Whom God Calls, He Qualifies

This post is for my Old Testament class.

~~Read Moses 6:26-31 and answer the following questions in writing:

-How did the Lord describe the people of Enoch’s day?

Their hearts are were waxed hard, ears dull of hearing, eyes that couldn’t see afar off, they went astray, denied God, sought their own counsels, devised murder, and didn’t keep the commandments.

-What did Enoch say about his calling from the Lord?

Enoch said, “Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?”

~~From Moses 6:32-39, 47; 7:13-18, 69; describe in writing how the Lord strengthened and sustained Enoch. Write a paragraph or two on how you have seen the Lord do similar things for you or someone you know.

The Lord strengthened Enoch by counseling him to open his mouth so that it might be filled with the things that the Lord would have him say unto His people. He blessed Enoch with His Spirit and Enoch was obedient to all things that were asked of him. The people feared Enoch because he walked with God and so the people trembled is his presence. Enoch’s faith was so great that he was able to lead and teach the people and they became like unto Zion, of one heart and one mind.

The Lord has blessed me countless times in my life but Moses 6:32 where it says, “… Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance…” I’ve experience this a couple of times that really stick out in my mind right now. I’m sure it’s happened more than that but I’ll share one story. I was home from school for Christmas break and I was attending my YSA ward and one of the counselors is known for asking me to speak and so the last Sunday home I was surprised and relieved he hadn’t asked me to speak. I was joking with him in the hall way right before third hour, which that Sunday was combined since it was the fifth Sunday of the month. I think someone had failed to prepare a lesson to teach so they had an impromptu bearing of testimonies. They asked some of the people who had been away for some time and my name was on the list. If you know me you know that I’m the kind of person that prepares everything and so being put on the spot with only minutes to prepare what I was going to share really stressed me out. I remember thinking to myself- well heavenly Father, it’s up to you what I’m going to say up there, please guide my words.

Even being prepared for talks I’m not always so eloquent with my words and so being unprepared I was pretty scared. Once I started walking up to the pulpit I felt calm and I still wasn’t sure what I was going to say. When I turned to face the pulpit and congregation I opened my mouth and it was filled. I started talking and before I knew it I was telling my story and bearing testimony and was given every word I spoke that day. I remember thinking during it- where are these words coming from? I don’t normally speak with such ease and comfort. I was amazed! I always had a strong testimony of the Spirit but that experience solidified it that much more. I KNOW the Spirit is real!

~~The Bible does not say much about Enoch and his people — it contains 109 words about Enoch and his day. By contrast, the Joseph Smith Translation account of Enoch in the book of Moses contains 5,240 words about Enoch’s day. Read Genesis 5:22–24; Moses 6:27-29, 47; 7:1-21; and summarize, in writing, what you find.

Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah. He lived to be 365 years old and then God took him. God talked to Enoch telling him to prophesy unto His people to repent and why that was necessary. When Enoch spoke unto the people they trembled and couldn’t stand in his presence. He cried unto the Lord on mount Simeon and the heavens opened and he saw and talked with the Lord face to face. He told Enoch to prophesy and so he did and he said that the Lord would curse the land of Canaan and He did. The Lord commanded him to go to a certain people and command them to repent and to be baptized. All nations feared greatly the powerful word of Enoch for they were the words of the Lord.