patriarchs and prophets-第17节

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truehearted　worshipers。

Of　Enoch　it　is　written　that　he　lived　sixty…five　years；　and　begat　a　son。
After　that　he　walked　with　God　three　hundred　years。　During　these　earlier
years　Enoch　had　loved　and　feared　God　and　had　kept　His　commandments。　He　was
one　of　the　holy　line；　the　preservers　of　the　true　faith；　the　progenitors　of
the　promised　seed。　From　the　lips　of　Adam　he　had　learned　the　dark　story　of
the　Fall；　and　the　cheering　one　of　God's　grace　as　seen　in　the　promise；　and　he
relied　upon　the　Redeemer　to　come。　But　after　the　birth　of　his　first　son；
Enoch　reached　a　higher　experience；　he　was　drawn　into　a　closer　relationship
with　God。　He　realized　more　fully　his　own　obligations　and　responsibility　as　a
son　of　God。　And　as　he　saw　the　child's　love　for　its　father；　its　simple　trust
in　his　protection；　as　he　felt　the　deep；　yearning　tenderness　of　his　own　heart
for　that　first…born　son；　he　learned　a　precious　lesson　of　the　wonderful　love
of　God　to　men　in　the　gift　of　His　Son；　and　the　confidence　which　the　children
of　God　may　repose　in　their　heavenly　Father。　The　infinite；　unfathomable　love
of　God　through　Christ　became　the　subject　of　his　meditations　day　and　night；
and　with　all　the　fervor　of　his　soul　he　sought　to　reveal　that　love　to　the
people　among　whom　he　dwelt。

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Enoch's　walk　with　God　was　not　in　a　trance　or　vision；　but　in　all　the　duties
of　his　daily　life。　He　did　not　become　a　hermit；　shutting　himself　entirely
from　the　world；　for　he　had　a　work　to　do　for　God　in　the　world。　In　the　family
and　in　his　intercourse　with　men；　as　a　husband　and　father；　a　friend；　a
citizen；　he　was　the　steadfast；　unwavering　servant　of　the　Lord。

His　heart　was　in　harmony　with　God's　will；　for　〃can　two　walk　together；　except
they　be　agreed？〃　Amos　3：3。　And　this　holy　walk　was　continued　for　three
hundred　years。　There　are　few　Christians　who　would　not　be　far　more　earnest
and　devoted　if　they　knew　that　they　had　but　a　short　time　to　live；　or　that　the
coming　of　Christ　was　about　to　take　place。　But　Enoch's　faith　waxed　the
stronger；　his　love　became　more　ardent；　with　the　lapse　of　centuries。

Enoch　was　a　man　of　strong　and　highly　cultivated　mind　and　extensive
knowledge；　he　was　honored　with　special　revelations　from　God；　yet　being　in
constant　communion　with　Heaven；　with　a　sense　of　the　divine　greatness　and
perfection　ever　before　him；　he　was　one　of　the　humblest　of　men。　The　closer
the　connection　with　God；　the　deeper　was　the　sense　of　his　own　weakness　and
imperfection。

Distressed　by　the　increasing　wickedness　of　the　ungodly；　and　fearing　that
their　infidelity　might　lessen　his　reverence　for　God；　Enoch　avoided　constant
association　with　them；　and　spent　much　time　in　solitude；　giving　himself　to
meditation　and　prayer。　Thus　he　waited　before　the　Lord；　seeking　a　clearer
knowledge　of　His　will；　that　he　might　perform　it。　To　him　prayer　was　as　the
breath　of　the　soul；　he　lived　in　the　very　atmosphere　of　heaven。

Through　holy　angels　God　revealed　to　Enoch　His　purpose　to　destroy　the　world
by　a　flood；　and　He　also　opened　more　fully　to　him　the　plan　of　redemption。　By
the　spirit　of　prophecy　He　carried　him　down　through　the　generations　that
should　live　after　the　Flood；　and　showed　him　the　great　events　connected　with
the　second　coming　of　Christ　and　the　end　of　the　world。

Enoch　had　been　troubled　in　regard　to　the　dead。　It　had　seemed　to　him　that　the
righteous　and　the　wicked　would　go　to　the　dust　together；　and　that　this　would
be　their　end。　He　could　not　see　the　life　of　the　just　beyond　the　grave。　In
prophetic　vision　he　was　instructed　concerning　the　death　of　Christ；　and　was
shown　His　coming　in　glory；　attended　by　all　the　holy　angels；　to　ransom　His
people　from　the　grave。　He　also　saw　the　corrupt　state　of　the　world

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when　Christ　should　appear　the　second　timethat　there　would　be　a　boastful；
presumptuous；　self…willed　generation；　denying　the　only　God　and　the　Lord
Jesus　Christ；　trampling　upon　the　law；　and　despising　the　atonement。　He　saw
the　righteous　crowned　with　glory　and　honor；　and　the　wicked　banished　from　the
presence　of　the　Lord；　and　destroyed　by　fire。

Enoch　became　a　preacher　of　righteousness；　making　known　to　the　people　what
God　had　revealed　to　him。　Those　who　feared　the　Lord　sought　out　this　holy　man；
to　share　his　instruction　and　his　prayers。　He　labored　publicly　also；　bearing
God's　messages　to　all　who　would　hear　the　words　or　warning。　His　labors　were
not　restricted　to　the　Sethites。　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。

He　was　a　fearless　reprover　of　sin。　While　he　preached　the　love　of　God　in
Christ　to　the　people　of　his　time；　and　pleaded　with　them　to　forsake　their
evil　ways；　he　rebuked　the　prevailing　iniquity　and　warned　the　men　of　his
generation　that　judgment　would　surely　be　visited　upon　the　transgressor。　It
was　the　Spirit　of　Christ　that　spoke　through　Enoch；　that　Spirit　is
manifested；　not　alone　in　utterances　of　love；　compassion；　and　entreaty；　it　is
not　smooth　things　only　that　are　spoken　by　holy　men。　God　puts　into　the　heart
and　lips　of　His　messengers　truths　to　utter　that　are　keen　and　cutting　as　a
two…edged　sword。

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；　and　went　on　more　boldly　in　their　evil　ways。
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。　The
antediluvian　world　rejected　the　warning　words　of　him　who　walked　with　God。　So
will　the　last　generation　make　light　of　the　warnings　of　the　Lord's
messengers。

In　the　midst　of　a　life　of　active　labor；　Enoch　steadfastly　maintained　his
communion　with　God。　The　greater　and　more　pressing　his　labors；　the　more
constant　and　earnest　were　his　prayers。　He

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continued　to　exclude　himself；　at　certain　periods；　from　all　society。　After
remaining　for　a　time　among　the　people；　laboring　to　benefit　them　by
instruction　and　example；　he　would　withdraw；　to　spend　a　season　in　solitude；
hungering　and　thirsting　for　that　divine　knowledge　which　God　alone　can
impart。　Communing　thus　with　God；　Enoch　came　more　and　more　to　reflect　the
divine　image。　His　face　was　radiant　with　a　holy　light；　even　the　light　that
shineth　in　the　face　of　Jesus。　As　he　came　forth　from　these　divine　communings；
even　the　ungodly　beheld　with　awe　the　impress　of　heaven　upon　his　countenance。

The　wickedness　of　men　had　reached　such　a　height　that　destruction　was
pronounced　against　them。　As　year　after　year　passed　on；　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；　entreating；　striving　to　turn　back　the　tide　of　guilt　and　to　stay
the　bolts　of　vengeance。　Though　his　warnings　were　disregarded　by　a　sinful；
pleasure…loving　people；　he　had　the　testimony　that　God　approved；　and　he
continued　to　battle　faithfully　against　the　prevailing　evil；　until　God
removed　him　from　a　world　of　sin　to　the　pure　joys　of　heaven。

The　men　of　that　generation　had　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。　His　mind；　his　heart；　his
conversation；　were　in　heaven。　The　greater　the　existing　iniquity；　the　more
earnest　was　his　longing　for　the　home　of　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　soul；　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　Citythe　first　from
among　men　to　enter　there。

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His　loss　was　felt　on　earth。　The　voice　that　had　been　heard　day　after　day　in
warning　and　instruction　was　missed。　There　were　some；　both　of　the　righteous
and　the　wicked；　who　had　witnessed　his　departure；　and　hoping　that　he　might
have　been　conveyed　to　some　one　of　his　places　of　retirement；　those　who　loved
him　made　diligent　search；　as　afterward　the　sons　of　the　prophets　searched　for
Elijah；　but　without　avail。　They　reported　that　he　was　not；　for　God　had　taken
him。

By　the　translation　of　Enoch　the　Lord　designed　to　teach　an　important　lesson。
There　was　danger　that　men　would　yield　to　discouragement；　because　of　the
fearful　results　of　Adam's　sin。　Many　were　ready　to　exclaim；　〃What　profit　is
it　th