Month: May 2020

The Place of Fire in Branch Davidian Eschatology
By James Scott Trimm
(Originally written in 1994)

“…James Trimm– with the endorsement of theologian Phil Arnold– has been able to build… complete with citations from Houteff and Lois Roden, an ostensibly plausible theory about the start of the fire. On the morning of April 19, Trimm postulates, David Koresh ignited the fire at Mt. Carmel as a means of closing the Fifth Seal and ushering in the Sixth. Key to Trimm’s theory are two passages from the scriptures, Ezekiel 10:2 and Zechariah 2:5,… The Trimm-Arnold theory holds that Koresh may have scattered coals over… Mt. Carmel, building a ‘wall of fire’ that he believed would be harmeless to its inhabitants, but death to intruders. And indeed, on March 7, Koresh did cite the ‘wall of fire’ text in a chat with the FBI.”
(The Ashes of Waco; An Investigation; by Dick J. Reavis; 1995; p. 272)

The paper below was entered into the congressional record and cited before congress by Congresswoman Slaughter during the Branch Davidian Congressional hearings in 1995:

Ms. Slaughter.  Do you know James Trimm?  Are you familiar with that name?
Mr. Zimmermann.  Who, ma’am?
Mrs. Slaughter.  James Trimm.
Mr. Zimmermann.  Thats not a name—
Ms. Slaughter.  A Researcher from Dallas-Fort Worth who had the endorsement of theologian Phillip Arnold who I believe will testify here later today, that they had a plausible theory about the start of the fire, and this was after the Passover.  On the morning of April 19, Mr. Trimm postulates, koresh ignited the fatal fire at Mount Carmel as a means of closing the fifth seal and ushering in the sixth.  So he believed that the fire was necessary in order to get to the sixth seal, and that Koresh had talked to the FBI before about this wall of fire.
Did you and your client discuss this?
Mr. Zimmermann. We did not discuss fire, ma’am.
(Joint Hearings; Activities of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Toward the Branch Davidians; Part 2; page 71)

The Place of Fire in Branch Davidian Eschatology

During one of my earliest interviews with Branch Davidians in March of 1993 I was told by Brad Branch that Koresh had given each member a departing Bible study before they would leave Mt. Carmel. According to Brad, Koresh told him that Zech. 14:2 is where the Branch Davidians (or “Branches”) were in prophecy at that time. Koresh had told him that the Branches who were leaving Mt. Carmel were those who “shall go forth into captivity,” and that it was very important that people on the outside know that Zech. 14:2 was happening. This information was later confirmed to me by Branch Davidian theologian Livingstone Fagan. On Wed March 24, 1993 I called the FBI to offer some insight on Zech 1 4:2 in relation to the unfolding events. My call was quickly brushed off and I was told that the FBI had specialists hard at work on the subject. Although I did not know it at the time, it was in fact deadly important that people on the outside know that Koresh saw himself as being in Zech. 14:2, for knowing and understanding how Koresh and the branch Davidians understood this passage might have prevented the tragedy on April 19, 1993. As early as Dec. 14, 1946 Davidian founder Victor Houteff viewed Zech. 14 as being of the utmost importance. In commenting on the passage Houteff taught:

In view of the fact that Jerusalem is to be protected by a wall of fire (Zech. 2:5) while the house of Judah reigns there, it is definite that the battle here described must be fought before the house of Judah is established.
(Timely Greetings Vol. 1, No 19 p. 3)

Houteff goes on to comment on Zech. 14:3-4 where he also ties in Zech. 12:6 which says in part “In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an heath of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf,…” and then comments:

When the Lord smites the armies of the nations,He also makes the rulers of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood. Thus shall they with the “everlasting gospel” devour all the heathen round about, and thus shall Jerusalem be inhabited safely by God’s faithful people.
(Ibid p. 5 )

Even earlier, in 1933, Houteff had made even more astounding observations tying Zech. 2:5 to Ezk.. 10:2 and to the Davidians being taken up in the Lord’s chariot:

…The Lord “spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city.” (Ezek…. 10:2) The scattering of the “coals of fire”… over the city represents absolute purification of the heart… He will be unto them “a wall of fire round about.” Here we are graphically reassured
that “in that day”, in the day that the Lord takes the reins in His own hands and comes to dwell in the midst of the city, His presence, His marvelous chariot, shall be a protection round about his people!… Then shall the chariot, being dedicated to the saints, and filled to capacity, take off for the portals of glory…
(Tract 1p. 39-40)

Thus Houteff taught that “the man clothed with linen” would “scatter” “coals of fire” “over the city” creating “a wall of fire” that would protect them ‘like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf.” so that the (fiery) chariot shall be a protection around them. and take them up to glory.

In a 1969 tract Houteff’s successor, Ben Roden, taught that the prophecy of Zech. 14: 1-2 had been fulfilled in 1948 when “all nations” (UN) split Jerusalem between Israel and Jordan. (Ben Roden; As Birds Flying p. 2, June 1969; Marvelous Prophecies of Jerusalem Fulfilled, p. 1, May 1973). This originally led me to believe that Ben Roden had abandoned the “Fire” prophecy altogether. However examination of another Ben Roden tract makes it clear that this was not the case.

Ben Roden taught that there were five angel’s messages in Rev. 14. Ben saw himself as having the fifth angel’s message. Ben say the fifth angel as signaling the end of what adventists call “the investigative judgment” or “probartionary time” and bringing to fruition the judicial and executive judgements. In his tract THE FINAL ATONEMENT Ben Roden writes:

The investigative Judgment begins with the dead, those who first lived upon the earth, and closes with those who are living on the earth.

Therefore: If the living are to know the time of their investigative
Judgment, they must be told by Inspiration. The Revelator saw another angel: “And another angel came out of the tmple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of
the earth is ripe.” Rev. 14:15.

Here we see:

1. Another angel (message) with a loud voice declares that is is time for the Lord to reap the “first fruits.” Let’s keep in mind that Judgment and reaping (harvest) are synonymous terms.

2. This angel (prophetic message) comes out of the “temple.” the place where the Judgment is going on. He follows the third angel’s message. Therefore, this angel is the fourth message of Rev. 14. This
angel with a “loud voice” is also found in Rev. 7. See verse 2.

The Lord, Himself, reaps the first fruits. Rev. 14:16, Read Rev. 7:1-8.
“And another angel (another prophetic message) came out of the temple (from the Judgment scend) which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.” Rev. 14:17. “And another angel come out from the altar (Holy Place), which had power over fire; and he cried with a
loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.” Rev. 14-18.

Conclusion:
When the Lord seal (3T 266-7) and reaps the first fruits of Rev. 7:1-8, the church will be purified by the fire from the Holy Place (altar, Rev. 14:18), and the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon the remnant (Acts 2).

Ben Roden was succeeded by his wife Lois Roden. Lois reopened the case on Zech. 14:1-2 while delivering a sermon on May 15, 1979. In this sermon Lois Roden read over Timely Greetings Vol. 1 No. 19 and commented on the text. Lois argued, based on several points, that the event of Zech. 14:1-2 had not yet occurred. Commenting on Houteff’s comments on Zech. 14:2 & Zech. 2:5 (quoted earlier) Lois said:

You didn’t have the wall of fire to protect the house of Judah in 1948 or 1967 that’s why I say its yet future… We have a spiritual application of it and then we have a literal [application], and the spiritual application has been made by Brother (Ben) Roden…
(Lois Roden; taped sermon May 5, 1979)

She went on to comment on Houteff’s comments on Zech. 12:6 as applied to the event of Zech. 14:2 saying:

What kind of “sheaf” have we been talking about? It shows the wave “sheaf” is going to be “like a torch of fire.” Their going to have
the “wall of fire” [Zech. 2:5] about them to do their work…
now that didn’t happen in 1948 neither did it happen in
1967 when the application has been made.”
(Lois Roden; taped sermon May 5, 1979)

In the early 80’s Lois Roden wrote a series of three tracts entitled “Chariots of Fire” parts 1 through 3. The first two of these tracts featured a military tank on the front cover, and Elijah’s chariot of fire on the back cover. This fiery chariot on the back cover was given the following caption: Faithful Elijah was caught up to heaven in a glorious chariot of fire. He is a representative of those who will be translated without dying when Christ comes.

In part two of this series she writes:

He (Isaiah) also saw their translation to Paradise in the merkabah Chariot, God’s Traveling Throne (Ps. 68:17) by the Heavenly Host…literally speaking, the “smoke” from the north (Is. 14:31) refers to a “signal fire” by which an army is called together.
(Lois Roden; Merkabah: Chariots of Fire part2, page8, July 4, 1983)

Koresh later echoed Lois saying: Just like the Merkabah tract 2 says the signal fire is to do what? To gather an army right?
(Taped message on Manna – after July 4, 1983)

Thus Lois taught that Houteff’s predictions concerning Zech. 14:2 were yet future and the wall of fire (Zech.2:5) meant that the wave sheaf (a term used by Branches to refer to the first of the firstfruits, i.e. the Branches themselves) would “be like a torch in the fire” (Zech. 12:6). This was to take place at the same time that Houteff had said that the chariot would come and take them up. The stage had now been set for a very tragic future for the “wave sheaf.”

Lois Roden was followed in the leadership by David Koresh who claimed to have the “seventh angels message.” Koresh inherited a Zech. 14:2 which hadn’t occurred yet. David also claimed to be the “angel ascending from the east” of Rev. 7:2. Since the Branches see Rev. 7 and Ezekiel 9 as speaking of the same event, Koresh was also seen as the “man clothed in linen” of Ezekiel. 9. Now in Ezekiel 10 this same “man clothed in linen” is told to take “coals of fire”…and scatter them over the city.’ (Ezkekiel. 10:2) This parallels Rev. 8:5 which states: “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it onto the earth.”

All of this can be seen in quotes from Koresh’s taped Bible studies:

Let me repeat. Now Sister White’s the third [angel’s message], Brother Houteff is the fourth, Brother Roden is the fifth, Sister Roden is the sixth, and the angel ascending from the east [Rev. 7:2] is the seventh angel… Now notice the seventh angel tells us that when the seventh seal is opened, there’s silence in heaven. Christ comes down to earth. And Christ comes down to execute Ezekiel 9. But look how its done. Theres a revelation of all executive judgments from the foundation of the world. Verse 5: “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast [it] into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” Rev. 8:5. Earthquake represents resurrection.
(Taped message; Judge What I Say; April 14, 1985)

…the rainbow upon his head [Rev 10:1], that’s a covenant promise isn’t it? The promise is that next time God’s gonna take care of you with fire right? [He’s] not gonna drown ya next time. [Gen. 9] So we know this is a judgment message right?… his feet were as pillars of fire [Rev. 10:1]. Where he walks is gonna burn right? Whatever territory he stands upon is gonna burn right?… Now Revelation 10 is a revelation, but what does it reveal?… the angel starts speaking right before the trumpet sounds, right? In other words sometime before the trumpet sounds… chapter 11 verse 25 when the seventh angel sounded there will be great voices in heaven. These voices are the same voices which are speaking in Revelation chapter 15 the wave sheaf are in heaven at that time… If your not there and you were supposed to be wave sheaf, you’re lost my friend! You are lost!
If you don’t go up the first time the chariot comes around, you don’t go up!… Chapter 10 tells us that in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he should begin to sound, the angel starts speaking this verse is the same thing God’s revealing in Revelation 14:7 OK, which is the same thing that takes place right before
Revelation chapter 11 verse 15. Cause when the angel sounds friends, its over! The wave sheaf is over! And if you’re not a wave sheaf you are nothing!
(Taped message; untitled; on the wave sheaf, undated c. 1985)

Remember Ben Roden taught that the fifth angel’s message (but the seventh according to Koresh’s break down) would end with the end of probationary time and the purification of the Church by fire from the Holy Place/Alter (see quote above from Ben Roden and Rev. 8:5 with Ezek. 10:2).

Koresh also recognized Deut. 32 as relating to the angel’s message of Rev. 10. To begin with, Koresh pointed out that the angel of Rev. 10:1 is dressed up like a rain cloud, and Deut. 32:a says that God’s truth will rain upon the earth:

Here we have the Lord revealing in symbolism his truth coming from heaven like as it were rain. In Rev. 10 the angel comes down with a cloud upon his head which signifies rain, right?
read all of Deuteronomy 32.
(Taped Message, Judge What I Say, David Koresh April 2, 1985)

Moreover, my interviews with Livingstone Fagan have revealed that Deut. 32 is seen as a key to the Seventh Seal. Koresh taught according to Fagan, that the wave sheaf learn the “new song” from the sinful messiah of Psalm 40 (Ps. 40:3, 12) that they, with the lamb, teach it to the 144,000 (Rev. 14:1) and that it is identified with the “song of Moses” (see Rev. 15:3). Deut..32 is of course “the song of Moses” (Deut. 31:30). Note that this song states: For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. (Deut. 32:22)

As shown previously, Koresh taught that he was the angel ascending from the east in the sixth seal saying “hurt not” to the four winds (Rev. 7:1-2) These four winds were perceived as the messages of Ellen G. White, Victor Houteff, Ben Roden and Lois Roden. As shown in the following quotes:

…there are four angels during the executive judgment, they are to slay the third part of men and they are prepared at an hour, day, month, year. They’re bound in the great river Euphrates, they’re bound up in confusion in other words. But we find in Revelation, chapter seven, who these angels are. Remember during the sixth seal the 144,000 are to be sealed. But before they’re sealed there has to be four prophetic messages which have power to destroy. In other words, they have come and they have come and they have been rejected by the majority. But even though these four messages, Ellen G. White, Victor Houteff, Brother Roden and Sister Roden, are ready to destroy their adversaries, another message of mercy, the seventh
angel, ascends from the east saying,”hurt not”…
(Taped message, Koresh, Judge What I Say -April 2, 1985)

However, in the seventh seal, the executive judgment, these messages would be loosed to destroy (Rev. 9:13-16(, as Koresh said: So the seventh seal opens and tells us that during the time of the sixth trumpet, the four angels, which have been bound in confusion, from Ellen White, Brother Houteff, Brother Roden and Sister Roden,
that these four angels are now going to have power to destroy..
(ibid)

But now look at how these four angels destroy when Koresh looses the seventh seal:

And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour and a day, and a month and a year, for to slay the third part of men…

By these three was the third part of men killed,
by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone,
which issued out of their mouths.
(Rev. 9:15, 18)

This agrees with Ben Roden’s THE FINAL ATONEMENT tract quoted above. Thus by the time Koresh had inherited the leadership, the Branches were expecting the siege on Jerusalem to take place at some time in the future. At this event they expected that the “man clothed in linen” would take “coals of fire” and “scatter them over the city” creating a “wall of fire” that would in some way protect them causing they, the wave sheaf, to be like “torches in the fire”.

At this time God’s “chariot” would take then up to “glory”. Now it has been well documented that during the siege Koresh believed he was in a “waiting period” of the fifth seal (see APOCALYPSE AT WACO, James Tabor in Bible Review Oct. ’93’; THE WACO TRAGEDY, James Tabor in From The Ashes, 1994; THE DAVIDIAN DILEMMA, Philip Arnold in From The Ashes, 1994; KORESH’S SEVEN SEALS TEACHING, James Trimm in Watchman Expositor Vol II, No. 4, 1994). Now Koresh believed that at the end of this waiting period would come the sixth seal, which involved Rev. 7 and the judicial judgment of the living, the marking of the 144,000 to be immediately followed by the seventh seal, the executive judgment of the living, the slaughter of those not marked (Ezkl. 9) and the instruction following to take the coals of fire and scatter them over the city (Ezkl. 10:2; Rev. 8:5). Koresh may have believed that the now famous 58 minute message of March 2 might seal the 144,000 and the end of his waiting period. He later looked to the heavens for a sign, the sixth seal in Revelation includes cosmic disturbances. He then looked to Passover as a possible end of his wait, because the marking of the 144,000 is seen by the branches as the atypical Passover, due to the obvious symbolism. It was vitally important that Koresh’s waiting period be extended, as Dr. Arnold and Dr. Tabor had recommended, and that Koresh not come to the conclusion that his time was up. When the tanks came crashing in on April 19, 1993 announcing “…the standoff is over…” they were telling Koresh that the waiting period must be over. The only resolution was to convince Koresh that his wait could be years, that he would need to write out and explain the seals for the 144,000 to be marked.

It should be added that according to the Branch Davidiand David paralleled the seven seals both to the seven angel’s messages and to the seven visions of 2Esdras (in the Apocrypha). The sixth angel’s message is that of the Holy Spirit and is sybolized by fire (In Koresh’s system the sixth angel’s message is Rev. 14:18 which speaks of fire). This is also in agreement with Ben Roden’s THE FINAL ATONEMENT tract which parallels the fire of Rev. 14:18 with the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 as well as the end time fire (see Ben Roden quote above). Moreover in the sixth vision of 2Esdras a messianic figure on a mountain is protected from an army gathered to war against him a by fire which comes forth from him (2Esdras 13:1f).

That these understandings existed among the Branch Davidians may be verified by several statements made by various Branch Davidians since the fire: Janet McBean:

We know that something terrible
may happen on this world, because of the children.
But we also knew that because of the children,
instead of something terrible happening,
we could be translated…

Interviewer: Was it necessary then for them to die to live?

Janet Kendrick: No they didn’t have to die.
She’s saying they could have been translated without ever dying.

Interviewer: Translated meaning…

Kendrick: Meaning that… their spirits just went up
and left their bodies behind, ands that’s not the same
as someone shooting you…

McBean: There’s different ways of translation.
Elijah when he was translated did not leave his body behind.
Moses died and then God took his body to heaven…
Enoch, the Bible tells us, just walked right into heaven…

Interviewer: But the children’s lives were going to be translated
at some point? McBean: …We don’t know how those children were going to return to heaven.
They could have been translated with us, just go up, Ok?
You just don’t see us um, some…Christians today
believe in the rapture…well translation is just like a rapture, Ok?
I can maybe explain it that way, so we may have just gone up like that.
Or we may have had a traumatic ending like we did now with the fire…

Interviewer: How did this [the fiery chariot of Elijah]
fit into your idea of how [for] many in your group,
the end would come.

Kendrick: That God would come and take them up
in the merkabah (throne chariot).

Interviewer: That God would literally send down
a chariot to take them up for all the TV cameras to see?

Kendrick: Yes. McBean: We believe in being translated like Elijah was translated
so if I was in there and I saw the fire start then I would expect God
to take me. But if I was in there and it was still burning
and I didn’t see it happening and I had a gun beside me
I wouldn’t see it as being suicidal or wrong and finish myself off
rather then being burned.
(Janet McBean and Janet Kendrick – NPR interview)

The purpose of this article has not been to place blame for the Mt. Carmel fire on anyone, but to expose that very early in the siege information existed that could have averted the tragedy. With some small amount of research the FBI could have learned from Koresh’s use of Zech. 14:2 that pushing a premature ending of the siege might be choosing a path that could lead to the “wall of fire” scenario. Perhaps in a future “cult standoffs” the FBI will give more heed to the input of serious theological scholars. Such situations are definitely NOT the time for an arrogant do-it- yourself mentality.

James Trimm
Copyright 1994 by James Scott Trimm

Related:

A Rebuttal of Branch Davidian Theology

Branch Davidian Theology: A Doctrine onto Death

David Koresh’s [False] Seven Seals Teaching

The Place of Fire in Branch Davidian Eschatology

Satan and Demons: The Untold Story
By
James Scott Trimm

Is there a “devil”? Is HaSatan an evil fallen angel in rebellion to Elohim, or just a good angel that got stuck with the unpopular job of heaven’s prosecutor? Here are the answers from YHWH’’s Word!

There are two accounts of HaSatan’s fall given in the Tanak. One is to be found in Ezekiel 28:11-19:

11 Moreover the word of YHWH came unto me, saying:
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tzor, and say unto him, Thus says the Adonai YHWH: You seal most accurate, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty,
13 You were in Eden, the garden of Elohim; every precious stone was your covering: the carnelian, the topaz, and the emerald, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the carbuncle, and the smaragd, and gold; the workmanship of your settings and of your sockets was in you; in the day that you were created, they were prepared.
14 You were the far-covering cheruv: and I set you, so that you were upon the Set-Apart mountain of Elohim; you have walked up and down in the midst of stones of fire.
15 You were perfect in your ways, from the day that you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.
16 By the multitude of your traffic, they filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned. Therefore have I cast you as profane, out of the mountain of Elohim: and I have destroyed you, O covering cheruv, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness. I have cast you to the ground; I have laid you before kings, that they may gaze upon you.
18 By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your traffic, you have profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of you; it has devoured you. And I have turned you to ashes upon the earth, in the sight of all them
that behold you.
19 All they that know you among the peoples shall be appalled at you. You are become a terror, and you shall never be–any more.
(Ezekiel 28:11-19 HRV)

These words are spoken the spiritual King of Tyre which is clear from verses 14 and 16 where he is called “covering cheruv” and verse 13 which tells us he was “in Eden” obviously the “covering cheruv” who was in Eden was the serpent, HaSatan.

Here we are given some clues as to the cause of HaSatan’s fall “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness…” (verse 17).

Another account of the fall of HaSatan is found in Isaiah 14 in reference to a figure called “The King of Babylon” (Is. 14:4):

12 How are you fallen from heaven, O Hallel, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground, that did cast lots over the nations!
13 And you said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, above the stars of El will I exalt my throne, and I will sit upon the mount of meeting, in the uttermost parts of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like Elyon.
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sh’ol; to the uttermost parts of the pit.
(Isaiah 14:12-15 HRV)

Again this figure is clearly a [fallen] angel who is the spiritual King of Babylon as we read in the Midrash Rabbah:

R. Hunia said with reference to the dictum of R. Isaac: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not punish a nation on earth till He has cast down its guardian angel from heaven. This is borne out by five Scriptural verses. …The second is: How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! after which we read, How art thou cut down to the ground (Is. 14:12).
(Song of Songs Rabbah VIII:19)

From this portion of Isaiah we learn that HaSatan directly rebelled against YHWH, seeking to put himself (his own opinions) above YHWH (YHWH’s Word).

So what caused HaSatan to be so prideful in himself. What caused him to directly challenge the all powerful YHWH? A clue is given in the Psalms:

5 (8:4) What is man, that You are mindful of him: and the son of man, that You think of him?
6 (8:5) Yet You have made him but little lower than the elohim, and have crowned him with glory and honor.
7 (8:6) You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet:
(Psalm 8:5-7 (4-6))

It is worthy of note that where the Hebrew of the Masoretic Text has “little lower than elohim” in verse 6, both the Aramaic Peshitta and Greek versions have “little lower than angels” in this verse, and it is interpreted to mean “angels” in Hebrews 2:6-9.

According to the Talmud, Midrash Rabba and Zohar, the phrase “What is man, that You are mindful of him” (Ps. 8:5) was actually spoken by a group of angels who were challenging Elohim:

Rab Judah said in Rab’s name: When the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to create man, He [first] created a company of ministering angels and said to them: Is it your desire that we make a man in our image? They answered: Sovereign of the Universe, what will be his deeds? Such and such will be his deeds, He replied. Thereupon they exclaimed: Sovereign of the Universe, What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou thinkest of him? (Ps. 8:5) Thereupon He stretched out His little finger among them and consumed them with fire. The same thing happened with a second company. The third company said to Him: Sovereign of the Universe, what did it avail the former [angels] that they spoke to Thee [as they did]? the whole world is Thine, and whatsoever that Thou wishest to do therein, do it. When He came to the men of the Age of the flood and of the division [of tongues] whose deeds were corrupt, they said to Him: Lord of the Universe, did not the first [company of angels] speak aright? Even to old age I am the same, and even to hoar hairs will I carry,(Is. 46:4) He retorted.
(b.San. 38b)

Why is it stated ’for your pride’? It alludes to the idols on which they pride themselves, saying, Where are their gods, the rock in whom they trusted (Deut. 32:37). Another interpretation of ’for your pride’: on account of the Ministering Angels who are proud of themselves and say, ’What is man, that Thou art mindful of him, etc.? ‘ (Ps. 8:5)
(Lam. Rabbah Prologue XXV)

What, then, was Adam’s wisdom? You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to create Adam, He took counsel with the ministering angels and said to them, ‘Let us make man’ (Gen. 1:26). They spoke before Him, ‘Lord of the universe, what is man, that Thou art mindful of him? (Ps. 8:5).’ He replied to them, ‘The man whom I desire to create will have wisdom exceeding yours.’
(Eccl. Rabbah VII:33)

The Zohar gives even more detail:

“Of the Nefilim it is said: “and the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair” (Gen. 6:1f). These form a second category of the Nefilim, already mentioned above, in this way: When God thought of making man, He said: “Let us make man in our image, etc.” i.e. He intended to make him head over the celestial beings, who were to be his deputies, like Joseph over the governors of Egypt (Gen. 41:41). The angels thereupon began to malign him and say, “What is man that You should remember him (Ps. 8:5(4)), seeing that he will assuredly sin before You.” Said God to them, “If you were on earth like him, you would sin worse.” And so it was. For “when the sons of God saw the daughters of man”, they fell in love with them, and God cast them down from heaven. These were Uzza and Azael; from them the “mixed multitude” derive their souls, and therefore they also are called nefilim, because they fell into fornication with fair women.”
(Zohar 1:25b)

…Uzza and Azael actually opposed it [the creation of man]. For when the Shekinah said to God “Let us make man”, they said, “What is man that thou shouldst know him? Why desirest thou to create man, who, as thou knowest, will sin before thee through his wife, who is the darkness to his light, light being male and darkness female?” The Shekinah answered them: “You yourselves shall commit the very crime of which you accuse him”; and so it is written, “and the sons of God saw the daughters of man that they were comely”, and they went astray after them and were degraded by the Shekinah from their holy estate.’ Said the colleagues: ‘Rabbi, after all, Uzza and Azael were not wrong, because man was really destined to sin through woman.’ He replied, ‘What the Shekinah said was this: “You have spoken worse of man than all the rest of the heavenly host. If you were more virtuous than man, you would have a right to accuse him. But whereas he will sin with one woman, you will sin with many women, as it is written, ‘and the sons of God saw the daughters of man’- not a daughter, but daughters; and further, if man sinned, he was ready to repent and to return to his Master and repair his wrong.” ‘
(Zohar 1:23a)

They therefore went to R. Simeon and laid the matter before him. In reply he cited to them the verse: “What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him?” (Ps. 8:5). ‘The exposition of this verse’, he said, ‘is that it was uttered by those in charge of the world at the time when God expressed His intention of creating man. He called together various companies of heavenly angels and stationed them before Him. He said to them: I desire to create man. They exclaimed, “Man abideth not in honour”, etc. (Ps. 44: 13). God thereupon put forth His finger and burnt them. He then set other groups before Him, and said: I desire to create man. They exclaimed, ”What is man that thou shouldst remember him?” What is the character of this man, they asked. He replied: Man will be in our image, and his wisdom will be superior to yours. When He had created man and he sinned and obtained a pardon, Uzza and Azael approached Him and said: We can plead justification against Thee, since the man whom Thou hast made has sinned against Thee. He said to them: Had you been with them you would have sinned equally, and He cast them down from their high estate in heaven.
(Zohar 3:207b-208a)

Compare to Gen. 6:1-2 “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them… they were fair.” (Gen. 6:1-2)  In the Rabbinic literature Shemikhazah and Azazel are called “Uzza and Azael”.  According to the tradition found in the Zohar above, when YHWH was creating man, He intended him to be head over all celestial beings.  Certain angels (being lead by Uzza and Azael) maligned YHWH saying “what is man that you should remember him” (Ps. 8:5(4)).  saying that man would sin through his wife.  YHWH responded by saying that if they were on earth like man they would sin worse than man, sinning thru many women, not just one.  YHWH then cast them down to earth. (Zohar 1:23a, 25b; 2:207b-208a)

At this point we should point out that according to the Book of Enoch Gadreel/Azazel went as the Serpent

6 And the third was named Gadreel:  
he it is who showed the children of men all the blows of death, and he led astray Eve, and showed [the weapons of death to the sons of men] the shield and the coat of mail, and the sword for battle, and all the weapons of death to the children of men.
7 And from his hand they have proceeded against those who dwell on the earth from that day and for evermore.
(1Enoch 69:6-7)

Gadreel appears to be a title for Asa’el/Azazel of whom he Book of Enoch says:

1 And Asa’el taught men to make swords of iron, and knives, and shields, and breastplates of brass, and made known to them the metals that are excavated from the earth and the art of working gold and concerning silver, and bracelets, and ornaments, and concerning antimony, and eye shadow, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures.
2 And there arose much godlessness, and being wicked, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways.
(1Enoch 8:1-2)

And here Enoch tells us that Azazel was one and the same with the Serpent in the garden of Eden.  (The Hebrew may have been גדראל (Gederel) “mason of El” or “wall of El”) Azazel had entered the garden and tempted Eve to as to prove his point that man should not be head over all celestial beings and would sin thru his wife. YHWH responded by casting the rebel angels to the earth to be tested themselves. We read in the Torah:

1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men, that they were fair. And they took them wives, whomsoever they chose.
3 And YHWH said: My Spirit shall not abide in man forever. For that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.
4 The N’filim were on the earth in those days and also after that, when the sons of Elohim came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. The same were the mighty men that were of old–the men of renown.
5 And YHWH saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil; continually.
6 And it repented YHWH that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
7 And YHWH said: I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth: both man, and beast, and creeping thing, and fowl of the air, for it repents Me that I have made them.
(Gen. 6:1-7 HRV)

Who were these “sons of Elohim”? The Book of Enoch tells us that these “sons of Elohim” were “angels” who had “left their first estate”
and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority.  They are presumptuous, self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
(2Peter 2:2-10 HRV)

And the angels who did not keep their first estate,  but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
as S’dom and ‘Amora and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of rulers.
(Jude 1:6-8 HRV)

1 And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters.
2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: ‘Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.’
3 And Shemikhazah, who was their leader, said unto them: ‘I fear you will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.’
4 And they all answered him and said: ‘Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.’
5 Then they all swore together and bound themselves by imprecations upon it.
6 And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Yared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by imprecations upon it.
(1Enoch 6:1-6 – James Trimm Translation)

The Book of Enoch tells us that these fallen angels became subjects of “Satan”:

And Mikha’el, and Gavri’el, and Rafa’el, and P’nuel  shall take hold of them on that great day, and cast them on that day into the burning furnace, that YHWH Tzva’ot may take vengeance on them for their unrighteousness in becoming subject to Satan and leading astray those who dwell on the earth.’
(1Enoch 54:6)

It is important to understand that “Satan” is not a name.  “Satan” is a title, it is a Hebrew word meaning “adversary”.  In the Tanak it often appears in the Hebrew with a definite article as “HaSatan” (“THE Satan”) although in Hebrew (as in English), names never appear with a definite article.  It is never “The James”.

Ironically in most places where you see the word “Lord” in your Bibles, the Hebrew word is actually YHWH, which is the Name of the Creator.  Theologians have replaced the Name of the Creator with a title, and turned the title “HaSatan” (“The Adversary”) into a name!

The Book of Enoch also makes a very interesting statement:

And I heard the fourth voice fending off the Satans and forbidding them to come before YHWH of Spirits to accuse them who dwell on the earth.
(1Enoch 40:7)

Now to people today who have been conditioned to think of “Satan” as a name rather than a title, seeing the name Satan in the plural seems very odd indeed.  But to the ancient Hebrew reader we are simply looking at the title “the adversary” describing more than one “adversary”.  Yes the Book of Enoch is telling us that the Fallen Angels are subject to more than one “satan” (adversary).  (Since the Tanak often uses the term “THE Adversary” (Ha-Satan) it is clear that there is nonetheless a unique figure who is a leader over all of the fallen angels who is called in the Hebrew “Ha-Satan” “The Satan”.

After giving the names of the twenty leaders of tens of the fallen angels (found in 1Enoch 6:7-8 and repeated in 1Enoch 69:2-3) the Book of Enoch gives us a list of five leaders over forties in 69:4-12 who are five “satans” or five adversaries to whom the fallen angels are subject. These appear to be the “satans” referred to in 1Enoch 40:7.

This portion of the Book of Enoch (1Enoch 69) has only survived in Ethiopic, however I will endeavor in this article to reach behind the Ethiopic, to the original Hebrew of these verses:

4 The name of the first Yekon:  
that is, the one who led astray [all] the sons of Elohim,  and brought them down to the earth, and led them astray through the daughters of men.

The original Hebrew behind “Yekon” may have been יקום (Yekom) “rebel; one who rises up” however in Biblical Hebrew this word (from a root meaning “to rise up”) simply means “a living thing” (Strong’s 3351).  Another possibility is יקמעם (Y’kam’am) (Strong’s 3360) which is a name used twice in the Tanak (1Chr. 23:19; 24:23) meaning “he who gathers the people together”.  (Or simply “Y’kam” יקם “he who gathers”) Yekon appears to be a title for Shemikhazah who in the Book of Enoch chapter 6 led the 200 fallen angels astray through the daughters of men.

5 And the second was named Asbeel:  
he imparted to the set-apart sons of Elohim evil counsel, and led them astray so that they defiled their bodies with the daughters of men.

“Asbeel” is probably a scribal error for Kasbeel, who while they still dwelt in heaven obtained the secret of the sacred name and the secret of its numbers so that they could be used in the oath that bound them together:

13 And this is the number of Kasbeel, the chief of the oath, which he showed to the set-apart ones when he dwelt high above in glory, and its name is Biqa.  
14 This (angel) requested Mikha’el to show him the hidden name, that he might enunciate it in the oath, so that those might quake before that name and oath
15 who revealed all that was in secret to the children of men? And this is the power of this oath, for it is powerful and strong, and he placed this oath Akae in the hand of Mikha’el.
(1Enoch 69:13-15)

This was covered in great detail in a recent article: Secrets of the Oath That Binds the Fallen Angels.  The underlying Hebrew for Kasbeel may have been חשביל (Khashevel) “thought of El.”

6 And the third was named Gadreel:  
he it is who showed the children of men all the blows of death, and he led astray Eve,  and showed [the weapons of death to the sons of men] the shield and the coat of mail, and the sword for battle, and all the weapons of death to the children of men.
7 And from his hand they have proceeded against those who dwell on the earth from that day and for evermore.

Gadreel appears to be a title for Asa’el/Azazel of whom he Book of Enoch says:

1 And Asa’el taught men to make swords of iron, and knives, and shields, and breastplates of brass, and made known to them the metals that are excavated from the earth and the art of working gold and concerning silver, and bracelets, and ornaments, and concerning antimony, and eye shadow, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures.
2 And there arose much godlessness, and being wicked, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways.
(1Enoch 8:1-2)

And here Enoch tells us that Azazel was one and the same with the Serpent in the garden of Eden.  The Hebrew may have been גדראל (Gederel) “mason of El” or “wall of El”

8 And the fourth was named Penemue:  
he taught the children of men the bitter and the sweet, and he taught them all the secrets of their wisdom.
9 And he instructed mankind in writing with ink and paper, and thereby many sinned from eternity to eternity and until this day.

The title in Hebrew may have been פנה אמונה (Pana Emunah) “He has turned from trust/faith” or פנמו  “inside”  Since the Book of Enoch itself refers to Enoch as “Enoch the Scribe” (1Enoch 12:4), Enoch felt a parenthetical explanation was needed:

10 For men were not created for such a purpose, to give confirmation to their good faith with pen and ink.
11 For men were created exactly like the angels, to the intent that they should continue pure and righteous, and death, which destroys everything, could not have taken hold of them, but through this their knowledge they are perishing, and through this power it is consuming me.

So writing was not originally intended for man at the time he was created (because man was created immortal), but after the fall, writing serves the purpose of allowing man to pass information from generation to generation, so that ideas are not lost when men die.

12 And the fifth was named Kasdeya:
this is he who showed the children of men all the wicked smitings of spirits and demons, and the smitings of the embryo in the womb,  that it may pass away, and [the smitings of the soul] the bites of the serpent, and the smitings which befall through the noontide heat, the son of the serpent named Taba’et.
(1Enoch 69:4-12)

The Book of Enoch tells us that the fallen angels introduced an ancient abortion procedure, showing “the children of men … the smitings of the embryo in the womb, that it may pass away,…” (1Enoch 69:12)

Similarly the Book of Jasher (see Joshua 10:23 and 2Sam. 1:18) tells us that during these days before the flood a “draught” was also introduced that was a permanent method of birth control for women:

17 And Lamech, the son of M’tushael, became related to Kayinan by marriage, and he took his two daughters for his wives, and Adah conceived and bare a son to Lamech, and she called his name Yaval.
18 And she again conceived and bare a son, and called his name Yuval; and Zillah, her sister, was barren in those days and had no offspring.
19 For in those days the sons of men began to trespass against Elohim, and to transgress the commandments which he had commanded to the man, to be fruitful and multiply in the earth.
20 And some of the sons of men caused their wives to drink a draught that would render them barren, in order that they might retain their figures and whereby their beautiful appearance might not fade.
21 And when the sons of men caused some of their wives to drink, Zillah drank with them.
22 And the child-bearing women appeared abominable in the eyes of their husbands as widows, while their husbands lived, for to the barren ones only they were attached.
(Jasher 2:17-22)

This sterilization “draught” was likely also introduced by the fallen angels.

Later in the Book of Enoch, Enoch speaks of abortion in the last days saying:

And in those days the women shall become pregnant
and abort their babies
And cast them out from their midst
Yea, they shall abandon their children (that are still) sucklings,
and not return to them,
And shall have no pity on their beloved ones.
(1Enoch 99:5)

The original Hebrew of the Book of Enoch has not survived, and this passage has survived only in the Ancient Ethiopic version. In the Ethiopic the word for “abort” here is MASIT a verb meaning “to pluck or tear out”; “to violently remove”; “to carry off” or “to rob”. Clearly this passage speaks of women aborting their babies in the last days.

The original Hebrew behind “Kasdeya” may have been חסדיה (Khesedyah)“Yah has favored” (see 1Chron. 3:20) but Aramaic כשדיא (Kash’diya) “Chaldeans” may be more likely.

There is not just one Adversary (Satan) there are five adversaries (satans) who are leaders over the fallen angels.  Spiritual Warfare is much more complicated that you may have realized, there is not just one Satan, there are FIVE!

Evil Spirits on the Earth

The fallen angels impregnated human women with offspring known as giants:

1 And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives from all, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them sorcery and spellbinding,  and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants.
2 And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand cubits, and there were not born upon the earth children of their strength.
(1En. 7:1-2)

At the flood the giants became evil spirits on the earth:

8 And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling.  
9 Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the set-apart Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called.
10 [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.]
11 And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger and thirst, and cause offenses.
12 And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.
(1En. 15:8-12).

Origin of the Sirens
Another passage in the Book of Enoch tells us:

“And the women also of the angels who went astray shall become sirens.”
(1Enoch 19:2).

Although the Ethiopic text has “salamaweyan” (“peaceful”) which is widely regarded as a corruption with the original reading being that found in the Greek εις σειρηνας “into sirens.”  This is certainly a passage which we would like to see in the Aramaic, much less the lost original Hebrew, but unfortunately the Aramaic for this passage has not survived.

In Greek mythology, the Sirens were beautiful yet dangerous creatures, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island.  So why would the Book of Enoch refer to “sirens”.  Why would an ancient Hebrew text refer to figures of Greek mythology and what was the original Hebrew word(s) behind the word “sirens”?


“Sirens” in the LXX

In the Greek Septuagint the Greek word σειρηνας (sirens) does in fact appear several times where the Hebrew has the phrase בת יענה.  There is debate as to what this phrase means, some arguing that it refers to a female owl and others a female ostrich.  The word  יענה always appear with the prefix בת (literally “daughter of”).

But wildcats shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of ferrets:
and ostriches shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses,
and dragons in their pleasant palaces:
and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
(Isaiah 13:21-22)

Therefore the wildcats with the jackals shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell therein. And it shall be no more inhabited forever, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
(Jeremiah 50:39 (27:39)

For this will I wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals, and a mourning like the ostriches.
(Micah 1:8)

The context is that of female beings who cry and wail.


Peshitta Tanak and Targum

In two of these examples from the Septuagint (Is. 13:21) and Jeremiah 30:39 the Hebrew phrase בת יענה is translated בנת נעמא in the Aramaic Peshitta Tanak.  The Targum Jonathan for Isaiah 13:21 has בנת נעמיין in the Aramaic.

Lamsa renders this phrase in the Peshitta as “ostriches” however it is literally “daughters of Naamah.”  The Aramaic of the Targum could mean “daughters of loveliness” but could also be a plural form derived from Naamah.  Namaah was the sister of Tubal Cain, as we read in the Torah:

And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
(Gen. 4:22)


Naamah in the Zohar

According to the Zohar Naamah seduced the fallen angels led by Shemikhazah and Azzazel (Uzza and Azael as they are called throughout the Zohar).  She is the mother of demons and lives to this day having her abode among the waves of the great sea.  She is said to seduce men and make sport with them:

These two chiefs were named ’Afrira and Kastimon. They, moreover, bear the likeness of holy angels, having six wings. One of them had the face of an ox and the other that of an eagle. But when they became united they assumed the image of a man. In time of darkness they change into the form of a two-headed serpent, and crawl like a serpent, and swoop into the abyss, and bathe in the great sea. When they reach the abode of Uzza and Azael they stir them up and rouse them. These then leap into the “dark mountains”, thinking that their day of judgement has come before the Holy One, blessed be His Name. The two chiefs then swim about in the great sea, and when night comes they fly off to Na’amah, the mother of the demons (shedim), by whom the first saints were seduced; but when they think to approach her she leaps away six thousand parasangs, and assumes all shapes and forms in the midst of the sons of men, so that the sons of men may be led astray after her.
(Zohar 1:9b)

She [Naamah] by her beauty led astray the “sons of God”, Uzza and Azael, and she bore them children, and so from her went forth evil spirits and demons into the world. She wanders about at night time, vexing the sons of men and causing them to defile themselves. Wherever these spirits find people sleeping alone in a house, they hover over them, lay hold of them and cleave to them, inspire desire in them and beget from them.
(Zohar 1:19b)

AND THE SISTER OF TUBAL CAIN WAS NAAMAH. R. Hiya said: ‘Why does the Scripture particularly mention Naamah? The reason is that she was the great seducer not only of men, but also of spirits and demons.’ R. Isaac said: ‘The “sons of God” mentioned in the Scripture (Gen. 6:4), who were Uzza and Azael, were seduced by her.’ R. Simeon said: ‘She was the mother of the demons, being of the side of Cain, and it is she who in company with Lilith brings epilepsy on children.’ Said R. Abba to him: ‘Did you not say before that her function is to seduce men? ‘ He replied: ‘That is so; she disports herself with men, and sometimes bears spirits from them. And she still exists to seduce men.’ Said R. Abba to him: ‘But do these demons not die like human beings? How then comes she to exist to the present day? ‘ He replied: ‘It is so. Lilith and Naamah and Iggereth, the daughter of Mahlath, who originated from their side, will all continue to exist until the Holy One, blessed be He, sweeps away the unclean spirit, as it is written, “I will cause the unclean spirit to pass out of the land” (Zech. 13:2).’ Said R. Simeon: ‘Alas for the blindness of the sons of men, all unaware as they are how full the earth is of strange and invisible beings and hidden dangers, which could they but see, they would marvel how they themselves can exist on the earth. This Naamah was the mother of the demons, and from her originate all those evil spirits which mix with men and arouse in them concupiscence, which leads them to defilement. It is because such a hap comes from the side of the unclean spirit that it entails the need of purification by ablution, as our colleagues have explained.’
Zohar 1:55a)

One male came into the world from the side of the spirit of the side of Cain, and they called him Tubal Cain. A female came with him who was called Naamah, from whom issued other spirits and demons; these hover in the air and tell things to those others below. This Tubal Cain produced weapons of war, and this Naamah clung to her own side, and she still exists, having her abode among the waves of the great sea. She goes forth and makes sport with men and conceives from them through their lustful dreams. From that lust she becomes pregnant and brings forth further species in the world. The sons whom she bears from human beings show themselves to the females of mankind, who become pregnant from them and bring forth spirits, and they all go to the ancient Lilith, who brings them up. She goes out into the world and seeks her little ones, and when she sees little children she cleaves to them in order to kill them and to insinuate herself into their spirits. There are, however, three holy spirits which fly in front of her and take that spirit from her and set it before the Holy One, blessed be He, and there they seare taught before Him. Thus they guard that child and she cannot hurt him. But if a man is not holy, and draws upon himself a spirit from the unclean side, she comes and makes sport with that child, and if she kills him she enters into his spirit and never leaves it. You may say: What about those others whom she has killed, although the three angels  confronted her and took from her their spirits? Since they were not on the side of uncleanness, why had she power to kill them? This happens when a man does not sanctify himself, but yet does not purposely try to defile himself nor actually do so. In such cases she has power over the body but not the spirit. Sometimes it happens that Naamah goes forth to have intercourse with men and a man is linked with her in lust, and then suddenly wakes and clasps his wife though his mind is still full of the lust of his dream. In that case the son so born is of the side of Naamah, and when Lilith goes forth she sees him and knows what has happened, and brings him up like the other children of Naamah, and he is often with her, and she does not kill him. This is the man who receives a blemish on every New Moon.
(Zohar 3:76b-77a)


Thus the term σειρηνας (siren) in the Greek of 1Enoch 19:2 points us to an underlying Aramaic of בנת נעמא and the tradition recorded in the Zohar that Naamah seduced the fallen angels, is a mother of demons and was a chief among their wives, lives to this day, abides among the waves of the great sea and seduces men.  Once again the Zohar demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of the Book of Enoch and becomes an invaluable tool to understanding the Book of Enoch.  (If the Zohar were a product of the middle ages as many skeptics claim, it could not express knowledge of the Book of Enoch which was lost by the middle ages).
The Bat Ya’anah are a special class of female demons whose chief function is to seduce men to their spiritual destruction.   This is the spirit of Jezebel of which we read in the Scriptures:

“Ahav ben Omri did more evil in the eyes of Yahweh than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam ben Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethba’al king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Ba’al and worship him. He set up an altar for Ba’al in the temple of Ba’al that he built in Samaria.” (1 Kings 16:30-32)

18 And to the messenger that is in the assembly that is in Thyatira, write, Thus says the Son of Eloah, He who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like the brass of Lebanon:
19 I know your works, and your love, and your trust, and your service, and your patience, and your latter works are greater than the former [ones],
20 But I have much against you: because you allowed your wife, Jezebel–she who says concerning her nefesh, that she is a prophetess, and teaches and deceives My servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat sacrifices of idols.
21 And I gave her a time for repentance, and she does not desire to repent from her sexual immorality.
22 Behold, I [will] cast her into the coffin, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of their deeds.
23 And I will kill her sons with death, and all the assemblies [will] know that I am searching the reins, and the heart: and I will give to every one of you, according to your works.
(Rev. 2:18-23 HRV)

I have seen this spirit of Jezebeel destroy leaders in these last days.

War in Heaven

HaSatan was the leader of the group of angels who, because of their pride, dared to question YHWH and challenge His creation of man. Refusing to accept YHWH’s will, HaSatan and the angels who followed him launched a war in heaven against man:

7 And there was war in heaven: and Mikha’el and his angels were fighting with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought,
8 And they did not prevail, and no place was found for them in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out–that head serpent who is called, Akel Kartza and HaSatan–who deceived the whole earth: and he was cast out upon the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a great voice from heaven saying, Behold, there is deliverance, and
power, and the Kingdom of our Eloah: for the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accused them night and day before our Eloah.
(Rev. 12:7 HRV)

Cast to the earth HaSatan has launched a special war against those who accept both the Torah and the Messiah:

And the dragon was angry concerning the woman, and he went to wage war with the remnant of her seed–those who keep the commandments of Eloah and have the testimony of Yeshua.
(Rev. 12:17 HRV)

But no weapon forged against this movement will prosper (Is. 54:17). Like Job, our latter end, will be more than our beginning (Job. 42:12).

Emergency Alert!

We must raise at least $210 by the end of the day today (7/15/24), or our account will plunge into the negative and trigger a cascade of returned items and fees.

As you know donations have been very low during the Fall Feasts.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org or by Zelle or Go Fund Me.

Click HERE to donate

And don’t forget to join the conversations at the NazareneSpace Social Network

The Book of Enoch Restored
by
James Scott Trimm

The Book of Enoch was treasured by the ancient Nazarenes as an inspired book of prophecy authored by Enoch himself.

Yeshua’s own half-brother Y’hudah quotes from the Book of Enoch saying:

And Chanokh [Enoch], the seventh from Adam,
prophesied about these men saying:
Behold, YHWH comes with ten thousands of his set-apart-ones,
to execute judgment on all, co convict all who are wicked
among them of their wicked deeds which they have committed in
a wicked way, and all the harsh things which wicked sinners
have spoken against him.
(Yhudah (Jude) 1:14-15 HRV)

Some commentators have tried to minimize the importance of thisquotation, claiming that Y’hudah was only quoting the Book of Enoch in the way that Paul quoted Greek philosophers. In fact there are two very important features in Y’hudah’s citation.

First of all, while the Book of Enoch is quoted (specifically 1Enoch 1:9), Y’hudah attributes his quote, not to the Book of Enoch, but to the man Enoch (Enoch, seventh from Adam). Since we have copies of the Book of Enoch which predate the Book of Y’hudah, this quote tells us that Enoch seventh from Adam wrote the Book of Enoch.

Secondly Y’hudah uses the word “prophecy”. Y’hudah tells us that this quote from Enoch which comes from the Book of Enoch is “prophecy”. That is a very important statement.

Regarding prophecy Kefa (Peter) writes:

knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture
is of any private interpretation; for prophecy never
came by the will of man, but set-apart men of Eloah
spoke as they were moved by the Ruach HaKodesh.
(2Kefa (2Pt.) 1:20-21 – HRV)

So if, as Y’hudah tells us, the Book of Enoch is “prophecy” then Kefa tells us that it was inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).

Paul has some important words for us about Scripture that is inspired:

Every writing which was written by the spirit is profitable
for teaching and for reproof and for correction and for
instruction in righteousness, that the son of man of Eloah
may be complete and whole for every good work.
(2Timothy 3:16-17 – HRV)

So if the Book of Enoch is prophecy then it was inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh. And if Enoch was inspired by the Ruach then it is profitable for teaching and for reproof and for correction and for instruction in righteousness. In other words, if Y’hudah is telling the truth then we should be using the Book of Enoch as Scripture and not taking it lightly!

As a matter of fact the ancient Nazarenes treasured the Book of Enoch and used it along side the books we know today as canon. This is evidenced by fact that Y’hudah quotes Enoch. R.H. Charles listed 128 locations where the Ketuvin Netzarim (The writings of the Nazarenes, commonly known today as the “New Testament”) is clearly influenced by statements in the Book of Enoch.

The Book of Enoch was used within Judaism at least as early as the second century B.C.E.. Seven fragmentary Aramaic copies were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Zohar also cites the Book of Enoch by name (Zohar 1:37b) and makes much use of its account of the fallen angels Shemikhaza (which the Zohar calls Uzael) and Azzazel.

The earliest Gentile Christians also accepted and made use of the Book of Enoch. Many of the so-called “Church Fathers” either quoted Enoch, or made use of it. Among these were the author of the Epistle of Pseudo-Barnabas, Justin Martyr (2nd C.), Irenaeus (2nd C.), Clement of Alexandria (2nd C.) and Origin (3rd C.). Tertullian (160-230 C.E.) even called the book “Holy Scripture”. The book was even canonized by the Ethiopic Church.

LOST AND FOUND

In the fourth century the Book of Enoch came under fire from such “Church Fathers” as Augustine, Hilary and Jerome. The Book of Enoch was soon banned except in the remote Ethiopic Church, which had canonized it. The original Hebrew was lost completely to time and has yet to be recovered. The Aramaic and Greek versions disappeared as well (portions of these have since been discovered. The complete text has survived only in Ethiopic.

The Book of Enoch was not recovered until the famous explorer James Bruce brought Ethiopic copies of the book to Europe in 1773. And it was not until 1800 that translations of any of the material were published.

In the twentieth Century, several very fragmentary Aramaic copies of the Book of Enoch were discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls and portions of two ancient Greek translations, and a small portion of a Latin translation were also discovered. However the text survives in it’s entirety only in Ethiopic.

FOR WHOM DID ENOCH WRITE?

The Book of Enoch is especially given for the benefit of those believers in the last days who are Torah Observant:

The words of the blessing with which Enoch
blessed the chosen and righteous,
who will be living in the day of tribulation,
when all the wicked and godless are to be removed.
(1Enoch 1:1)

Another book which Enoch wrote for his son Methuselah
and for those who will come after him,
and observe the Torah in the last days.
(1Enoch 108:1)

See my blog Why the Rabbis Suppressed the Book of Enoch

In these uncertain times, we need your support more than ever. We must raise at least $1000 by the end of the day Friday to keep our account in the positive. The time is short, and there is much work to be done. This is no time to pull back from the great work in front of us!

As you know we have been digging ourselves out of a budget shortfall.  As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org or by Zelle or Go Fund Me.

Click HERE to donate

And don’t forget to join the conversations at the NazareneSpace Social Network

Chapters 6 and 7 of the Book of Enoch are now up in Aramaic/English Interlinear, keyed to Strong’s word numbers at Scripture Nexus

 Paperback: $19.99

Hardcover: $26.99

 eBook (PDF): $12.99