Restoring the Book of Enoch
The Book of Enoch was treasured by the ancient Nazarenes as an inspired book of prophecy authored by Enoch himself.
(Click on the Book of Enoch for a new Messianic/Sacred Name translation of Enoch from the original Aramaic)
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 this
quotation, 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.
LOSS OF THE BOOK OF ENOCH
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.
RESTORATION OF THE BOOK OF ENOCH
The Book of Enoch predicts its own restoration as our last days
bonus!
But when they write down truthfully all my words in their languages,
and do not change or diminish ought from my words but write them all
down truthfully -all that I first testified concerning them. Then, I
know another mystery, that books will be given to the righteous and
the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom.
And to them shall the books be given, and they shall believe in them
and rejoice over them, and then shall all the righteous who have
learnt therefore all the paths of uprightness be recompensed.'
(1Enoch 104:10-13)
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)
MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF ENOCH
Yeshua warned that the last days would be like the days of Noach (Mt.
24:37-38 - HRV) And this is a major theme of the Book of Enoch.
Enoch forewarns of the coming judgement of the flood, and parallels
this with the judgement of the last days. The Book of Enoch even
prophecies that in the last days:
"women shall become pregnant and abort their babies
and cast them out from their midst"
(1En. 99:5).
The Book of Enoch tells of how 200 fallen angels led by Shemikhazah
and Azazel "saw and lusted after" human females and copulated with
them producing a race of giants (1Enoch 6) and taught mankind
secrets such as sorcery, the making of weapons (1Enoch 7-8) and how
to perform an abortion (1En. 69:12). YHWH's judgement finally
comes. Shemikhazah and "all his associates" are bound fast "for
seventy generations" until "the judgement that is forever is
consummated" (1En. 9:11-12) (compare Y'hudah 1:6 & 2Kefa 2:2-10).
The giants are killed by the flood but their spirits remain on earth
as evil spirits (1En. 15:8-12). In the last days the fallen angels
will return again (1Enoch 56:5).
Now if one counts the generations from Enoch to Yeshua one finds
there were sixty-nine generations (Luke 3:23-37). So the seventy
generations ended one generation after the life of Yeshua. This
brings us to an interesting statement made by the Nazarene writer
Hegesippus around 185 C.E. as he recounted the beginning of the
apostasy:
Up to that period the Assembly had remained like a virgin
pure and uncorrupted: for, if there were any persons who
were disposed to tamper with the wholesome rule of the
proclaiming of salvation, they still lurked in some dark
place of concealment or other. But, when the sacred band of
Emissaries had in various ways closed their lives, and that
generation of men to whom it had been vouchsafed to listen to the
godlike Wisdom with their own ears had passed away, then did the
confederacy of godless error take its rise through the treachery
of false teachers, who, seeing that none of the emissaries any
longer survived, at length attempted with bare and uplifted
head to oppose the proclaiming of the truth by proclaiming
"knowledge falsely so called."
(Hegessippus; Memoirs)
The generation which followed the life of Yeshua and his emissaries
was the generation in which Shemikhazah and his associates were to be
released. And this was the very generation in which false teachers
began with bare and uplifted head to oppose the proclaiming of the
truth, the very generation in which the apostasy began.
The long night of the apostasy is ending. The Book of Enoch is again
coming to light that it may be a cause of joy and uprightness and
much wisdom to those who observe the Torah in the last days. The
culmination of all things is at hand.
(Click on the Book of Enoch for a new Messianic/Sacred Name translation of Enoch from the original Aramaic)
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 this
quotation, 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.
LOSS OF THE BOOK OF ENOCH
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.
RESTORATION OF THE BOOK OF ENOCH
The Book of Enoch predicts its own restoration as our last days
bonus!
But when they write down truthfully all my words in their languages,
and do not change or diminish ought from my words but write them all
down truthfully -all that I first testified concerning them. Then, I
know another mystery, that books will be given to the righteous and
the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom.
And to them shall the books be given, and they shall believe in them
and rejoice over them, and then shall all the righteous who have
learnt therefore all the paths of uprightness be recompensed.'
(1Enoch 104:10-13)
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)
MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF ENOCH
Yeshua warned that the last days would be like the days of Noach (Mt.
24:37-38 - HRV) And this is a major theme of the Book of Enoch.
Enoch forewarns of the coming judgement of the flood, and parallels
this with the judgement of the last days. The Book of Enoch even
prophecies that in the last days:
"women shall become pregnant and abort their babies
and cast them out from their midst"
(1En. 99:5).
The Book of Enoch tells of how 200 fallen angels led by Shemikhazah
and Azazel "saw and lusted after" human females and copulated with
them producing a race of giants (1Enoch 6) and taught mankind
secrets such as sorcery, the making of weapons (1Enoch 7-8) and how
to perform an abortion (1En. 69:12). YHWH's judgement finally
comes. Shemikhazah and "all his associates" are bound fast "for
seventy generations" until "the judgement that is forever is
consummated" (1En. 9:11-12) (compare Y'hudah 1:6 & 2Kefa 2:2-10).
The giants are killed by the flood but their spirits remain on earth
as evil spirits (1En. 15:8-12). In the last days the fallen angels
will return again (1Enoch 56:5).
Now if one counts the generations from Enoch to Yeshua one finds
there were sixty-nine generations (Luke 3:23-37). So the seventy
generations ended one generation after the life of Yeshua. This
brings us to an interesting statement made by the Nazarene writer
Hegesippus around 185 C.E. as he recounted the beginning of the
apostasy:
Up to that period the Assembly had remained like a virgin
pure and uncorrupted: for, if there were any persons who
were disposed to tamper with the wholesome rule of the
proclaiming of salvation, they still lurked in some dark
place of concealment or other. But, when the sacred band of
Emissaries had in various ways closed their lives, and that
generation of men to whom it had been vouchsafed to listen to the
godlike Wisdom with their own ears had passed away, then did the
confederacy of godless error take its rise through the treachery
of false teachers, who, seeing that none of the emissaries any
longer survived, at length attempted with bare and uplifted
head to oppose the proclaiming of the truth by proclaiming
"knowledge falsely so called."
(Hegessippus; Memoirs)
The generation which followed the life of Yeshua and his emissaries
was the generation in which Shemikhazah and his associates were to be
released. And this was the very generation in which false teachers
began with bare and uplifted head to oppose the proclaiming of the
truth, the very generation in which the apostasy began.
The long night of the apostasy is ending. The Book of Enoch is again
coming to light that it may be a cause of joy and uprightness and
much wisdom to those who observe the Torah in the last days. The
culmination of all things is at hand.
-
Comment by James Trimm on September 17, 2008 at 10:47am
-
Most translations of the Book of Enoch available today are taken
from the ancient Ethiopic version of the text, which is the only
language in which the book was passed down in its complete form.
However in more recent years seven fragmentary Aramaic copies of the
Book of Enoch have been found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. In
addition several fragments of the ancient Greek version of the Book
of Enoch have also come to light.
This new edition of the Book of Enoch is the first Messianic, Sacred
Name version of the Book of Enoch.
Unlike most versions of the Book of Enoch this edition is translated,
wherever possible, from the remains of the ancient Aramaic version
of the book. Wherever the Aramaic is lacking I have consulted the
Greek fragments of Enoch and I have followed the Ethiopic wherever
the Aramaic and Greek fragments are both lacking any witnesses to
the text. Unlike many other versions of 1Enoch I have always sought
to reach behind the Aramaic, Greek and Ethiopic to the original
Hebrew of 1Enoch.
This edition ALSO INCLUDES a new and fresh version of 2Enoch, also
known as "The Secrets of Enoch" as well. Although 2Enoch has only
survived in Old Slavonic manuscripts, this new version reaches
behind the Slavonic to the original Hebrew of 2Enoch.
Why is this Book of Enoch different?
Because I have sought to restore the original text by reaching to the
original Hebrew behind the Aramaic, Greek and Ethiopic texts while
making as much use as possible of the Aramaic (which is a language
very closely related to Hebrew).
For example in 1Enoch 20:7:
Richard Laurence:
Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who presides over Ikisat, over
paradise, and over the cherubim.
R. H. Charles:
Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the
serpents and the Cherubim.
E. Isaac (Old Test. Pseud. vol. 1)
Gabriel, one of the holy angels who oversee the Garden of Eden, and
the serpents, and the Cherubim.
Now none of Chapter 20 has survived in the Aramaic, but it has
survived in Ethiopic and in Greek. Now the word I want to look at
here is this word "serpents" which does not seem to belong. The
word for "Serpents" in the Ethiopic is IKISAT which Laurance has
transliterated. The Greek version has DRAKONTON which also
means "serpents". Now these Greek and Ethipic words clearly point
to an underlying Hebrew word of SEFARIM or SEPHARIM (Strong's 8314)
which can mean "serpents" but can also mean "Seraphim" (a class of
angelic beings as found in Is. 6).
Clearly the Greek translator misunderstood the Hebrew word SERAPHIM
and translated it DRAKONTON (serpents) and the Ethiopic translator,
therefore, probably worked from the Greek translating the word in
Ethiopic as IKISAT (serpents).
This new version of 1st Enoch has:
Gavri'el, one of the set-apart angels, who is over Pardes and the
Seraphim and the Cherubim.
You will also note that in the Laurance, Charles and Isaac
translations this is the last verse in Chapter 20, with the chapter
only having listed six angels. In fact the Ethiopic text is lacking
verse 8 and one of our Greek manuscripts also lacks verse 8, but one
Greek fragment has survived which includes the 8th verse which lists
the name of the seventh of the seven angels listed in this Chapter.
This new edition on the Book of Enoch includes the previously lost
8th verse with the name and function of the seventh angel.
In addition the Book of Enoch gives a list of names of twenty
leaders of the fallen angels (1En. 6 & 69). But the list of these
angels as given in most editions follows the couurpt list of names
given in the Ethiopic.
For example the leader is called:
Laurance: Samyaza
Charles: Semjaza
Isaac: Semyaz
The correct name is preserved in the Aramaic fragments found among
the Dead Sea Scrolls so that this new edition has this name as
SHEMIKHAZAH (which means "my name has seen"). This is just one of
the many corrupted angelic names in most other editions of the Books
of Enoch.
There are also many improvements to 2Enoch. For example the Morphil
version most are familiar with has in 2Eno. 12:1:
"And I looked and saw other flying elements of the sun, whose names
are Phoenixes and Chalkydri..."
Now CHALKYDRI are "Serpents" and the PHOENIX was a Greek-Egyptian
pagan mythical creature never found elsewher in the plural.
Now from context it appears that these are two names for the same
class of beings. Since the word CHALKYDRI means "serpents" and
since there are many parallels (beyond the scope of this post)
between the SERAPHIM and the pagan concept of the PHOENIX, it
appears that the SLAVONIC translator (or perhaps an earlier Greek
translator) attempted to translate the Hebrew word SERAPHIM with two
words, one meaning "Serpent" and the other offerring a Parallel in
the Greek mind to the SERAPHIM.
Thus this new edition of 2Enoch restores the reading to SERAPHIM and
then has a detailed footnote explaining the reason for the revision
and correction:
"And I looked and saw other flying elements of the sun, whose names
are Seraphim..."
The above are just a sample of the improvements made in this new and
better edition of both 1st and 2nd Enoch.
The Books of Enoch
It is now available at:
http://www.lulu.com/nazarene
-
Comment by Jason Jordan on September 19, 2008 at 1:48am -
Excellent news.
I will pick up a copy for my library shortly. The seraphim and fiery serpent subject is one that fascinates and challenges me.
The Book of Enoch adds flesh to some core topics in Scripture that appear as only bone and sinue to the uneducated Israelite. It is indeed a book for this future generation.
Please check out my short article on Rabbi Rob's books The Majority Revelation on http://www.lulu.com
Blessings in the Name of Yahshua HaMoshiach,
Jason.
Comment
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