to Genesis chapter 4 for our Old Testament reading. I'll actually pick up where we left off last time with the murder of Abel. Genesis chapter 4 verse 17 through 5, 24. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after his son's name, Enoch. To Enoch was born Arad, and Arad fathered Mahujel, and Mahujel fathered Methuselah. And Methuselah fathered Lamech. And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah. Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the lyre and the pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal Cain. He was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal Cain was Nema. Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, hear my voice, you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is 77-fold. And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth. For she said, God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him. To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time, people began to call upon the name of the Lord. And so this is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female, he created them, and he blessed them and named them man when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness after his image, and he named him Seth. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years, and afterwards, he had other sons and daughters. Thus, all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died. When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Thus, all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Canaan. Enosh lived after he fathered Canaan 815 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Thus, all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died. When Canaan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. Canaan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Thus, all the days of Canaan were 910 years, and he died. When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Thus, all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died. When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years. And he died. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Now turning with me to the book of Jude. So we will read the bulk of this letter. Fear not, if you're not familiar with the book of Jude, it's only about two pages. We found on page 1308, if you're using the Pew Bible. Here we get further insight into this man named Enoch, a man who only gets just a few verses in the opening chapters of Genesis. Jude, we'll read 3 to 16. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality, and deny our only master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Now I want to remind you that although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of that great day. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Yet unlike manner, these people also relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the Archangel Michael contending with the devil was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, the Lord rebuke you. But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand. And they were destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them, for they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain of Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. These are hidden reefs that your love feasts as they feast with you without fear. Shepherds feeding themselves, waterless clouds swept along by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted. wild waves of the sea casting upon the foam of their own shame, wandering stars for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. And it was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against them." These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires. They are loudmouth boasters and showing favoritism to gain advantage. Now turning with me one last time to the book of Hebrews, chapter 11, Page 1283, we'll focus on verses 5 and 6, but we'll begin reading in verse 1 for a broader context, reading through verse 6. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. the evidence of things not seen. For by the people of old received their testimony. By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of the things that are visible. By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending or testifying of him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death. And he was not found because God had taken him. Now before he was taken, he was commended or testified as having pleased God. And without faith, it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. This is the word of the Lord. Let's pray. Our gracious God and Father, we do thank you for your word. Even those times when we don't understand what's going on, we do ask that your spirit would grant clarity to our hearts, that we might believe all that has been promised and held out to us, that we may trust in your son, and be kept until that final day. We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. Augustine once wrote that there are two things that are essential in this world, life and friendship. It's a much more optimistic outlook than you'd probably hear people today saying that of death and taxes. I think nobody would really disagree with these two essentials to this world, that of life and that of friendship. Where would we be in this world without friendship? I think it's one of the great difficulties that comes with growing up. You think of the reason why peer pressure poses such a great problem for those in grade school and upwards. As we're constantly pummeled with that question, the temptation, what will others think unless I join in? Will I ever make any friends? I think for adults, for those of you who are adults, There is the added problem. You move away from home. You get a job. The problem is now not necessarily, not simply that of finding friends, but that of retaining friends. As you are, you don't really have time to do much other than work and spend time with your family. And as we get older, there's even another difficulty, the reality of death as the friends around us, the loved ones that we do have, perish. I think this is what makes Enoch's story so fascinating. Here's a man who never tastes death. He's a man who never dies. Furthermore, here's a man who's befriended by the greatest friend of them all, that of God himself. So these are the two things I'd like us to consider this morning. I think these are the two considerations that are placed before us in the passage, that of life and friendship. And those are the two headings for us this morning, life and friendship. And then we'll consider the significance that this has for us today. Genesis itself opens up with a tale of friendship. I think that's often overlooked, something that would be easy to miss, but the story opens with man and his friendship with God in the garden and paradise. Of course, as we know, that friendship between God and man was severed by sin as Adam decided to make a new friend, as he sought out the friendship of Satan instead. If it's not for God's mercy, the Bible would have been a very short book. Three chapters. Man rebels against God, and if God in his mercy had not decided to show such mercy, to show such friendship, that would be the end of the story. And so what we find is that the rest of the Bible speaks of man's truly best friend, God, who comes to sever man's relationship with Satan and to bring a savior who would crush the serpent under his feet. What we find in the book of Genesis is that it traces out two particular lines. On the one hand, you have the godly line embodied that comes to fruition in the line of Israel and through which comes the Messiah. And on the other hand, you have the ungodly line. from which the rest of the nations come, who threaten to destroy the godly line. I think it's one of the ways that helps us make sense of the narrative to Genesis. It feels like, in reading Genesis, something like my first car, a little 1986 Ford Escort. You hit the accelerator, and it kind of goes and fits and starts. And when you read the book of Genesis, you have these great stories of the creation, the temptation, the fall, and then a list of genealogies. And then it goes back to, Noah and the flood and then genealogies. It keeps going back and forth and you're trying to make sense of it and the thing to understand is that the genealogies are the backbone to the structure of Genesis because it is telling two parallel stories that are at the same time interwoven. Chapter 4, when we read Genesis chapter 4 earlier, we get the first thread, that of Cain's line, the line of the ungodly scene as it descends seven generations from Adam through Cain down to Lamech. And then in chapter 5, we get the other thread as the line extends from Adam through Seth down to Enoch. Seven generations, Lamech on the one hand and Enoch on the other. What a contrast between these two family trees. Genesis 4 tells us the great cultural achievements that Cain and his descendants had wrought. You know, I think from a human perspective, here are the guys that you'd want to read biographies about. Here are the builder of cities, you know, the first cattle rancher, the metallurgist, the inventor of music. How would these guys not be interesting to read about? Hey guys, I have an idea. Let's build a city. What's a city? Let me tell you about something called music. What are you talking about? All these things that we consider to be the bedrock of civilization come to fruition through Cain's line. We might call this, as one of my friends puts it, the illegitimate quest for immortality. The desire for your name to be renowned even after death. Think of the one who builds the largest building first and has his name plastered on the side of the building so that even in death he would be made known. Yet despite all the cultural achievements of Cain's line, We find another aspect. We also see how sin continues to exercise its mastery over the human race. How sin continues to grow and to grow and to grow. Cain murders, he becomes a fugitive. He's a man on the run. Lamech, the seventh from Cain and murders. And now he boasts to both of his wives in what he has done. Wickedness on the earth continues to grow. It's as if the image of God in man has been obscured, if not totally, at least almost, it seems, eradicated. And yet when we get to Genesis 5, we get the other family line, and it's almost as if we're taken for a moment back to the garden. There's no mention of any great cultural contributions, of course. There's no mention of their careers or their achievements. However, what is mentioned regarding this particular lineage is something of greater value. Chapter 4, verse 26, it is through this line that men began to call upon the name of the Lord. I think it's a not so subtle reminder of what really matters in this life, isn't it? In Genesis 4, you have a line that doesn't image God, it seems. Instead of reflecting God's character in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, we now are told of the pride, the boasting, the polygamy, and the murder. And yet in Genesis 5, it's almost like a breath of fresh air. We're reminded that God had indeed made man, had made Adam and Eve in His image. And that in Seth's line, we find that lightness still retained to a greater degree. And yet, at the same time, we're also reminded of the effects of the fall, that they still remain upon both lines, both the line of Cain and the line of Seth. Note the most repeated phrase in Genesis 5, Adam images God, yet what happens to Adam? He dies. He has a son named Seth. Seth images his father Adam. That's great. But he also dies. You have Enoch, he dies, Canaan, Mahallel, Jared, they all die. It becomes repetitive, almost ad nauseum. But it's given as a reminder that the curse of the fall remains upon Adam's helpless race. And yet then we come to Enoch. The man who, it simply says, walked with God, and he was not, and God took him. And then it goes to the next generation. No further elaboration, no further description, just a simple assertion that Enoch, the seventh in line from Adam, walks with God and he does not die. You can probably get why the ancient world was so fixated on this obscure Old Testament figure. Much as many in the ancient world were obsessed with the figure of Melchizedek, which we spent several sermons working through when we went through Hebrews 5 to 10. So I think the question before us this morning is why is it that Enoch didn't die? Why would Hebrews include Enoch in the witness lineup of Hebrews 11? And I think what we have to understand, the key to understanding this is to grasp what is meant by Enoch having walked with God, as Genesis 5 says, or here in Hebrews 11, saying that Enoch pleased God. In Genesis 5, it actually says two times that Enoch walked with God. Perhaps it's of great importance to be told that twice in the space of three verses. Now the word there, to walk, I'm going to nerd out for just a few seconds. It occurs in an irregular verb form. We don't have to get into that. But it's often translated something like this, that to walk back and forth. It's the idea of patrolling. that of, you think of, you know, I worked security in college having to patrol the perimeter. It carries that idea of walking back and forth and it occurs in a number of, I think, notable occurrences in the Old Testament. In Genesis chapter 3, for instance, that same verbal form happens with this word of walking back and forth where the Lord descends after Adam has rebelled against his maker. And it says that the Lord descends And he walks back and forth, patrolling the garden, seeking out Adam, asking, Adam, where are you? As he summons Adam to judgment for his sin. In the book of Zechariah, we see the same thing transpire where the angel of the Lord is said to be patrolling the earth, seeking out the injustices that have been committed throughout the earth. As the angel of the Lord leads a group of angels on horseback on a recon mission, as it is described. Even in the book of Job, when Satan himself enters the heavenly throne room, the Lord says, where have you been? And Satan says what? He says, I've been patrolling. I've been walking the earth back and forth, seeking to bring an accusation against the righteous. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, we find this word occur a number of times where the prophets, the priests, and the kings of Israel are said to walk with God. most often in terms of warning of the coming judgment that is to be issued from the heavenly throne room from God himself. That's certainly how the book of Jude takes it when we see Enoch, right? How many of us in reading the book of Genesis would think of Enoch as a prophet and yet the book of Jude calls Enoch a prophet? As he prophesies of the coming judgment that will befall the ungodly for all their ungodly acts of ungodliness that they've committed in such an ungodly way. As Jude 15 and 16 tells us. In other words, to walk with God in the Old Testament, at least in part, carries the idea that here is one who is part, who has been brought into the, what we might call the heavenly council. and declaring judgment upon the wicked. And this is something that was unique to Enoch and several others in the Old Testament, people who came pronouncing judgment on the face of the earth. Here's a man who says, judgment is coming. And there is a righteous judge who is coming. I want us to remember the context in which we find this in Genesis. If Lamech is the seventh generation through the line of Cain and Enoch is of the seventh generation through the line of Seth, then here are two rough contemporaries. In other words, Genesis 4 and 5 give us an understanding, culturally speaking, of the context in which Enoch ministered. It's the first cities have been built. as empires are on the rise, as civilizations are beginning to develop, and yet as humanity continues to plunge further and further into wickedness and idolatry. Here's a man who comes as the herald of righteousness, proclaiming the righteousness of God. As Cain's descendants embark on their quest for immortality to be renowned for their deeds even after death, here we find the most ironic twist of them all. Here is Enoch concerned only with the righteousness of God, not seeking fame or immortality and yet he himself is the one who becomes the heir of everlasting life. In other words, to say that Enoch walked with God is to say at least in part that Enoch testified to the righteousness of God. Enoch, the prophet who walks with God and so testifies. of this righteous judge coming to reckon with wickedness. I think that helps us to understand Enoch's role in the Bible and I think it might clear up at least some of the questions we have concerning Enoch. In many ways it's unique. He's identified as a prophet. He never dies, still a question we have yet to face and address. But Hebrews teases out, the book of Hebrews teases out yet another thread as he holds out Enoch's life also as a model for all believers in this respect. And that is this, the question of friendship with God. The friendship that Enoch has with God sets a model for something that we are all called to seek out. It's interesting. You know, we think about when we read the New Testament, they hear all these people in the first century maybe sitting around reading their Hebrew Bibles, and that might be the case for some. But for many in the Greek-speaking world, they would have read a Greek translation of the Old Testament, something we call the Subtuagent. And what we find in the Book of Hebrews, whenever the Book of Hebrews quotes from the Old Testament, it's quoting from the Greek translation of the Old Testament. I think this is important because we're in Genesis 4, or I'm sorry, Genesis 5, where it says that Enoch walked with God. The Greek Old Testament translates it as this. Enoch pleased God. I think we can understand why that would be the case. For you to go on a walk with your friend on a Saturday afternoon, it shows the communion that is held between the two of you. The, the, the friendship that exists, the, the pleasure that exists in simple friendship. And that too is something that we find in the old Testament. Consider Genesis chapter 17, where the Lord himself tells Abraham says, what walk before me using that same verbal form and be blameless. And it says that Abraham does so. And he's reckoned to be a friend of God. He's counted as righteous. In fact, in the Old Testament, there are four individuals who are explicitly called the friends of God. I think this is important. Who are those four men? Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. And if you look at our witness line up here in Hebrews 11, who are the next four individuals mentioned? Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. It's as if the author of Hebrews has friendship on his mind. And what is the basis for that friendship? In what way are these men found to please God in such friendship? What is it that set these men apart? It's a question we'll have to consider even further over the coming weeks as we continue to work our way more through the book of Hebrews. But here, to put it short, are four men who amidst the idolatry and wickedness surrounding them. are men who consider friendship with God to be of greater worth than making a name for themselves, than boasting in cultural achievements, than pursuing personal glory, than trusting in fading wealth, or even in indulging in their sinful appetites and desires. The issue is not that these men are sinless. I encourage you to go home and read the book of Genesis and you'll find much confirmation there that these men were not sinless. The point here found, and the driving point we see here in Hebrews 11, you see this here in verse 6. Here's the point he's making as he mentions Enoch. Enoch is given in verse 5. Why does he talk about Enoch? Well, verse 6 gives the explanation. And you notice what it says here. It is not sinlessness that pleases God, but rather it is their faith that pleased God. To hear God's word And to consider God's word as being trustworthy and so then to trust in God's word and his promises. That is what pleases God. It's not our own cultural achievements. God's not pleased with the honor roll bumper sticker we have on the back of our cars. It's not our job proficiency that God is pleased with. It's not our intellect or the stable family life. These are important things to a greater or lesser extent, but we have to recognize that's not the basis of what constitutes our friendship with God. It's not even our own righteousness. Joe himself, I love it, he used Titus 3 this morning in the prayer. Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy and the faith that we have in God on the basis of his promises. The question we have to ask ourselves, why is God pleased with us? And here we see that answer. It's by faith. I think it's an answer we need to, a question we need to go home and really contemplate throughout the course of the week. Because I think it's easy to get the Bible answer on Sunday morning, but it might be worth asking your own heart that it on Thursday or on Monday afternoon after your first day back at the work week. Ask yourself, why is it that God is pleased with you? Is your natural instinct something like this? I've grown up in the church. I'm a pretty decent fella. I don't cheat on my taxes. I'm not like those other sinners. Look at how I vote. Look at all the good that I've done for God. If you find that as your basis for your right standing, your friendship with God, then what you'll find is that on the day of judgment, you'll hear Christ himself say this, depart from me, you workers of iniquity, for I never knew you. The very thing Jesus addresses at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. He says, look at all the things that I've done in your name. Jesus, I never knew you. What is it that pleases God? Verse six tells us, it is faith that pleases God. And here we find a further description of what characterizes this kind of faith. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. First thing to note is that faith believes that God exists. I actually think a better way to translate this is to say that faith believes that he is. I think what we find here is a subtle allusion to Exodus chapter three. You remember when Moses himself meets God and encounters God for the very first time, Moses' question to the living God is what, who are you? And the Lord responds with what? I am who I am. In Greek it's translated, I am he who exists. I am he who is. I don't think the question is first faith must recognize that there's a greater deity out there. I think that's part of it, but I think it's more pointed to that than that. I think what it's saying is faith must recognize that God is he who is, that he is the great I am as he has revealed himself in scripture. That he is in fact the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. It's not simply enough to say that faith must believe that there is a God. Rather, faith believes that he is the God of the Bible. That he is the self-existent and eternal God who can never lie or change his mind. That he is who he says he is. And on the basis of what he says he is, we find the second thing of what faith is. It recognizes that he is the rewarder. of those who diligently seek him. So we have to ask the question, what is the reward? What we find in the book of Hebrews is this question of reward pops up on three different occasions. Right at the end of chapter 10 and then twice here in chapter 11. What is the reward? It is God himself. What is it that God says to Abraham? Walk before me. and be blameless for I am your shield and I am your exceedingly great reward. This in fact is the central promise, the hub of all scripture. I will be yours and you shall be mine. I will be your God and you shall be my people. Here we find that God is the giver of the reward, but he himself is also the gift. And he has given us himself. For God so loved the world that he what? That he gave. What did he give? He gave his only son. That through the death and resurrection of Christ, we might be reconciled to him and enjoy peace and fellowship and life. and an unbroken communion with the triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit. Enoch never died. Why? Because he trusted God. And having trusted God, he walked with God. So what's the takeaway that we have here? If you trust God, you won't die? Doesn't quite get at it, does it? Everybody else in Hebrews 11 trusted God. Everybody else on the witness roster died. Noah and Abraham were sent to walk with God. They both died. Abraham and Moses were both called the friends of God and they both died. Jesus himself being the eternal son of God who never sinned, trusted the father and he died. So what is it that's going on here? Well, I think we need to recall our preliminary definition and description of faith as it was given in Hebrews chapter 11 verses 1 and 2. What is faith? Faith does what? It testifies of the world to come. Abel trusted God and he was murdered for it. Enoch trusted God and he escapes death altogether. The issue is not that Enoch had greater faith than Abel. What we find is they both had faith, and yet there are different outcomes because both of them end up testifying of the age to come in different respects. Both point to the same reality, however, that there is an unseen world that awaits its unveiling still, and that this is a world where righteousness dwells. Abel's faith testifies of the day of justice that awaits, as here is a man who is unjustly murdered. And so that still must be reckoned with. Enoch's faith testifies to the fact that there is a righteous judge, according to the book of Jude, coming to reward the ungodly with everlasting destruction. And yet who is also coming to reward all who diligently seek him with everlasting life and friendship. And this we find is the testimony not only of Enoch, but all of scripture. Think of what we see replete throughout the Psalms. You, O Lord, will ransom my soul from the grave. When I await from death, I shall be satisfied with your likeness. You, O Lord, are my portion and my reward, not just in this life, but forever. See, what we have to find is the whole of the Old Testament continues to testify to the fact that there is a better world to come, a new age that has been inaugurated through the death and resurrection of Christ. And if Enoch never died, that testifies that he still lives. And that that testifies that there is still a world that awaits. And that there is a life that awaits all who trust in the great I am. The Lord's Supper, which we're about to celebrate, testifies to that very same thing. That there is a world that awaits because we have been called to commemorate this meal until what? Until Christ returns. And that in this meal, we get to enjoy that everlasting friendship that's been promised. That the friendship that we have with God is not simply a future promise that awaits us in the distance. but it's something we get to celebrate and enjoy together this morning. Isn't that what a meal is? Getting together with friends and enjoying the company of one another. And at this table, we're reminded that that friendship with God has been restored through the death of Christ. That we now have communion with God for all who trust in Christ. And so now at the table, we're given an invitation to partake in the benefits of the coming age. to enjoy those benefits secured by the death and resurrection of Christ. Would you celebrate that with me? Let us pray. O gracious God and Father, we thank you for the friendship that's found with the living God. We ask that through the testimony of your witnesses in Hebrews 11, you would tune our hearts to see in shadowy form a shape of the world to come, a world that has been inaugurated and implemented through the death and resurrection of Christ and will be consummated on that last day when he returns. Grant us the faith to persevere as we look forward to that day when our faith will be made sight. And feed us this morning with your meal as we partake of Christ by his spirit. In his name we pray. Amen.