Jude 1:14-15 | Education from Enoch… now Enoch
Intro
In Genesis 4:17-22 Moses writes from the verbal history of humanity when he tells the story of the pre-flood civilization. A society that was not like what we are told today; Neanderthals who had no speech, education, or a structured society, instead just grunted as they went along. That is a far different historical representation then what the Bible presents. The Bible reveals a very advanced civilization with vast cities, technology, fine arts, education, and manufacturing. But we also notice that with those advancements, like today, we share this in common with that pre-flood generation; namely that even with these advancements it has had no lasting impact upon a moral maturity and human decency. Instead according to Genesis 6:5 “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The reason for this introduction is that if it were not for Jude we would have even less knowledge on this time in human history. The use of this illustration of Enoch brings up more questions than it provides answers. I’m sure you may have even more questions than I have thought of but from the point of context I can see that we need to address three questions with regards to these two verses that Jude uses as an illustration of what awaits false teachers:
- Who is this person Enoch and what is his prophecy about?
- Where did Jude receive the information with regards to the prophecy of Enoch?
- What does the use of this illustration supposed to be in reference too?
This Sunday we will take up only the first of these questions and the following week will conclude our education in the life of Enoch.
Vs. 14a Now Enoch
Vs. 14a The first question we will need answered for the sake of the context of this passage is two-fold: Who is this person Enoch and what is his prophecy about? There are two men who shared this name according to the Genesis account:
- The first Enoch mentioned is found in Genesis 4:17-18 where he is identified in the linage of Cain being his son who went on to build a city in which he named it after himself.
- The second Enoch is a completely different as he is mentioned briefly in Genesis 5:18-24 where his linage is from the godly line of Seth after Cain had murdered Able.
Based upon Jude’s words it is clear that he is speaking of Seth’s linage and not Cain’s do to the fact that Cain’s Enoch was Adam’s grandson; where Seth’s Enoch was the “seventh from Adam” as stated by Jude. You will find this list in Genesis chapter 5 where we are given their names as Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalalel, Jared, and Enoch. In Genesis and Jude are the only references that we can draw from too discover the facts about Enoch.
- Gen. 5:18 tells us that he was born in the 162nd year of his father Jared’s life. His father went on to live 800 years after his birth and we are told that his father went on to have many other children dying at the age of 962. This is interesting as this would make Enoch’s father the 2nd oldest recorded living person behind Enoch’s son Methuselah’s 969 years of life.
- Based only upon Jude’s words, Enoch was a prophet during the preflood civilization and if there were other prophets his words are the only ones that remain and those are only found in Jude. That makes this prophecy mentioned by Jude the oldest prophecy mentioned in the Bible or does it? I will attempt to show you that Enoch’s words may only be a part of a further prophetic word that still has something to say not only for the civilization of the preflood time but ours today.
- Enoch’s spiritual life seems to have a progression of maturity. This is realized by examining the passage in Gen 5:24 where we are told specifically that “he walked with God” and furthermore this continued for 300 years which was the remainder of Enoch’s life on this earth. Enoch’s life was to be an example to a fallen society until God took him at the age 365 years old, the youngest of all of his relative’s lives upon this earth. This observation causes me to want to understand this part of Enoch’s life. According to Gen. 5:21-24 something happened to Enoch that changed his spiritual life, as we aren’t told that he “walked with God” until after his son Methuselah was born. For the first 65 years of Enoch’s life he was most likely a man of God but after his son’s birth something changed in his relationship towards God as he entered into a closeness with God. Enoch’s encounter with God led him to order his life and steps around following closer towards God then he had previously. Furthermore this transformation was a permeant change that marked his life as we are told that he remained a man that “walked with God” not just a man of God continually and consistently that “walked with God” until God took him.
- Enoch’s prophetic ministry seems to be tied to his son’s Methuselah’s birth and may have been a catalyst of his walk with God. While it is not clear whether it was a “God encounter” that caused Enoch to hear from the Lord or if it was the revelation that he was going to become a father that caused him to hear the Lord. What is certain is that God knew all along what he was going to do in Enoch and through Enoch as his name means “teaching”. This is seen in the name Enoch gave to his son as Methuselah means “His death shall bring”. It seems that Methuselah name coincided with Genesis 6:5 and the Lord seeing the hearts of all of humanity being wicked and every intent of thoughts of their hearts being only evil. Methuselah became a living walking prophecy throughout his 969 years of life. These are a part of a further prophetic truth hidden in the meaning of the names given us in the linage of the godly line of Seth are also in themselves a clear presentation of the gospel.
Hebrew English
Adam Man
Seth Appointed
Enosh Mortal
Cainan Sorrow
Mahalalel The blessed God
Jared Shall come down
Enoch Teaching
Methuselah His death shall bring
Lamech Despairing
Noah Rest
If you put these names into a normal sentence structure it would proclaim this:
“Man is appointed mortal sorrow; but the blessed God shall come down teaching that His death shall bring the despairing rest!”
I seems that this will be a good place for us to stop for today and we will take on the rest of our questions of:
- Where did Jude receive the information with regards to the prophecy of Enoch?
- What does the use of this illustration supposed to be in reference too?
Next week as I wouldn’t be able to give the answers to these two questions in the time given me today. But I can imagine that you can consider the truths we have uncovered today as they speaks to our “walk with God” and that such a walk can play an important truth to a world whose only thoughts and intents are upon evil as we will be a part of the gospel too them.