Please behold this photograph and ask yourself if this a path of fellowship or departure.. it is up to you...
"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." Gen. 5:24
The Father of Enoch was Methuselah, who lived 969 years.
Adam had walked with God in the cool of the Garden, he called his name Adam and only after he willfully sinned that he hid, rather than WALKED, with God.
Adam lived 930 years and begat Cain and Able, but only Seth is recorded as living over 900 years ( 912).
Please note that not until Seth's son was born that it is said that Men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
Genesis 4:26
We do not know which men, or if ALL men, began to call upon the name of the Lord. We can imply, however, that the people had a personal and real knowledge of the Lord and could call upon him by name. We do not know if he answered all men, but to those who would have called upon him by faith, we can know that salvation would be near; as whosoever shall CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.
But Adam Walked with GOD and He TALKED with GOD and even when he was Banished from the Garden we know that he was verbally told to do so. We Know that his son Able offered a sacrifice to God that was well pleasing, and that even when Cain offered his sacrifice that God let him know that it was unacceptable, even going so far as to teach him what would be acceptable.
Cain and Able Walked with God. Even after Cain slew his brother GOD came to him wherever he was and spoke directly to him. God questioned him it seems face to face as to the whereabouts of his brother able; to which Cain responded "Am I my brothers keeper".
The Blood of Able was crying from the ground into the ears of the God he walked with, even while his murderer was talking with the Lord; and God asked Him "Where is thy brother?".
Does and omniscient God ask questions that he does not know the answer to?
Even Now it seems that God was willing to walk with Cain, if Cain were willing to confess his sin and call upon the Name of the Lord; but alas for him and his posterity this would not be. "I KNOW NOT, am I my brothers keeper?"
Surely the God of all the earth would do right, though the blood of Able would cry from the ground; the merciful God would offer opportunity to the sinning brother for forgiveness!
God still confronting Cain, though not with the opportunity to confess his Sin but with the question.. WHAT HAST THOU DONE?
We know it is not because God knew not the offense for he tells him his brothers blood "crieth unto me from the ground".
What Hast thou done? You have rejected the opportunity to confess your sins and have instead accused ME of not knowing were Able was? And so God places a curse upon him and all his future effort, he would be a vagabond and a fugitive in the earth! Still God provides opportunity for repentance and salvation if his heart would be broken and he would worship and not accuse the LORD. If he were sorry for his actions though they could not be undone, God told him that SIN Lieth at the door, and a sacrifice could be brought even if he would follow his brothers example.
ALAS again for him, he instead of taking the opportunity that God has placed before him, accuses God of being too harsh. (Genesis 4:13-14) Oh Poor Cain not willing to place himself at the mercies of God. At least Adam knew when to take his punishment and keep his mouth shut.
He would no longer, as far as we are told, walk with GOD or talk with God, even though the LORD gave him opportunity to do so by placing a mark of protection upon him. This is the saddest statement that one could ever read in the Bible.
A Sinner, knowing his guilt, knowing that GOD has provided a sacrifice for sin and opportunity to confess. Knowing that God would protect him all his days and avenge any action against him, this sad and bitter man gives the Holy Spirit opportunity to tell us something very deep and sorrowful
" And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD...".
Adam knew his wife again and she begat Seth who then begat Enos and once again it would be said That men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
And after a few begats, we see that Enoch walked with GOD for three hundred years, after the birth of Methuselah.
It is interesting that Enoch is only said to WALK with GOD after the birth of Methuselah. ( Genesis 6:22)
Adam no longer walked with God, but was still alive when Enoch began to do so.
There has always been a testimony of folks walking with God. Enoch could ask Adam, Noah could Ask Enoch, Shem could ask NOAH and Abraham could have asked Shem and so on.
To Walk with GOD.. or to Walk Away from God...
God is not being directed where to walk so we must WALK with HIM.
Positively:
Personal: When two are walking together there is a personal aspect that is almost secret. It is an event not shared. Conversation is intimate and personal. There is a great deal of trust. When Peter walked upon the Water he did so WITH JESUS. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3
Passionate: To be so in love with God that that Love can overcome the fear of walking with the omnipotent creator of the universe. We LOVE Him because he First loved us. HE enthralls our hearts, so that Fear is REVERENCE and not revulsion.
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deut: 6:5
Jesus Said : If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14;15
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John14:21Polite: We do not argue. We do not address our God in familiar lowly terms. He is the LORD our GOD even when he stoops down to wash our feet and cleanse our sins with His own blood.
We should never assume, but always be ready to consume, what ever wisdom or opportunity he presents to us. We should never be as Cain, presented with the opportunity to walk with God but instead refused and then accused God.
Pleasurable: Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel. Proverbs 27:9
To walk with the Lord God. Like Enoch Not like Cain, Like NOAH, not like Adam,
Face to face: And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. Exodus 33:11Plain: Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
We can not walk with God in pride. We can not put on airs with the God who knows we are but DUST and even as David would confess a worm. AND yet he will WALK with US if we Walk with Him.Protected: And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend... and please note how the Lord would respond to those who be against Moses: With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Exodus 33:11 Numbers 12:8
Negatively:
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Proverbs 14;12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Mark 10: 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
" And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD"
John 6:66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Here is your Question:
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
What is your Answer...
68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. 70Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
God will allow you to walk away... and watch you as you Go.
All the while Watching for your return...