The 2 Enoch's of Genesis
by Rick Campione
16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. - Genesis 4:16-18
In Genesis 4 starting in verse 16, the bible tells us how Cain went out from the presence of the LORD. At this point, he wanted nothing to do with God and therefore continued his God-less journey starting a family and populating the earth as recorded in the scriptures. He conceived a child with his wife, named him Enoch, built a city and named that city after his son! Without too much thought, readers are able to figure out that the Enoch mentioned here was the 3rd from Adam, a direct descendent from Cain; he was his son. The ungodly line of Cain, Enoch and others are noted including Lamech who was the first recorded polygamist and murderer AFTER his great, great grandfather Cain.
Once Seth is born of Adam and Eve and introduced, the bible closes the chapter telling readers that began men to call upon the name of the LORD after the birth of his son Enos. Afterwards we will see a string of new births all the way up to another man named Enoch who was of Seth and not Cain!
So in summary we have Adam > Seth > Enos > Cainan > Mahalaleel > Jared > Enoch. After a quick calculation, you will notice that THIS Enoch, the 7th from Adam was part of the Godly line of men.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. - Genesis 5:21-24
This story warms my heart because THIS Enoch found favor with God, but we don't understand too much until we do a word search on his name and study what other bible authors have to say about this dear saint. In the New Testament book of Jude we read:
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. - Jude 14,15
Although it takes us a few thousand years to find out, the Enoch of the Godly line, the seventh from Adam, (to distingish him from the Enoch who was the third from Adam) was a preacher who would warn and fortell by divine inspiration of things to come (prophesy) that the LORD is coming with His saints, to execute judgment upon the ungodly. We also get a picture of why Enoch found favor with God in Hebrews 11 verse 5:
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
You see friends, Enoch took God at His word and was a living witness of God's rightness.
So we must make sure we distinguish between the Enoch who descended from Cain, "the third from Adam", and the Enoch who was the "seventh from Adam" (Gen. 4:16-18 cf. 5:22-24). The first Enoch walked in the way of Cain and his ungoldy descendants who were morally bankrupt followed his lead...
God wants us to understand the example set by Enoch, the seventh from Adam, who walked in the way of faith. This "Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found implying everyone searched for him, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Heb. 11:5). In addition, the path of the coming Redeemer would pass through Enoch, the seventh from Adam, not Cain's Enoch (Gen. 3:15). This is why in Paul's letter to Timothy we read:
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
- 2 Timothy 3:16