sf758 - THE REALITY OF THE RAPTURE (Genesis 5 21-24)
Genesis 5:21-24
Introduction
Why is Enoch important?
(Jude 1:14-15 NIV) "Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones {15} to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.""
His placement – the seventh from Adam in Seth’s line
His purpose – he was a prophet.
His prophesy – the events leading to the second coming.
Ø Not so much, in what he said but by what he did!
Ø He is a type of the church!
1A. Enoch and His Times
1B. It was a time of spiritual presumption (16-17)
Indifference toward God’s person (16)
Independence from God’s provision (17)
Ø Cain did not need God’s paradise he would build his own
Our day is no different
Ø Humanism
Ø New Age
2B. It was a time of sexual perversion (19)
Lamech abandoned God’s plan!
Our day in no different
Ø Porno
Ø TV…
3B. It was a time of scientific progression (20-22)
New methods (20)
New music (21)
New manufacturing (22)
We live in the fastest changing age known to man.
Ø Yet, for all our knowledge we are basically ignorant.
Ø We can clone a sheep, but we will not protect a baby.
4B. It was a time of social permissiveness (23-24)
Violence was a way of life.
Ø Man was law unto himself
Look around today.
2A. Enoch and His Testimony (22-24)
“Enoch walked with God”
1B. His walk was prompted by fear (22)
Methuselah = it shall be when he is dead
Ø Methuselah was a living prophecy of the coming flood.
Ø When Methuselah died the flood came!
Judgement is coming to our world
(Matthew 24:37 NIV) "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
God is merciful but judgement is sure!
2B. His walk was produced by faith
Fear is not enough – we must also have faith
(Hebrews 11:5 NIV) "By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God."
Faith is believing what God says is true.
(Romans 10:17 NIV) "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
Ø Somehow, someway, someday God came to Enoch and called Enoch to Himself.
3B. His walk was pleasing to God
Enoch pleased God!
Our Goal should be to please God always.
(Ephesians 4:1 NIV) "…I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
(Colossians 1:10 NIV) "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,"
3A. Enoch and His Trip (24)
(1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NIV) "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- {52} in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
1B. He went to heaven without dying
Enoch departed but he never died!
“We will be changed…”
2B. He went to heaven without warning
Enoch did not go home to get things in order he suddenly went with God.
(1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 NIV) "Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, {2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."
3B. He went to heaven without his family
We do not know who else would go to heaven except for his great-grandson Noah.
(Matthew 24:39-41 NIV) "… That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. {40} Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. {41} Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Application
Look at our world…These are days like Noah’s.
Are you walking with God?
Are you ready for the rapture?
{Matthew 24:42 NIV} "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."
THE REALITY OF THE RAPTURE
March 22, 1998 - Genesis 5:21-24
Introduction
Why is Enoch ___________________?
(Jude 1:14-15 NIV) "Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones {15} to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.""
His placement – the seventh from Adam in Seth’s line
His _____________ – he was a prophet.
His _____________ – the events leading to the second coming.
1A. Enoch and His _____________
1B. It was a time of __________ presumption (16-17)
____________ toward God’s person (16)
Independence from God’s ___________ (17)
2B. It was a time of __________ perversion (19)
Lamech abandoned God’s plan!
3B. It was a time of scientific progression (20-22)
New _________ (20)
New __________ (21)
New __________ (22)
4B. It was a time of ________ permissiveness (23-24)
2A. Enoch and His ______________ (22-24)
1B. His walk was prompted by _________ (22)
Meththuselah = it shall be when he is dead
(Matthew 24:37 NIV) "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
2B. His walk was produced by ___________
(Hebrews 11:5 NIV) "By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God."
Faith is ___________ what God says is true.
(Romans 10:17 NIV) "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
3B. His walk ______________ God
(Ephesians 4:1 NIV) "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
(Colossians 1:10 NIV) "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,"
3A. Enoch and His _________ (22)
(1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NIV) "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- {52} in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
1B. He went to heaven without _________
2B. He went to heaven without __________
(1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 NIV) "Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, {2} for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."
3B. He went to heaven without his _________ (Matthew 24:39-41)