Enoch, Faithfulness and Eternal Life

Preamble

The figure of Enoch in the Old Testament is a mysterious character.  I will take a closer look at the passage in Genesis where he is mentioned.  I will argue that Enoch is a classic example of Habakkuk 2:4 as I interpret that verse.  I will find excellent confirmation in the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, the only other Biblical passage where he is mentioned.  This is crucial evidence for my Gospel Beyond Belief because a certain interpretation of Habakkuk 2:4 lies at its heart, whereas its misinterpretation lies at the heart of the Standard Evangelical Story, a story that I think is a perversion of the Gospel.

The Life-Death Theme in Genesis

Since I claim that the heart of the Gospel message is Jesus' obedient death and resurrection/ascension/exaltation, and not his death as an animal-like sacrifice, it would make sense to find hints of the Gospel in the founding stories of Genesis.  That is exactly what we find.  The loss of eternal life is a major theme in Genesis.  After the disobedience in the garden, God did not want humans to attain eternal life by eating from the tree of life, so he guarded that tree with cherubim and a fiery, twirling sword (Gen. 3).  Therefore, God exiled Adam from the garden.  It is against this backdrop that we read about Adam's descendants in chapter 5.

List in Genesis 5

The descendants of Adam are listed following a set pattern: (1) A was x years old when he begot B; (2) A lived x years after begetting B and had other sons and daughters; (3) the entire lifetime of A was x years, then he died.  The list is as follows:

1. Adam
2. Seth
3. Enosh
4. Kenan
5. Mahalalel
6. Jared
7. Enoch
8. Methuselah
9. Lamech
10. Noah

What is remarkable is the addition of "then he died".  It seems added for emphasis, since one would think that that information is already given by how long A lived.  Therefore, this emphasis is telling because it was Adam's disobedience that led to death (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:19).  However, Enoch is an exception to this pattern in two ways: (1) instead of pattern 2's "A lived x years after begetting B", we read that Enoch "walked with God" (Gen. 5:22), (2) instead of patter 3's "then he died" we read that Enoch walked with God and that "he was no more, because God took him" (Gen. 5:24).

Implications

A strong case can be made that the reason we don't read "then he died" for Enoch is because he walked with God.  To walk with God is in part to be obedient.  This is why we are told that Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:9) who was "righteous" and "blameless", and why we are told Abraham walked with God (Gen 17:1) who was "blameless".  The conclusion is that Enoch was rewarded with life because he was faithful.

Habakkuk 2:4

On my website I argue that Paul and the Book of Hebrews quote Habakkuk 2:4 to mean that the righteous by faith[fulness] (obedience) will (be rewarded with eternal) live/life.  The verse is not saying that the righteous will live by faith as opposed to live by works or by anything else.  However, this is how the Standard Evangelical Story interprets Hab. 2:4.

Confirmation in Hebrews

On my website (Gospel Beyond Belief) I argue that Hebrews understands Habakkuk 2:4 as I do.  It is interesting to note that the great chapter on Faith[fulness] (chapter 11) is preceded by the quote of Habakkuk 2:4 in 10:38.  This is significant.  In 11:5, we are told that Enoch "had pleased God" and that is why he did not experience death.  The author of Hebrews is most likely using the LXX because the LXX uses "pleases God" instead of "walks with God" in Genesis 5:22, 24.  This sheds light on the famous next verse: without faithfulness is impossible to please him (God).  One must also believe he rewards faithfulness.  The next verse talks about Noah who also walked with God!  Both Enoch and Noah were rewarded with kinds of life because they were obedient.  Therefore, chapter 11 mutually reinforces the meaning of Habakkuk 2:4 in 10:38.  Life is a reward for obedience.

Jesus as Prime Example of Habakkuk 2:4

On my website I claim that Paul uses Jesus as the quintessential example of Habakkuk 2:4.  Jesus was righteous (obedient unto death) and was rewarded with eternal life (resurrection).  This is also the way Paul envisions his ministry and the Christian path in general.  This has monstrous consequence for how we interpret Paul and hence the Gospel, since the Standard Evangelical Story is wedded to a particular misinterpretation of Paul.

Resurrection as Primary

If I'm right about Habakkuk 2:4, then the resurrection of Jesus ought to be accorded the importance that it deserves, and as I argue, the New Testament proves.  Eternal life and the victory over death is the GOOD NEWS!