Lessons from Enoch: Turning from Darkness to Light

I have enjoyed my study of Enoch this week. In addition to the recommended reading, I have started reading the Book of Enoch and continue to read the book The Gem of Genesis. These books have given me so much to think about and ponder. I think the principles that stand out the most is that God gave the people so many chances to turn away from darkness and sin (and my reading has taught me it was BAD and we aren’t far behind the bar they set) and to turn to the light.

The gospel of Jesus Christ was taught, from Adam to his children and their children. Sadly, the majority rejected the principles of the gospel. By the time we get to 7 generations from Adam – which is to Enoch, even those who once knew God are now denying God.  They are perverting the ways of God and are committing horrible acts of violence, pain and suffering on others, and in a sense, laughing in God’s face while they do it. 

God tries. His prophets try. Enoch believed his forefathers. He walked with God. Eventually, he was called to preach repentance – one of the youngest men to be called to do so.  He was called to teach repentance because God’s greatest creation – mankind – were denying him and turning to such diabolical acts (The book of the Giants and other apocryphal writings really go into the terrifying practices – too awful to think about or repeat). I’m sure he was nervous. I would have been. However, God supports and qualifies those whom he calls and Enoch is no exception. “Behold my spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify (Moses 6:34). God made Enoch a seer. His visions prepared him for his calling to preach repentance and to give the people the chance to course correct.

What did Enoch preach?

• The Fall (Moses 6:59)
• Repentance (Moses 6:52). “If thou wilt turn unto me.” “Turn” is the basis of repentance = turning from sin to righteousness, a change in direction and a change of heart.
• Being “born again” by reason of the Spirit of God through ordinances. (Moses 6:59) “ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Moses 6:52). “RECIEVE” emplies a commandment and an additional use of agency.
• Being “cleansed by blood” (Moses 6:59)
• “The words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.” (Moses 6:59
• “By water ye keep the commandments; by the Spirit ye are justified; and by the blood ye are sanctified.” (Moses 6:59). Getting baptized is an act of obedience (our sacrifice?). By the Holy Ghost we are justified. That relates to our state of mind – willingness and the active use of agency,  verified by an outside party. We cannot sanctify ourselves.This can only be done by and through Jesus Christ.
• agency . “given unto them to know good from evil.” (Moses 6:56). We all know. Deep down in the guts we all are repulsed by evil acts. We have no excuse. With the gift of agency comes a healthy dose of knowing the difference between what brings us to Christ and what leads us away from Christ. I think it is engrained into our DNA. You don’t have to be a member of the church, a Christian or practicing any religion at all to know and recognise good vs bad. Moroni taught “They know with perfect knowledge as night from day” (Moroni 7:15). Yup… This knowledge is in everyone. And everyone must and does choose – look at and bask in the Light or retreat further into the Dark.
• That these principles have been taught from Adam down (Moses 6:51; 66-68). This is not new news. It’s old news and should not be a surprise to anyone who knows and respects God. I find it interesting that to teach these principles, Enoch refers back to our first parents.  There they are again. It’s like God wants us all to know that this is not new. Even Adam and Eve were taught these gospel principles and LIVED them

This is what Enoch preached. A few people followed him. They experienced peace. They lived in the Light. They were spared when destruction came to those who refused his message.

Why the destruction? The Plan was at risk. The wickedness was so great that the threat of humanity ending themselves was real. Between, murdering, witchcraft, sterility, rape, ensessed, greed, lying, theift, corruption, slavery, wars, abuse of nature, corruption of nature, and every form of wickness imaginable, the stage was set for Jesus not to be born. That would effectively end the promise of a Redeemer. Those who had died would be stuck in the Spirit world. Those who had not been born would remain without bodies. God had to intervene to keep His promises.

It has been a sobering week. I see so many parallels to our day in this scripture account. Many of the wicked acts I learned about from all my reading are rampant in the world today. How can I keep myself away from the influences of these destructive behaviors? I got a few clues from Moses 6:26-36.

• Live a life that invites the Spirit of God to “abode” with me
• Hear the voice from heaven
• Repent daily
• Work for a softened heart
• Look for what God is trying to teach me daily
• Deny not God
• Seek for God’s counsel and lean not on my own thoughts, counsel, nor understanding
• Keep the commandments
• Lift others
• Pray for deliverance
• Bare testimony of Christ and of those things God has taught me (guess I will continue blogging. 🙂).
• Choose God daily
• Serve God and others
• Think Celestial and work to have eyes that see and ears that hear.

So there it is. If these principles were important enough to teach Adam and Adam taught His kids, and people had to be destroyed so that they could be preserved and taught to Noah’s kids, then I need to keep teaching them to my kids… even now when they are still adults and it’s harder than when they were in Primary.