v. 14 – It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied,

Devotional:

Enoch would be a very familiar name to Jews in the first century. He was father to Methuselah and the Bible says he lived 365 years and “he walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). There has been much debate by scholars over Jude referring to Enoch’s prophecy. Some claim that because Jude quotes Enoch his writings should be included in the Bible. I think this is silly for 2 reasons: First, if Enoch’s writings were divinely inspired and supposed to be in the biblical canon they would be because God is sovereign. He simply would not allow something in His Word that wasn’t supposed to be there. Second, if the fact that Jude quoted Enoch makes his writings divinely inspired then it could easily be argued that we would have to include others like Aratus and Cleanthes since Paul quotes them in Acts 17. After all, canonization was based on a number of factors, including the authorship of an apostle, prophet, or a close associate of the apostles, the truthfulness of the book and alignment with previously accepted canonical books, the acceptance of Christ Himself, and the edification of the Church over time. I find this debate to be a good reminder to me how silly Christians can be sometimes, and how we often make stuff up to argue about amongst ourselves.

If you were a Jew receiving this letter from Jude and you saw Enoch’s name you would certainly recognize it and it would invoke a response from you because the testimony of his life and departure from earth was the stuff of legends. The Bible says Enoch walked with God and was taken by God to heaven. It doesn’t say, “he died”, it says, “God took him.” The fact God took Him implies that he lived faithfully in intimacy with God serving his purpose until God took him to heaven. Whether he died or was taken up by God alive is a question we can ask one day when we are in heaven, but for today I want to remind you of the importance of having a legacy of faith like that of Enoch.

I imagine his faith legacy would’ve been inspiring to Jude’s readers, as it should be. Jude did not quote Enoch solely to bring merit to the warnings we have read to this point in his letter but also to remind his readers that faithfulness like that of Enoch is required and rewarded. It is very tempting today to take shortcuts in life, to try and finish first at all costs, or to do just enough to get by, but that is not the call of the believer in Jesus. Believers are rewarded for being good and faithful (Matthew 25:23).

One of the marks of the faithful is perseverance. Perseverance means to stay the course, don’t give up, don’t walk away, don’t take the easy way or be lazy, but to stay in constant pursuit
of holiness through faithfully following Jesus’ instruction and lifestyle.

I have never considered abandoning my faith, but I have been tempted around every corner to be less than faithful in walking worthy of the calling which I have received. I have been tempted to settle for far less than immeasurably more than I could think or imagine in my life, but I know I would forsake the abundant life God has for me in doing so. Remembering this and subjecting myself to the Holy Spirit’s rule and reign in my life helps me stay the course.

Today, Enoch can serve as a reminder for us of the importance and the blessing that comes with being faithful to Christ in all things. I wonder if there are areas of our lives in which we have let monotony, apathy, complacency, anger, or sloth take hold resulting in the loss of our perseverant spirit. If you find this to be true, I encourage you to spend some time on your knees asking God to restore to you the joy of your salvation and to forge in you a spirit of steadfastness so you can joyfully serve Him with gladness in your heart.

REFLECTION:

Is there an area in your life in which you struggle to persevere? If so, what is it and what makes it hard for you? What do you hope will be your legacy of faith?