What is the Pseudepigrapha?  The term is a transliteration of the Greek plural noun that literally means "with false superscription".  According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary  (p. 1830), the term can be defined as, "spurious works purporting to emanate from biblical characters".  The Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines the term as, "Certain writings (other than the canonical books and the Apocrypha) professing to be Biblical in character, but not considered canonical or inspired".

 The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha as a collection of extra biblical writings have long been considered to be somewhat problematic by many within both the Jewish and Christian communities.  These writings can often be considered problematic because they tend to raise questions that can be described as being somewhat antagonistic to the generally accepted  tradition and religious teaching.  They are generally esteemed as unprofitable and uninspired writings.  Some even regard such writings with great contempt.  Many within the more conservative branches of Christianity reject any notion that perhaps some of the bible writings have been lost and unthinkable that our present bible might be somehow incomplete.  Many of these are probably not aware that the Old Testament authors depended upon other writings as their sources which they freely admit.  Among these are: the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (Num. 21:14), the Book of the Just (Josh 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18), the Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Ki 14:19; 2 Chr 33:18), the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah (1 Ki 14:29, 15:7), the Annals of Samuel the Seer (1 Chr 29:29), the History of Nathan the Prophet (2 Chr 9:29), the Annals of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer (2 Chr. 12:15), the Annals of Jehu the Son of Hanani (2 Chr. 20:34), and others.    Some teach that Moses compiled the Book of Genesis from other writings that surely had to have been handed down and preserved by his forefathers.  Genesis can be broken down into eleven separate history books, each being separated by colophons at the conclusion of  the books.  This is known to have been a popular style for such ancient writings.  The colophon that separates them often  contains the name and author of the document.  According to this theory we have eleven separate books having the following authors: Adam, Noah, and eight other authors which Moses merely compiled into one book.  If there did indeed exist copies of such ancient documents, it is quite possible that Moses only summarized certain events from each of these which the Holy Spirit would have him to include in the Torah as a foundation.  While we cannot have any way of knowing what else was included in these books, we should be at least willing to admit that we may not have a copy of every word which God had caused man to write down. 

 There are some who regard at least some of the Pseudepigraphic writings as promising in that it may help the student to better understand the times and thoughts of both early Judaism and Christianity.  As regards a "canon" of Pseudepigraphic writings, there is no such thing.  There is a great abundance of  writings that could fall under this category even if they really have no relationship to the bible.  As old as much of this literature is, sometime dating older than 300 B.C., even the term Pseudepigrapha suggests something new for most people within the Christian community.  Many of them have never heard the word used before. The study of the Pseudepigraphic writings is actually in its infancy having begun sometime during the eighteenth century.  The recent findings of such manuscripts, and especially the uncovering of the Dead Sea Scrolls, has had a favorable impact upon the Christian community.  Many of them are now at least a little bit interested in what these documents might contain. 

 In early Christianity, it is all too apparent that controversy existed over the acceptance of at least some of these writings within the churches.  When comparing the Second Epistle of  Peter with the Epistle of Jude, it becomes obvious that the first author deliberately avoids steering his hearers towards the Pseudepigraphic writings whereas in the Epistle of Jude, speaking upon similar subject matter, the author does not hesitate to make reference to 1 Enoch and another writing containing a legend about the body of Moses, and even at one point even directly quotes from 1 Enoch.  It would appear that the two authors possess different views concerning the validity and inspiration of these writings.  This problem is known to have persisted for centuries in the early Church regarding the differing opinions of acceptance or rejecting these writings.  It is a fact that many of the churches maintained an especially high regard for some of these writings and continued to read them publicly and encourage others to read them as well.  It is also well attested that the Epistle of Jude, which we all agree to be canonical today, was for a long time held highly questionable by many sects of the Church primarily because of its relationship to the Book of Enoch.

 We know that the Hebrew canon was not completed before A.D. 90 for we witness debates concerning the canonicity of Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Esther at that time.  As for the New Testament writings, the first listing of our accepted twenty-seven books does not even appear until A.D. 367.  It is obvious that all churches were very much in disagreement as to defining the recognized canon until the end of the fifth century.  The Book of Revelation was not accepted by the Greek Church until around the tenth century.  The Syrian church only accepted twenty-two documents into their New Testament canon, excluding 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, Jude, and Revelation.  The Ethiopian Jews had a different Old Testament canon than their brothers in that they included various Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, especially  including the Prayer of Manasseh, Jubilees, 1 Enoch, 3 and 4 Ezra.  To refer to any book as noncanonical in the early church prior to A.D. 100 is to simply be historically inaccurate.  There simply was no defined canon.  The canonization of the scriptures came well after much apostasy had been allowed to infiltrate the churches.  The church age at that time was becoming spiritually dull as regards both their ears and eyes.  Even today the Catholic bible differs from the Protestant bible.  The difference between the two is the acceptance of some deuterocanonical writings by the Catholic church.  These writings are considered to be apocryphal and uninspired by the Protestant community. Many Protestants would consider their value as next to worthless.

 A complete study of all of the writings grouped as the Pseudepigrapha would be quite exhaustive.  Some of the more familiar or more important writings are: 1 Enoch, 2 Enoch, The Assumption of Moses, The Apocalypse of Baruch, The Fourth Book of Ezra, The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, The Book of Jubilees, and The Martyrdom of Isaiah.  Even this list would take us way beyond the scope of this present work if we are to investigate each writing thoroughly.  As such, it is thought to be much more profitable to focus in on the two books that would yield to us the greatest gain.  Due to the great controversy over the Epistle of Jude in the early days of the church, and the great importance that the Pentateuch of Enoch obviously had within that church during that time, we have chosen to limit our investigation to the Enochian writings to include not only  the Ethiopic writings (1 Enoch), but also to include the Slavonic writing (2 Enoch).  The reason for our selection of 2 Enoch will become all too obvious after we have fully explored the richness of this writing and the strange possibilities of its authorship and time. 

 Why do we blindly accept that the Book of Daniel is Holy Spirit written while we place the Enochian writings on a shelf with the label, Pseudepigrapha?  The authorship of the Book of Daniel is highly questionable according to most bible scholars, as is true also of the time period in which it was written.  Scholars have concluded that the Book of Daniel is a "direct product of the Maccabaean struggles."  Daniel lived hundreds of years before the book was written so we can assume that the author is writing under a Pseudo name.  This fact makes it a member of the Pseudepigrapha.  Some have even suggested that the book attributed to Daniel becomes the  model for later Apocalyptic Pseudepigrapha.  If the Book Of Daniel, by scholarly and critical analysis should reveal itself to be written by a Pseudo author, how can we continue to proclaim it to be cannonical?  We cannot merely use the criteria that Holy Spirit testifies to its inspiration by quoting or referring to it because the same argument without a doubt applies to the Ethiopic Enoch writing.  If Daniel from all appearances looks as if it rightfully should be rejected from the canon and yet we continue to regard it as a valid canon entry, is it not at least possible that the Ethiopic writing was rejected when in deed the Holy Spirit pays its own witness to the writing.  Beyond this though, does the book appear to contain anything of value to the Christian community?  We think that after reviewing our careful analysis, the reader will at least be open to consider the Enochian writings in a new light.  Regardless of what the reader shall conclude after our investigation this one thing shall remain.  The reader will have a higher appreciation for the writing, not based upon what the scholars tells us, but rather based upon the inspirational value and inherent beauty that permeates the whole.  Over two hundred years before Christ appears, this record appears purporting to have been written by Enoch and preserved for the later generation by a guardian angel  as a witness to all who would hear it.  The author of the Book of Jubilees used it as well as the authors of  The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs.  As we have already shown, Jude obviously regarded the writing as inspired of God.  The early Church Fathers without hesitation, much like Jude before them, had attributed these peculiar writings to Enoch the prophet.

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The Ethiopic Apocalypse Of Enoch

    The Ethiopic Apocalypse of Enoch, more commonly called 1 Enoch,  is the oldest of the three books claiming to be attributed to the prophet Enoch of the Old Testament.  This Enoch is the seventh descendant of Adam and Eve who had such a close relationship with God that it is declared that he not only walked with God (Gen. 5:24 KJV), but that God also took him.  Although there have been various fragments numbering more than forty of this book found written in the Aramaic, Greek, and Latin, the only complete version is that which we have preserved in the Ethiopic.  The original is believed to have been composed partially in Aramaic and partially in Hebrew similar to the familiar canonical Book of Daniel.

  It has long been believed that this particular work is definitely a composite of up to nine different writings.   All but the first five chapters of the  "Introductory Chapters", are believed to have been written at least a century before the birth of Christ.  Some commentators such as Milik have suggested that this writing had originally represented a Pentateuch attributed to Enoch, which is generally agreed upon, although it is his personal and unsubstantiated opinion that the fifth or "Book of the Similitudes" could be a later invention by Christians replacing the lost "Book of Giants" that had been once numbered among the original.   He bases this upon the fact that "no single manuscript fragment that might correspond in any way to the second section of the Ethiopic Enoch, chapters 37-71 (Book of Parables), has been identified in the countless mass of fragments of 4Q (Cave 4 of  Qumrân) or in the less extensive collections of manuscripts from ten other Qumrân caves."

 The proposition of this lost book being replaced by a newer Christian book is without any critical support.  Clearly the book in its entirety had originated in Judea and was known and used extensively at Qumrân long before the beginning of what we might refer to as the Christian period.  With the exception of the "Book of the Similitudes", Milik would also agree that this Qumrân Enochic corpus had consisted of five Aramaic works regarded as a Pentateuch of Enoch at the beginning of the first century B.C.   We must conclude that in all probability, much of this book had surely existed before pre-Maccabean times.  The book definitely contains references to historical events immediately preceding the Maccabean Revolt, and it was obviously used by the authors of  the Jubilees,  the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Assumption of Moses, 2 Baruch, and 4 Ezra. 

 As for its interest to the early Christian writings, this book of  Enoch was used by the authors of the Epistle of Barnabas, the Apocalypse of Peter, and is further and what is more important believed to be foundational for concepts within the Gospels and the Revelation, and is even quoted by Jude.  Testimonies of the early Church Fathers show, not only their knowledge of the existence of this book, but especially their sometimes high regard of the same.  Among these early Church Fathers are: Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origen, Clement of Alexandria, and especially Tertullian, who is recorded as having said that he held a very high regard for it.

 As for the enormous value of this book, perhaps the greatest is witnessed by the way in which is serves to link both Jewish and Christian thought and concepts together.  It becomes somewhat of a bridge, having been erected between the two testaments or dispensations, thereby causing a union between them and almost making out of the two of them, one complete testament.  This Pentateuch of Enoch is said to be as dependent upon the Old Testament or Jewish thought, as it has obviously been influential upon the New Testament or early Christian thought.  The Jewish Apocalyptic writings became very popular during the exilic and post-exilic periods, and was later inherited by Christianity.  The greatest example of Christianity's attachment to the Jewish apocalyptic writings is to be discovered within the Revelation attributed to the John the Apostle.  Such writings seem to have as its main purpose, a peculiar mission to present both prophetic and revelatory truths, through the vehicle of apocalyptic dualism, which stresses the opposing forces of good against evil.  A unique distinction is made between the present evil and the contrasted soon blessed age to come.  Many believe that the New Testament is saturated with the fruit of these apocalyptic writings.  The Pentateuch of Enoch is without question at least one of these sources as we have already indicated above.

  Although the dates may vary from one commentator to another, we can probably summarize the breakdown of this Pentateuch of Enoch into its five natural components as follows: 
 
 

	Sub Title or  Name	Chapters	Date of Origin
1.	The Book of the Watchers	(1-36)	200 -175 B.C.
2.	The Book of Similitudes	(37-71)	100 B.C.  -  68 A.D.
3.	The Book of Astronomical Writings	(72-82)	? - 300 B.C.
4.	The Book of Dream Visions	(83-90)	164 - 160 B.C.
5.	The Book of the Epistle of Enoch	(91-107)	200 - 169 B.C.

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The Book Of Astronomical Writings

    The Book of Astronomical Writings is believed to be the oldest component of this Pentateuch of Enoch, being written as far back as 300 B. C. or older.  The original writing is further believed to have contained much more than that which we have preserved in this writing, that is during the time that it had existed as an independent work.  As proof of this theory, there are many who point to those fragments of the supposed more extensive work which has been found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

  Within his historical writings of the Jews,  the Hellenistic Jewish historian Eupolemos, who writes around 158 B.C., seemingly alludes to this Astronomical Book of Enoch in which he gives a detailed account of the biblical Abraham as being the inventor and father of astrology.  It is Abraham who instructs the Phoenician concerning the "revolutions of the sun and of the moon and all other things."  While in Egypt, it is Abraham again who initiates the priesthood at Helioupolis into the studies of all sciences including and especially the area of astrology.  Abraham further instructs these Egyptian priests that it was the prophet Enoch who had first invented the teachings of astrology.

 The book of Jubilees further corroborates that the prophet Enoch was the inventor of astrology.  "(Enoch) was the first among the children of men, born of the earth, who had learned writing, science, and wisdom, and he described in a book the signs of heaven according to the order of their months, that the children of men might know the periods of the year according to the order of all their particular months."

 The book is the story of Enoch being taken on a tour through heaven, and shown great mysteries concerning the celestial luminaries by his heavenly guide, the Archangel Uriel, a name whose meaning is "light of God".  The point of the whole seems to be an attempt to stress how all of the so called natural laws that appear to control the movements of these heavenly orbs, are actually the results of thousands upon thousands of angels, assigned to their individual tasks, all working together to produce such a great wonder or organization.  As such, the universe is not merely a matter of natural or physical law as our scientists might ignorantly suppose, being completely dependent upon their five senses for their understanding, but is more akin to a living organism, with each cell functioning according to its own purpose, performing that task for which it had been originally created.  As such, it represents a marvelous display of harmony and miraculous wonderment.  All of this we have reduced to a set of physical laws of nature.  The complexity and simplicity of its mythology throughout are absolutely fascinating.

 Enoch's earth is a flat land, having a great heaven stretched as a canopy over it, from the one end to the other.  There are twelve gates described as being at the meeting place of the firmament and the earth.  Into one of these twelve gates' passes the sun and moon, depending upon their twelve cycles, each naturally corresponding with the twelve signs of the Zodiac.  Throughout all is stressed the mathematical consistency of God's creation.    Each month contains only thirty days.  There are four other days added to the three hundred and sixty perhaps to correspond to the four seasons.  The year therefore contains three hundred and sixty-four days, and this seems to be of extreme importance to Enoch.  Milik says, "the great majority of those of  Enastr, belong to an elaborately detailed and monotonous calendar in which the phases of the moon, day by day, were synchronized with the movements of the sun in the framework of a year of 364 days; the calendar also described the movements of the two heavenly bodies from one "gate" of the sky to another.  This part of the work no longer exists in the Ethiopic version."  It is believed that there must have been an extremely bitter, yet important, calendar dispute between the Qumrân and Jewish religious leaders, but unfortunately the text does not elaborate why this dispute is deemed so crucial.  Perhaps we are to conclude from this solar calendar that the great error is in our reckoning of time from earth's perspective rather than from heavens' perspective.  It would seem that Enoch is attempting to preserve ancient associations of the Zodiac with other biblical truths.  For example, it has long been believed that the twelve tribes were meant to be associated with the twelve signs of the Zodiac, each tribe representing and corresponding to one of these signs.

 
    The Book of the Watchers is probably the second oldest, at least in its original form, believed to have consisted of only the first eleven chapters.   Some have even suggested that the contents of  Enoch 6-19 predate the text compiled and preserved within Gen. 6:1-4.  According to this perspective, Gen. 6:1-4 is merely an attempt to quickly summarize Enoch 6-19 which was already quite commonly known and as such was not really necessary to elaborate upon.  It is generally accepted that the entire thirty-six chapters of  this Book of the Watchers, must have been compiled as one separate book before the death of Judas Maccabeus in 160 B.C.   Others have suggested that the first five chapters, usually referred to as the introduction, might well have been written after the following thirty-one chapters.  Jewish authorship of the book is apparent  within the introduction, in some cases being almost a paraphrase of the Blessing of Moses and the Oracle of Balaam, while in other cases using a similar prophetic style to that of Micah, Zechariah and Isaiah.

  It might be significant that following the introduction and throughout the remaining five of the first eleven or "original chapters", there is no further reference to Enoch, not even so much as to necessitate that the later portion had even been written by him or composed within the  pseudo-name.   The story concerns the rebellion of the angels, now called "the Watchers",  and their judgment to come.  In this account, Enoch witnesses how these angels had originally obtained their divine knowledge by having had access to the Tree of Wisdom.  By their eating of this tree, which is lawful for them, they are able to acquire their great wisdom and afterwards communicate this knowledge and wisdom also to Enoch.  It is the same tree that Adam and Eve had once partaken of  (1En. 32:6), having also obtained or learned new knowledge and wisdom, which resulted in their having had their eyes open after they had eaten, to the presence of and distinction of both good and evil.  Unlike the angels however, this tree had at that time been strictly forbidden for them.  As such, they were driven from the garden.   The story is of course an expansion of the Gen. 6:1-4 account, which has been further subdivided into its three component parts.  The first part is a deliberate rebellion of the angels against God, followed by the second, the plea for help, and lastly, the divine resolution. 
 

The Deliberate Rebellion of the Angels

 The deliberate rebellion of God's angels consists of the angels engaging in sexual intercourse with the daughters of  men.  Through this ungodly union, giants are produced as the offspring.  These giants eventually begin to turn to the flesh of animals and even man, after the food begins to become scarce.   The great evil is witnessed by the good angels who were not among those who had rebelled, and serve as priestly intercessors for those who have become the victims of such a great evil upon the earth.   Michael, Surafel, and Gabriel (1En. 9:1-6) bring forth news of this to the great God of gods seeking some kind of resolution.  The resolution is the binding of these evil angels by Raphael and Michael (1En. 10:4,12)  in the prison house and the destruction of all life upon the earth.  Out of the earth shall escape only Noah and his family, as such, God sends Asuryal to warn Noah of the deluge that is to shortly come upon the earth (1En. 10:1-2).  Gabriel is sent forth to see that the giant offspring may be stirred up to make war with each other and to kill each other. 

 It has been suggested that the point of the myth is to reinforce the idea that the evil that is so prevalent in our world through the hands of violent men, is not merely the results of sinful men, but has its roots far deeper, even extending further into an unseen world of demonic powers and rebellious angels.  On the other hand, there is really nothing for us to fear, for their judgment has already been long ago decided upon and is even now being rehearsed in the ears of the hearers of the author's words. 

 As for the rebellion of these evil angels, there is apparently two separate rebellions, or at least two separate accounts or charges against them.  Each rebellion has its different recognized leader.  First there is Semyaz who leads the fallen angels to take wives for themselves and beget children. (1En. 6:3).  The number of angels included in this group equal two hundred.  Twenty different angels are listed by name, each of them being leaders of ten others underneath their chain of authority.  The names of each of these angels and their corresponding meanings is made available to us by Knibb and is reproduced below.
 
 

English	Aramaic	Greek	Meaning/Description (Knibb)
(1) Semyaza			means 'the (or my) name has seen' or 'he sees the name'.  The name Amezarak is believed to be an inner-Ethiopic corruption of Semyaza.
(2) Ura-Kimba			appears to be a combination of two names (Ura) (Kiba) which means either 'the land of the mighty one' or perhaps 'the land is mighty'.
(3) Ramiel			means 'the evening of God'.
(4) Kokabiel			means 'star of God'.
(5) Tamiel			possibly means  'God is perfect', or 'Perfection of God'.
(6) Ramiel			means 'thunder of God'.
(7) Daniel			means 'God has judged'.  The seventh angel taught the signs of the sun.
(8) Ezeqiel			means 'shooting star of God'.
(9) Baraqiel			means 'lightning of God'.
(10) Asael			means 'God has made'.
(11) Armaros			means 'the one from Hermon'.
(12) Batriel			means 'rain of God'.
(13) Ananel			means 'cloud of God'.
(14) Zaqiel			possibly means 'God has hidden' or 'God has protected'.
(15) Samsiel			means 'sun of God'.  A derivative of Shamash the sun god.
(16) Sartael			possibly means 'moon of God' or 'dawn of God'.
(17) ?			documents are too fragmented to conclude anything with certainty.  Versions and translations vary much offering three entirely different names.
(18) Turiel			means 'mountain of God', or 'Rock of God'.
(19) Yomiel			means 'day of God'.
(20) Araziel			possibly means 'light of God' or 'moon of God'.

    These fallen angels not only took wives of mankind for themselves and produced offspring, they also taught hidden and forbidden things such as the magical use of charms and spells, and the ancient practices of cutting roots and trees.    Such hidden secrets are taught to them by Semyaza (also called Amezarak) who is said to be the leader of the twenty (1En. 8:3).  The offspring of this strange union of celestial and terrestrial creatures produces  great giants born of their earthly mother.  These giants were so large that they soon had consumed "all the acquisitions of men" (1En. 7:4).  Afterwards they began to turn their attention to human and animal flesh while also consuming their blood.  We will show elsewhere how this consumption of blood might also be related to sacred magical rites or blood covenanting.

    The second leader is Azazel (1En. 8:1) who further leads the other angels to reveal their  hidden (forbidden to man) secrets.  Possibly it is this Azazel who first encourages the afore mentioned Semyaza to influence the other angels under his command to commit these abominations before God.   This Azazel is believed to be the same being associated with the Azazel of Leviticus 16.   He instructed men concerning metallurgy, coloring tinctures, and all sorts of precious stones.  In this way mankind might learn how to make for themselves bracelets and ornaments.  Mankind continued to explore various new ways to adorn themselves with jewelry and beautifying makeup.  This would eventually lead to greater godlessness and fornication.  Next man would learn further uses of  metallurgy such as the skill of forging knives, swords, breastplates, and shields from which they might further learn and develop new skills in the practice and arts of war.  We are further informed that the knowledge of astrology originates from Baraqiel's instruction.  Kokabiel reveals certain secrets about the various constellations and their original meanings which has obviously been handed down to mankind ever since through the channels of myth and folklore.  Samsiel further revealed to man concerning the signs of the Sun,  Sartael taught similar signs of the moon, and  Araqiel taught concerning the strange and marvelous signs which were to come upon the earth (1En. 8:1-4).

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The Plea For Help And Divine Resolution

    When Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel report the current distress and troubles upon the earth to the Almighty, Uriel is sent to Noah to warn him of the judgment and destruction that shall come upon the earth.  Raphael casts Azazel out into the darkness in a desert place (1En. 10:4-6),  while Michael binds Semyaz and the other fornicating angels into a prison house underneath the earth (1En. 10:12-14) which is also referenced by Jude in the New Testament.

   And the angels which kept not their first estate, 
   but left their own habitation, 
   he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness 
   unto the judgment of the great day. 
       (Jude 6  KJV)

    This reference by Jude shows that this book of Enoch was at one time highly regarded by the early Church as a record of inspired truth, especially by Jude himself.  In fact, Jude actually quotes from the book of Enoch (Jude 14 KJV) as freely as if it had been a writing written by Moses himself.  This fact in itself should cause us to at least question how it is that the canonization that would follow, even many years afterwards, should be somehow used to minimize the importance of this particular book throughout Christianity.  Through his comparisons of the original Greek texts, Bauckham has been able to confirm that Jude quotes directly from 1 Enoch.  Some say that this alone does not demand or prove that Jude recognized the book as canonical scripture, but merely that he thought of the book as inspired.  We suggest that this statement reeks of mere semantics.  The question rests on the true meaning of the word "inspiration".  Does Jude regard the words of Enoch as emotionally inspiring, suggesting that he estimates their value as uplifting and encouraging, or does he rather regard this Book of Enoch as being originally God breathed?  This is the true question we must ask of Jude.  If Jude quotes from literature simply because it makes him feel good, or it gets his point across, this suggests that perhaps the writing of Jude should also be cast out from our Canon of Inspired Scriptures, to find itself only included in the Pseudepigrapha.  The apocalyptic style of Revelation might certainly make itself suspect as regards inspiration as well.  The book especially alludes to concepts otherwise foreign to the other writings. 

    Enoch becomes the messenger of judgment to the Watchers (1En. 14:3).  Their judgment shall be an eternal imprisonment underneath the earth.  Their punishment will be visited upon their children whom they have produced (1En. 14:5-7).  Their bodies will be slain upon the earth, but their spirits will be loosed out of their bodies to remain upon the earth as Evil Spirits or Demons. Their judgment is to have no peace all the years that they remain upon the earth dwelling in the darkness.  They will not eat or drink, or have any pleasure whatsoever.  They shall rise up against the people of the earth to further corrupt them and cause them harm because they also have proceeded forth from them (1En. 15).  They will be as spiritually dead, although they know the revealed mysteries that their fathers have previously revealed, they will have no insight or knowledge of the sacred mysteries to come.  Above all this, they shall have or enjoy no part in the salvation of man (1En. 16:1-3).

 Enoch is taken up to the very throne in heaven, where he witnesses similar sights to that of  John the Revelator.  It would seem that John is also greatly influenced by the writings of Enoch (1En. 14:8-25) authored long before the days of Christ.  The Watchers were said to have once been priests of God (1En. 15:3-4) created to minister for the sake of man within his holy temple, which is also quite vividly described by Enoch.  These creatures have willfully abandoned their priestly heritage and as such they have been rejected by God.  It has been suggested that such is merely meant to be an allusion to the rejection of the Jerusalem priesthood as it is likewise defiled by sin and therefore must be set aside completely.

 The next portion of this book of Enoch describes the various compartments or places where the evil ones must be punished and imprisoned.  This would include not only a compartment for the Watchers, but also one for the souls of the unrighteous men.  There is yet another compartment in which the righteous souls must await their resurrection. 

 The first is a fiery abyss like compartment that apparently has no top or bottom.   It is described as a terrible and desolate place and it is apparently the prison house of the seven stars who are being described as seven burning mountains.  These seven are referred to as the "powers of heaven".  These seven have transgressed the commandments of God from the beginning of their rising.  Here they remain bound until the completion of their sin in the year of mystery (1En. 18:11-16).  These seven seem to answer to the mythological seven titans.  They represent the very beginnings of  an organized heavenly rebellion against the one true God.

 Uriel points out how that there will come a time when the angels who had committed their sexual sin with women must one day accompany these seven stars in their state of horror and torment.  Since they are not yet located together with them in this place, we must assume that they must be being currently reserved somewhere else in some other state.  The women who had became their wives must also be transformed into "Sirens".   In Greek mythology, such female creatures were the famed sea nymphs.  They seduced men to their destruction by means of their sweet voices.  The word has even come to mean merely a seductive and beautiful woman.  These creatures might correspond then to the Succubus, that female counterpart of the Incubus of medieval European folklore.  Such creatures were regarded as demons themselves, having the ability to assimilate bodily form temporarily, in which state they might engage in sexual intercourse with sleeping men and women. According to legend, the Incubus, and its female counterpart, the Succubus, were believed to have been numbered among the fallen angels.  Sexual union with these creatures was believed to produce demon  offspring.

 The union of marriage between a man and his wife might be biblically defined as a somewhat  supernatural joining of  the two flesh creatures into one new creature.  The results of the new birth which transpires when one is joined to Christ, accompanied by the drinking of his covenant blood, causes the birth of a new spirit creature, having or containing within the one new vessel, both the natures of a human spirit being completely combined or intermingled with that of his own divine spirit.  The marriage union between an angel and an earth born woman appears to also have caused a similar type of rebirth within her human spirit. That woman suddenly begins to become, or is eventually being transformed into a Siren.  This transformation would not be witnessed within her flesh, but is rather taking place within her spirit, being somewhat similar to that of the new creature that is born again in Christ.  At the time of her death, her new born spirit creature will now emerge from her dead body, being not wholly human, but rather, being partly human and partly angelic.  She therefore becomes one of the famed creatures of the night, the first of which is named Lilith in Jewish Lore, said to be the first and originally forsaken wife of Adam. 

 Ancient marriage customs often included a mixing of the blood of both parties in a cup of wine which was afterwards ingested by the two of them.  The covenant was a marriage covenant of blood.  The probability of this ancient marriage union between the fallen angel and his human bride being accomplished through a rite of blood drinking or blood covenanting seems high when considering that such a practice of drinking blood is mentioned even in the same chapter that mentions the marriage union between these two (1En. 7:6).  Their human wives received secret instruction of magic and incantations from their angelic husbands  It is well known that a necessary part of the initiation ritual within the ancient mystery religions was the partaking of the magical contents of the sacred cup.  Is it not practically undeniable that this ancient blood marriage practice must surely have had its origin during this time as well? 

 From there Enoch descended even further, to a place of greater torment, which is the prison house of the angels.   These angels are the ones who had committed the sexual sin as indicated above.  Westward from there Enoch noticed four hollow places in the rock that had been made as other dwelling places for spirits, where they might be held until the final day of judgment (1En.  22).  These are made to contain the departed souls of men, being separated from one another according to some kind of preliminary judgment.  In one compartment are contained the righteous who are to be set apart from the sinners.  The other three seem to be reserved for differing categories of criminals, being separated accordingly depending upon the crimes that they have committed.  There is also a special valley reserved exclusively for the accursed, that is for them who have cursed God with their mouths (1En. 27:2-3). 

    Next we have the book of the Epistle of Enoch believed to be the third oldest, being completed sometime before the death of Judas Maccabeus in 160 B.C.  In this epistle we have Enoch speaking to his children, but it is naturally assumed that the author is addressing his contemporaries of the Maccabean age.  Enoch clearly states that he is addressing the epistle not only to "all my sons who dwell upon the earth", but also to the "last generation who will observe truth and peace" (1En. 92:1).  The author undoubtedly assumes that his epistle is written to an audience who will be living in the last days.   His purpose is to assure his contemporaries that God will vindicate the righteous and the promises and judgments of God can surely be relied upon. 

 The prophet begins to summarize human history as a period of ten weeks, the first of which he himself is born upon the earth.   The second week corresponds to the day of Noah in which "a certain man shall be saved".  The third week corresponds with the day of Abraham as "a certain man shall be elected as the plant of the righteous judgment".  The forth week prophesied of the day of Moses and his bringing forth of the law which acts as "a fence" or enclosure erected around God's people.  The fifth week foretells of  the time of  King Solomon and the building of the great temple in Jerusalem, as "a house and a kingdom shall be built".

  The sixth week is especially interesting to us as it marks a day of a peculiar type of apostasy and spiritual darkness in the which many of  those who are in that house shall be "blindfolded".  What is significant during this week or dispensation of Enoch is the prophecy uttered concerning the end of this period.  In that day, that is at the end of this week, "a man shall ascend".  Enoch promises that this time will mark the arrival of the long awaited Messiah; of this Glasgow also corroborates.  During this sixth week the Jewish or elect race shall be dispersed throughout the earth.  If the man who ascends is the Messiah, the prophecy is fulfilled by Rome beginning A.D. 70.   Some would argue that the man that shall ascend obviously refers to Elijah while the scattering of the Jewish race would clearly refer to the Assyrian captivity of Israel, together with the Babylonian captivity of Judah.  If we take this stand, what answers then to the sevenfold instruction?  Perhaps this instruction refers to the mysterious appearance of this sevenfold (perfect) writing of Enoch in the days following the captivity and leading on into the Maccabean dispensation.  A third alternative is that the prophecy has a dual fulfillment.  This is the attitude that many take as regards Daniel's prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes and the later day Antichrist.  We seem to have a significant amount to meditate upon regarding this section of Enoch's prophecy.

 The seventh week shall be typified as an especially perverse generation.  It is at the end or completeness of this seventh age or dispensation that the righteous, or the true church, shall  be selected.  Some suggest that this seventh week must represent or refer to the day of the author, making this time the period of the Maccabees.   It is during this seventh week that the Lord shall give a "sevenfold instruction" to his flock.  This sevenfold instruction could  likely correspond to the seven dispensations of the Church age as outline by John in his epistle to the seven churches if we are to receive that the original writings of Enoch are truly inspired by prophets between the Malachi and Matthew time period, traditionally termed "the four hundred years of silence".   On the other hand, it is very possible, probably even likely, that the author believed the time of the Messiah was at hand even as he penned these words.  The author, believing that the time was probably at hand,  expends most of his effort concerning this period.  It surly represents a time period in which the faithful must be assured that God will deliver the faithful and visit his vengeance upon their enemies (1En. 93). 

 The eighth week shall witness a resurrection of "the righteous one" from the dead (1En. 91:11).  It seems quite possible that this was a reference to the resurrection of the Messiah, however this is written almost two hundred years before the time of the crucifixion.  Others suggest that the passage should be translated as "the righteous will rise from sleep, and wisdom will rise and will be given to them".  While this might be the case, is still appears that wisdom is personified.  In either case we must point to John's description of the manchild who is caught up to God's throne (Rev. 12:5 KJV).  Here the entire church, is represented as the body of Christ while Christ himself is only the head, (Eph. 1:22-23 KJV).  That child is caught up to the throne and this must correspond with the eighth week.   Is it any wonder that the early church was so greatly attracted or attached to these Enochian writings?   The eighth week is divided into the first and second part, the second being described as "the week of righteousness".  It is during this time that "A house shall be built for the Great King in glory for evermore" (1En. 91:13).  The first part of this eighth week is described as a time in which the Messiah will execute his judgment upon the earth.  Afterwards the greatly prophesied and expected millennial reign of Christ shall be ushered in. 

 The ninth week signifies the final purging and end of the ungodly from the earth.  The righteous judgment shall be revealed to the whole world at that time.  The ninth week describes a time in which there is no more sin upon the earth.  Finally, in the tenth week, upon the seventh or Sabbath Day of that week, there shall be the Great White Throne Judgment as referenced within the Book of Revelation (Rev. 20:11 KJV).   The tenth week contains a time in which "the eternal judgment" shall be executed by the angels, which shall include a new heaven and many weeks of righteousness without number to follow (1En. 91:15-17).   It is certain that the purpose of this epistle then is to stress to those living during the last days, that they can be assured that the wisdom that has been delivered through this writing of this prophet will surely mean their ultimate deliverance, although that deliverance might necessitate or manifest itself in the form of a resurrection from the dead.

 
    The Book of  Dream Visions is the forth part of this Pentateuch.  Without doubt it seems to reflect a certain Maccabean flavor.   Some have suggested that this writing (1En. 89:65-74; 1En. 90:26-8) ) is alluded to in the Epistle of Barnabas (EBar. 16:5).  It contains two dreams, the first of which is very brief describing the days of Noah (1En. 83).  The second is a prophetic summary of the entire history of man (1En. 85-90), beginning with Adam, and culminating with the days of Judas Maccabeus who is himself represented as the ram with a great horn (1En. 90:10).   In this second dream, all humans are imagined as animals while the sinful angels are said to be falling stars.   There is also an attempt to clarify the ultimate responsibility of the rebellion of all the angels upon the first great rebel, Azazel.   Of special interest is the reference to the three different kinds of offspring or categories of children that are born as a result of  the ungodly sexual union between angel and women (86:4; 87:3; 88:2; 89:6).  Although these are not elaborated upon and therefore possibly not known by the author of the Book of the Watchers, they do reappear again within the Jubilees (7:21-22).  Finally a throne is set up and the great day of judgment begins.  The fallen angels are hurled into a fiery abyss along with the blinded sheep obviously representing the sinners among men.  The Messiah is imagined as a great white bull with enormous black horns.

 The animal dream begins with a white bull who comes forth from out of the earth.  This bull represents the first man, Adam (1En. 85:3).  After the bull, came forth a female heifer, and along with her two calves.  The heifer can be none other than Eve and the two calves easily answer to Cain and Abel.  There is no mention of any sin in the garden or fall of the white bull.  A change of the color from white to black might be expected but instead is thoroughly overlooked as if to suggest that the "original sin" of man is really insignificant in the whole perspective.

 One of these calves is red while the other is black.  Since the black calf strikes the red calf and he is seen no longer it is obvious that the black calf is Cain while the red calf surely typifies Abel.  If the white color symbolizes the pureness and righteousness of this first bull, being consistent throughout the dream, then the black in contrast is suggestive of the opposite.  The black is not the chosen one but rather the rejected one.  Although some believe that they see three races in the three colors (Seth is also white as his father Adam), this idea could only be a fanciful coincidence as we are not to draw from this dream that the white race is a chosen or supreme race while the black race is to be rejected.  The idea of the three offspring being white, red, and black is emphasized again in the children of Noah.  In that place the author stresses how that this red color is as the reddish color of blood (1En. 89:9).  The red might suggestively hint of the blood that must be shed to allow for the white to come forth as well a reminder of the slaughter of the red heifer (Num. 19:1-10 KJV).

  The black bull with his black heifer produced many offspring like him.  Meanwhile the white heifer searches and morns with great intensity for the disappearance of her red calf.  After she has suffered a little, the white bull is able to comfort her and she brings forth another white calf.  Other offspring follow, both male and female, but they are as black as the children of the black calf.  Here we have a much deeper insight into the meaning of the color black.  The black does not suggest evil but rather that they are not peculiar or chosen.  It is interesting to find that Cain's offspring are not reckoned to be any different then the other offspring of Adam and Eve.  We might expect perhaps that  these should be more of a brownish color to reflect that Cain's seed is to be considered as spiritually darker but this is not the case.  We have it revealed that God truly is no respecter of persons, but at the same time he does make a difference with that seed which represents his peculiar possession.  And so the white bull matures and produces offspring after his own kind, all of which are said to be white.  Obviously the color does not indicate that the white calves are purer then the black, but only that they represent the chosen herd.

  The next occurrence is the fall of the angel Asael who falls from the heaven as a star.  Upon landing on the earth, the star begins to graze among the black cattle as if he was one of them.  The entrance of this fallen angel among the black cattle obviously begins to affect some changes.   We know from 1En. 8:1-2 that Asael taught great secrets to mankind that ultimately changed the world.  There is no reason to think that the other offspring of Adam and Eve were not affected by these teaching but they are assimilated into Cain's herd by reason of their color.  Only the white cattle remain uncontaminated.  As a result of Asael's teachings they change their pens, which is to say their homes and the way they live (1En. 86:2).  It is important to note that the scripture informs us how Cain is the first man to build a city and how he named both that city and his son Enoch (Gen. 4:17 KJV), a name meaning "initiated" or "dedicated".  It would appear that the name had a twofold meaning.  It is only natural that Asael would seek out Cain to begin his evil indoctrination.  One might say that Cain is being initiated into the secrets of darkness which initiation continues on throughout history within the mystery religions of the world.  At the same time of his initiation, Cain has dedicated his new born son to Asael.  We cannot say this as a matter of fact, however the story would quite favorably suggest such a scenario.  The entire way of life is being drastically changed for all but the Sethites and the rapid results of this new advanced civilization are staggering.  While the Sethites apparently remain simple folk dependent upon the land, the Cainites continue to prosper in their technological achievements and creativity.

 Not only do the Cainites begin to change their pens, they also change their pastures suggesting perhaps that they now begin to modify their diets.  Such changes in diet might certainly have included the eating of flesh as both man and animal are originally given the fruits and herbs to be their meat (Gen. 1:29-30 KJV) and there is no mention of taking the life of an animal to furnish the man's food.  Next they begin to change their calves (which is to suggest their children).  The expression to change their calves might mean that the children that belonged to the lineage of Cain began to lust after each other's sister desiring another to be their wife rather then being content with having his own sister to be his wife.  If a man's wife was arranged from early on this might explain why Lamech sought to murder a man, perhaps it was so that he might take his wife also for it is written that Lamech possessed two wives (Gen. 4:19 KJV).  Michael Knibb suggests that it is not the "calves" that are changed but rather the "heifers" or the wives.  In other words what we would have here is the beginnings of fornication and adultery.  Also that they did not "wail" after one another but rather "moan" after one another could further suggest divorce or at the minimum the beginnings of the sin of adultery.

  It was clearly a biblical principal that sought to disallow intermarriage between Israel and the heathen.  We have further evidence in Abraham's desire for a relative to be Isaac's wife, and Isaac's displeasure with Esau's selection of a wife.  What we are attempting to capture here is the most probable marriage custom in the very beginning but we have dwelled upon this point enough and all we can be assured of with great certainty is that we have increased our own speculation on this point.  Charles suggests that the correct reading is simply "they all changed their stalls and pastures and their cattle, and began to live with each other."  Another suggestion has been to render the translation as, "Changed their stalls and pastures, while their young began to lament one with another."

  After this, many more stars fell from the heaven to join themselves with the first star.  These stars took on the form of bulls actually becoming bulls themselves and then began to graze with the other cattle.  There is no doubt that these stars represent Shemihazah (Semyaza) and the two hundred angels that jointly conspired with him and Asael (the first star).  They all assume human form so that they might dwell among men.  Soon after their metamorphoses, these stars which had transformed themselves into bulls were now engaging in acts of sexual intercourse with the heifers producing three different kinds of offspring.  These offspring are symbolized as elephants, camels, and asses, representing the Giants, Naphilim, and Elioud.  It was anciently taught that the Giants produced the Naphilim and they afterwards begat the Elioud.  We are further taught that the cattle feared these unnatural offspring as they began to tear at the cattle and literally eat their flesh (1En. 86:3-6).  As a result, all of the children of the earth trembled and began to flee from them.  The children of the earth probably refer to all of the natural earth born creatures as becomes more clear in 1En. 7:5 where these devilish offspring began at first to eat the flesh of the birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes.

 The elephants, camels, and asses representing the three kinds of ungodly offspring next begin to tear at each other and consume each other's flesh.  This causes the entire earth to cry out which brings forth seven white men from heaven, including one group of four and another group of three, both groups representing angelic beings (1En. 87-88).  Enoch is transferred from off the earth to a high tower where he is able to observe all that would transpire.  This undoubtedly refers to Enoch's own final translation into the heavens, not currently as he is receiving this vision, but rather it shall happen in the future when all these things must take place.  Next, one of the four men in white seized the ringleader Asael and bound his hands and feet and hurled him into the deep narrow dark abyss of desolation.  This angel is identified as Raphael (1En. 10:4) and the event of the abyss might be a future event yet to come (Rev. 20:3) as Raphael is also said to have put Asael in an opening in the desert, covering him with darkness.  Patrick Tiller has put together an interesting table that we have provided also below.  The table indicates the several different prisons mentioned throughout the Book of Enoch.
 
 

Text	Description	Inmates	Duration
10:4-5	opening in the desert of Dudael; dark;  covered with jagged rocks.	Asael	for all time;  until the day of judgment
10:12	valleys of the earth	Shemihazah	70 generations; until the day of judgment
10:6,13	fiery abyss	Watchers	for all time (after the day of judgment)
18:9-11	deep fiery abyss	?	?
18:12-16	waste place with no earth, sky, or water	wandering stars,  host of heaven	ten thousand years
21:1-6	empty place with no earth or sky	stars of heaven	ten thousand years
88:1	narrow, deep, desolate dark abyss	Asael	until judgment
88:3	a fissure of the earth	the rest of the stars	until judgment
90:24-25	fiery abyss	stars and shepherds	?
90:26	a similar abyss	blind sheep	?

    A second of these white men who descend from heaven is that Gabriel (1En. 10:9) who now draws a sword and hands it to those elephants, camels, and asses resulting in a great war between them which also causes the entire earth to quake.   The act by Gabriel is deliberate with the intention of having these angelic half-breed creatures destroy each other.  Afterwards Michael (1En. 10:11)  the third of the four is to collect the other fallen stars who have sinned through their forbidden sexual union with the daughters of men.  They are bound and put in a fissure of the earth.   The fourth white man, who is called elsewhere by the name Sariel (1En.10:1-3) imparts knowledge of the coming deluge to one of the white bulls who although he was originally born a bull, afterwards became a man. (1En. 89:1).  The Enochic tradition is that Noah is born with a notable difference than other men.  It is obvious that there is a divine spirit encompassing the child from birth as his father even questions whether the child is his own or is the child of deity.

 And his father Lamech was afraid of him and fled, 
and came to his father Methuselah.  And he said unto him:
 'I have begotten a strange son, diverse from and unlike man, 
and resembling the sons of the God of heaven; 
and his nature is different, and he is not like us, 
and his eyes are as the rays of the sun, 
and his countenance is glorious.' 
    (1En. 106:4-5)

  Tiller suggests that this noticeable difference is possibly similar to the transfiguration of Moses.  There is no problem here as even in the New Testament we are confronted with the birth of the prophet John who is called the Baptist.  This child is to be "filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." (Lk. 1:14 KJV).   Like the biblical account, Noah, the bull who became a man, builds a large vessel to escape the waters of the great deluge (1En. 89:1).  The elephants, camels, and asses representing the half-breed angelic-human creatures were all drowned together with the others.

  After the man comes forth from out of the vessel, three bulls accompany him, white, red, and black, representing undoubtedly his three sons, Shem, Japheth, and Ham.  Afterwards we are told that the white bull departed from them (1En. 89:9).   The indication need not be interpreted as anything miraculous or peculiar, but just that Noah had passed away.  What follows is a bringing forth of many different and various kinds of animals not mentioned before.  These probably represent the many differing gentile races.  Tiller points out that these animals are represented as natural predators and scavengers thereby indicating that they should eventually tear and prey upon the nation Israel.

 In the midst of these new and various kinds of animals (the gentiles) was born another white bull who brought forth a wild ass and a white bull.   It is obvious that the white bull who brings forth the other white bull represents Abraham bringing forth Isaac.  The wild ass is without question a symbol for Ishamael.  From the second white bull comes forth a white sheep and a black wild boar (1En. 89:10-14).  The contrast here is between Jacob and Esau, the boar being ceremonially unclean while the sheep is clean.   The transition from white bull to white sheep also indicates an important distinguishing point in time.  While Abraham and Isaac are viewed as a continuance of Seth's lineage of promise, Jacob represents a totally knew creature.  The nation of Israel is born from the loins of Jacob and becomes a radical turn of events in the history of God's people.  Jacob is the chosen one.  With the appearance of Jacob, all others before him begin to pale in significance.  The attention is now upon this new chosen race of twelve sheep who shall also come forth from the first sheep.

 Eleven of the twelve white sheep hand over the twelfth sheep to the asses (Ishmaelites) which further hand him over to the hyenas (or wolves, obviously referring to the Egyptians), and then the eleven came to pasture with that twelfth sheep among those hyenas where they multiplied much, but the hyenas became afraid of them and so they began to oppress them (1En. 89:13-15).  Due to their much oppression, those sheep began to cry out to the owner of the sheep until one sheep separated himself from the hyenas and went  forth to dwell among asses.  This sheep, being joined by another sheep, is called to confront the hyenas concerning their mistreatment of the sheep.  The text undoubtedly refers to Moses and Aaron being called to confront the Egyptians on behalf of all of Israel.  At first the hyenas mistreated the sheep all the more but afterwards the owner beat those hyenas and the hyenas began also to lament.  God is of course symbolized as the owner of the sheep and the hyenas.  The understanding of those hyenas (Egyptians) were darkened and they chased the sheep down to where a pool of water had been split down the middle, and following the sheep into the pool, the hyenas were suddenly drowned in that pool.

 The story continues echoing the journey of Israel into the desert and to the mountain where Moses would lead them.  Eventually that sheep who led them (Moses) would be transformed into a man (1En. 89:36).  As the white bull (Noah) had of old taken on the form of a man, so this leader of the sheep achieves the same metamorphoses.  This man now builds a house for the owner of the sheep.  That house the sheep all stand within.  The house represents the congregation of the Lord, the Old Testament Church of God if you will.  It is not the literal tabernacle but rather the spiritual temple that is referred to here, as the scripture says, "whose house we are" (Heb. 3:6 KJV). 

 After being lead into a "pleasant and glorious land" (1En. 89:40) the sheep began to be devoured by dogs (Philistia), foxes (Ammon and Moab), and wild boars (Edom and Amalek).

 The story continues.  The character Saul was glorious for a short time, but eventually he lost his glory and was replaced by another noteworthy ram.  The notable ram (David) lies down as a young ram rises in prominence to become an administrator and leader.  We then have mention of a house with a tower, the tower evidently referring to Solomon's temple, and a full table was set.  The full table being set represents the establishment of the priestly rites within the temple.  It not only speaks of the table of shewbread but also of the sacrifices and offerings administered by the priesthood.  The tower was much taller than the house indicating perhaps that there was greater emphasis upon the temple and the priesthood than upon the house which represented the people or congregation (1En. 89:50).  The allusion seems to be both positive and negative.  It seems that the tower was not only taller than the house, but that it continued to be raised even further than originally intended, and that, at the expense of the lowering of the house.  The tower now became the emphasis, as such the house began to lose its original importance.  This was not good as the tower was meant to be for the sheep more so than for the owner of the sheep.  The sheep began to go astray and soon began to abandon the house.  There is no mention of abandoning the tower (temple) but only the house.  The priesthood began to serve the priesthood rather than the people.  Israel was split into many factions the result of which was the complete abandonment of the one house, one congregation, and one people of God.  The priesthood no longer served Israel, the twelve tribes, but had become concerned only with the nation Judah.  The oneness of the congregation was lost.  The people began to follow after other gods and the house of God, meaning the congregation rather than the temple and priesthood, ceased to exist.  Although prophets were sent to the sheep, they sought to kill them.  Then one among those prophets was rescued by the owner and he was brought up on high to dwell with Enoch.  This one is of course a reference to the translation of the prophet Elijah.  The great falling away continued to increase.  The sheep were abandoned to the nations represented by the lions, tigers, hyenas, foxes, etc.  Finally God himself had abandoned their house and their tower meaning that God has cast away his people Israel and had forsaken the temple worship (1En. 89:51-58). 

  Tiller has identified the animals in this apocalypse and produced the following tables indicating the chief opponents of Israel from Judges to the Exile.

TABLE 1
ISRAEL'S CHIEF OPPONENTS FROM THE JUDGES TO THE EXILE

Biblical Reference	Period	Israel's Enemies
Judges 3	Judges	Philistia, Amalek, Ammon, Moab
Judges 10-11	Judges	Philistia, Ammon
Judges 14-16	Judges	Philistia
1 Samuel 4,7	Samuel	Philistia
1 Samuel 11	Saul	Ammon
1 Samuel 13-14	Saul	Philistia
1 Samuel 14:47	Saul	Amalek, Ammon, Moab, Aram. Edom
1 Samuel 17	Saul	Philistia
1 Samuel 18-19	David's flight	Philistia
1 Samuel 23	David's flight	Philistia
1 Samuel 28-29	David's flight	Philistia
1 Samuel 31	Saul's death	Philistia
2 Samuel 5	David	Philistia
2 Samuel 8	David	Moab, Aram, Edom
2 Samuel 8:12	David	Philistia, Amalek, Ammon, Moab, Aram, Edom
2 Samuel 10-12	David	Ammon, Aram
2 Samuel 21,23	David	Philistia
1 Kings 11	Solomon	Moab, Aram
1 Kings 14	Divided Kingdom	Egypt against Judah
1 Kings 15,16	Divided Kingdom	Philistia, Aram against Israel
1 Kings 20,22	Divided Kingdom	Aram against Israel and Judah
2 Kings 3	Divided Kingdom	Moab against Israel and Judah
2 Kings 6-7	Divided Kingdom	Aram against Israel and Judah
2 Kings 8	Divided Kingdom	Edom against Judah
2 Kings 10,12	Divided Kingdom	Aram against Israel and Judah
2 Kings 13	Divided Kingdom	Moab and Aram against Israel
2 Kings 14	Divided Kingdom	Edom against Judah
2 Kings 15	Divided Kingdom	Assyria against Israel
2 Kings 16	Divided Kingdom	Aram, Edom, Assyria against Judah
2 Kings 17-19	Divided Kingdom	Assyria against Israel and Judah
2 Kings 23	Divided Kingdom	Egypt against Judah
2 Kings 24	Destruction of Jerusalem	Ammon, Moab, Aram, Babylon against Judah
2 Kings 25	Destruction of Jerusalem	Babylon against Judah

TABLE 2
ISRAEL'S OPPONENTS ACCORDING TO THE ANIMAL APOCALYPSE
FROM JUDGES TO THE EXILE

1 Enoch	Period	Animals Representing Israel's Enemies	Biblical Reference
89:42	Judges to Samuel	Dogs, Foxes, Boars	Judges - 1 Samuel 8
89:43	Saul	Dogs, Foxes, Boars	1 Samuel 9-15
89:46	David's flight	Dogs	1 Samuel 18-30
89:47	Saul's death	Dogs	1 Samuel 31
89:49	David	Dogs, Foxes, Boars	2 Samuel
89:55	Divided Kingdom	Lions, Tigers, Bears, Hyenas, Foxes	1 Kings 12 - 2 Kings 24
89:56	?	Lions and all animals	?
89:65	?	Lions	?
89:66	Destruction of Jerusalem	Lions, Tigers, Boars	2 Kings 24

The following table has also been created based upon the foundation already laid by Tiller.
 

 TABLE 3
SYMBOLS USED WITHIN THE ANIMAL APOCALYPSE 

Animals	Meaning of the Symbol	Reference
Wild Asses	Ishmael, and his descendants, including the Midianites	Gen. 16:12, 37:28, Ex. 2:15
Wild Boars	Esau and his descendants, Edom and Amalek	Gen. 36:15-19, 36:15-16
Bears (Hyenas in Ethiopic)	Egyptians
Dogs	Philistians
Tigers and Hyenas	Aramites and Assyrians
Ravens	Seleucids
Kites	Ptolemies
Eagles	Macedonians
Vultures	ignored as a possible Ethiopic intrusion
Foxes	Ammonites and Moabites	Gen. 19:37-38

    The owner now summons the seventy shepherds that they might look after the sheep on his behalf.  These seventy shepherds are believed to represent seventy angels of whom God has called and especially commissioned to act as shepherds over his flock.  Each shepherd is said to have pastured in their season (1En. 89:65) which some have suggested must correspond to the seventy appointed times decreed or referred to by the prophets Jeremiah (25:11 KJV), Daniel (9:2 KJV), and Zechariah (1:12 KJV).  Others have suggested that the seventy appointed times refer to the seventy weeks of Daniel (9:24) which is to be understood as seventy sevens rather than seventy weeks.  The English translation of the Hebrew yields the word "week" in an attempt to preserve "a period of seven" which is actually the Hebrew equivalent.  Whether it is to be regarded as seven days, weeks, or years can only be determined by the context.   The seventy weeks is believed to be equal to 490 years and can be broken down into four unequal periods.  Throughout each of these periods one shepherd is to be associated with every seven years within each period.  Tiller suggests that these four periods might be made to coincide with Israel's history as is described below, while admitting that his chronology forces discrepancies in the second and third period while leaving the final period extremely short.
 
 
 

Historical Period	Shepherds	Date (B.C.E.)	# of years
Babylonian	12	598-515	83
Persian	23	515-332	184
Ptolemaic	23	332-200	132
Seleucid	12	200-160	40 ?

    Tiller supposes that the reference to the first twelve weeks refers to the Babylonian period that has passed but this could also refer to the beginning of the reconstruction of Israel.  The two sheep undoubtedly refer to Zerubbabel and Joshua while the wild boars who withstood them must answer to the Samaritans.  Daniel gives us the starting place for the seventy weeks when he states "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem ..." (Dan. 9:25-26 KJV).  Daniel also tells us that the 70 weeks (or sevens) is to be broken down as 7 + 62 + 1.  The first such decree was given by Cyrus around 536 B.C.  (Ezra 1:1-4)  The second was given by Darius around 519 B.C. (Ezra 6:1-12).  The next decree was given by Artaxerxes in 458 B.C. (Ezra 7:11-22).  The final decree was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus around 445 B.C. (Neh. 2:1-8).

  Prophecy is to be mathematically determined according to a 30 day to a month and 360 days to a year formula.  We see this in Rev. 11:2-3 where 42 months is the equivalent of 1260 days.  We are further told that 5 months is the equivalent of 150 days (Gen. 7:11-24; 8:3-4).  The prophecy of Daniel is broken down into three stages, 7 * 7 or 49 years, 62 * 7 or 434 years, and the final 7 years.  Because our dating is based upon Solar years which amount to 365 1/4 days per year, the time period between 445 B.C. and A.D. 30 is calculated by Larkin as 173,146 days which amounts to  just 2 years 14 days short of the day of the crucifixion of Christ.  Daniel refers to this day of crucifixion in his prophecy as the day when Messiah shall be cut off (Dan. 9:26 KJV).  Another calculation is based upon Sir Robert Anderson's formula which brings us even closer only 1 year and 5 days short.  It seems obvious that we must calculate Daniel's 490 years into biblical days before converting back to solar years to understand the correct reckoning of time.  When we do we arrive at three periods of days  corresponding to the 7 + 62 + 1 weeks.   These are 17,640 days, 156,240 days, and 2,520 biblical days which must evidently be converted to solar years (divide by 365.25) as approximately 48.295688 years, 427.76181 years, and 6.899384 years.   We have also revised our table based upon the starting year of 445 which is when Daniel's prophecy would have gone into affect. 
 

Historical Period	Shepherds	Date (B.C.E.)	# of Solar years
Nehemiah's day	12	445-362	82.79
Grecian	23	361-203	158.68
Maccabean	23	202-44	158.68
Roman	11	43-32 A.D.	75.89
Day of Antichrist	1	future date	6.90

   This reckoning of time places the expected Messiah to arrive at the time of Christ.  The Messiah is portrayed as a great horn who opened up the eyes of the sheep (1En. 90:9).  The problem is the identification of the two sheep who build the fallen house and raised up the tower.  If these are Zerubbabel and Joshua as we have said before then the first period must begin at 519 B.C. because Zerubbabel completes the second temple around 516 B.C.  If we recreate the table based upon our new starting place ignoring the solar year conversion we shall have something similar to what we have illustrated below.
 

Historical Period	Shepherds	Date (B.C.E.)	# of years
Zerubabbel-Malachi	12	516-432	84
Persian-Ptolemies	23	431-270	161
Ptolemies-Hasmoneans	23	269-108	161
Hasmoneans-Herods	11	107-30	77

    The Messiah is scheduled to arrive sometime after Herod is appointed king by Rome (A.D. 37).  Daniel and Enoch both agree that Messiah arrives sometime after the 69 weeks (Dan. 9:26 KJV, 1En. 90:37).  The above timetable might not be as spectacular as Larkin's, but it does no harm to Daniel's prophecy and allows us to consider Enoch's prophecy in alignment with Daniel's seventy weeks.  If Larkin's supposed time table is correct than we might conclude that Enoch's seventy periods have nothing whatsoever to do with Daniel's seventy weeks.  We need not make Enoch's seventy periods fit Daniel's seventy.  Now that we have wrestled the work to the ground, let us continue on with  the fifth part of this marvelous Pentateuch. 

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The Book Of Similitudes

   The fifth part of this Pentateuch is The Book of Similitudes.   It is important to recall that the date of this book could possibly extend into the Christian era.  It is within this book that we first discover the concept of a Cosmic Covenant.  According to this writing the forces of creation are upheld and bound together by the power of an oath that exists prior to the creation itself.  The covenant affects all of creation including the course of the heavenly bodies.  This writing helps to link together and further explain Enoch's emphasis within the Astrological Book and the times and seasons.  The covenant consists of an oath made by the creator from the beginning.  This oath is the power that secures the entire order of creation holding both the heavens and the earth firm and in their appointed and proper place.  The power of this oath is entrusted to the Archangel Michael who knows the sacred or secret  name, which in essence gives him the power to enforce and maintain all things through knowledge of this sacred name.

 The text is a description of Enoch's journeys into the heavenly throne room, where he sees an innumerable righteous multitude (1En. 40:1-2) or as John in his Revelation would also suggest, a multitude that no man could number (Rev 7:9 KJV).    This is followed with a description of the judgment of Azazel and all his company and his army.  They shall all be captured and sentenced to their prison and all sinners upon the earth shall be gathered into nets and thrown into Sheol (1En. 55-56).    Afterwards, the righteous are gathered together into a multitude of chariots that ascend from the earth into heaven (1En. 57).

 After this Enoch is shown the Son of Man being seated upon his throne of glory and all are brought forth before his face for judgment.   Though they frantically beg and plead for mercy, they shall find nothing but punishments for the days of mercy are over for them.

    (Now) on the day of our hardship 
   and our tribulation he is not saving us; 
   and we have no chance to become believers.
 (1En. 63:8)

 After this Enoch prophesies concerning the days of Noah and the judgment of the flood.  The earth and all life upon it must be destroyed because of the sin of the angels who continually reveal the heavenly secrets to men.   Death would never have had power over man had they have not had the knowledge of death, but now this knowledge destroys everything as if it continually eats away at everything that is alive.  It was never man's place to "take up their beliefs with pen and ink"  for "on account of this matter, there are many who have erred from eternity to eternity" (1En. 69:9-10).  The powers that the forces of the Satanic rebellion possess seem to be equivalent to the power possessed by the heavenly angels.  Their leader had evidently possessed the password to the giant computer system of heaven, which password is the name of the Son of Man (1En. 69:28).   This was the power that holds the entire creation together.  So by this we understand the magnitude and reality of the great war that continues to be fought throughout the heavens.  Perhaps this is why Jesus is given his own new name, to replace and supersede the power that was in the old.  To change the heavenly password so to speak, to disable all the power of the enemy (Rev. 3:12).
 

       And it happened after this that his living name 
   was raised up before that Son of Man and to the Lord 
   from among those who dwell upon the earth; 
   it was lifted up in a wind chariot 
   and it disappeared from among them.
  (1En. 70:1-2)

 

 Many believe this book to have been written at a time corresponding to the Gospels of the New Testament, although obviously preceding the Gospels, being written especially by the hand of a Christian author.  The Christian authorship is unlikely as Enoch himself seems to be the one depicted as the "Elect One" rather than Christ.  The authorship remains a mystery in that it does not seem to support a Jewish Anti-Christian idea either, as Enoch becomes somewhat of  a type of Christ.  For this reason, although it is believed to be of Jewish origin, the religious group from which it came forth is truly unknown.  Whoever that group was, they imagined the Messiah to be the Son of Man exalted to great glory and becoming the judge over all, an idea being much more of Christian origin than  that of Jewish.

   The Slavonic Apocalypse of Enoch, more commonly called  2 Enoch,  is the second oldest of the three books ascribed to the prophet Enoch of  the Old Testament.  The book remains as one of the most difficult to date.  There are no manuscripts older than the fourteenth century, and as such, dates seem to range between pre-Christian times through the late Middle Ages.  Although there are many different Slavonic manuscripts, it is the conclusion of scholars that there were basically two versions of the manuscript, of which they usually refer to simply as the longer and the shorter.  Of course the shorter is considered to be the oldest, however as we will further see, the one thing we can be absolutely sure of is that we have no knowledge of the date of its origin.  As such, no one can really say that the longer or shorter is the original except by personal opinion or speculation.  Generally when there is a longer and a shorter version, it is assumed that at some point in time a scribe must have added to the shorter manuscript.  This conclusion is somewhat standard unless there be other evidences which would strongly suggest otherwise.   Nickelsburg suggests that the shorter version appears to reflect the Egyptian or Persian mythology in comparison to the longer which seems to have been elaborated upon by a certain unknown scribe to make it more like the Genesis account.  Perhaps the original was not added to by a Jewish scribe, but rather was borrowed and therefore reduced to what was more commonly believed in other parts of the world.   The claim to an Iranian authorship is not a new idea, and although it is true that some ingredients of the writing might suggest such, the work remains void of  the Persian dualism which one would expect to find if such were the case.

 The only language in which this book has been preserved is Slavonic, however it appears that the Slavonic must have been copied from the Greek.  Due to obvious Semitisms, it is quite possible that the original was first Aramaic.  This would suggest that we have here at the very least a translation of a translation.  There is simply no way for us to be sure of its origin from there.  Because there has been no Greek or Aramaic fragments found, we are left to an educated speculation, in other words, a best guess.

 It is generally believed to have been written around the first century in a Jewish community rather than a Christian one, although Milik stands firm on a date no earlier than the ninth century A.D.   Potter has suggested that this book might well have been authored by Jesus himself.  He contends that most authorities would place the date of its composition between 30 B.C. and  A.D. 70 thereby preceding the New Testament writings and having had a more than profound influence upon early Christian concepts and beliefs.  He suggests the most probable date of its origin to be between A.D. 1 and 50.  He further contends that both Jesus and John the Baptist were influenced by the Essene sect at an early age and most likely once numbered among them.   Since the book contains absolutely no reference to Abraham or Moses, it might quite possibly have been authored by a monotheistic religious group who had their foundational beliefs in the antediluvian God of the Old Testament, but were neither of  Jewish descent, nor Christian.    It is generally agreed that this writing is neither dependent upon nor supportive of either the New or Old Testaments, that is of course apart from the portions of Genesis that describe the antediluvian world. 

  There are definite affinities with the Qumrân writings, but even these might be explained as having used 1 Enoch as an older source, especially for the emphasis upon their solar calendar.  It has even been suggested that this second book of Enoch was a Christian rewrite of the first, but this idea is largely rejected because there is far too little in common and far too much that is new or original.   Besides that, there is no reference whatsoever to Christ, a savior, or such an equivalent of the Christian message of salvation.   Enoch actually occupies such an exalted position that it would be entirely out of character for a Christian to represent the antediluvian prophet as such.   The book in fact indicates that Enoch takes away the sin of the world.  For a Christian to write such words would seem to be blasphemy.  On the other hand, it falls far short as a writing supportive of  Judaism.  There is no mention of  Abraham, Moses, David, etc.   There is no emphasis upon a special race, no special law, no sabbath observance, and no circumcision.  Enoch out shines all other prophets, and his writing becomes the Torah.  Enoch's Torah is not a list of laws and religious rites, but a simple emphasis upon a monotheistic religious faith in the creator along with simple ethical and very practical approach to living right.   Such would be blasphemy for the Jew to write.  Considering all of this, we have what Charlesworth calls "an enigma". 

 Due to the emphasis upon the birth of Melchizedek, the work might well have been written by an author associated with the Qumrân writings, as it is well known that they especially had a great interest in Melchizedek.  If this is the case, the writing is written before the beginning of the Christian Era and would be significant in providing a foundation for the Christian theme in the canonized Book of Hebrews.    On the other hand, the book's emphasis upon Melchizedek is one major point of conflict with Christianity suggesting that this not a Christian work.   If the work is regarded as Christian we become faced with the dilemma of another priesthood in heaven, and if it is Jewish we have a higher priesthood than that of Aaron and Zadok.  The eventual conclusion seems to suggest that Judaism must eventually pass away or at least yield itself  to yet a higher priestly order, the order of Melchizedek. 

 It is yet another fact that these passages even conflict with the other Qumrân texts regarding Melchizedek and as such, it is likely that it was neither authored by them.  It remains possible that the group that authored this manuscript was from neither of the known  religious groups.  Their emphasis upon the Melchizedek priesthood seems to echo the Mormon cult where the establishment of a certain priesthood becomes of paramount importance.  Much speculation concerning Melchizedek's mysterious character had existed among the sects at Qumrân, but this had even increased more with the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews and its allusions to this person as the prefiguration of Christ as High Priest of the new priesthood.89    It is quite possible that the authors are of some unknown cult like group who maintained that they alone possessed the authority of the Melchizedek priestly order and as such, they alone possessed the necessary truth.  If this be the case, we have nothing but our present speculation.  In either case the possibility of such still remains.  Perhaps one day we will discover other documents written by this unknown cult.  What is lacking however if such was the case, is something that would separate that one group of believers from all others.  Perhaps all that was necessary to separate them was their steadfast devotedness to the writings of the prophet Enoch.  Nickelsburg suggests that further investigation to search out and discover this missing religious order might hold great promise for an over ambitious or brave inquirer.  Then again, perhaps there is no such group to be discovered.  Enough of this, let us look more in depth at the teachings within the manuscript.

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Caught Up To Heaven

 The point of the whole manuscript seems to be upon Enoch's special prophetic calling and ascent into heaven to receive the revelation which he is in turn to hand over to his children.   He is to write 366 (some translations indicate 360) books concerning all that he has seen or has been revealed.  After he has written these words in books, he is commissioned to deliver some of these writings to his children, some to Methuselah's brethren and to the elders of the people, and lastly to an assembly of two thousand, that they might serve to be witnesses from one generation to another.   Enoch is viewed as a priest by the author of this book, and it is a necessity that if he is to leave, another must be chosen as God's chosen priest or representative.  This view of Enoch and the priesthood is neither of  Old Testament nor New Testament origin.

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The First Heaven

 When Enoch is 365 years of age, he is meet by two angelic visitors who stand at the head of his bed to take him into the heavens where he might see and learn the things he must afterwards write down and deliver to the people in his day (2En. 1:6).  While in the first heaven he learns of the two hundred angels that govern the stars and apparently, the constellations (2En. 4:2).  The passage obviously alludes to or presupposes the Ethiopic writing of Enoch, commonly referred to as 1 Enoch (82:9-20).  It is within this writing that we have revealed to us how Uriel is the sole ruler of the stars.  As ruler of this first heaven, Uriel rules over all principalities who revolve in their respective circuits.  Each one has his own order, time, month, season, or respective place in the creation of the Almighty.  Directly under Uriel are the four leaders who are given the responsibility over the four seasons.  Their names are: Malkiel, Hela'emmemelek, Milayul, and Narel.   Each month is assigned to the responsibility of twelve other angels.  Under them are three hundred and sixty captains who have the responsibility over a given day.  Under the three hundred and sixty captains are thousands of other angels, each having been ordered to assist the captains in carrying out their responsibilities over each day.  We have further reference to these subordinate angels who dwell within the fourth heaven.   Evidently only the leaders of these armies of angels have their dwelling within the first heaven.   Then there are the angels who are busily assigned to the tasks of guarding the many treasuries of snow, ice, clouds, and dew.  It is not clear who the whole company of the two hundred are since they are not individually mentioned.  Although the number two hundred coincidentally corresponds with the same number of angels who had  apostatized with Semyaz in 1 Enoch (6:5), these rulers do not appear to represent  that same rebellious group.  Perhaps they are mentioned as their replacements.

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The Second Heaven

 

 In the second heaven, Enoch witnesses the punishment of the apostate angels who revealed the secret forbidden things to men.  The place is a place of thick darkness unlike any darkness known to earth.  The angels themselves are filled with and emanate great darkness.  These are angels who rebelled and revealed secrets to men, but did not physically engage in the sexual acts of fornication with the daughters of men (2En. 7:3).  Their punishment is different from that of the others who did commit the sexual sin.  These are the angels who rebelled and willfully turned away from observing the commandments of God.  They plotted against the throne and him who sat upon it thereby committing the great sin of treason, together with their great prince.  "They took counsel of their own will and transgressed together with their prince" (2En. 7:3).  Their sin is that they desired to form a new kingdom of their own, with their newly elected leader ruling as a god over them. 

   For thou hast said in thine heart,
   I will ascend into heaven. 
   I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: 
   I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, 
   in the sides of the north.
  (Isa. 14:13 KJV) 

 It appears that some of the angels who had originally inhabited the fifth heaven must have been cast down to the second heaven of darkness to be imprisoned following their willful rebellion.  These rebellious angels petition Enoch to intercede on their behalf that God might show them mercy.  There is no response by Enoch here to indicate that such a great mercy or pardoning is impossible to obtain.  This request is different from that of the Watchers who have sinned sexually with women.  For these and their devilish children there is no such pardon possible, "therefore you will have no peace" (1En. 16:3).

  The Bible briefly mentions such accounts as we have here in Enoch but unfortunately does not further elaborate upon them.  The authors of the Enoch writings (1 Enoch, 2 Enoch) might be purposely and deliberately drifting away from biblical revelation in an attempt to incorporate other extra biblical truths, perhaps based upon other ancient writings from Egypt, India, Greece, Babylon, Persia, etc.  In Hesiod's Eoiae we find  the following story.
 

Now all the gods were divided through strife; for at that very time Zeus who thunders on high was meditating marvellous  deeds, even to mingle storm and tempest over the boundless  earth, and already he was hastening to make an utter end of the  race of mortal men, declaring that he would destroy the lives of  the demi-gods, that the children of the gods should not mate with wretched mortals, seeing their fate with their own eyes; but that  the blessed gods henceforth even as aforetime should have their  living and their habitations apart from men.  But on those who were  born of immortals and of mankind verily Zeus laid toil and sorrow  upon sorrow.

 Within the Hindu myth from the Vishnu Purana we have a further description of a fallen or demonic race of super-human beings inhabiting the earth harassing the children of Adam.  The earth prays for help to the assembly of the gods, with Brahma sitting at the head of the assembly. 
 

At this present season [the Earth continues] many demons,  of whom Kalanemi is the chief, have overrun, and continually  harass, the region of mortals.  The great Asura Kalanemi, that  was killed by the powerful Vishnu, has revived in Kansa, the  son of Ugrasena, and many other mighty demons, more that I  can enumerate ... are born in the palaces of kings.  Countless  hosts of proud and powerful spirits, chiefs of the demon race,  assuming celestial forms, now walk the earth; and, unable to support myself beneath the incumbent load, I come to you for succour.  Illustrious deities, do you so act that I may be relieved from my burden, lest helpless I sink into the nethermost abyss ...

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The Third Heaven

   In the third heaven Enoch discovers the "paradise" of God, where the tree of life remains until this day (2En. 8:1-3).  It is a place where the Lord himself goes to take his rest.   The proof of the existence of such a place is testified by the Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 12:3-4 KJV) who claims that he has visited such a place himself.  There are 300 angels who are charged the responsibility as caretakers of this paradise.  Yet in this heaven there is also a terrible place located north of the garden.  Here there is assigned a special sort of punishing angel bearing instruments by which they inflict their gross savage like tortures.    The darkness is impenetrable by any light and there is a fiery river that goes forth throughout.  There is a wall of fire on all sides, and yet, there is cold and ice there as well.   The inhabitants are continually tortured by the fierce intensity of the painful flames of fire while at the same time suffering under the coldness of freezing temperatures.   The inhabitants are made up of idolaters, sorcerers, thieves, and them that have allowed all kinds of evil to be inflicted upon the common man.   It is a place of  various kinds of tortures, where the souls of sinners are taken after they die.  This is to be the eternal reward and inheritance of those who remain in their gross sin (2En. 10:1-6). 

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The Fourth Heaven

   As Enoch enters into the fourth heaven he discovers both solar and lunar tracks which are the paths that the sun and moon must follow.  Here there are one hundred fifty thousand angels that continually ensure that the sun, moon, and stars run their appointed paths and enter through their appropriate gates at the appropriate times as ordered by the creator.  Enoch learns that what appears to be physical or natural law, is actually a great effort achieved by a massive work force of angelic beings who serve to keep everything in order.  The four seasons are likewise maintained by these angelic beings (2En. 11-17).   As already mentioned, it appears that the 200 angelic leaders or governors appointed as rulers over these angels have their habitation within the first heaven.  There are four great stars or angelic beings that position themselves on the right side of the chariots of the sun and four others that position themselves on the left side.  These have one thousand angels positioned under them making a total of eight thousand angels that move together with the sun's chariot.  At day there are one hundred fifty thousand angels accompanying the sun while at night the number is reduced to one thousand.  There are one hundred angelic beings who go before the chariot as if to lead the great precession of the sun, the same being responsible for supplying the great light and warmth of the sun (2En. 5:12).  There are other magnificent creatures referred to as the solar elements.  They are marvelous flying creatures called Phoenixes and Khalkedras.  In  appearance they are some kind of a heavenly winged dragon or flying serpent, having the head of a crocodile, the tail of an ... (possibly lion or serpent), and the rest of their body resembling that of a lion (2En. 1).  If they are the heavenly serpent like creatures described in   1En. 20:7, then they are under the authority of Gabriel together with the cherubim.   It has been suggested that they are equally called Chalkadri, Phoenixes, or Seraphim.  Their function is to pull the heavenly chariot of the sun.  There are either two or twelve of them, depending upon which manuscript source is relied upon.   Their size is that of nine hundred  measures suggesting a size much greater than nine hundred feet if we allow one measure to  be approximately one cubit. 

 In the middle of the heavens, probably also referring to the fourth heaven as the middle portion of the seven heavens, there is an armed host of angels who serve the Lord, worshipping him with their cymbals, pipes, and unceasing marvelous voices of songs and singing (2En. 17).   According to Rabbinical tradition, the fourth heaven also contains the heavenly Jerusalem.  In that heavenly city is located the true temple and altar, upon which Michael offers up the daily sacrifice.

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The Fifth Heaven

    In the fifth heaven Enoch comes upon the innumerable armies of Grigori.  These represent the Watchers who have sworn allegiance to their prince Satanail.   It is worth noting that these angels are not imprisoned for their allegiance to Satan, however they do obviously dwell in their own separate place, the fifth heaven.  It is not stated whether their separation is voluntary or mandatory as a result of the choice that they have made.  It is quite possible that they have always dwelled in the fifth heaven. Perhaps the fifth heaven was specifically created for these Grigori, as other angels dwell within the sixth and the seventh heaven.  These Grigori have not been utterly cast into a prison as their brothers, for they have not joined their brothers in their perversion of sexual acts with the daughters of men, neither have they revealed the forbidden secrets to man.  Although they are massive in stature, they are otherwise in appearance like humans (2En. 18:1).  According to Charlesworth they were the law enforcement officers of heaven.  Their countenance is very sad as they were depressed to a very low state, so much so, that they could no longer praise the Almighty.  The reason for their great depression was their deep remorse over the banishment of their brothers.  Their fellow Grigori  had been imprisoned under the earth as a result of their sexual sin with the daughters of men.   Enoch explains that their brothers shall never be pardoned of the crime that they have willfully committed, and then admonishes them to praise the Almighty before they enrage him past his limit of  forbearance.   As a result, they heed the advice of Enoch and begin to praise their creator.  It is quite possible that these are the angels who are to rebel in heaven sometime yet in the future as is indicated in John's apocalypse.

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The Sixth Heaven

    When he entered into the sixth heaven, Enoch encountered the seven greatest archangels.  These are the great angels who have authority over all others.  These are the fiery archangels whose radiance and glory is equal to the sun.   It is these seven angels who especially monitor all things concerning the creation.  Whenever an evil thing is detected these archangels put the commandments and instructions in order (2En. 19:3).  It is these seven who cause all things to harmonize throughout the creation.  We indicated earlier how Uriel is the sole ruler of the stars, and how he also rules over all principalities who revolve in their respective circuits.  But here we have mention of the existence of  other such archangels.  It is their responsibility to ensure that all other angels promptly perform the tasks assigned to them (2En. 19:3).  There are some which study or monitor the revolutions of the stars to make necessary corrections if need be.  Others are appointed to watch over teaching and instruction.  Then there are the archangels who are appointed over the angelic musicians and the heavenly choir.  Others are placed in charge of fruit bearing and harvest.  All of this sounds so much like the pagan view of the gods who watched over the elements of the earth, indeed there is no difference except that these are not gods by any means but rather generals in the Lord's army.  Others of these archangels are appointed to watch over the souls of men.  To insure that man shall give an account of every word, thought, or deed.  They do not judge the acts of men but rather record every fact and deed, leaving the final judgment to the God who sits upon the throne.

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The Seventh Heaven

    Finally Enoch is transported into the seventh heaven where he is privileged to see all the fiery hosts of great archangels, incorporeal powers, lordships, principalities, powers, cherubim, seraphim, thrones and them who sat upon them.   Each varied in brightness and glory according to their own order and there were ten different orders or stages.  And from a distance Enoch was able to see God seated upon his throne in the tenth heaven, but he was not allowed to ascend past the seventh.  He was able to witness the armies that are privileged to ascend upwards and present themselves in his presence, each according to their own order and rank.  Each order would take their position on the step appointed them as there were ten steps that ascended to the throne (2En. 20).

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The City Of God

    Finally the archangel Gabriel appears to Enoch in the seventh heaven and invites him to ascend even to the tenth heaven where he shall stand before the very throne of God.  He passes the eighth heaven, which contains the twelve Zodiacs or probably the twelve houses of the Zodiac.  The twelve  Zodiacs might well represent the individual inheritance pertaining to each of the twelve tribes.  The New Jerusalem, that golden city spoken of by John the Apostle (Rev. 21:10 KJV), is said to have twelve different gates.  The eighth heaven might well represent the exteriors and the entrance or gateway leading into the ninth heaven.   The ninth heaven contains the innumerable mansions of each of the twelve houses of which Jesus referred to when he spoke those memorable words:
 

   In my Father's house are many mansions: 
   if it were not so, I would have told you. 
   I go to prepare a place for you. 
   And if I go and prepare a place for you, 
   I will come again, and receive you unto myself; 
   that where I am, there ye may be also. 
   And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 
       (John 14:2-4 KJV)

  Before long he finds himself standing before the very throne of God in the tenth heaven (2En. 22:1).  Enoch is then lifted up by Michael who causes him to stand in the face of  Almighty God.   And the Lord commands Michael that Enoch is to be anointed with holy oil and clothed or wrapped in the glory of God.  Suddenly Enoch becomes equal to the archangels in glory, "and there was no observable difference" (2En. 22:10).

   For in the resurrection they neither marry,
   nor are given in marriage, 
   but are as the angels of God in heaven. 
      (Mat 22:30 KJV)
 

   For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 
   and this mortal must put on immortality. 
      (1 Cor 15:53 KJV)
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Initiated Into The Sacred Mysteries

     Now Vrevoil, the wisest of Angels, is commanded to bring forth the book from the library and tutor Enoch concerning all these great mysteries.  He is commissioned to write 360 books about all the secrets that have been revealed to him.  It is noteworthy here that Enoch is especially privileged to have been allowed to see the twelve houses of the Zodiac along with their mansions.  According to ancient astronomy, each sign of the Zodiac is further subdivided into twenty-eight Mansions of the Moon.  This is properly called the Lunar Zodiac.  These twenty-eight subdivisions are marked out by the twenty-eight day revolution around the earth.  As it turns out, two and one third of these sections or mansions as they are properly called, might be identified within each sign of the Solar Zodiac.  Each one of these mansions is named by its own particular name and consists of a smaller group of stars.  There are also three Deacons assigned to each of the twelve major signs.  These deacons were believed to exercise their own influence upon the signs.   The number 360 as referred to the books which Enoch wrote might well indicate a symbolic number 36 * 10.  As the sun journeys along its natural course, the moon makes twelve complete revolutions around the earth.  The path or circuit of the Sun is divided into twelve natural divisions containing thirty degrees for each section corresponding with the thirty days in the month cycle.  There would be 360 degrees along the circle of the Zodiac whose name means simply a walkway or path of the sun.  The number 360 than might easily represent the complete revelation of the meaning of the Zodiac and their 36 deacons.  These books of great mysteries might refer to the prophecies of the Messiah and the Everlasting Gospel as written and revealed in the stars from the beginning of time.

 Afterwards, God himself begins to teach Enoch things that have never been revealed to any other creature.  How both light and darkness were brought into existence from that which was invisible.  What is most interesting is the creation of the armies of angels being brought forth from fire.  After their creation each had been commanded to stand in their own rank, but Satan, who is declared to be one of the archangels,  was hurled down with the rank of angels beneath him, (probably the Grigori, also called the Watchers) because he set out to make himself equal with God (2En. 29:4-5).

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Creation Of The Celestial Worlds

    The creation story as described by Enoch is much different then that which we find in Genesis.  It is quite possible that the story that we have preserved here is much older than that which Moses had written down.  This is not to bring discredit upon the Genesis account but rather to attempt to understand more fully the Enoch account in the light of the Genesis revelation. 

    God begins by commanding the two invisible things to come forth from out of the deep to make themselves visible.  We are not informed as to whether these two things were always in existence with God from the beginning or whether he created them initially.  It is further not clear whether these two are living beings, entities, or merely meant as a personification of  something that simply is.  As he commands the first to come forth he does so by calling it by its name, Adoil.  Charles suggests the name is merely the Hebrew  ìàãé, or literally "the hand of God".   Enoch informs us that "in his belly he had a great light" (2En. 25:1).  Adoil is commanded to burst open or disintegrate himself and what remains is only that great light that came forth from out of Adoil. This simply says that light burst forth from out of the invisible hand of God.   The light that was once hidden and invisible is now made visible and brought out into the open.  One might say that it now has substance.  We are further informed that the great world came forth from out of this great light.  Charles further  suggests that this great world which Enoch refers to here must surely represent the heavenly world because God proceeds to set up a throne for himself.  After his throne has been firmly established he now exalts the light even higher than his own throne.

    The second invisible thing that had already existed is called by the name, Arkhas.  Charles  suggests the word is derived from the Greek word  ÜÜñ÷Üò, which means the primary, beginning or first, especially as relating to rank.  What we might have in Arkhas is the original invisible creation prior to the hand of God, separating himself from it as he separated the light from the darkness.  Arkhas may well represent the first creation of the invisible world.  A world in which chaos was rampant throughout.  A world in which God had not yet established order, or a world of rebellion and gross spiritual darkness.  Arkhas is commanded, "let that be seen which is produced from thee" (2En. 26:2).  When the invisible darkness takes on visibility, a very great and dark world came forth.  This first creation or first world (hence the name  ÜÜñ÷Üò,) was to be the foundation for all things below, the underworld if you will.  The Book of the Secrets of Enoch is very clear that "the devil is to be the evil spirit of the lowest places; he became Satan, after he left the heavens.  His name was formerly Satanail".

    Two worlds had existed in the beginning then, the upper world of light in which God's throne was set, and the lower world that was filled with darkness, perhaps inhabited by the first of the rebels.  Next God had decreed that there should be a permanent barrier of separation between these two worlds so that light might be eternally separated from the darkness.  For this reason the water was created and spread out as a blanket to divide the one world from the other.  Within these waters God created seven circles and showed their paths to the seven stars.  These seven stars are later referred to by their names: Kruno (Saturn), Aphrodite (Venus), Ares (Mars), Sun, Zeus (Jupiter), Hermes (Mercury), and the Moon (2En. 30:3).  Charles points out that the five stars were known to Israel in Old Testament times and are recorded in the ancient prophetical writings.  !WYKi represents the god associated with the planet Saturn and is translated in our English translation as "Chiun" in Amos 5:26.  This Assyrian-Babylonian god Chiun without doubt represented Saturn.  lleyhe represents the god once associated with  the planet Venus.  In our English translation the name is translated as "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14:12.   lg:r>nE represents the god Ares and is translated in our English translation as "Nergal" in 2 Kings 17:30.   Nergal is without doubt the Assyrian-Babylonian god represented by the planet Mars.   dG" represents the god who is identified with the planet Jupiter.  The Greeks called him Zeus but in our English translation we find the word "troop" which should more accurately be better translated as  "good fortune" in Isaiah 65:11.  The god represented by the planet Jupiter was said to be the god of good fortune.  Abn> is another name that represents the god Hermes and is translated in our English translation as "Nebo" in Isaiah 46:1.  This Nebo corresponds to the Latin god Mercury and  the Egyptian god Thoth.  The god is of course associated with the planet Mercury.

   Enoch's creation story enjoys some obvious similarities with the Pelasgian Creation Myth; for after the goddess Eurynome had taken the form of a dove, and laid the Universal Egg, from which all of the rest of the creation would come forth; she then separated herself from Ophion and banished him to the dark caves below the earth.  Following this she creates the seven planetary powers and then sets a Titan over each of them.  These Titans without a doubt correspond to the seven stars associated with the seven planets in Enoch's writing.  The same seven stars appear also in 1En. 18:13-14 where they are found to have been imprisoned because "these are the ones that transgressed the command of the Lord from the beginning."

    Although the Bible does not elaborate on these seven Titans, other ancient sources help to illuminate more of the story.  The fate of these Titans is described in Hesiod's account of The Fall Of The Titans. 
 

And amongst the foremost Cottus and Briareos and Gyes  [the allies of the Olympians] insatiate for war  raised fierce  fighting: three hundred rocks, one upon another, they launched  from their strong hands and overshadowed the Titans with their  missiles, and hurled them beneath the wide-pathed earth, and bound them in bitter chains when they had conquered them by their strength for all their great spirit, as far beneath the earth as heaven is above the earth; for so far it is from earth to Tartarus.

   The fall of Satan and his angels according to this apocalypse of Enoch was between the second and third day of creation.   It was in this second day of creation that the heavens were finished.  In the Akkadian myth from the Enuma Elish, "the vanquished gods are fettered and trampled underfoot before the creation of the heavens and are referred to as the bound or chained gods.  They are imprisoned for a time but afterwards Marduk shows mercy to them."  Accordingly then, Satan fell before there had been any living thing created upon the earth.   God then goes on to discuss the further creation of the earth.  The culmination of which is to be found in the creation of Adam.  Of Adam it is said that he had been assigned to be a second angel, honored, great, and glorious (2En. 30:11).  The heavenly paradise is handed over to Adam to rule over as a king (2En. 31:1).  The reference to "a second angel" might suggest that Adam was meant to be a replacement for Satan who has been cast away.  Enoch is further taught, the "devil understood how I wished to create another world, so that everything could be subjected to Adam on the earth, to rule and reign over it" (2En. 31:3).  It seems that God was giving to Adam the very thing that Satan had originally coveted, thereby resulting in his fall from heaven.

    The concept of  this place called paradise is not a place located upon the earth.  It seems that although Adam would have been the ruler and lord of the earth, his own dwelling place would have been paradise, that part of heaven that stood between the higher heavens, and the earth.  Adam was cast from the garden to live upon the earth as a result of the fall.  It would seem from Enoch's perspective that Adam would have not had his dwelling upon the earth otherwise, but would have occupied his own throne in the paradise of God, located within the third heaven.    Adam only lived in paradise for five and one half hours before he too was cast out from the presence of God (2En. 32:2).  According to the writings of Origen, Adam had been demoted from his heavenly paradise and made to have his dwelling only upon the earth.

    When Adam is cast out into the earth, God decrees that he will take him back again at his second coming  (2En. 32:1), which is to be understood according to Charlesworth as that time when "God descends at the end of the world, and lives with his purified children for eternity".  God reveals that his plan for man shall be completed within a period of one week.  Seven days, each day consisting of one thousand years.  Following this will be an eighth day unlike the first seven in that there will be no end to this eighth day, for it is to be a beginning of a new age (2En. 33:1-2).  God also reveals that in spite of the rebellion of the evil angels, there is no one who can continue in a state of deliberate insubordination or rebellion.  What he has declared will certainly come to pass.

   For I created all the armies (and) all the forces. 
   And there is no one who opposes me 
   or who is insubordinate to me; 
   for all submit themselves to my sole rule 
   and work my sole dominion.
       (2En. 33:7)

 After all this, Enoch is to be accompanied back to the earth so that he might deliver all of these words, visions, and books to the people upon the earth.  It was God's intention that through the agency of Enoch's testimony, all might be warned. His books are to be preserved by the appointed guardians that they might be delivered to the last generation during the time of the end.   According to Charlesworth these guardians must be angels, "Since various duties have been assigned to them, notably the preservation of the books for use in the end-time."

   Then at the conclusion of that generation 
   the books in your handwriting will be revealed, 
   and those of your fathers, by means of which 
   the guardians of the earth will show themselves 
   to the faithful men. 
       (2En. 35:2)
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Enoch's Ministry Upon The Earth

 

 Enoch begins to rehearse all of these things in the ears of his sons, princes, and as many as would come out to hear him speak.  He instructs them about how they should live righteously and how they should try not to offend even the animals, much less a man who is created in God's image.  He goes on to explain how that the rituals of sacrifice and oblation mean nothing if a man's heart remains corrupt.  God does not demand such ritualistic worship.  Rather, God desires true worship that can only issue forth from out of a pure heart (2En. 45:3).  What proceeds from Enoch after this is a somewhat lengthy teaching being very similar to the famed "Sermon on the Mount" in the New Testament.  Finally a darkness envelops the area where Enoch stood teaching before over two thousand people, and he suddenly vanishes in the darkness leaving only a scroll behind which is inscribed with the words, "The Invisible God" (2En. 67:3).

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Establishment Of The Priesthood

 The Ethiopic Book of Enoch might rightfully end with the sixty eighth chapter.  What remains is believed to be perhaps a later addition.  According to Charles this appended portion to the Book of Enoch might very well be the work of a later Christian heretic.  This supposition is based upon other manuscripts that do not include this later addition.  The latter portion appears to have been written for the sole purpose of stressing the necessary continuance of the Melchizedek priesthood or order.  It is well known that during the times of Christ there had been indeed a  great emphasis upon the priestly order of Melchizedek.   We mention this to caution the reader not to base his judgment of the first portion of the book of Enoch based merely upon references found within this second portion.  On the other hand, this second portion might rightfully belong to the first. 

 At the place where Enoch had ascended into heaven, the people erected an altar where they might offer up sacrifices of thanksgiving to God.  The people requested that Methuselah would now succeed Enoch in the priesthood and be their priest to stand before the face of God on their behalf.  As Enoch functioned more as a prophet and not at all in the capacity of a priest, the idea of passing the sceptre of the priesthood to another seems highly questionable and would support Charles' belief that this second portion does not truly belong with the original.

 Methuselah at first rejected the demands of the people by suggesting that such was not a choice for men to make, but that God would certainly choose a priest for himself and they must patiently wait upon the Lord for him to reveal his chosen one.  The whole oozes with anti-Judaism rejecting the current Jewish priesthood and temple rites.   Historically there had been many changes of foreign rulership over the Jewish people, but all the while the main controlling power over the Jewish people was undoubtedly the priesthood.   From the time of Moses the final word rested with the high priest because he was regarded as the primary  spokesman and interpreter for God.  It is the high priest who alone has access to the Holy of Holies and the Urim and Thummim.  After the exile, the temple was again reestablished, and the priesthood once again regained their political power over the Jewish people.  The office of high priest was usually awarded by hereditary right, the position being retained for life.  Along with the high priest was a ruling council of elders consisting of the more prominent scribes, priests, wealthy businessman, and landowners.  This council was later called, the Sanhedrin.

 During the Ptolemaic period, the priesthood remained politically powerful, but the position of the high priest would be awarded by the political overlord.  The office became one subservient to the state.  Power returned to the priesthood during the Maccabean revolt as John Hyrcanus secured the position, forming the beginning of the Hasmonean dynasty.  During the reign of  Herod, the office of the priesthood was once again appointed at times by the political overlord.  The high priest remained politically powerful possessing great influence,  often acting as adviser to the Roman procurator.   Rome acknowledged that the high priest continued to hold great power over public opinion, being able to sway them to the one side or the other.  The author of this second portion of 2 Enoch  might very well be writing this document in an attempt to convince the Jewish world that although God unquestionably had  chosen Moses as his prophet, the current priesthood truly has no divine authority to make such a claim.  They must hear his words and choose for themselves whom God has chosen.  Such words would at least explain why the writings of Enoch could never be accepted by the Jewish priesthood as part of the Old Testament canon.   While some believe this to be somewhat supportive of the belief that the Essenes propagated this Enoch literature, especially due to the emphasis upon the priesthood of Melchizedek, it does one well to note that this peculiar book of Enoch is not really supportive of  Judaism, Christianity, or the   Essene sect.   It remains therefore somewhat of an enigma.    And so we next have the Lord himself speaking to Methuselah in a dream and commissioning him to take responsibility for the priestly office, and so Methuselah had succeeded Enoch as God's representative high-priest upon the earth (2En. 69:5). 

 As Methuselah was approaching the end of his life, the priesthood was to pass on to the second son of  Lamekh, the brother of Noah.  His name was Nir, and during his final days of priestly service the people would begin to greatly fall away from the true worship.  The falling away would have nothing at all to do with the faithful service of Nir, for it was destined to be a time in which Satan would begin to make himself great, the people would begin worshipping false gods, and the earth would undergo great disruptive changes.  Such disruptions included even a change in the earth's seasons.   Throughout the first 202 years of Nir's priestly service (2En. 70:22) however, there was a great time of peace and order, at least among the chosen seed.  By comparing other portions of the Enochian writings we are informed that there had been extensive Satanic involvement and influences at work almost from the beginning.

 Now the devil was to become ruler for the third time.  The second was in paradise because of the fall of Adam and Eve.  The first was sometime before paradise, which possibly suggests that the devil was given rulership over the first creation evidently existing prior to Adam's arrival (2En. 70:25).  This is the second such reference or hint of this idea but unfortunately we have no further elaboration.  We will recall how that Adam had been assigned to be a second angel, honored, great, and glorious (2En. 30:11), and how that the paradise had been handed over to Adam to rule over as a king (2En. 31:1).  This reference to "a second angel" appears to be somewhat suggestive of  Adam as a replacement for the evil Satan who had been permanently cast away.  We further have noted how Enoch was told that the "devil understood how I wished to create another world, so that everything could be subjected to Adam on the earth, to rule and reign over it" (2En. 31:3).  Obviously God intended to give to Adam the very thing that Satan had either once rightfully possessed, or that which he had merely originally coveted.  Whatever the case, it would appear that these references are somehow related to the fall of the angel from his high position in heaven.

 In the Qur'an we have another gem that gives support to the idea that Adam was to be made the replacement of another who ruled before him.  In Al-Baqarah - The Cow we read:

And when thy Lord said to the angels, 
I am going to place a ruler (khalifah) in the earth, 
they said: 
Wilt Thou place in it such as make mischief in it and shed blood? 
And we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness. 
He said: 
Surely I know what you know not. 
(The Cow 2:30)

 The Arabic word khalifah, translated as "ruler", is merely a derivative of the word khalafa, which literally means he came after or succeeded another that had perished or died.  It primarily means and is used in this context to designate the successor to the throne of the earth.  As the text above refers to Adam, this implies that Adam was not the first ruler but rather has become the successor to the throne.  Further down in the text we find mention of Satan's defiance against the will of God as he refuses to submit himself to the authority of the new ruler of the earth.

And when We said to the angels, 
Be submissive to Adam, 
they submitted, but Iblis did not. 
He refused and was proud, 
and he was one of the disbelievers. 
 (The Cow 2:34)

And when We said to the Angels: 
Make submission to Adam, 
they submitted except Iblis. 
He was one of the jinn, 
so he transgressed the commandment of his Lord.
Will you then take him and his offspring for friends rather than Me, 
and they are your enemies?
Evil is the exchange for the unjust. 
      (The Cave 18:50)

According to the teachings of Islam, Iblis and Satan (Ar. Shaitan) represent one and the same being in the Qur'an.  He is said to be one of the evil jinn rather than an angel.

 Nir had no male successor to carry on the priesthood because his wife Sopanim had been sterile, neither had he any sexual intercourse with his wife during the years that he stood before the Lord in priestly service.  This idea carries with it the idea that sexual intercourse even in marriage is somehow negative for the priest of God to regularly engage in, but there is otherwise no such commandment upon the priesthood.   According to the account, Sopanim had supernaturally conceived a miraculous child in her old age at the time of her death, the child having no known father.  Now this Nir had thought to put her to death because of her unfaithful sin, but she continually insisted that she was innocent.  Before he could carry out his thoughts, his wife died.  Thinking that the Lord must have surely sentenced his wife accordingly, he hurried to prepare the woman for burial so that none would discover her current condition.  When he came back to the room where her body lay, the child had already come forth from out of her womb and had already developed to the maturity of a three year old.  Nir called Noah in his amazement and they examined the child.  Upon careful examination they discovered a birth mark signifying the holy priesthood upon the child's chest.  Realizing  that God had chosen these supernatural means to preserve the priesthood, they accepted the miracle and named the child Melchizedek (2En. 71).

 The reference to this strange birth mark is repeated in the story of Mohammed.  It is commonly taught in Islam that Mohammed also had a small oval birth mark on his back which is deemed to be extremely significant.  When the child was nine years old, and living with his uncle Abu Talib, he had undergone a strange questioning by a Roman Catholic monk.  Evidently the child's uncle had some connection with the Roman Catholic Church at the time.  The Roman Catholic monk had instructed Mohammed and his uncle, that the birth mark upon the back of the lad was the mark or seal of a prophet.  Mohammed's uncle had then been instructed to carefully guard and protect the child from the Jews, for he was warned that if they somehow had discovered that this great prophet had been born to fulfill the prophecies concerning his coming, they would attempt to take Mohammed's life.   Although the mark of the prophet is witnessed upon Mohammed, there seems to be no link between the books of Enoch and the teachings of Islam from the Qur'an.   The Qur'an does not appear to support any such teachings of rebellious angels who sinned by revealing secrets such as sorcery and metallurgy to man.  Neither is there any account of angels committing sexual sins with the daughters of men.  Such teachings then appear to be inconsistent with Muslim thought and teaching. 

 Now this Nir was extremely troubled concerning the safety of the child, fearing that if discovered, the evil people would surely slay the child to finally do away with the true priestly line.  God had promised that he would send forth Michael who would transport the child to paradise where he would remain.  This Melchizedek was obviously predestined to be the priest to all other priests, forever (2En. 71:29).

 There is a prophecy concerning Melchizedek that might suggest a Christian influence, but does not necessarily demand it.  Melchizedek is to be the thirteenth priest of which there have already been twelve in the antediluvian world.  In the future, another Melchizedek will come forth and die upon the earth at the same location which Adam was created.  He will be the first of twelve future priests and will himself  be over all of priests.  The total number of the priests then are thirteen from the antediluvian world and twelve from the new world, which is to say twenty-five priests in total.  This later day Melchizedek was to be regarded as the Arch priest or High priest over each of the twenty-four.   The exaltation of a man to a place of priest, ruler, and warlord, is believed by some to be the message intended by Psalm 110. 

 A Psalm of David.

The LORD said unto my Lord, 
Sit thou at my right hand, 
until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: 
rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, 
in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: 
thou hast the dew of thy youth. 
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, 
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 
The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath
He shall judge among the heathen, 
he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; 
he shall wound the heads over many countries. 
He shall drink of the brook in the way: 
therefore shall he lift up the head. 
     (Psa 110:1-7 KJV)

 During the Maccabean period,  Jonathan, brother of Judas Maccabeus, succeeded Judas at his death, and the war continued until Jonathan was succeeded by his brother Simon, also of the family of Maccabeus.  In his day a treaty was made between him and Demetrius II of Syria.    Simon was given political freedom from Syria and complete release from taxation.  Simon was then made high priest in Jerusalem, and a treaty was signed with Rome 139 B.C. in which Rome would recognize the independence of the Jewish state.   The peace between Jerusalem and Syria came to an end with the fall of Demetrius II.  When Antiocus VII succeeded his brother Demetrius, he demanded that the Jews once again pay a heavy tribute to Syria.   Simon's sons were again able to break the Syrian yoke, however, shortly thereafter Simon and his two sons had been murdered by Ptolemy, his son in law.  The surviving son of Simon, John Hyrcanus gained control over Jerusalem.   Although Syria regained control over Jerusalem afterward, an internal civil war enabled Hyrcanus to regain control and he was afterwards declared to be the high priest and head of the Jewish state.  Hyrcanus became the founder of the Hasmonean dynasty.

   Some believe that Psalm 110 is written regarding Simon Maccabeus who becomes the high priest in 141 B.C.  The Melchizedek imagined here, according to Jewish thought during the Maccabean age, was not only the ideal priest-king of Jerusalem, but the image was further exalted to the eternal priest of Yahweh.  When Simon Maccabeus assumed the office of the high priesthood, he did so on the basis that his new priesthood was of a much higher order than that of Aaron.  Not only was Simon symbolically equated with Melchizedek, but other passages had been equated with him.  One of these is Psalm 2:7. 

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
I will declare the decree: 
the LORD hath said unto me, 
Thou art my Son; 
this day have I begotten thee. 
     (Psa 2:6-7 KJV)

 In the Jewish mind during that era, this new Hasmonean priest-king had become somewhat comparable to the mythological figure "Day Star", son of Dawn (Isa. 14:12), a scripture that the Church often ascribes to the angel Lucifer, that is the name of Satan prior to his fall.

  The Essenes also understood this future Melchizedek to be an exalted priest in heaven through whom the transgressions of the faithful would be forgiven.  This Melchizedek would be the judge of both the saints of God and the servants of Belial and all of the wicked spirits associated with that evil one.  For the Essene, Melchizedek was understood to be "a god" in contrast to "The God".  For support of this doctrine they clung to Psalm 82.

 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; 
he judgeth among the gods.  ...
They know not, neither will they understand; 
they walk on in darkness: 
all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
I have said, Ye are gods; 
and all of you are children of the most High. 
But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Arise, O God, judge the earth: 
for thou shalt inherit all nations.
    (Psa 82:1,5-8  KJV)

 The reference to "One of the princes" refers to the Spirit of Darkness who is the angel who fell in Isa. 14:12.   It was taught that Melchizedek represented one of the supreme spirits, the Spirit of Light, who is opposed to the Spirit of Darkness.  It is assumed by some that the NT epistle to the Hebrews was originally addressed to a group of Judeo-Christians who probably once shared a common Essene background.  It is within this letter that we find Melchizedek represented and exalted to a priesthood higher than that of  both Aaron or Levi.  This letter describes Melchizedek as possessing an eternal priesthood while existing as an immortal, being somehow co-eternal with the Son of God.

  We do not know who authored the prophecy concerning the future Melchizedek who was to come.  It could have been a priest supportive of the Hasmonean dynasty or it could have been one numbered among the Essenes.  Then again it could have been by the Holy Spirit and unction of God.  The meaning of the twelve future priests need not be an addition by a Christian who desires Melchizedek to be associated with Christ.  It is quite possible that Christ fulfilled this prophecy by selecting twelve priests, one of which would be lost leaving eleven.  If this writing had existed prior to Christ's ministry it becomes one of the most marvelous prophetic fulfillment.  It seems unlikely that those who had followed the teachings concerning this exalted Melchizedek would have been fooled by the addition of this portion to this book of Enoch by a Christian who was attempting to make them believe that Christ was the latter day Melchizedek in whom the waited.  Rather, it would appear that this document had already existed among the Jews and the letter to the Hebrews includes a short acknowledgment that Jesus was in truth that Melchizedek in whom they believed thereby confirming the truth of the prophecy and the establishment of this new Royal priesthood.

 But ye are a chosen generation, 
 a royal priesthood, 
 an holy nation, a peculiar people; 
 that ye should show forth the praises of him 
 who hath called you out of darkness 
 into his marvellous light: 
    (1 Pet 2:9  KJV)
 

 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; 
 whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, 
 as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, 
 until the day dawn, 
 and the day star arise in your hearts: 
 Knowing this first, 
 that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 
 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: 
 but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 
      (2 Pet 1:19-21 KJV)

 It is quite interesting if not altogether peculiar that Peter references the struggle between the Spirit of Darkness and the Spirit of Light in the same breath as he mentions the Day Star and the dawn.  John further takes up this notion of the Day Star or Morning Star indicating that Melchizedek, the Spirit of Light has conquered Lucifer, the Spirit of Darkness and this new Melchizedek has become the new Day Star or Morning Star.  What would be the reaction of these Essene-Jews to such statements?

 And I will give him the morning star. 
    (Rev 2:28  KJV)

 I  Jesus have sent mine angel 
 to testify unto you these things in the churches. 
 I am the root and the offspring of David, 
 and the bright and morning star. 
    (Rev 22:16 KJV)

 The book finally ends with Noah entering the ark, the flood descending upon the earth, and Noah living after the flood about 350 years more.  Finally Noah dies at the age of 950.

American Heritage College Dictionary.  Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993,  3rd ed.

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