Enoch

(See Gen. 5:18–24; D&C 107:48–49; Moses 6–7.)

And Enoch continued his preaching in righteousness unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even Zion. (Moses 7:19.)

Enoch was born in the seventh generation from Adam. People lived long in those days, and Adam was still alive. When Enoch was twenty-five, it was Adam who ordained him to the priesthood, and when he was sixty-five, Adam “blessed him.”

As he grew, Enoch was taught “in all the ways of God” by his father, Jared. One day while he was traveling among the people, the Spirit of God descended on Enoch. He heard a voice from heaven calling him to preach repentance to the people, who were not living the commandments they had been taught. They were not following the ways of the Savior.

Enoch wasn’t sure if he could do what the Lord wanted. He thought that he was too young and not well-liked by the people, who found him “slow of speech.”

The Lord promised him, “My Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.”

Believing the words of the Lord, Enoch went among the people and told them that they were doing wrong. At first they were offended, but they knew that he was a man of God and were afraid to harm him. As he continued to teach them the plan of salvation, many came to believe his words and were baptized. The scriptures record that “so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.”

Enoch continued teaching the people to live as the Savior would have them live, and he built a city that was called “the city of Holiness, even Zion.” The people who lived in it were very righteous. They lived as the Lord commanded. There were no poor, because everyone loved and served one another, having “one heart and one mind.” After many years of obedience, Enoch, with Zion and all its people, were taken into heaven, where there was nothing but “peace, justice, and truth.”

This great prophet spent his life trying to live as the Savior would have him live. He did this so well that he “walked with God.” Many times he spoke to the Lord “face to face,” and he was shown many things that would happen in the future. He saw that Jesus Christ would come to earth and suffer for the sins of the world. He also saw that his city of peace would one day join with another city of Zion, the New Jerusalem, which would be built by righteous Saints in the latter days.

Enoch brought peace into the lives of those around him. We can also help others feel peace by serving and loving them as we strive to live as the Savior would have us live.

Illustrated by Mike Eagle