I must confess I’m oddly fascinated by unpublished, lost or posthumous works of art. Whether that be the many manuscripts left behind by Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien following his death, or Harper Lee’s novel Go Set a Watchman—written in the 1950s but published in 2015 a year before her death, becoming her only other book aside from the Pulitzer prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird. Or the musical back-catalogues left by artists like Michael Jackson, Bob Marley and the Beatles; the latter released a new song in 2023, a lost piece first recorded in 1977 by the late John Lennon, which was dubbed a “bookend” to the band’s expansive career.
Or in motion picture. 100 Years is an experimental science fiction short film, written by and starring John Malkovich, shot in 2015. The film currently sits cozily tucked away in a bulletproof safe which will open on its not-quite-impending release date of 18 November 2115.
More than simply a voice from beyond the grave or afterword to some great and controversial lives, these works reveal insights into the artists’ creative process, becoming an afterword to their accomplished endeavours.
In a similar way, I’ve always been intrigued by the Books of Enoch. If you’ve never seen them amongst the Bible’s 66 books, that’s because they’re part of the Apocrypha, a colloquial name for books omitted from the Bible due to debatable authenticity and divine inspiration.
The majority of Christian denominations and Jews reject the Books of Enoch for this very reason, with some historians concluding it was written up to 2900 years after God took Enoch away. The content within the Books also holds wild and unsubstantiated claims, including angels from heaven choosing wives on earth, giving birth to giants that waged war against men.
The mysterious, sparsely mentioned Enoch—take away the Apocrypha, and we find not much is shared in the Bible about him.
Firstly, we know he was the son of Jared and then the father of Methuselah.
Secondly, at the young age of 365 years (when compared with his father’s 962), he was “no more, because God took him away” (Genesis 5:24).
And finally, if Enoch’s fate as described in Genesis sounds a bit ambiguous, Hebrews 11:5 confirms, “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”
So in essence, Enoch was one of the few people recorded in the Bible, along with Elijah and Moses, who was selected by God to enter heaven without experiencing death or going through the judgement.
What’s more intriguing about Enoch is his place in this selected trio. Unlike the other two, he’s not generally a forerunner for being considered a “hero of faith”.
Moses led the Israelites out of slavery. He delivered the Ten Commandments from Mt Sinai to the Israelites, parted the red sea and ultimately delivered his people to the Promised Land. As his final act, God showed him the land from Mount Nebo before he died and was buried “…in the valley opposite Beth Poer, but to this day no one knows where his grave is” (Deuteronomy 34:6). Moses later appeared alongside Elijah at the Mount of Transfiguration along with the newly resurrected Jesus Christ.
Elijah is also considered to be a hero of faith. He led a showdown with pagan Baal worshipers on Mt Carmel, culminating in God delivering fire from heaven in a supernatural display to consume the sacrifice Elijah had prepared. Elijah also performed 13 recorded miracles in 1st and 2nd Kings. At the end of it all, “…a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them [Elisha], and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind” (2 Kings 2:11). Unlike Moses but similar to Enoch, Elijah was spared death and has since been in heaven.
At the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus was resurrected following his death, “Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus” (Matthew 17:2). Moses and Elijah in heaven? Understandable. Both were strong leaders who chose to follow God in spite of intense opposition.
But Enoch? Why did God choose to take a little known character in the Old Testament, one who’s recorded story lasts 4 sentences, and no miracles or professions of faith attributed to him apart from that he “walked faithfully with God” (Genesis 5:24).
After becoming the father of Methuselah at age 65, “Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years” until his death (Genesis 5:22). Whether or not there was a radical conversion experience, a realisation or a recommitment, it’s implied that in Enoch’s life, the birth of his son became the catalyst that shaped his walk with God.
Faithfulness—the word appears multiple times surrounding Enoch’s few mentions in the Bible. In Hebrews, “he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:5,6).
I’ve always wondered why God allowed certain people into heaven early—VIP guests—while the rest of humanity has had to suffer and pass away, potentially in pain. It makes God seem unfair, and brings questions about his equal treatment of humans. And why the explanation of the state of the dead—that it’s against God’s character to allow people to die and be immediately transported to heaven to watch their families suffer below—didn’t apply in the case of Moses, Elijah or Enoch.
Enoch’s life, more so than Moses or Elijah, reveals the answer to this, and ultimately what’s important to God. It’s also where things become more real for us.
I’ve long struggled with the concept of salvation, and I suspect I’m not alone. How something so complex and profound can be so simple is something I continue to grapple with. When I was a teenager, during a church youth meeting intermission while a group of friends and I were chatting together, a pastor approached us and point-blank asked, “if Jesus came today, do you believe you’d be saved?” The laughs were nervous and replies were unconvincing, to say the least. It seems like humanity’s sinful condition leads us to continually create our own barriers-to-entry.
Through Enoch’s life, we see God highlight the essence and simplicity of salvation: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
The core of what God wants from us is faith—holding strong to the belief that He exists, that his plan is just, and that one day he’ll take us all to be in heaven. He used heroes of faith like Moses and Elijah, but he also used a man like Enoch—a man who’s greatest achievement is simply holding true to the Lord.
Enoch’s life reminds us not to be discouraged when we don’t come upon opportunities to profess our faith in “big” ways. And ultimately he exemplifies that the reward for faithfulness is communion with our loving and fair God in heaven. What God did for Enoch shows that the Second Coming is real and that God has follow-through. And by taking these three men up to heaven, he allowed mortal human representatives the opportunity to witness the full picture of his plan of salvation being enacted on earth and in heaven. I’m sure the three men will have plenty to share when we meet them in heaven.
I don’t know about you, but when we’re there, while others seek out Moses and Elijah to hear about the many incredible stories from their lifetimes, I’ll be looking to find Enoch. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say about those 300 faithful years.
Daniel Kuberek lives in Sydney and runs a video production business.
