Who is our God? What is He like?
He is a personal God.
As we enter chapter five we encounter our first genealogical list that takes us from Adam, through Seth to Noah. In the midst of that list of names and lifespans we see one very interesting character –-Enoch.
He is interesting, I believe, because what is highlighted by God with regard to him in this chapter, reveals as much about God as it does about Enoch. In verse 22 we see that “Enoch walked with God.” Then again in verse 24 we see that “Enoch walked with God.”
This act of walking with God must have been something very special. We might even say that it was unique, because it is not mentioned about anyone else up to this point. What did it mean to walk with God? The word “walk” in this passage is the Hebrew word “halak” which certainly describes movement by walking, but as you dig a little deeper you find that the word speaks to the “movement of, or manner of a person in life.” It is sometimes used of one’s behavior as “a son who walks or follows after the ways of his father.”
The Scripture testifies to this in the life of Enoch in two other places. We read in Hebrews 11:5
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.
And then again Jude 14-15 records:
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
What did Enoch do that caused him to stand out to God? According to the Scripture he was a man of faith that loved righteousness, and these things pleased God. In fact, this pleased God so much that Enoch reaped the blessing of being translated out of the wickedness and unrighteousness around him in the world.
What does this reveal about God? It shows us that our God is a lover of righteousness and a rewarder of faith (Hebrews 11:6). He takes a personal interest in those who love what He loves. He is not disconnected from His creation, but on the contrary, very much involved and looking for those He can reward as they walk with Him by faith.
Behold our God!