The following study is based on Hebrews 11:5-6, “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. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Not much is known of the life of Enoch.  There is one thing that stands out of the life of Enoch from the passage in Hebrews, and that is that Enoch pleased God.  He is most famous for being the man that never died and walked straight into heaven.

Genesis 5:23-24
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:  24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Enoch was a faithful man.  He had a very deep love for God and longed for God to come soon to take everyone home.  He represents a group of people that will never die and are able to see God at the second coming.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Those “which are alive and remain” at the second coming of the Lord are those that never see mortal death on earth, just like Enoch who walked straight into heaven.

According to Hebrews 11:5, what is described of Enoch before God translated him?

• The Bible simply says that he pleased God. That’s all we know and it seems to give the indication as to why God ended up translating him.

What does it mean to please God?

• 1 Thessalonians 4:1
  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
• It is obvious from this text that to please God is connected with how we walk.
• Walking is an action. It is what we are occupied with. How we spend our time, where we choose to go and especially what we do.
• What action is this referring to?
• 1 John 3:22
  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
• To please God means that we keep His commandments. Yes, all 10 commandments. Those are 10 actions, principles that we can live by.
• But remember what we learnt from Peter walking on water? Jesus’ command to Peter was to “Come.” And in that word alone was enough power to enable Peter to do it.
• Faith in His word gives us access to that power.

Romans 8:8
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

• What does it mean to be in the flesh? Surely it is not talking about just being human and having human flesh (skin).
• Galatians 5:19-21
  19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
• To be in the flesh is to have all the evil characteristics of the devil.
• Those that please God are not like the rest of the world.  There will be seen a difference in our lives and how we live it.

Galatians 1:10
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

• The servant of God does not please men but pleases Christ.
• What does it mean to be a servant of Christ?
• Romans 6:22
  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
• We are free from sin and we have fruit that shows we are living a holy life.
• What is that fruit that is evidence of holiness?
• Galatians 5:22-23
  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
• It is the fruits of the Spirit. And Matthew 7:20 says “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” We can check whether we are pleasing God today by how we are living our lives. It will be obvious, not just to others, but to ourselves as well.

However, remember if we want to please God, there is something that must be mingled with all that we do in order that God would really be happy. What is it?

• Hebrews 11:6
  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
• It must be mingled with faith.
• We, in and of ourselves, cannot please God. We are sinful. Romans 3:23 says that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
• That’s why in Hebrews it says that “without faith it is impossible.”
• How impossible is impossible?
• As impossible as it is for man to fly by himself. Impossible for man to live an hour without breathing. IMPOSSIBLE! But many people try to do it and so we fail miserably and hate God’s 10 commandments instead.
• These 10 commandments are good, and holy, and just. There’s nothing wrong with them. Just like how we appreciate the law in our country that tells us we shouldn’t kill, we only hate it when we are found on the wrong side of the law.

So how can we keep this law and make God happy?

• Remember, it’s not like we’re keeping it so that He is happy and doesn’t destroy us. We want to make God happy because we love Him. That’s what we would do for our spouse, our best friend, our children.
• But how? Coming back to Hebrews 11:6 it says that if we are to come to God we must believe – that’s the faith part. But not only that. What does the rest of the verse say? “That he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
• We must be willing to diligently seek God.
• How?

How can we diligently seek God?

• You see, Enoch wasn’t walking with God literally, he was seeking God. But how?
• Matthew 6:33
  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
• What is God’s righteousness?
• Psalms 119:172
  My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
• It means to seek His law. And where is His law found? It is found in His word!
• John 5:39
  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
• 2 Timothy 2:15
  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• We must seek and study diligently the Bible!

Colossians 3:1-2
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

• When we begin to seek God in the Bible, it begins to change our mind. We start setting the affections on heavenly things and not earthly.
• Gradually our priorities begin to change because our mind is changing. Our characters begin to change because the Bible is making a bigger impact on our lives.
• Look at the result in Colossians 3:5
  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
• This is a character change just like what is described in Galatians 5.

Job 8:5
If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty.

• We need to learn to pray. And not just to pray to God to ask Him for things.
• Pray that God would walk with us just like Enoch did! Pray to have a deeper relationship with Jesus. Pray that God would live in us. Pray that Jesus would talk to us and guide us.

Hebrews 11:6 at the end says that “he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” The reward is the changed life. It is the character change, the fruit of the Spirit. If we would diligently seek Him, the change would take place in our lives. If the condition is met, the reward will come.

God wants to have a relationship with us today. But Amos 3:3 says “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Christ wants to talk with us today. But before that can happen, our life must be in harmony with His.

Genesis 5:22 tells us that “Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years.” He didn’t walk with God for just one day, not just 1 week or 1 year. Enoch had a deep, abiding, trusting and loving relationship with God which only grew deeper as each day that passed by. God wants the same for us today as well. God wants us to talk with Him all our lives.

The Chinese philosopher Lao Tze said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” God wants us to take that first step with Him today. And not only that, but each and every day, let’s learn to walk and then run and jump with Christ. Let us learn to read and pray each day and have a deeper relationship with God. God is still the same today as when He walked with Enoch. He’s just waiting on you.

Let’s respond by committing our lives to Him and allowing Him to work in each of our hearts.