Christ in Enoch (2)

Having commenced a brief consideration of Enoch, we noted that his name means "dedicated" and in this he illustrates for us the Lord Jesus who is the only fully dedicated Man who ever lived.

Looking in some more detail at the record of Enoch we discover that he is mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 5, Luke 3, Hebrews 11, and Jude.

In Genesis 5.21-24 we read that Enoch "lived sixty and five years and begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God ... and he was not; for God took him". In Luke 3, Enoch is mentioned in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus. Hebrews 11.5 records "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, finally, in Jude v14 we read that " Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied ...".

Enoch was Different

Throughout Genesis 5, it is repeatedly stated that a person "lived" so many years, and then "he died". While the record of Enoch begins with the expression "Enoch lived sixty and five years" (5.21) there is a sudden and suggestive change in the next verse. There it states "And Enoch walked with God" (v22) and this is repeated "Enoch walked with God" (v24).

What marked Enoch out as different was his life. He walked in communion with God, he lived life in  companionship with God. This of necessity meant that he lived in conformity to God's character.

To whatever degree this was true in the life of Enoch, it was much more true in the life of the Lord Jesus. As to communion with God the Lord's ear was ever opened to hear "as the instructed" (Isaiah 50.4). He was also confident that the Father's ear was ever opened to Him, "And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always ..." (John 11.41-42).   

The prophet Amos wrote "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3.3) and the reason for the closeness in communion, and the perfect companionship of the Father and the Son, is that they are ever, eternally, and perfectly in agreement. There could never be so much as the suggestion of any moral difference between the will of God and the will of Christ for this would be to suggest that the will of one or the other was less than perfect!

Enoch was Delightful 

Hebrews 11 records that Enoch "pleased God". This was a result of his trust in God, for "without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb 11.5-6).

And what of the delight that the Son of God gave to the Father? At His baptism, the heavens were rent apart, and the word of the Father was heard "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3.17). The Lord Himself, speaking with the insight of deity, states "I do always those things that please Him" (John 8.29).

Never was the Lord more delightful to the Father than when He hung in shame upon the Cross. There He "hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour" (Eph 5.2). The sweet savour of the devotion of Christ, fully manifested in His whole-hearted offering of Himself to God at Calvary, was tremendously pleasing to God. May we enter into God's assessment of His Son!

Enoch was Delivered

A contrast that marks Enoch out from all others in this chapter of death is that he "was not; for God took him" (Gen 5.24). The writer to the Hebrews expands, stating that Enoch was "translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him" (Heb 11.5). 

Enoch was a dependent, distinct, delightful, dedicated man, and God, in grace, delivered him from death, taking him immediately into His presence. And Enoch is the prototype, for the promise of 1 Corinthians 15.51 is that "we shall not all sleep [i.e. die]". For all Christians there is a hope that we shall not see death. The "Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout", and for those who are "alive and remain" we will be "caught up ... to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess 4.16-17).

The Lord Jesus possessed all of these commendable features in perfect measure, added to which He was the sinless Son of God, but He was not delivered! Oh the mighty wonder of this! Jesus, the perfectly sinless, fully consecrated, impeccably holy, completely delightful, Son of God - died! The reason for this has been discussed in previous posts (see here). May we just be thankful that He did die! For, if Christ had not died then there would be no hope of salvation, no hope of forgiveness, and no hope of heaven for us.

"Jesus death upon the tree
Means eternal life to me
Means that grace o'er sin had sway
Means that love has had it's way

Yes Jesus loves me,
He died upon the tree". 

Christ - Perfect Man (Gen 2)

Much has been made of the two records of Creation (Genesis 1 & 2). Suffice to say here that they are complementary, rather than contradictory accounts. 

Note the following distinct aspects of mans constitution and position in these chapters:

Ch 1: His Dominion. Ch 2: His Dependence.

Ch 1: His Honour. Ch 2: His Humility. 

Ch 1: A Sovereign. Ch 2: A Servant.

Ch 1: Made in the image of God. Ch 2: Formed of the dust of the ground.

In Ch 2.7 we read that "the Lord God formed man from the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul". Here the man is Dust. He is Dependent upon God. He is Distinct from the rest of creation (as signified by the divine breath). 

Is Christ to be found here? Notice:

Man is Dust. This speaks of his physical, material construction. It stresses the humility of man. When we consider the Son of God, we learn that "as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same" (Heb 2.14). This is a marvel to our souls! The creator God "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1.14). 

Man is Dependent. How true this was of the Saviour! Prophetically, in Psalm 22 we are introduced forcibly to this fact "Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God" (v9-10 ESV). The eternally independent, self-sufficient One, became dependent man in this world. This can be traced in his prayer-life recorded in the Gospels.

Man is Distinct. When man was created, he was distinguished from the rest of the creatures by the divine breath. He is superior, unique, distinct, with a special glory. How much more is this true of Jesus, the Son of God? 

He is distinct, having entered our world, not by special creation, nor by natural generation, but by incarnation. While a real man, He is not a mere man! 

"Verily God, yet become truly human;

Lower than angels, to die in our stead.

How hast thou, long-promised seed of the woman,

Trod on the serpent and bruised his head". 

He is distinct as the only person intrinsically, perfectly, and impeccably holy. Thus, both in dominion and dependence, both in honour and humility, both as sovereign and servant, He is the Perfect Man!