June 20 – Daily Devotional

31 May June 20 – Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

BY FAITH – PART III

Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”

Enoch, one of the Old Testament Patriarchs, lived to be 365 years old.  Genesis 5 has just a couple of lines regarding him: “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” (Genesis 5:24)  Enoch and Elijah were the only two people in the Bible, who without experiencing death, were taken directly from earth to heaven.  Enoch was noted in the New Testament book of Jude.  Verses 14-16 say of him, “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of His holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’ These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”

Enoch did not follow the evil ways of the world or his contemporaries.  The Holy Scriptures hold before us one important characteristic of his life.  It was his faithfulness to Yahweh.  He refused to join in the evil that surrounded him.  He followed all that Yahweh had spoken and demanded of His people.  Enoch was found to be faithful to Yahweh. (Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5)

The name Enoch means, “teach,” “train up,” “discipline.”  He, as a Prophet of Yahweh did just this among the wicked people of his day.  As God’s prophet, in spite of their evil, he spoke God’s word to them in its truth and purity.  God gave Enoch His message for the people and Enoch faithfully delivered it as unpopular as it was.

Enoch models yet another facet of faith.  Faith in Yahweh means there is no compromise in the lives of those who have been given faith by Him.  His Word is truth and His followers trust and believe His Word.  Though surrounded by the evil in the world and its rejection of Yahweh, those with faith remain steadfast in their belief in the Triune God.

You live in a wicked evil world.  God has called you to faithfulness as He did Enoch.  In His call to faithfulness Jesus promises, “If you remain in Me (Jesus) and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.”  Luther wrote, “Saving faith trusts both in God’s existence and in His mercy for Christ’s sake. ‘It is evident that in theology the work does not amount to anything without faith, but that faith must precede before you can do works. . .’”

Prayer:  Lord, keep my steadfast in Your Word and faithful to You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

O For A Faith That Will Not Shrink  Though Pressed By Many A Foe
That Will Not Tremble On The Brink  Of Any Earthly Woe

That Will Not Murmur Nor Complain  Beneath The Chastening Rod
But In The Hour Of Grief Or Pain  Will Lean Upon Its God

A Faith That Shines More Bright And Clear  When Tempests Rage Without
That When In Danger Knows No Fear  In Darkness Feels No Doubt

That Bears Unmoved The World’s Dread Frown  Nor Heeds Its Scornful Smile
That Seas Of Trouble Cannot Drown  Nor Satan’s Arts Beguile

A Faith That Keeps The Narrow Way  Till Life’s Last Hour Is Fled
And With A Pure And Heavenly Ray  Lights Up A Dying Bed

Lord Give Us Such A Faith As This  And Then Whatever May Come
We Will Taste Even Here The Hallowed Bliss  Of An Eternal Home

(William H. Brathurst, 1831  —  Public Domain)