VOTW: God, a rewarder of those who seek Him (1 August 2021)

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:‬6

The writer of Hebrews picked up an important point from the story of Enoch in the bible. Genesis 5:21-24 took no less than four verses. The vital portion of the old scripture is summed up in the final verse for Enoch's life:

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

It is indeed a curious verse, and one that seems to suggest mysterious happenings. For one, God "took" Enoch. This was the explanation for why Enoch became "naught", or "was not"; it is a slightly suggestive sentence, seemingly made to contrast with natural death. At this point in Genesis, the writers were laying out the genealogy of Noah, and both those before and after Enoch were recorded to have "died". Only for Enoch, God "took" him.

The word "took" makes this even more plain:

The writers literally was saying that the Lord "carried" Enoch away, instead of the usual way that his ancestors and predecessors died. Enoch was a very special man. And the writers included almost emphatically, that "Enoch walked with God". What does walking with God mean?

We now come to today's verse in Hebrews, where the writer was in the midst of listing all the heroes of faith from the Old Testament. It is surprising and wonderful to me that the writer included Enoch, whose story is less that 5 verses in Genesis. It showed me the wonders of God's word and the revelation that is to be drawn out from even as little as a few verses. In that one vital verse about Enoch, the writer of Hebrews caught a revelation of how to walk with God, and the effects of it.

"By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Hebrews 11:5

Somehow, he saw that what Enoch practiced, was a walk of faith. How do we know this? We can see that in Genesis, it is written that Enoch "walked with God", and here the writer of Hebrews interprets: "By faith Enoch was taken away". And furthermore, the writer of Hebrews claims that Enoch "pleased God". He writes that before Enoch was "taken away", he pleased God: corresponding to "Enoch walked with God" in Genesis. I believe that, that walking with the Lord was what pleased Him.

In whatever way we read this, it is not too far to say that these three things are associated with each other: a walk with the Lord, Faith, and pleasing God. And the fascinating claim that both the writers of Genesis and Hebrews were making was that out of these three things, will come these end-results: 1) as seen from Enoch's example who did not see death; and 2) for the point made to the Hebrews, the end result of pleasing God.

Our verse of the week makes it even clearer: that the only possible way to please God is by believing that "He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".

First, the believer must believe that the Lord is!

Jesus has said:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6

I love it that Jesus says that He is the way! What do you do with a "way"? You walk in it! "And Enoch walked with God." Jesus is not just a God who you worship and keep a distance from, He is a personal savior who wants to take a journey with you! Believing is not just a declaration, it is a lifestyle and a constant journey with the One you believe in!

Second, the believer must believe that the Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

It is amazing that this is a "condition". That we must believe that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him, that when I come to my Father in heaven, I can believe that I will receive His manifest presence. For Enoch, he did not see death; for Noah, he saved both himself and his whole household from the flood; for Abraham, he received the promised land for his future descendants; for Sarah, she was able to bear a son in her old age!

It is amazing that the bible is not afraid to proclaim blessings, both material and spiritual. Because our God is God of all: both the physical and the spiritual!

Meditation for the week:

Beloved, the Lord IS and He is the rewarder of those who seek Him diligently. Walk in the way of Christ, by holding on to these truths. That He is your provider, your length of days, your Hope, and your salvation!