I was reading this morning in Genesis chapter 5 when I came across something interesting. The Message paraphrase calls this the "Family Tree of the Human Race" and for good reason. It is a listing of the descendants of Adam ending with Noah. The first thing that strikes you in this passage is the length of years that these guys live. 930, 969, 962 etc. Wow! Most scholars tell us that the full effect of the fall had not diminished the ability of the human body to live for long periods of time.

In the midst of all these big numbers we see a man by the name of Enoch. I know you will laugh when I say this, but, he only lived 365 years. He was just a child compared to these other guys. Just about a third of the normal life span at that time. My mind immediately wanted to know why? There are some things we know. It wasn't because of his sinfulness. We know it was not an illness because he just disappeared. But the Bible does give us some indications why he lived such a short time comparatively to his contemporaries.

Enoch walked steadily with God. He evidently had a very special relationship with God. Like David, he had found a special place in the heart of God.

Does God have favorites?

Then notice the cryptic phrase, "he was not;" what does this mean? Evidently something happened to Enoch that had not happened up to this point. He was just gone! We are not told much in this passage other than Enoch was there one moment and gone the next.

The Bible does share with us the cause of this strange event. In very simple short words the Bible simply says, God took him. So God had a reason for ending his life so soon. But what was it?

Does God have a part in the early home going of believers?

We have to travel to the New Testament to find a little more information about this strange event.

I wonder what they will put on my tombstone?

I don't think you could do much better than this, "He pleased God".

Of course Enoch didn't need a tombstone. Did he?