The book of Enoch compared to the Bible

Enoch did not write any book, these books with his name on them are not from him, there is no sequence of any manuscript to arrive at the conclusion this book is authentic. Why is the name Enoch assigned to it if there is not authentic authorship? To have you think he is the author, which he is not. Yet today many accept the false information contained in it. There some parts of Enoch that correspond with biblical truth in a few places and there are just as many and more that do not correspond with the Scripture. So one needs to dissect what is correct from what is false. Once we do a biblical comparison we can see why his book was not accepted as canonical.

Many problems can be seen the Book of Enoch when compared to the Bible. Book of Enoch was mostly excluded from Christian biblical canons , and it is now regarded as scripture only by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church Lee, Ralph (2014-03-01). "The Ethiopic 'Andəmta' Commentary on Ethiopic Enoch 2 (1 Enoch 6–9)" . Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha. 23 (3): 179–200. doi : 10.1177/0951820714528628 . ISSN 0951-8207 . S2CID 162871589 .

"The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church" . www.ethiopianorthodox.org .

Bruce the Abyssinian traveler brought home three Ethiopic copies from Alexandria, which Lawrence translated in 1821. The Ethiopic was translated from the Greek, the Greek from the Hebrew. It was published with a translation by Dr. Laurence of Oxford, in 1821, and republished in 1832. A full account of it and its contents may be seen in an article by Prof. Stuart in the Bib. Repository for January 1840, pp. 86-137.

“ The Book of Enoch, which was known to the fathers of the second century, was lost for some centuries with the exception of a few fragments, and was found entire in a copy of the Ethiopic Bible, in 1773, by Bruce. It became known to modern students through a translation from this into English by Dr. Lawrence, in 1821. It was probably written in Hebrew. It consists of revelations purporting to have been given to Enoch and Noah, and its object is to vindicate the ways of divine providence, to set forth the retribution reserved for sinners, angelic or human, and "to repeat in every form the great principle that the world-natural, moral, and spiritual-is under the immediate government of God." (Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament)

Slavonic Book of Enoch, in 1892 AD, resembling the Ethiopic text is possibly different translations of one common and original text. The Slavic version The Book of the Secrets of Enoch—states that Enoch was directed to write the heavenly secrets in 366 books (Ch. 23:3 and 68:3)

“The Slavonic Enoch. In the year 1892 the attention of Dr. Charles was directed to the fact that a Book of Enoch was extant in Slavonic. Perusal proved it not to be a version of the book before us, but another and later pseudepigraphic book, taking, as the earlier had done, the name of Enoch. It is totally independent of the Ethiopic Enoch Book, as is seen by the most cursory consideration. It begins by giving an account of Enoch's instruction to his descendants how he had been taken up to the seventh heaven. Another manuscript adds other three heavens. In the third (?) heaven Enoch is shown the place of the punishment of the wicked. In the description of the fourth heaven there is an account of the physical conditions of the universe, in which the year is said to be 365 1/4 days; but the course of the sun is stated as a course of 227 days; which appears to be all that is accounted for.

Here the independence of the Slavonic Enoch is clear, as the Ethiopic Enoch makes the year 364 days. There are many points of resemblance which show that the writer of the Slavonic Enoch had before him the book which has come down to us in Ethiopic, but the relationship is not by any means so close as to be called dependence.” (from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia)

An Enoch statement of prophecy is used by Jude, but others claim that he also wrote a book (which this is contained in). The question is why is this not spoken of or included in the Bible? The issue is the many statements attributed to Enoch go against Scripture. According to Jude, we have one sentence that could have been quoted by Jewish tradition, but only Noah would be the recipient of this prophecy to pass it on. Or, a better explanation is that it was given by divine revelation to Jude. He certainly could have received this by divine revelation as a prophet, as he states in the beginning of his letter that he was intending to write on their common salvation but was prompted to write v.3 to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’ turning the topic to the judgment of false teachers and the ungodly.

Even if Jude cites a passage from this non-canonical book, it does not mean he accepted the whole book as true, only this particular statement. I think it is more likely Jude did not lift this statement from the book of Enoch. He does not refer a “book of Enoch,” he does not use the phrase that most did in this period, as, “it is written in the book of Enoch. Jude did not quote the book of Enoch but attributes the quote to Enoch.

1 Enoch is dated to 200 bc.To see the evidence of the scrolls of Enoch in Qumran go here https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/1Q23-1

The Ethiopic text was translated from Greek which was translated from Aramaic. The Greek and Aramaic fragments that we have do not contain the Enoch 1:9 statement that Jude quotes. (remember that Jude quotes Enoch but not as being from the Book of Enoch).

Those who use the book of Enoch as a reference for Genesis disregard what the Bible speaks of in detail. There are Greek and Aramaic fragments have been found at Qumran. It classified as mysticism, not a historical narrative.

This book is popularized by those who lean toward mysticism, UFO’s and aliens and are part of the new age movement. For example among the findings of the Dead sea fragments we have The Book Of Giants - Story Adapted From The Dead Sea Scroll

(The intro shows a new age symbol affirming those who believe this)

THE BOOK OF THE WATCHERS 1 Enoch  has numerous terms and words from the Bible that were given later on. Which proves that the person who wrote the book of Enoch had a Bible.

Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and others mention the Book of Enoch. “The Apostolic Constitutions, Origen (contra Celsus), Jerome, and Augustine deny its canonicity” (Fausset's Bible Dictionary).

The book of Enoch is non-Biblical, what we have today is not written by or copied from Enoch. Enoch’s statement in Jude: “Behold, he comes with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon them, and destroy the wicked, and reprove all the carnal for everything which the sinful and ungodly have done, and committed against him.” This is NOT found in the 1882 George Schodde, of the Ethiopic text. “ And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly:” ( R.H. Charles The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament.)

The number Enoch uses

Jude quotes from a prophecy of Enoch; Jude 1:14 “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints.” Jude’s reference does not say it is from the Book of Enoch, which is contrary to the conclusion people make that he quoted from the book of Enoch.

The concept of ten thousand saints is not unique. In Deut. 33:2 And he said: " he LORD came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints; from His right hand came a fiery law for them.”

The word for saints here is actually qodesh in Hebrew- meaning holy ones; hagiais muriasin, literally, "in or among holy myriads." The saints (holy ones) can mean angels or faithful human beings, or both. Jude 14 The word for ten thousand, is representation of a tremendous number- myriads, it has the meaning of the highest number at that time that one could calculate.

This number for creatures located in Heaven described in the judgment in Dan 7:10 as “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened .”

Also Rv. 5:11 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. ” The Bible teaches that heaven has a vast population of both angels and people- saints. These are those (either one or both groups) who will come with him when he comes to earth to judge and set up his literal kingdom.

Jude was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21), we know that what he quoted of Enoch was true. This is confirmed by the fact that the same idea about the Lord returning with His holy ones to render judgment found elsewhere in the Bible, Zechariah 14:5, Isaiah 66:15, and Psalm 96:13, Deut. 33:2.

The true prophecy of Enoch, though unrecorded, could have been handed down by tradition, as the Jews had a meticulous way of keeping both written and oral tradition. Paul mentions Jannes and Jambres, the Egyptian magicians, names known in Jewish tradition, not from Scripture (2 Tim. 3:8). For him to do this and be accurate God would have had to confirm the tradition as truth. Even if an author is quoting an external source it does not mean the whole of their writing is true or from God; but only the certain portions quoted.

This quote from Enoch’s book is supposedly a reaction to the sons of God, addressing their rebellion, which according to the Bible did not take place yet, it happened after Enoch was gone.

Enoch 106:13-17... “ since my father Jared's day, the fallen angels have been sinning . They sin and are promiscuous with women. They have begotten children. Because of this, there will be great destruction on the earth, a flood shall come, and its waters remain for a year. This child you speak of, and his three sons will be saved. The earth shall be cleansed of the giants born to the fallen angels.”

This actually proves the book of Enoch is a fraud, Jared was 162 years old when Enoch was born and he lived to be 962 years old, which is long before the flood. The Bible records God first telling Noah after Enoch is gone (Gn. 6:13) that He will send a flood, giving mankind 120 more years.

Gen. 5:32 “And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”

It is after this time (Gen.6 explains) that the time of the invasion of the Sons of God took place. Noah, at the coming of the flood, was 600 years old, so if God said he would give mankind 120 years, it began 20 or so years prior to Noah’s first sons birth.

Enoch was 65 years old when he begot Methusaleh and walked with God another 300 years. Methusaleh at 187 years old he begat Lamech. Lamech when he was182 years old begat Noah. We have 69 years after Enoch is taken before Noah’s birth. It was later in the time of Noah when this rebellion happened. So, Enoch words in Jude could not have been written at this time period. There is no verification to prove that the book of Enoch was written in Noah’s time period. No book was preserved from then. They wrote on rocks, tablets until the Mosaic period when papyrus was used.

1 Enoch is a composite of books grouped into five sections: The Book of Watchers (chpts 1–36)2. The Book of Parables (chpts 37–71) 3.The Astronomical Book (chpts 72–82) 4.The Animal Apocalypse or Book of Dreams (chpts 83–90) 5.The Epistle of Enoch (chpts 91–108).The book is unknown to history prior to this time. 11 fragments of The Book of Enoch have been found at Qumran caves in the Dead Sea Scrolls. But none from the “Book of Parables,” is among them (many see this portion to be a later addition.). The earliest fragments date to the end of the 3rd century BCE, others range from early second. Again it is not found before this time, so we are safe to assume it originated among them. We cannot ascertain whether the Jews at Qumran believed the Book of Enoch was authentic Scripture. The apostles did acknowledge it or not use it. A few early church fathers referred to1 Enoch without explicitly quoting or acknowledging the book (Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus). They usually focused on Enoch’s description of the fallen angels bringing evil into the world, and their occult knowledge to humanity.

Book of Enoch v.8-10 “And I heard the fourth voice fending off the Satans and forbidding them to come before the Lord of Spirits to accuse them who dwell on the earth. After that I asked the angel of peace who went with me, who showed me everything that is hidden: 'Who are these four presences which I have seen and whose words I have heard and written down?' And he said to me: 'This first is Michael, the merciful and long-suffering: and the second, who is set over all the diseases and all the wounds of the children of men, is Raphael: and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel: and the fourth, who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.' And these are the four angels of the Lord of Spirits and the four voices I heard in those days. “ (BOOK OF ENOCH From-The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament R.H. Charles)

Among the many strange reinterpretations, there is “Phanuel,” an angel whom the Bible does not mention, he replaces Jesus Christ as the mediator for repentance. Which is contrary to 1 Timothy 2:5 that Jesus Christ is the ‘only Mediator between God and men.’ Not only that, in Enoch there are multiple satan’s not just one.

1 And after that I saw thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, I saw a multitude 2 beyond number and reckoning, who stood before the Lord of Spirits. And on the four sides of the Lord of Spirits I saw four presences, different from those that sleep not, and I learnt their names: for the angel that went with me made known to me their names, and showed me all the hidden things. 3 And I heard the voices of those four presences as they uttered praises before the Lord of glory. 4 The first voice blesses the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever. 5 And the second voice I heard blessing 6 the Elect One and the elect ones who hang upon the Lord of Spirits. And the third voice I heard pray and intercede for those who dwell on the earth and supplicate in the name of the Lord of Spirits. 7 And I heard the fourth voice fending off the Satans and forbidding them to come before the Lord. 8 of Spirits to accuse them who dwell on the earth. After that I asked the angel of peace who went with me, who showed me everything that is hidden: 'Who are these four presences which I have 9 seen and whose words I have heard and written down?' And he said to me: 'This first is Michael, the merciful and long-suffering: and the second, who is set over all the diseases and all the wounds of the children of men, is Raphael: and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel: and the fourth, who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.' 10 And these are the four angels of the Lord of Spirits and the four voices I heard in those days. (Book of Enoch )

The words and terms used here are not seen until long after Moses time. Satan name is not used until 1 Chron.21 and Job.

1 Enoch 60:8 says, Enoch was taken to Eden; which cannot mean “heaven” for paradise was under the earth (Abrahams bosom) until Christ changed the location

Wisdom came from the evil one? Which the Book of Enoch names Penemue instead of Satan.

v. 8-9 ...And the fourth was named Penemue: he taught the children of men the bitter and the sweet, and he taught them all the secrets of their wisdom. And he instructed mankind in writing with ink and paper, and thereby many sinned from eternity to eternity and until this day. For men were not created for such a purpose, to give confirmation to their good faith with pen and ink.”

In other words the Bible, of which God himself spoke to Moses and the prophets to write. So if you write on paper with ink you learned from this fallen angel?

In the Book of Enoch, men are created in the image of the angels, not in the image of God. V.11”… For men were created exactly like the angels”

Here are some more teachings the Bible says nothing of but the book of Enoch 67:2" The angels are to help you make a wooden boat, and when they have finished that task , I will keep it safe, and protect the seed of life within it ."

In the Bible God instructs Noah only, it says nothing of angelic help.(Gn.6:14). Noah obviously builds the ark with his family who are the only humans to enter in with him and Noah alone calls the animals onto the ark.

The Book of Enoch in the seventh chapter states that the fallen angels “sinned” against animals as well as humans, thus we have half man and half animals (centaurs). Greek and Roman mythology does not agree with Christianity.

The Book of Enoch is also filled with worship of the sun, moon, and stars. As Enoch walks through the heavens, he is given “secret knowledge” of the stars and their movements.

V.1 Those men took me, and led me up on to the fourth heaven, and showed me all the successive goings, and all the rays of the light of sun and moon. 2 And I measure their goings, and compared their light, and saw that the sun’s light is greater than the moon’s. 3 Its circle and the wheels on which it goes always, like the wind going past with very marvellous speed, and day and night it has no rest. 4 Its passage and return (are accompanied by) four great stars, (and) each star has under it a thousand stars, to the right of the sun’s wheel, (and by) four to the left, each having under it a thousand stars, altogether eight thousand, issuing with the sun continually. 5 And by day fifteen myriads of angels attend it, and by night A thousand. 6 And six-winged ones issue with the angels before the sun’s wheel into the fiery flames, and a hundred angels kindle the sun and set it alight.” (Book of The Secrets Of Enoch, Chapter 11, XI)

According to the Bible, Enoch He was transported into heaven without dying. Enoch writes he was conveyed the teaching of both heaven and immortality. The problem is the bible does not say he returned to earth to convey any of this.

The Bible speaks of 3 heavens, not 4. 1. our atmosphere, 2. space 3.the dwelling place of God angels and saints. Stars that have 1,000 stars under them is proven untrue by our own galaxy. Angels kindle the sun? This is all from legends, untrue. Using secrets was often a clear indication of the source coming from the gnostics.

The Book of Enoch includes the tale of a race of people that were as tall as Noah’s ark was long. The book claims that the fallen angels had sex with mankind, and the offspring were three hundred cubits tall.

7:12 Whose stature was each three hundred cubits. These devoured all which the labor of men produced; until it became impossible to feed them; 13 When they turned themselves against men, in order to devour them; 14 And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another, and to drink their blood. Then the earth reproved the unrighteous.”

A cubit is measured to be 18 inches, this would make them 450 feet tall, at the least some say at least 200 ft. tall.

In this story, "Jeqon" is the one who led the angels astray, is not Lucifer/ satan:

Enoch 69:4-6 The name of the first Jeqon: that is, the one who led astray [all] the sons of God, and brought them  down to the earth, and led them astray through the daughters of men. And the second was named Asbeel: he imparted to the holy sons of God evil counsel, and led them astray so that they defiled 6 their bodies with the daughters of men. And the third was named Gadreel: he it is who showed the children of men all the blows of death, and he led astray Eve, and showed [the weapons of death to the sons of men] the shield and the coat of mail, and the sword for battle, and all the weapons.” (Book of Enoch, chapter 69:4-6 )

Enoch speaks of the “angel” who “led Eve astray”—though this being was referred to as “Gadreel,” not Satan.  Where is that in Scripture?

Serious problems with the book of Enoch

Enoch’s given a tour of both heaven and hell. Speaks of names of archangels not mentioned in the Bible, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in heaven. In the book of Enoch we find… “ Michael commands Satan to worship Adam , “the image of God.” For example, 2 En. 30:11-12 explicitly identifies Adam as one of God’s chief angels over creation: And on the earth I assigned him to be a second angel, honored and great and glorious. And I assigned him to be a king, to reign on the earth, and to have my wisdom. And there was nothing comparable to him on the earth, even among my creatures that exist.”

“Adam is also elevated higher than a principal angel in the Life of Adam and Eve (14:2) where Michael commands Satan to worship Adam, “the image of God.”

Let’s look at another religions view of Adam spoken throughout the Quran that is nearly identical to Enoch.

Sura 2:34 And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down . Sura 7:11 “ we bade the angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down”

Sura 17:61 Behold! We said to the angels: "Bow down unto Adam": They bowed down except Iblis: He said, "Shall I bow down to one whom Thou didst create from clay ?"

Surah 18:50 Behold! We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam": They bowed down except Iblis. Sura 20:116 When We said to the angels, "Prostrate yourselves to Adam", they prostrated themselves, but not Iblis: he refused.”

Iblis is often identified with Al-Shaitan ("the Devil"). After he refused, he was cast out of heaven.

Numerous apocryphal works were composed at the same time period with the Apocalypse-such as the Book of Enoch, the Ascension of Isaiah, the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Sibylline Oracles, the fourth Book of Ezra, the Pastor of Hermas, and others.

The unaccepted non canonical book of Enoch will lead you astray. Those who were closer to this time period knew of it and rejected it. It may be found among the Qumran community who collected religious books, but that does not mean it contains truth or that they approved of it.

 

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