Please God by Faith

Announcements

Good evening and welcome to Anchor Bible Church! I am so thankful for the opportunity to gather with you for corporate worship. If you are visiting with us this evening, one of our deacons would love to provide you with a Welcome Card. Don’t worry, all we’d like to do is send you a thank you note. Feel free to fill it out and stick it in the treasure chest that is at the back between the doors. We’re happy to consider that your offering this evening.

As far as ministry announcements, we just have one this evening. Please take a look at the coat rack in the lobby to see if any of the hanging jackets belong to you. After tonight, Grace Evangelical Free will be donating any remaining coats to a local charity.

Anchor Kids can be dismissed to their classes!2

Introduction

Turn with me in your Bibles to Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 is a famous chapter, and we even sang about it! Some call it the Hall of Faith or the Heroes of the Faith. That’s because in it, the author repeats the phrase “by faith” 18 times as he describes some important characters. I’m going to read the whole chapter and the first three verses of chapter 12, then I’ll pray, introduce Enoch to you, and we’ll dig into verses 5-6 as our text for this evening. Hebrews 11 says,

Read Hebrews 11. Pray. (10 minutes)

Our text for this evening is, as I mentioned, verses 5 and 6. These two verses highlight Enoch, and they are based on a fascinating entry in the genealogy of Adam from Genesis 5. You can go ahead and turn to Genesis 5.

As you’re turning there, just know that Enoch is also mentioned in Jude 14-15. We don’t have time to read that one because our text in Hebrews is based on Genesis 5. But in it, Jude points out that Enoch was the seventh from Adam, and he quotes a prophecy from Enoch that foretells Jesus’ judgment at His Second Coming. It is likely that Enoch’s era was characterized by the same kind of global wickedness.

Look with me at Genesis 5 now. As you are probably aware, genealogies are pretty repetitive. They’re like ancient databases. Everything looks the same. In this case, there is a specific formula used to record entries for each of the 10 men from Adam to Noah, and the formula ends with the phrase, “and he died.” Starting with Adam, six entries are listed and they all end with “and he died.” But then we find Enoch. And the text basically says, “and he did not die.” Where we would expect the phrase “and he died” at the end of verse 23, we find verse 24 instead:

24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. — Genesis 5

Remember that Jude introduced Enoch as being in the seventh from Adam. If you flip back a page to Genesis 4, you can see that Lamech in verse 19 was also part of the same generation. Enoch was the seventh generation via Seth, and Lamech was his fifth cousin via the line of Cain. Lamech was a rebel who rejected God’s designs for both marriage and life. He defied God’s authority. Lamech was lame. Enoch, on the other hand, walked with God.

In verse 23, it is interesting that Lamech is so proud of murdering a boy. It’s not like we’re talking about Goliath or something. I think his emphasis on Cain in verse 24 indicates that this may have been the first murder since Abel. In light of how harshly God punished Cain, probably no one else had dared to do it again. Until Lamech.

In addition, his murder may have been just the second human death. Adam lived to be 930 years old, and we can calculate with the ages in Genesis 5 to find that Enoch was born when Adam was 622 years old. They lived at the same time for 308 years. Perhaps Lamech murdered the boy during this time. But then Adam grew old, and he died.

These events were monumental. We don’t know when all the women and other people lived and died, but if they all made it to their 800s, then perhaps there hadn’t been any deaths in 600 years. Apart from Adam, Eve, and Cain, Maybe no one had ever even seen death before Lamech pulled his stunt! The whole family must have been shocked.

But now death was a present reality. The days grew dark and depressing. God’s curse that man would surely die was coming to pass. It was one thing to be murdered. It was another thing entirely to die of old age. Now death had become a terrible fate they could never escape. The text says “and he died.” It was inevitable.

Or was it? Enter Enoch. The one bird who managed to fly the coop.

Turn with me back to Hebrews 11, where we will spend our time this evening considering verses 5-6. In verse 5, the author of Hebrews repeats the highlights of Enoch’s life from Genesis 5:21-24. Then in verse 6, he draws out some principles of application based on Enoch’s life. Looking at these two verses, I want to give you an example and an exhortation to please God by faith. An example and an exhortation to please God by faith.

The Example: Enoch’s Faith Pleased God

As we consider Enoch’s example, three things come to the surface in verse 5. Let me read it again for you,

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for prior to being taken up, he was approved as being pleasing to God. — Hebrews 11

Here we find that Enoch was taken up, that he could not be found, and that he had been approved. I want to consider each of these biographical details, and then we will focus our attention on how to be like Enoch.

Enoch Was Taken Up

The first thing we learn about from our text is that Enoch was taken up. Look at the first clause; it says,

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death;

This is such a fascinating verse. The verb for ‘taken up’ also appears in Acts 7:15-16 where Stephen recounts that when the Israelites left Egypt, they "took up” Jacob and Joseph’s bones and carried them to Canaan. So also Enoch was physically taken up and transported to another location. The text does not actually say where Enoch went, but it seems safe to assume that he was raptured to heaven—just like how on Wednesday we talked about 1 Thessalonians 4:14, which says “God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” Enoch was taken up to heaven.

This miraculous teleportation was necessary “so that he would not see death.” Again we find a very similar use of this phrase in Luke 2:25-26 where Simeon, a righteous and devout man, had learned “that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” These two were like peas in a pod. Both Enoch and Simeon were righteous and devout men, waiting for the comfort of God’s elect, and both seem to have been given special revelation by the Holy Spirit. Simeon went on to die after he saw baby Jesus, but Enoch never saw death. That experience was hidden from him.

This is where our curiosity perks up. We know he was taken so that he would not see death, but we wonder, “Why shouldn’t Enoch see death?” We might even point out that just two chapters earlier Hebrews 9:27 says “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” If everyone (including us) is supposed to die, why didn’t Enoch?

Well, the author doesn’t say. In fact, there is no explicit answer anywhere in Scripture. However, there are a couple of implications that I think are worth considering, one for the line of Seth and another for the descendants of Cain.

As we saw earlier, Enoch’s entry in the genealogy of Genesis 5 stands in stark contrast to all those who died before and after him. This might mean that Enoch was taken in order to provide hope for mankind. Remember that when God cursed Adam and Eve, He ended His speech by telling Adam, “You are dust, and to dust you will return.” Then he drove them out of the garden and stationed cherubs and a flaming sword to prevent them from seeking eternal life. 930 years later, Adam returned to the dust, just like God had said. Imagine the family’s sorrow and despair. One author said Adam’s lineage of death was “like the unfolding of a murder mystery in which we ourselves turn out to be the victim.” That must have been how they felt; sobered by the reality that they too were but dust, just like the animals they had killed as sacrifices and burned to ashes. Dust and ashes, there was no hope. That is, until Enoch was raptured.

In addition to providing hope for the hurting, Enoch’s rapture also served as a warning for the wicked. According to the snippet in Jude and a host of Jewish apocryphal tradition, Enoch was a prophet who preached righteousness and repentance, similar to the description of Noah in 2 Peter 2. Dr. Henry Morris, an authority on creation science, said that even the name Enoch gave to his son Methuselah may mean “when he dies, judgment.” As it turns out, Methuselah died in precisely the same year that God sent the Flood. From this we can gather that Enoch’s life was a warning, and I think we can safely infer that his rapture was a warning as well. Amos 8:11 warns Israel of a famine, not “for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of Yahweh.” It seems like Enoch’s circumstances were similar. When his rebukes were ignored, he was taken. And by his silence, the certainty of coming judgment was established.

At the end of the day, though, God is more concerned about communicating to us that Enoch was raptured than He is about explaining why Enoch was raptured. The secret things belong to the Lord, and we need to focus on His Word.

Enoch Could Not Be Found

Look back at the middle of Hebrews 11:5, where it says,

and he was not found because God took him up;

The verb “was not found” is the main emphasis in this clause. The verbal tense actually refers to repeated action in the past. This is similar to Genesis 2:20 where a helper for Adam “was not found” among the animals. The author of Hebrews is saying that people tried really hard to find Enoch. We know from Genesis 5 that he was probably married and had numerous children after Methuselah. Surely they all went looking for him! Remember, he had walked with God for 300 years before he went missing and probably had a very predictable routine. This was super unusual!

What kinds of thoughts went through their minds? What happened to him? Well, animals were not afraid of people until after the Flood, so probably nobody thought that he had been mauled, like Jacob did when Joseph went missing. Instead, maybe he got lost since the world was new to them and they didn’t have any maps. Or maybe he was injured somewhere and needed their help. I’m sure some glared at Cain’s people and wondered if he was their latest murder victim. But then again, none of Noah’s extended family joined him on the ark so maybe it was one of them!

Nobody had any idea, but everyone wanted to know, “Where did Enoch go?” “Whodunnit?” they wondered.

The author of Hebrews explains the mystery. God did it! God took Enoch up. I’m sure none of Enoch’s family or relatives thought God took him. If someone in your family went missing, would you just assume God took them? No way! That’d never be your first thought! You’d call the police and get in the car. You’d talk to everyone you know who might be able to help.

In a similar account from 2 Kings 2, God took Elijah up, and we read that Elisha witnessed it. Afterward, the sons of the prophets wanted to send 50 men to look for Elijah, but Elisha told them not to do it. They were persistent, though, so he figured it wouldn’t hurt. Of course, they came back empty-handed. The same thing happened with Enoch, except Elisha wasn’t there to tell everyone what happened. Who knows how long they searched for him. Maybe centuries later people still wondered where he was.

For the more thoughtful ones, maybe they started to piece things together. Normally when someone goes missing, the search parties ask questions. They want to know the circumstances. Where were they last seen? Who were they with? What were they doing? These questions often unearth helpful clues, and that is where we’re going next.

Enoch Had Been Approved

Look at the end of verse 5, where we can read about what happened before Enoch disappeared. It says,

for prior to being taken up, he was approved as being pleasing to God.

for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. NASB

This is the clue they needed! In Hebrew it says Enoch walked with God, and the Greek translation said he pleased God. The intended meaning is the same. If Enoch had had WhatsApp, his last seen status would have been “with God.”

The author of Hebrews takes pains to confirm the chronology here. He says that something happened “prior” to Enoch being taken up. Then he clarifies that Enoch had been approved before he was taken up. Beyond that, he uses verb tenses to add that Enoch had been pleasing before he had been taken up. Rearranged for simplicity, his point is that first Enoch was pleasing to God, and then God approved him, and then he was taken up. It happened in that order.

Just because it happened in order does not mean that it necessarily took a long time to move through each step. In fact, we find a very similar example in Esther’s bold move to enter the king’s court. You know the story from chapter 5. The night before, her last words to Uncle Mordecai were, “If I perish, I perish.” She dressed beautifully and stood boldly in the court of the king. The text hangs on this moment when she deserved to die. Then it says “she advanced in favor in his eyes” and he “extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand.” Such beautiful approval.

You may wonder whether Enoch could do anything to please God. Why would God ever approve a dirty sinner? We will revisit that in a few moments, but for now you just need to know that it happened. God was pleased with Enoch, and God approved Enoch. Similarly, the author of Hebrews goes on in 13:15 to command us that we “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that confess His name” and he adds “do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” He uses the same verb for “pleased” as he does here for Enoch.

In both cases we find that men really can please God. In fact, we might even learn how Enoch pleased God. Among other things, it seems very likely that he was a man who praised God by confessing his name. Let me read what was said about Enoch’s forbearer in Genesis 4:26, “And to Seth, to him also, a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of Yahweh.” They praised God by confessing his name! Enosh is not the same as Enoch, even though their names are similar. Enosh was Seth’s son, but Enoch was Seth’s great-great-great grandson. Despite this generational gap, Seth actually outlived Enoch by 45 years. So, Enoch and Seth probably worshipped Yahweh together. Enoch may have learned from his great-great-great grandfather’s example.

The Exhortation: Please God by Faith

As Enoch may have learned from Seth, so we must learn from Enoch. We move now from the example of Enoch to an exhortation from Enoch’s life. Let me read verse 6 for you from Hebrews 11. It says,

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

This is where the author of Hebrews builds a bridge that spans more than 5,000 years of world history. Just as Enoch pleased God by faith, so you too must please God by faith. And so should I. We have no alternative.

There are four exhortations in this verse, and we’ll take a look at each one of them in turn.

Know that You Need Faith

To begin with, look back at the first clause of verse 6, where it says,

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him,

The message here is clear. You need to have faith. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it! You don’t have faith; you don’t please God! Notice that verse 5 begins with “by faith.” Everything that Enoch did, he did “by faith.” If Enoch did not have faith, then he did not please God, he was not approved by God, he was not taken up by God. If Enoch did not have faith, then we would know nothing more about him than the rest: that he had kids, and that he died.

Some of you here today have no faith. Some of you may not even care about pleasing God, but you should. Maybe you’re just at church tonight because your wife wants you to be here. Or maybe its because your parents want you to be here. Maybe you just think it’s the right thing to do. But you do not have faith, and God is not pleased with you. Do not be deceived. The text does not say Enoch pleased God by attending Seth’s sacrifices. He pleased God by faith.

Those who do not have faith are not able to please God. In Romans 8:8 God also declares that “those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.” So God is not pleased with those who are in the flesh and have no faith. These two go together, hand in hand. Coming to church just so you can please man is a sign that you are in the flesh and do not have faith. God further explains that the mind set on the flesh “is death,” “is hostile toward God,” “does not subject itself to the law of God,” and “is not even able to” submit to God’s law. This is why you cannot be in the flesh and please God.

Do you know what it means to submit to God’s law? It means you must love Yahweh your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He must be your God, and He demands exclusive worship. When you come to church because you are trying to please someone else or because you’re trying to appease your conscience, you break God’s law and offend Him. And you do not have the ability to fix this. You do not have faith. So, in his mercy, He has provided for you a way of salvation that does not depend on anything that you do or say. Instead, he offers hope through the Son of God who He says in Romans 8 came “in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin” so that God’s righteous Law might be fulfilled in you. This is the only way you can gain God’s approval. You absolutely must fall back on Jesus’ sacrifice for your sins. This is why Hebrews 12 says that Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith. It is all Him. You can never conjure up faith on your own. Beg God for mercy; pray for faith. It is a gift which He delights to give!

In addition, this clause applies not only to those who do not have faith but also to those who do. It states that it is not possible to please God without faith. It does not state, though, that it is possible to please God with fruitless faith. James interrogates us, “But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?” Jesus interrogated his disciples in the boat, “Why are you so cowardly, you men of little faith?” See to it that you are not content with some meager, impotent faith. Just recently Marvin taught us from 1 Thessalonians 4:1 that “as you received from us as to how you ought to walk and please God,… that you excel still more.” God will not be pleased with lazy Christians. He demands that that we employ our faith in zealous obedience. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” We were not saved by good works, but we were saved for good works that are planned and pleasing to Him. From Abel to Abraham, these men were not dormant volcanoes. Their faith erupted in rigorous service to God! And so should yours. You may be here at church for the right reason, but there is still more for you to do.

Draw Near to God by Faith

So now let’s look at the hallmark of a life of faith. Hebrews 11:6 continues,

for he who draws near to God must believe

for he who comes to God must believe NASB

This is the hallmark of a life of faith: drawing near to God. Comparing the verses about Enoch in Genesis 5 with these verses in Hebrews 11, we find that there are a number of terms that all mean the same thing. The one who walks with God is the one who pleases God, is the one who draws near to God, is the one who seeks God. They are all the same. Walking with, pleasing, drawing near to, and seeking God. All of them revolve around delight in God’s presence.

I think there are a couple nuances here in the Greek that are helpful. The phrase “he who draws near” is actually just one word in the original, and it is a verb that has been turned into a noun. It’s called a participle. It means that this person is so characterized by a certain action that we can use it to refer to them. In this context, it means that the man of faith is known for drawing near to God. A rougher translation into English might call him a “draw-er nearer.”

This implies that you can continually draw nearer and nearer to God. Along these lines, Paul prays in Ephesians 3:17-19 “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being firmly rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Christians, we must continually draw near to God and explore the treasure of knowing Him. It is boundless, deep, and wide.

But there is another nuance in the participle. It actually has a specific way of talking about the action, about drawing near, which is called its voice. Normally you either actively do the action or passively receive it. But here we have what is called the middle, where you do the action to yourself. This means you’re known for repeatedly drawing yourself near to God. You keep coming back over and over again, as if an outside force like gravity is pulling you away.

This is what it is like to wrestle with our sin. Your sin is the force that separates you from God, that pulls you away from walking with Him, from pleasing Him, from drawing near to Him, and from seeking Him. Remember Adam and Eve? They heard God walking in the garden, and they knew they were supposed to be with Him. But because of their sin, they hid from Him! Their sin killed their desire to draw near to God, and so they did not walk with Him. In fact, rather than seeking Him, they forced Him to call out for them. And their answer did not please Him, it invited His curse.

But do not worry, things are different now. Our sins are no longer hidden by the immodest fig leaves of our own good works. Now we wear the white robes of righteousness in Christ. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You cannot redefine your actions so that they are no longer considered sinful, and you cannot hide them as though they never happened. These actions prove that the truth of God’s Word is not in you. Instead, you must confess your sin, repent, and draw near again. Hebrews 7:25 is the only other time Scripture uses this participial phrase “those who draw near to God.” Our author says there that Jesus “always lives to make intercession for them.” He always lives to make intercession for you.

This is why you must be a “drawer nearer.” Confess your sin and seek God so that you may please Him.

In addition, the text says that those who draw near “must believe.” That could also be translated “must have faith.” What follows are absolute requirements. These things must be settled before you draw near to God, just like 1 Timothy 3 says that an elder “must be” certain things before he is appointed. Let’s consider each of them now, recognizing that this is the only kind of faith that can please God.

Have Faith that He Is

Now, this almost goes without saying, but to seek God you have to believe He exists. That is why the author says in verse 6 that “those who draw near to God must believe” that is, must have faith:

that He is

Remember, this is what Enoch’s family thought. They were convinced that Enoch still was, that he was somewhere, that they could find him. And so they searched for him repeatedly. While their assumption led to futility and probably some great distress, we have by faith “the conviction of things not seen” as the author says in verse 1. We know that God does exist and that He can be found by those who seek Him with a desire to walk with Him by faith.

This little phrase, though, can be theologically perplexing. We read “He is” and we wonder “He is what?” I think it is a matter of perspective. If God were to say, “I am faithful,” then we could believe, “He is faithful.” But I do not think we need to add a word that is not there. If God were to just say, “I am,” then we could believe, “He is.” And guess what? God said that! When Moses asked for God’s signature, God told him to say that he was sent by “I AM.”

Similarly, the apostle John records in his gospel that Jesus made seven “I am” statements. All of them reflect Yahweh’s declaration in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM. Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Jesus was the I AM in the flesh. This time He came Himself. The Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words explains,

Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained I Am

These “I am” statements are often linked with Jesus’ miracles. The statement and a miracle each contribute to the understanding of the other. Thus when Jesus proclaims that He is the light of the world, He proceeds to bring sight to the blind man. Before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, He tells Martha that He is the resurrection and the life. The raising of Lazarus is intended to show Jesus’ power to give life now and to demonstrate His power to do what He proclaimed He was able to do. After Jesus had fed the five thousand, He declared that He was the living bread that came down from heaven. Each of these miracles is interpreted by the “I am” statement. All in all, the “I am” statements in John’s Gospel help us identify Jesus as divine. He is the ever-existing God.

That is such a helpful insight. The author of Hebrews is doing the exact same thing in our text. We have an open-ended statement that “He is” and we need to connect it to its context, just like the I AM statements. Looking at the end of Hebrews 11:6, we learn that God also becomes a rewarder of those who seek Him. With this in mind, the value of our statement that “He is” becomes plain. The emphasis is on the self-sufficiency of God. He just is! If He were not self-sufficient, then His ability to reward would be limited like ours. Your ability to reward is limited by the balance in your bank account, by the hours in your day, by the strength of your body, by your love for other people. God is not like this. He does not depend on anything or anyone else. He creates out of nothing! His ability to reward is infinite.

Have Faith that He Rewards

This brings us to the last piece of our text for this evening. In verse 6, the author says that those who draw near to God must have faith…

and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Here is our final exhortation: have faith that He rewards. It is interesting that the author words it slightly differently. He does not just say that “He rewards,” but that “He is a rewarder.” I shortened it for my outline, but there is a good reason the author puts it the way he does. The phrase “a rewarder” is another participle, just like a “drawer nearer.” The author’s point here is related to God’s nature. God is so inclined to give rewards that the author labels Him a Rewarder. That’s who God is and what God does. He is not the mean old man upstairs. God is good, glorious, and generous.

When you know God in this way, you will be compelled to seek Him. Luke 11:9-13 records Jesus words, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11 But what father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or, if his son asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” It’s not hard to compare a fish and a snake. They’re both scaly. So also, there is a type of scorpion in the Middle East that looks like an egg. Jesus’ point is that God does not deceive. He will not tell you to ask, seek, and knock, but then punish you or hide from you without answering. If you obey; He will reward!

The question that remains is this, “What is the nature of His reward? What are we going to get?” Look back at the text and notice that we are exhorted to “seek Him,” not our rewards. Speaking in simple terms, God Himself is your reward! This makes perfect sense. Do you want a pile of heavenly gold or the God who makes the gold? Remember, His ability to reward is infinite! The gifts are not the goal. Don’t be distracted by the wrapping paper. You must seek God Himself.

James provides a timely word of encouragement for us here. In 4:8 he says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This verse guarantees your success! And is that not what we observe in the life of Enoch? He walked with God, and God brought Him home before judgment rained down on men. We too have the same hope in the rapture.

But, in the meantime, consider what doubt and discouragement Enoch overcame as he sought the presence of God. John Chrysostom explains that Enoch actually displayed greater faith than Abel, who was murdered. After all, Enoch could have thought about Abel’s death and concluded that God does nothing to protect those who honor Him. Enoch could have questioned whether the God of Abel’s sacrifices was real, whether He really would reward those who seek Him. As of yet, there was no hope of a resurrection or an afterlife. Abel seemed to have gotten his reward in full, and it was bad. Despite these things, Enoch still walked with God. Outward circumstances were no matter for him. His delight was in the presence of God. There he was, day after day after day for 300 years. You must go and do the same. Even if your circumstances are hard. Even if you see the wicked prospering. Even if you see the righteous suffering. Do not doubt, but have faith that God is and that He will reward you: if you seek Him, draw near to Him, and walk with Him. This is how Enoch’s faith pleased God, and this is why you too must please God by faith.