Our Great Need
311
As the scenes of the future were opened to his view, Enoch became
a preacher of righteousness, bearing God’s message to all who would
hear the words of warning. In the land where Cain had sought to
flee from the divine presence, the prophet of God made known the
wonderful scenes that had passed before his vision. “Behold,” he
declared, “the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute
judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them
of all their ungodly deeds.”
Jude 14, 15
.
The power of God that wrought with His servant was felt by those
who heard. Some gave heed to the warning and renounced their sins,
but the multitudes mocked at the solemn message. The servants of
God are to bear a similar message to the world in the last days, and it
will also be received with unbelief and mockery.
As year after year passed, deeper and deeper grew the tide of human
guilt, darker and darker gathered the clouds of divine judgment. Yet
Enoch, the witness of faith, held on his way, warning, pleading, and
teaching, striving to turn back the tide of guilt and to stay the bolts of
vengeance.
The men of that generation mocked the folly of him who sought not
to gather gold or silver, or to build up possessions here. But Enoch’s
heart was upon eternal treasures. He had looked upon the celestial city.
He had seen the King in His glory in the midst of Zion. The greater
the existing iniquity, the more earnest was his longing for the home of
[331]
God. While still on earth, he dwelt, by faith, in the realms of light.
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
Matthew
5:8
. For three hundred years Enoch had been seeking purity of heart,
that he might be in harmony with heaven. For three centuries he had
walked with God. Day by day he had longed for a closer union; nearer
and nearer had grown the communion, until God took him to Himself.
He had stood at the threshold of the eternal world, only a step between
him and the land of the blest; and now the portals opened, the walk
with God, so long pursued on earth, continued, and he passed through
the gates of the holy city, the first from among men to enter there.
“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; ...for
before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
Hebrews 11:5
.