From the Heart

Modern-day Enochs, July 8

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Genesis 5:24. FH 201.1

After Adam's fall from a state of perfect happiness to a condition of sin and misery, there was danger that men and women would become discouraged.... But the instructions which God gave to Adam, and which were repeated by Seth and fully exemplified by Enoch, cleared away the gloom and darkness and gave hope to all that as through Adam came death, through Jesus, the promised Redeemer, would come life and immortality. FH 201.2

In the case of Enoch, the desponding faithful were taught that while living among a corrupt and sinful people who were in open and daring rebellion against their Creator, if they would obey Him and have faith in the promised Redeemer, they would work righteousness like the faithful Enoch, be accepted of God, and finally exalted to His heavenly throne. FH 201.3

Enoch, separating himself from the world and spending much of his time in prayer and communion with God, represents God's loyal people in the last days, who will be separate from the world. Unrighteousness will prevail to a dreadful extent upon the earth. People will give themselves up to follow every imagination of their corrupt hearts and carry out their deceptive philosophy and rebel against the authority of high heaven. FH 201.4

God's people will separate themselves from the unrighteous practices of those around them and will seek for purity of thought and holy conformity to His will until His divine image will be reflected in them. Like Enoch, they will be fitting for translation to heaven. While they endeavor to instruct and warn the world, they will not conform to the spirit and customs of unbelievers but will condemn them by their holy conversation and godly example. Enoch's translation to heaven just before the destruction of the world by a flood represents the translation of all the living righteous from the earth previous to its destruction by fire. The saints will be glorified in the presence of those who have hated them for their loyal obedience to God's righteous commandments. FH 201.5

Enoch instructed his family in regard to the Flood. Methuselah, the son of Enoch, listened to the preaching of his grandson Noah, who faithfully warned the inhabitants of the old world that a flood of waters was coming upon the earth. Methuselah and his sons and his grandsons lived in the time of the building of the ark. They, with some others, received instruction from Noah and assisted him in his work.—Signs of the Times, February 20, 1879. FH 201.6