Edwards On Enoch

I’m teaching a Sunday School class at church on Old Testament saints and how they typify Christ. My first week is introduction on why it is important to study their lives looking at the faith that binds us to them in Christ. Since I’m using Hebrews 11 as my control text for the next six weeks as I work through a few of these faithful men, I’m going to be adding a short study on the life of Enoch as a part of the first class based on verse 5.

I have always been enthralled with the story of Enoch, after all, how many people have been translated that they would not see death? Only two in Scripture. Some have even died twice.

I found this helpful quote by Jonathan Edwards concerning what we see being accomplished by God, in the life of Enoch, for our encouragement, and for His glory.

“Now this translation of Enoch was the first instance that ever was of restoring the ruins of the fall with respect to the body. There had been many instances of restoring the soul of man by Christ’s redemption, but none of redeeming and actually saving the body till now. All the bodies of the elect are to be saved as well as their souls at the end of the world; all the bodies of the saints shall actually be redeemed: those that then shall have been dead, by a resurrection; and others that then shall be living, by causing them to pass under a glorious change. And before this there was a number of the bodies of saints raised and glorified at Christ’s resurrection and ascension, and before that was an instance of a body glorified in Elijah, but the first instance of all was this of Enoch, that we are now speaking of.”

-Jonathan Edwards, from The History of Redemption

The Mediators Timing

As soon as man fell, Christ entered on his mediatorial work. Then it was that he began to execute the work and office of a mediator. He had undertaken it before the world was made. He stood engaged with the Father to appear as man’s mediator, and to take on that office when there should be occasion, from all eternity. But now the time was come. Christ the eternal Son of God clothed himself with the mediatorial character, and therein presented himself before the Father. He immediately stepped in between a holy, infinite, offended Majesty, and offending mankind. He was accepted in his interposition; and so wrath was prevented from going forth in the full execution of that amazing curse that man had brought on himself.
It is manifest that Christ began to exercise the office of mediator between God and man as soon as ever man fell, because mercy began to be exercised towards man immediately.  

-Jonathan Edwards, from A History of the Work of Redemption; The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Banner of Truth edition, two volume set