First Advent. In my opinion, the “binding” of Satan, mentioned in Revelation, Chapter 20, should not be understood as a literal confinement. The Greek deō is defined as “to bind or to be in bonds.”[3] In a similar way, Satan is not literally a red dragon with 7 heads, 10 horns, and 7 crowns as depicted in Revelation, Chapter 12. Again, apocalyptic literature is highly symbolic. We must learn how to interpret apocalyptic literature. Satan’s figurative binding lasted for an indefinite, long period of time.
Since the First Coming of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, Satan has been greatly restricted and restrained in his ability to mislead humanity. As an example, in the ancient world there were many false religions that were far more effective at misleading humans. The Roman Empire was inundated with numerous false religions and cults. As Christianity spread, particularly in the west, humanity was more and more freed from false religion. In fact, over time (contrary to life in the Roman Empire), atheism has become far more prevalent in our modern world. But now, Satan has a new weapon. Modern technology has provided Satan with a slew of new weapons to deceive, distract, and even create alternative, false, fantasy worlds of entertainment. In my opinion, our modern technological advances coincide with Satan’s figurative release from “his binding,” mentioned in Revelation 20:7. Therefore, the next big event in human history is the return of Jesus Christ and the Final Judgment. Thereafter, Christ will usher in the eternal state. There will not be some type of thousand-year delay between Christ’s return and the beginning of the Eternal State.
Of course, many of our technological advances have been wonderful gifts to humankind, as to which we should be very thankful. Nevertheless, our modern existence is full of many weapons used by Satan to deceive and distract humanity. And yes, we should use our modern technological advances to assist us in the communication and spread God’s Word. However, regardless of our many technological advances, we struggle just as much as ever to find peace and happiness in life. In fact, the state our spiritual relationship with God is probably more critical than ever before.
[1] “H2585 – ḥănôḵ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 25 Sep, 2023. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2585/nasb20/wlc/0-1/>.
[2] “H3947 – lāqaḥ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 25 Sep, 2023. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3947/nasb20/wlc/0-1/>.
[3] “G1210 – deō – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 25 Sep, 2023. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1210/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
