06.15. "He well-pleased God"
"He well-pleased God"
It is a remarkable fact that, in this chapter, every verb is, what is called in the Greek, in the Aorist Tense, except three, which are in the Perfect Tense. That is to say, all these historical facts and events are described as having been done, and done with, as completed, and hence, are in the simple Past Tense, except in three places, where the Perfect Tense is used. The Perfect Tense denotes that the thing was done but that its effect remains. When it says, for example, that Pilate "wrote a Title and put it on the Cross," it is in the Aorist Tense, because it records a simple passing act that was completed, and a fact that took place, once; but when it says of the Scripture "it is written" it is the Perfect Tense, and means "it has been, or was written, and that what was written remains." So that a good rendering of the Perfect Tense in this case would be: "it standeth written."
We have, in the verse we are considering (Heb 11:5), the first of the three Perfects in this chapter. We shall come to the others in their places.[38]
Unfortunately, in the A.V., these three Perfects are not distinguished. In the R.V. the first is noted in the Text, but, in the case of the latter two, the note is relegated to the margin.
It devolves on us therefore, now, and here, to give the full force of the Perfect Tense in this fifth verse for these are the "words which the Holy Ghost teacheth," and they are "written for our learning." The Verb in question is rendered in the A.V. "For before his translation he had this testimony." In the R.V. it is rendered: "he hath had witness borne to him." If this third Person of the Verb refers to Enoch, and means "he," then it might be rendered, he hath been borne witness to. But there is nothing in the Greek to compel us to understand Enoch, or to render it "he." There is no occasion to introduce Enoch at all. It is quite clear without doing this.
What the Greek says is "IT HAS BEEN [and still is] WITNESSED THAT HE WELL-PLEASED GOD."
What was the witness that was thus borne, and still is borne concerning Enoch? Surely it is what is witnessed of him in the Scriptures of truth: viz., that in believing what God had revealed for his faith he well-pleased God. As the witness which Abel obtained was in the fire which descended from heaven, so, Enoch’s witness which he obtained, was in his own ascension to heaven. And thus these first two illustrations of faith are linked together. But the link is closer than this. The great point in connection with Abel’s faith is that his offering was Accepted by God. The great point in connection with Enoch’s faith is that his walk was Acceptable to God.
We have these two distinguished in Eph 1:6, and 2Co 5:9, though in the A.V. both are rendered by the same word ("accepted"):
Eph 1:6 is "He hath made us accepted in the Beloved:" and 2Co 5:9, is "we labour, that... we may be accepted of Him." The distinction between "in" and "of" is not sufficient, because the two words are totally different. In Eph 1:6 it is the Verb
Thus Enoch’s "walk" and Enoch’s "faith" are united. He "Walked by Faith and not by sight" (2Co 5:7).
It is this walk which is so "well-pleasing to God." For in the immediate context (2Co 5:9) the one follows on the other:—
"We walk by faith, not by sight.... Wherefore we make it our aim to be well-pleasing unto Him" (2Co 5:7; 2Co 5:9).
Walking with God; and walking by faith, and not walking by sight, Enoch did not judge according to the things that he saw.
He was not deceived by any outward appearances or material prosperity; he was not deluded by any schemes for dealing with social evils, or for improving the corrupt state of things around him. But he showed that it is possible to "walk with God" even in the darkest days; and to witness for God in the most "perilous times."
He, doubtless, did not please men, or seek to please them. It was enough for him that he was well-pleasing to God. This is why his translation was not merely a passing historical event, but remains as a standing witness which he obtained; a witness which remains to this day for us, to show us that a "walk by faith and not by sight" is, of all things, "well-pleasing to God." The blood which tells of Abel’s death, continues to speak to us of the only way of being accepted by God. So Enoch’s translation which tells of his entrance to eternal life without dying, continues to witness of the only way of being acceptable to God. For he that approacheth to God, in worship (as Abel and Enoch did) it is necessary for him To Believe God; to believe that He IS; for, "apart from faith it is impossible to well-please [Him]." It is a matter of necessity for him "to believe that He IS and that He BECOMES a rewarder of those who seek Him out." For we who "seek Him" as Abel sought, will find Him as Enoch found Him; if not by being, while we are "alive and remain," called on high (Php 3:14), and thus "clothed upon" with a spiritual body by translation (2Co 5:2; 2Co 5:4); yet, we shall surely find Him in a glorious resurrection when "absent from these mortal bodies" we shall be for ever "at home with the Lord" in resurrection bodies, made like unto Christ’s glorious body, and presented faultless in Him before God with exceeding joy (2Co 4:14, Php 3:20-21, Jude 1:24). But the abiding lesson still standing before us in Enoch’s faith is that, "it is well-pleasing to God" to believe Him, as to this our own "translation."
Abel believed what God had told him about the accepted sacrifice and acceptable worship.
Enoch believed what God had revealed concerning the coming judgment on the ungodly and his own prior translation to glory. His faith, as well as Abel’s blood, continues to speak to us; and it tells us that if we would be well-pleasing to God the one thing necessary is to believe what He has revealed as the blessed object of our faith. Our responsibility is far greater than theirs. For God, who spoke to those elders, spoke in sundry portions and in divers manners. We have what He said to them in the Old Testament. But He has since spoken by His Son; and we have what He said in the Gospels. But since then He has spoken unto us by His Spirit in the Epistles, and in the rest of the New Testament. We have more to believe than those who lived in the former Dispensations.
Enoch and Noah had to believe in "the seed of the woman," and in the coming Judgment (Jude 1:14), others had to believe concerning "the seed of Abraham" and the coming nation of Israel (Gen 15:1-21), others had to believe concerning "the seed of David" and the coming Kingdom (2Sa 7:1-29), others were called to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as still to come as "the heir of all things" (Heb 1:1-14). When He was rejected and crucified by His own People, others were then called on to believe that, on the repentance of the nation, God would send Jesus Christ with the times of refreshing for Israel and the world (Acts 3:20-21). When this Testimony was refused (Acts 28:25-26), then further additions were made to the revelation of God’s "counsels:" and, His "purposes" which He had purposed "before the foundation of the world" were vouchsafed in the Epistles to the Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians.
Each generation of faithful ones, was in its turn, called on to believe God in what He had revealed for the faith of His people; and they were well-pleasing to Him in proportion as they did so.
But, as of old, the multitude today, refuse to believe Him. They still "provoke" Him, as Israel did of old.
It is as though Enoch believed what had been revealed to Abel as to approaching God, but refused to believe what had been revealed to him as to translation by God.
It is as though Abraham believed all that had been made known to Abel, Enoch and Noah, and refused to believe God that in his seed Israel shall be made a nation, and all other nations be blessed. This is the condition of thousands today who call themselves "believers."
They persist in calling Israel "the Jewish persuasion," when of all others, they would not and will not be persuaded, though that blessed One did rise from the dead (Luk 16:31).
They persist in calling themselves "believers" though they steadfastly refuse to believe what God has revealed in the Epistles written after the "casting aside" of Israel in Acts 28:25-26. For all that they care, the Holy Spirit might as well have never made any subsequent revelation at all.
Though the Lord Jesus told His disciples that He had many things to say to them, which they could not then understand; and that He would send the Holy Spirit, who would glorify Him, and guide them into all the truth yet to be revealed, His professed disciples of the present day practically tell Him that there was no occasion to send Him to do this; and that the truth into which He guides them in the Pauline Epistles can be dispensed with.
They are content with the Old Testament revelation, and the "Teaching of Jesus." They confess their belief that Jesus Christ will "come to judge the quick and the dead," but as for any blessed hope of their translation, ascension or even of resurrection, they can do without it. They practically tell Christ, that He need not come again for them: they are going to die and go to Him! Thus, the "traditions of men" are believed, and greedily swallowed, while the subsequent revelations of God are unheeded; and those who do believe them are treated as eccentric expositors, and fanciful faddists.
How can those who thus judge be well-pleasing to God? Is it not as true today as it was of Israel: that "with many of them God was not well-pleased"?
Why? "Because of their unbelief." God was "grieved," and "provoked," and "sware in His wrath that they should not enter into His rest." May it not be the same in the case of thousands today who do not believe Him as to the way of entering into His rest, which He has revealed in Resurrection (1Co 15:1-58), Ascension (1Th 4:1-18), and Translation (Php 3:1-21)?
If they persist in believing the "evil report" of the ten spies, and refuse to enter into His rest by "the hill country of the Amorites," they must not be surprised if they have to wander in a wilderness all their lives, and enter it by crossing the Jordan, the river of death.
Oh! the blessedness of believing God!
Those who would enter into His rest and be well-pleasing unto Him, must believe that He IS and that He will BECOME a rewarder of their faith. Of this first fresh revelation made after that given to Abel, Enoch is the blessed example of one who believed God, and was well-pleasing in His sight. May we know what it is to enjoy peace with God as Abel did, and to know the peace of God, and to enter into His rest, as Enoch did.