HEBREWS 11:5-6

NO PROOF NEEDED

5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:5-6 (NKJV)

This is the fourth devotion in a series on Hebrews 11, based on "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 You can go here to view the earlier devotions in this series.

Genesis 5:18-24 is where we find Enoch mentioned. Often we come to these genealogies and skip over them as unimportant. In doing so, we miss the opportunity to learn more of the greatness of God.

The verses of Chapter 5 follow one after another with the name of a Patriarch, how old he was when a certain son was born, how long he lived, and then it says "he died" -- all of them with one exception, Enoch. Instead of saying "He died’, verse 24 reads, " And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

Enoch was one of the three who "walked with God." These three were no longer seen by others. It is as if they ceased to exist, but they did not die in the way that we understand death.

Why is this important for us? Why do we need to meditate upon this? This is certainly important as we recall Hebrews 11:1 that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. If my faith is strong enough to believe that, without proof, God could take Enoch from life on earth to life eternal, bypassing death, then imagine what my faith can allow me to accomplish in daily life. Even more than that, realize how much more real these words of St. Paul become.

50 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 " O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:52-58 (NKJV)

It is my belief that the writer to the Hebrews is seeking to teach that if proof is needed in order to believe, that is not FAITH. My Faith helps me to say, It is recorded in God’s Holy Word and that is all that I need.

WE PRAY: LORD, my faith is weak. You have said that faith can be strong enough to move mountains. Send your Holy Spirit upon me that through faith I can begin to remove the pebbles and the debris that try to block me from living as You would have me live. AMEN

TWO SUGGESTIONS FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION:

Pray that God would help you and others to see that accepting His Word is far more important than understanding it. Events still happen in life today that there seems to be no explanation for, especially to those who believe in Christ. As you encounter these events, keep in mind those unexplainable events such as Creation, and such as Enoch walking with God. This allows God to use events of today to help us fully accept the "unbelievable to scientists" events recorded in Scripture."