"They had a correct sample in Enoch of what a man could be in a Christlike character, for Christ often manifested Himself unto Enoch. The statement is, Enoch walked with God at a period of time when it was no more favorable for the perfection of Christlikeness than it is in our day."

As It Was In The Days Of Noah

An Excerpt

Mrs. E. G. White

Enoch walked with God in reconciled companionship

There were good men alive during that one hundred and twenty years and all had an understanding of the case of Enoch who ascended to heaven without seeing death, giving assurance that the righteous would be saved and enter heaven. All the works of God were to reform the inhabitants of the old world. Enoch walked with God three hundred years. In fearing to offend God he studied His will in all his work that he might show his love and highest reverence for God. He did not see his highest and most dignified Friend by his side, only with the eye of faith. He walked with God in reconciled companionship. He had faith in the message [that would later be] given by Noah and worked in harmonious spiritual action with [the warnings that would be given by] Noah. Noah, in harmony with Enoch, was righteous, and in all his works he feared God. Enoch and Noah were representative men among a wicked and degenerate nation. ... {Ms200-1899.11}

 

Enoch Was Perfect With God

"The statement is, Enoch walked with God at a period of time when it was no more favorable for the perfection of Christlikeness than it is in our day."

Enoch was a man perfect with God. All these cases will condemn in the judgment those who have great light and evidence and yet are far from being a perfect man in Christ Jesus. They all having a defective character, and when God has favored them with great trusts and lent talents they should be as righteous as Enoch in his day. He perfected such a character that the world took knowledge of him. They had a correct sample in Enoch of what a man could be in a Christlike character, for Christ often manifested Himself unto Enoch. The statement is, Enoch walked with God at a period of time when it was no more favorable for the perfection of Christlikeness than it is in our day. The world was so wicked in Enoch’s day that the Lord said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.” “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously.” “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. . . . Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” Genesis 6:3, 5, 8, 9. To walk with God is the highest duty, the greatest honor, blessedness, and excellence of man. Many men were at first receivers of the message that faithful preacher of righteousness bore. Noah’s carpenters were receiving instruction from his lips and they could not be in the companionship of such a man without receiving in large measure an influence by his words. But there were mockers in those days and everything serious was mocked and derided by a certain class whose minds and works were evil and that continually. {Ms200-1899.12}

 

Enoch Protected His Family From Dangerous Sights And Sounds

The sons of God were thus called because they were the visible worshipers. The openly wicked were descendants of Cain. Enoch did not take up his abiding place among them because the sight of the eyes and the hearing of the ears were dangerous to his family. He lived away in country places, retired, and at set times he visited the wicked inhabitants to bear his testimony in harmony with [the message that would be borne by] Noah and other sons of God. So the work of warning was constantly going on. But what of Noah’s carpenters? Some died, some returned to their own sinful practices, notwithstanding the warnings and enunciations of God was upon them. They strengthened themselves in their unbelief. Thus it is in our day as Christ has predicted: As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be when the Son of Man is revealed. Parents who feared God worked continually to keep their children in a pure atmosphere. This is the precaution all parents should take if they wish to save their children for life eternal, and in this life to become the children of God, being governed by the will of God and the Spirit of God. {Ms200-1899.13}