Enoch, The Seventh From Adam

The next great event on God's prophetic calendar is the rapture of the church. The Old Covenant provides us a beautiful picture of this event through one of the Bible's most unique and mysterious figures - the prophet ENOCH. Most scholars and Bible prophecy teachers label Enoch, the seventh man born from Adam through Seth's lineage, was history's first actual prophet. The Book of Jude documents Enoch's ancient prophecy, which is part of our original text, revealing that the Lord will return to earth with tens of thousands of His saints to execute judgment on believers and unbelievers alike i.e. "upon all! Enoch is a type of those who will be caught up or translated at the rapture of the church, an event we believe could happen at any moment. Many in the church scoff at this teaching just as those living in Enoch's day scoffed at him. It is one of the most attacked doctrines of the New Testament church without a doubt, but those who fight it and deny it from behind pulpits and other outlets of ministry do so at the peril of their own souls. This journal is a trumpet call of warning to those reading to prepare their garments and make them clean through the precious blood of the Lamb, for the midnight is coming and the Bridegroom is even at the door!

TEXT: Jude 1:14-15 - 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.

The next great event on God's prophetic calendar is the rapture of the church. It is one of the most attacked doctrines of the New Testament church without a doubt, but those who fight it and deny it from behind pulpits and other outlets of ministry do so at the peril of their own souls. The Old Covenant provides us a beautiful picture of this event through one of the Bible's most unique and mysterious figures - the prophet ENOCH. Most scholars and Bible prophecy teachers alike, label Enoch, the seventh man born from Adam through Seth's lineage, as history's first actual prophet. The Book of Jude documents Enoch's ancient prophecy, which is part of our original text, revealing that the Lord will return to earth with tens of thousands of His saints to execute judgment on believers and unbelievers as well i.e. "upon all! Believers will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ for their works on earth while the unbeliever will face the Great White Throne Judgment one day and stand before God lost and without hope for al eternity (Rev. 20:5-15)

Jude 1:14-15 - 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.

Enoch is a type of those who will be caught up or translated at the rapture of the church, an event we believe could happen at any moment. Many in the church scoff at this teaching just as those living in Enoch's day scoffed at him. This journal is a trumpet call of warning to the reader to examine our hearts and make sure our garments are clean and white through the precious blood of the Lamb. The midnight hour is rapidly approaching upon us and the Bridegroom and Judge is even at the door!

James 5:7-9 - Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. [8] Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. [9] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

When the Bridegroom opens the door - we as believers will be caught up as Enoch was so long ago! We call this translation the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church!

1 Thes. 4:16-18 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Enoch walked with God and God took him. The writer of Hebrews tells us a bit more about Enoch saying he "pleased God," and was not found because God TRANSLATED him!

Genesis 5:21-24 - 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.

Hebrews 11:5 - 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.

Jude 1:14-15 - 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.

Enoch was the first of two men who were translated alive into heaven, the other being the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 2). There is not much detailed information in the Bible about Enoch's earthly life, but we can collect important parallels about his earthly presence and translation, and how it reveals a wonderful picture of the future translation of the church to heaven! There IS going to be a Rapture of the church. Men may deny it; preachers may deny it; well meaning people may argue about it's timing and not be looking for it; backslidden saints may mock it; new age gurus dressed up in church garb may say it's a waste of time to devote our study time to it, but JESUS IS COMING AGAIN and He is coming SOON!

In the twinkling of an eye the TRUMP of GOD will sound and the dead in CHRIST shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP together with them to meet the Lord in the air! CAUGHT UP, caught up, caught up, caught up - get those words in your heart today. The church is about to be "CAUGHT UP," or "TAKEN AWAY," as Enoch was because GOD TRANSLATED HIM! Glory to God.

Enoch was translated BY FAITH, in other words, he looked for the Coming Redeemer, the SEED prophesied by his ancestor Seth. Those who will be translated at the rapture are people of FAITH. True Faith is not some abstract idea or thought but it is "THE FAITH" spoken of in Scripture - that of believing in CHRIST and HIM CRUCIFIED, the fulfillment of the SEED that would bruise Satan's head and bring mankind back to God through the blood of the cross! JESUS CHRIST came the first time, once to die, but will come again a second time, without sin unto salvation to those who love his appearing.

Let's look at Enoch more closely and discuss three parallels between his life, character and ministry to that of the coming translation of the church of the Lord Jesus.

Jude 1:14-15 - 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.

First of all, Enoch PROPHESIED, or PREACHED the coming of the Lord with 10,000 of His Saints! According to Jude, Enoch was given this vision of the Lord's return to earth, which, 2000 years later, was confirmed through the visions of Daniel and John:

Daniel 7:10 - A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

In A.D. 95 the apostle John experienced a vision, while he was a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos, where he too saw a huge multitude of people standing before God's throne in worship.

Rev. 5:11 - And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

The visions of Daniel and John, along with other Hebrew prophets confirm this initial revelation the Lord gave ENOCH of the Lord coming with a COUNTLESS number and multitude of His saints. John summed up this revelation with a glimpse of the actual Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Great Tribulation period.

Rev. 19:11-16 - And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. [12] His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. [13] And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. [14] And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. [15] And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. [16] And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

There are several parallels we can draw from Enoch's vision recorded in Jude, and John's visions recorded in Revelation:

Enoch's Vision	John's Vision
The Lord is Coming	The Lord is Coming
The Lord is Coming to Earth	He Is Coming to Earth
He Is Coming With His Saints	He is Coming with His Saints
The Lord will Execute Judgments	He Will Execute Judgments
The Ungodly Will Be Judged	He Smites The Wicked Nations With A Rod of Iron

Enoch PROPHESIED or preached these things without fear or favor during a time of ungodliness on the earth. Men of God need to be doing the same during this similar period of time in history of ungodliness and perversion as well! The modern day dearth of preaching about the rapture is ludicrous and close to being deeply blasphemous. So-called men of God who are supposed to be the mouthpiece of heaven stand behind sacred pulpits and deny the very coming of our Lord with their man-made traditions and doctrines. Many of these doctrines denigrate any one and any movement that teaches a rapture of the church will even take place. In the mid-1990s the debate was more heated over the timing of the rapture. Now, as we enter 2006, the debate over even the timing has since ceased with most just outright denying the truth of what the Bible says concerning future events. The voices of those denying there will be a rapture of the church at all is ever increasing as the modern church sinks deeper into apostasy.

In this modern hour we need modern day Enoch's who will PROPHESY that the "LORD IS COMING" with 10,000 of His saints! The Lord will come FIRST FOR the saints, then 7 years later, WITH THE SAINTS! Enoch PREACHED the Second Coming of the Lord and we need men of God to do the same today. Most church people today are more worried about who won on "American Idol," or what is going on with "Desperate Housewives" than what is going on in Bible prophecy. A recent article off one of the news wires which supply us with information for our prayer watch sections, showed nearly 100,000 of ALL American church goers have little or no knowledge of Bible prophecy. One may argue that this is because of ignorance, which some of it may be, but I declare that most of this lack of knowledge is brought on by rank unbelief and hardness of heart! Satan loves to deceive the church when it comes to end time events because his doom is recorded in the back of the book where most of these end time events are foretold! When preachers water down the word of God and cease to warn people about a rapture of the church, people stop believing!

I believe the Bible teaches a PRE-Tribulation rapture. I believe that the church is not destined to be thrust into the middle of the Great Tribulation as some wrongly teach. We will be dealing with why we believe this in future journals in the coming weeks. I have felt deeply constrained by the Holy Spirit to open this new year with a series of sermons on the rapture, mainly because so many don't even know what the word "rapture" means. Liberal theologians argue the point that the word "rapture" is not mentioned once in scripture, which is a very weak argument. There are TONS of words not found in scripture but that doesn't mean certain doctrinal issues are not true. Neighbor, Jesus is Coming! I believe the trump of God could sound at any moment. There is nothing holding the Lord back from coming to gather His church home with Him. There are plenty of things still to transpire before He comes "WITH" ten thousands of the saints. Those ten thousands of saints include ME praise God. If you're born again, those ten thousand saints include YOU as well! Praise God, Praise God! One day long ago, this writer knelt before Him and said, "Lord, I am a sinner, I need forgiveness, I need YOU, I need your deliverance, I plead the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, on my heart and life today so I can be saved." When I said that prayer, neighbor, I made my reservations to be part of HIS coming! I made my reservations to be with the other thousands and tens of thousands of precious saints who will be with HIM on that glorious day! I'm not ashamed of it. I'm glad I'm saved! I'm glad my name has been written down in the Lamb's book of Life. One day when I was lost, Jesus died upon the cross, Hallelujah anyhow!

Some modern teachers argue that the doctrine of a "secret rapture," is not a true Biblical or historical teaching. Many say it was a concept taught in 1830 when a woman named McDonald (no relation) gave a "prophetic utterance" proclaiming two distinct appearances of Christ. Astute scholars and researchers have recently disproved the theory of a later 1830 Rapture teaching. Prior to that year (1830) Baptist Theologian Dr. John Gill, in his commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:17 called the catching away THE RAPTURE1:

"The Apostle, having something new and extraordinary to deliver concerning the coming of Christ, the first resurrection of the saints, or the change of the living saints, and the Rapture of both the raised, and the living in the clouds to meet Christ in the air expresses itself in this manner." (Dr. Gill's Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:17)1

The Eastern Orthodox Church has taught for centuries that there would be a great catching away. In fact, the writings of an Orthodox Father, Ephraim the Syrian give early evidence of a pre-tribulation Rapture of the church:

"All the saints and the elect of God will be gathered together before the Tribulation, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion that overwhelms the world because of our sins" (Ephraim the Syrian in about A.D. 373)

When scoffers mock the possibility of a pre-tribulation catching away and gathering together, I am reminded of the words of the apostle Peter that warns of scoffers in the last days!

2 Peter 3:3-4 - Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, [4] And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

These skeptics and sadly yes, many PREACHERS are not questioning if Jesus will return, they are questioning the PROMISE of His Coming. The promise IS "I will Come again and RECEIVE YOU to MYSELF, that where I am, there you may be also!" (John 14:3). Never in modern history has one teaching, that of the Rapture, been so fought and hated among so-called Christians. Some go as far as to call those who believe in the Rapture "heretics" and "teachers of doctrines of devils." Neighbor, hear this writer and hear him good. If you are not looking for His return- then you won't be taken at the rapture! You can sit around and want to stay here on Earth and go through the Tribulation if you want - have at it. The Lord will certainly oblige you. Millions of believers steeped in false doctrine sit around and mock believers who teach the pre-tribulation doctrine saying, "Rapture teaching is nothing more than escapism." In a literal sense, the great catching away IS an escape - from the wrath of GOD! An examination of Scripture reveals numerous times when the righteous were permitted to escape the judgment of God. These escapes came in various forms as God separated the righteous from the unrighteous:

Hebrews 11:7 - By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Genesis 19:22 - Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

Exodus 12:23 - For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Hebrews 11:31 - By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Luke 21:21 - Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereunto.

Daniel 11:41 - He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

Rev. 7:3 - Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Ezekiel 14:13 - Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.

There is a BIBLICAL principle that righteous believers are to be separated from the unrighteous before the judgment. An example is in Ezekiel chapter nine, when the Lord instructed an angel to mark the righteous with a special mark on their foreheads. The unrighteous were to perish in the coming judgment on the nation of Israel that would ultimately end in the Babylonian captivity. Those with this special mark were to be spared from the calamity.

Ezekiel 9:6
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

The Rapture of the church, a teaching first PREACHED by the apostle PAUL in the New Covenant was always taught through types, shadows and imagery even in the OLD COVENANT. Paul was only repeating a theme first preached by ENOCH, the seventh from Adam, who PROPHESIED, the LORD IS COMING with 10,000 of His saints! Glory to God. AND PREACHER, YOU NEED TO BE PREACHING THIS DOCTRINE TOO! Stop giving your people a book report on Sunday or the latest church fad or craze. Preach the gospel. Preach Jesus saves. Preach Jesus heals. Preach Jesus baptizes in the HOLY GHOST with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. Yes, HE BAPTIZES IN THE HOLY GHOST WITH THE EVIDENCE OF SPEAKING WITH OTHER TONGUES. YES WITH THE EVIDENCE OF SPEAKING WITH OTHER TONGUES does the Lord baptize you and I with the HOLY GHOST! And that same JESUS, Oh, Praise God, THIS SAME JESUS is coming again. He's coming, He's coming and THOSE who LOVE His appearing will be ready to meet Him!

1 John 2:28-3:2 - And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. [29] If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. [3:1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. [2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

This message needs to be PREACHED. It needs to be SHOUTED from pulpits! It needs to be breathed, preached, taught, sang about, prayed about, and prophesied about from the highest mountain to the lowest valley - JESUS IS COMING and He is Coming Soon!

Jude 1:14-15 - And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

A second aspect of Enoch's life and character was that he was the SEVENTH from Adam. In Scripture, the number seven is an important number mentioned in the Bible 463 times! The number seven is acknowledged as a number indicating completion, and is also considered God's sacred number. It is commonly used when God is emphasizing a pattern for completion, fulfilling, or a spiritual truth usually involved in understanding the creative processes of heaven and earth. In this case, it shows us that the SEVENTH man, ENOCH, from the FIRST man, ADAM, was TRANSLATED or caught away to God without dying, which in type is a picture of the coming Rapture of the Church.

Genesis records that God worked six days to complete His creative process and on the SEVENTH day, He rested from His labors. Thus, as stated earlier, we see the number Seven's importance in the creative processes of heaven and earth.

Genesis 2:2 - And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

The Bible teaches us that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

Psalm 90:4 - For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Some scholars and Bible teachers believed and still believe today that the six days of creation were in type of the first 6,000 years of human history and government. Irenaeus, born in A.D. 140, wrote a powerful treatise on the Christian faith:

"For in so many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded...And God brought to a conclusion on the sixth day the works He made." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book V. Chapter 28, Section 3)

The Epistle of Barnabas, which dates back to the fourth century, reflects the thoughts of some early theologians which states this:

"And God made in six days the works of His hands; and He finished them on the seventh day, and He rested on the seventh day and sanctified it. Consider my children, what that signifies, He finished them in six days. The meaning is this: in six thousand years the Lord God will bring all to an end. For with Him one day is a thousand years; as Himself testifies, saying, behold this day shall be as a thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days, that is in six thousand years, shall all things be accomplished. And what is that He saith and he rested on the SEVENTH day; he meaneth this; that when His Son shall come and abolish the season of the wicked one, and shall change the sun moon and stars, then shall gloriously rest on the seventh day."

Another book called Secrets of Enoch says that God revealed to Enoch that the world would exist for a total of 7,000 years. This writing dates to the first century A.D. and was translated into the Slavonic language reads like this:

"And I appointed the eighth day also that the eighth day should be created after my work, and that the first seven revolve in the for of the seventh thousand, and that at the beginning of the eight thousand there should be a time not counting - endless."1

I mention these portions of literature only to show the reader that this debate over the six thousand years of Creation has raged from the first to the fourth centuries. Since the reign of Christ in Revelation 20:4 is a thousand years, then the 1,000 years could allude to one prophetic day in God's sight. And since the millennial reign is a time of rest and peace, it is not a stretch to say or teach that the seventh DAY of REST was a type of a future SEVENTH "DAY" or 1,000 years of REST under CHRIST! We call this the Millennium Reign of Christ!

Even according to the traditional Christian calendar keeping, there has been a time frame of roughly 6,000 years from the creation of Adam to now. The Jewish calendar however counts time from Adam's creation to this year to be about 5,766 years. The Jewish Calendar remains about 236 years behind the present Christian calendar. One theory of the difference is that God ceased counting time as long as Israel was in captivity or in unbelief. We know from scripture the number 236 comes from the time frames of two main cycles - the times of the Judges and the Babylonian Captivity:

Scripture	Israel's Sin	Captivity
Judges 3:8	They did evil	8 Years
Judges 3:14	They did evil	18 Years
Judges 4:3	They did evil	20 Years
Judges 6:1	They did evil	7 Years
Judges 10:8	They did evil	18 Years
Judges 13:1	They did evil	40 Years
TOTAL		111 Years

If we take the number, 111, and add 70 years for the Babylonian Captivity, that increases the number to 181. There were numerous occasions when Israel sinned and their enemies were able to overtake them for a season. Rabbinical teaching indicates that the time that Abraham raised Ishmael, which was about 13 years in length was one such time of unbelief for Israel:

Genesis 17:25 - And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Rabbis explain that this is why the Jewish calendar is 236 years from the normal calculated time of Adam to the present. It is a wasted effort of time and resources to try and calculate the exact time we are living in on God's prophetic calendar. That is not the purpose of this journal. It is to show that Enoch's translation occurred in the seventh generation FROM ADAM, and that we are living in the SEVENTH millennium from Adam at the present time!

Just as Enoch escaped natural death, there is a CHOSEN GENERATION of believers who will be alive on earth and experience a glorious translation, a change, a metamorphosis, a CATCHING AWAY, a GATHERING TOGETHER at the sound of the trump of God! We may not know the exact time we're in but we do know this - IT'S LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Furthermore, no matter the exact time, the events transpiring around us on a daily basis in the Middle East and within the Church world with signs of a great falling away from the Faith, we don't have to be a mathematicians or calendar watchers to know we're close to the rapture! Something big is on the immediate horizon. Too many natural disasters and earth-shaking events of "Biblical" proportions are taking place daily. Get used to that term, "Biblical" proportions - we will be hearing a lot more of that term in 2006!

Paul spoke of this event saying that this event will literally CHANGE the living saints in a moment's time, giving us new bodies, then in that exact moment, CATCHING us away (literally seized by force) to meet the Lord in the air. Paul wrote to the Corinthians about this change:

1 Thes. 4:16-17 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Cor. 15:51-54 - Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Enoch's bodily translation to heaven is a beautiful preview of the day when this same event will transpire with the saints. He was simply walking with God one day, minding his own business, when he suddenly VANISHED from the planet! One day all believers will be simply going about their daily routine, and WILL SUDDENLY be missing! In the TWINKLING of an eye, planet Earth will get a wake up call to the reality of the doctrinal truth of the Rapture of the Church. Saved wives will go missing from lost husbands. Godly husbands will go missing from lost wives. Children who begged mom and dad to come to church and get right with God will go missing in the middle of the night from lost parents. Grandparents who prayed and prayed for lost grandchildren will one day suddenly not be here any more. Neighbor we are SO close to that event it beggars description!

In the context of what we're saying about Enoch, it's important to note that God has always done something major on the anniversary of each 1,000-year-periods since the creation of Adam:

But before Christ reigns on Earth, He must COME first, FOR the saints, then return WITH the saints at the end of the Great Tribulation period to set up His Earthly Kingdom of peace and grace in Jerusalem. We're getting close to that friend, we're getting close.

Finally, as we close this journal, the third aspect of Enoch's life that speaks of the coming translation of the church, was that he was only one of TWO men in Scripture who were translated alive into heaven. Enoch's swift translation into heaven is a perfect picture of the future translation of the church into heaven. Paul tells us in Ephesians there is a "gathering together" of all things unto Christ, and in Thessalonians he mentions us being "caught up together," to meet the Lord in the air.

Ephes. 1:10 - That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

1 Thes. 4:16-17 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Elijah was the other individual translated without death. He, along with Enoch and MOSES, who both were types and foreshadows of the coming rapture. Elijah was a type of the Jewish remnant of believers saved during the Tribulation who will be translated about 3 1/2 years into the week of the beast, and Moses was a type of the dead in Christ.

Moses penned the first five books of the Old Covenant called the Torah. In these books, God hid the mystery of redemption in picture form through Israel's Seven Feasts (Lev. 23). Throughout the Torah God hid future events in literal happenings that transpired. One such example is the Feast of Passover when the Hebrews took a spotless male lamb, applied the blood to the doorpost in three locations and in doing so fulfilled a type of the coming Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was crucified in Jerusalem near the time of the Passover. Jesus died on a cross with a cross on both sides of Him.

Exodus 12:7 - And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Exodus 12:12 - For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

John 19:17-19 - And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: [18] Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. [19] And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

In another example, the Lord sent fiery serpents into the camp when Israel murmured and sinned. The snakes killed the rebels among them. Moses crafted a brass serpent on a pole. As the stricken people looked toward the brazen serpent, they were rescued from death. Jesus compared His own death to this historic event:

Numbers 21:8-9 - And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. [9] And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

John 3:14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

Conferring with Moses on Mt. Sinai, God painted an astonishing picture of the future coming of Christ as recorded in the 19th chapter of Exodus:

Exodus 19	The Rapture
God appeared on the third day	He will raise us up on the third day (Hosea 6:1-3)
God came down in the clouds	He comes in clouds (Acts 1:9-10)
God's voice as a trumpet	The trump of God shall sound (1 Thes. 4:16)
God's voice answered Moses	Voice of the archangel (v.16)
God came down in fire	Christ returns with flaming fire (2 Thes. 1:7-10)
God descended from heaven	Christ will descend from heaven (1 Thes. 4:17)
God called Moses up	The saints will go up (v.17)

Moses died before entering the Promised Land. Many Christians have died and never experienced the visible return of Christ to carry them over the Jordan river into their eternal Promised Land. After Moses died, God buried him! It's recorded in Deuteronomy that "no one knows his grave to this day." Yet, nearly 1,500 years later, Moses appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration along with Elijah.

Matthew 17:1-4
And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, [2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. [3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. [4] Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Deut. 34:6
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knows of his sepulcher unto this day.

This experience of the Transfiguration was in essence a preview of the resurrection of the dead. In fact, the Apostle Peter, who was sleeping prior to the event, suddenly woke up and must have imagined the resurrection of the dead had occurred. The death of Moses before he entered the Promised Land represents those who die in Christ before the Rapture. Moses' dead body was never found, portraying the day when the dead in Christ will be raised from the grave. After 1,500 years, Moses appeared with Christ, surrounded by the glory; the dead saints will be raised by the glory of Christ and we will meet them in the air.

Elijah was one of Israel's most renowned prophets. This man of god was also translated alive into heaven in a chariot of fire, across from Jericho at the base of Mount Nebo, not far from the valley where Moses was buried. (2 Kings 2:1-12). Elijah was also the headmaster of three large schools of the prophet, prior to his ascension. (2 Kings 1 and 2) Elijah's ascension represents the JEWISH remnant mentioned in the book of Revelation. They will be caught up to the throne of God in the middle of the seven year Tribulation.

Rev. 14:1 - And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

In Revelation 7, these 144,000 Jewish men will be "sealed with the seal of God," and protected from the Antichrist.

Rev. 7:3-8 - Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. [4] And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. [5] Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. [6] Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. [7] Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. [8] Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Later, in chapter 14, we see these men standing before the throne of God. Something happens between Revelation 7 and Revelation 14! It's called a "catching away," or RAPTURE if you will. In chapter 7, these 144,000 are on earth being supernaturally sealed for protection and, in chapter 14, they are singing the song of Moses before God's throne! At some point they have been snatched out of the Tribulation and brought before God's throne. The prophet Elijah is LINKED to this special Jewish remnant of men. Elijah will reappear before the great day of the Lord. (Malachi 4:5)

Malachi 4:5 - Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

This event is alluded to in Revelation 11, as two prophets materialize in Israel, preaching to these 144,000 men. One will be ELIJAH! Who will the other be? I think it's a fair assumption to say that ENOCH will be the other. Why? Because these are the only TWO men who escaped death in their life times. After 42 months of ministry, both will be slain by the Antichrist in Jerusalem.

Rev. 11:7 - And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

These three men, Enoch, Moses and Elijah give us a prophetic preview of future events! Enoch is the picture of the living saints who will be caught up, Moses is a picture of the dead in Christ being "gathered" together with us in the air, and Elijah, a picture of the Jewish remnant that will be caught up in the middle of the Tribulation. Enoch and Elijah have made the journey of translation! They are identified in Zechariah 4:1-11 as two olive trees standing before God's throne waiting for the moment when the Lord sends them back to Earth to fulfill their missions during the coming Tribulation!

Zech. 4:1-11 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, [2] And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: [3] And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. [4] So I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? [5] Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. [6] Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. [7] Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. [8] Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, [9] The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. [10] For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. [11] Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

All three of these events are tied together at the rapture of the church and during the Great Tribulation. Neighbor, these events are rapidly approaching! That's the message of this journal- get ready for the coming of the Lord!

As I close today, I want to ask you a question. Are you saved today? I must tell you that we don't need a message on the rapture for us to search our hearts and lives to make sure we're right with God. The basic principle of life's brief span on earth is enough. None of us are promised tomorrow. To be frank, none of us are even promised a next breath. No one knows when our time ends on earth. But there is going to be a group of living saints who will be translated at the rapture of the church and not see death. We must be ready to go either way - either by death or by translation (rapture).

My final thoughts and words are to the ministers reading this journal. Preach the word! Stop watering down this message and going off after your tangents and wild rabbits that are leading people to hell. The message of the Second Coming has been lost in the pages of book reports and the church world's manic obsession with movements like the Purpose Driven Life and these New Age fads that have swept in as the shepherds have slept. Rick Warren was heard recently telling people he didn't believe that one needed to be concerned about end time events since these things are not that "relevant" to the time we live in. Those are the words of a deceived fool. One other such individual hailed from TBN who said that the Holy Spirit had told him the Lord was delaying His coming since the church was having so much fun on earth. (This was one of TBN's rising prophetic stars who uttered this nonsense)

Hear this writer. Our sojourn and happiness on earth will mean nothing if we're lost and without God and go off into eternity without Christ! The term "purpose," is only important for those born again, washed in the blood of the Lamb of God, watching and waiting for the Bridegroom to come back with 10,000 of His saints. \

We were made to love JESUS and be LOVED by Him. His love sets us free from SIN! His love sets us free from deception and self-righteousness. His love burns in our hearts the need of our utter helplessness without HIM and the power of the HOLY GHOST. His love does not allow us to remain as we are, but challenges us with the sins that so easily beset us. His love brings us to the ultimate purpose of ALL - to be transformed into HIS IMAGE and LIKENESS of Love, Righteousness and Grace. It's not a human based effort or human based church machinery to do good works in order to obtain brownie points with God! It's not by WORKS, lest any MAN should boast.

Those who truly love Jesus LOOK for His soon coming! Those who truly love Jesus and KNOW HIM look for the rapture of the church. It's amazing to me to hear those who scoff and mock at a pre-tribulation rapture saying those of us who do believe in such are just wanting an escape. It's been my experience that those looking for Christ to come soon are the most busy and most dedicated to spreading the gospel to the entire world at ALL costs. Most if not all of those who don't believe He is coming soon do so in order to live according to their own lusts and enjoy this temporal, dying world set for destruction by FIRE. The Lord warned us about such an attitude.

Matthew 24:38-51 - For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, [39] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [40] Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [41] Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. [42] Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. [43] But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. [44] Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. [45] Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. [47] Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. [48] But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; (sounds like the mid- and post-trib crowd to me!) [49] And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; [50] The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, [51] And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Hebrews 9:25-28 - Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; [26] For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: [28] So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

He's coming for THOSE WHO LOVE HIS APPEARING! He's not coming for those looking to hide in a cave! That's not meant to sound mean but it's meant to draw your heart today to the reality of the fact that JESUS IS COMING and COMING SOON! JESUS IS COMING. The rapture of the church is the next great event on the Lord's calendar. And those who are hearing what the Spirit is saying to the church is hearing the Spirit say, "Even so COME QUICKLY, LORD JESUS!" He's not saying, "come later after the Antichrist arrives," or "come at some point during the Tribulation." He is saying, "COME QUICKLY!" Lord, I feel that. EVEN SO COME QUICKLY, Lord Jesus.

Rev. 22:17- And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Rev. 22:20
He which testifies these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

After the Great Tribulation, which will follow the Rapture of the Church, the world will sit on the precipice of destroying Israel at the battle of Armageddon when the Eastern Skies will break open and the Lord Jesus Christ will come back again to set up His Earthly Kingdom - WITH 10,000 OF 10,000 OF HIS SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!! He will set up a throne in Jerusalem and rule the world with righteousness, mercy and truth and execute judgment upon all, to convince the ungodly among them of ALL their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed. Enoch, the SEVENTH from Adam, prophesied these things nearly 6,000 years ago and as we write this in early 2006, neighbor we sit on the brink of seeing these things fulfilled!!!!!!!!

Jude 1:14-15
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.

My Lord, I feel that. I plan to be part of the ten thousands of saints, by the help and grace of Almighty God. I pray you know this Christ who is COMING QUICKLY today. I pray you have been born again and washed in the blood of the Lamb. I pray your name has been written in the Lamb's book of Life and prepared to be translated and caught up to the CITY where the Lamb is the LIGHT! Get ready neighbor, it's getting late and it's harvest time. God Bless.