Wandering Meditations

The Book of Enoch the Prophet

16 min read

Favourite Quotes

“Walk in the paths of peace, and ye shall live and prosper” - p. 114

Summary

NOTE: I did not write summaries for every chapter

Introduction

  • a similar book, “Book of the Secrets of Enoch” was popular in Eastern Europe in Slavonic translations in the 14th century
  • Dr John Dee was a 16th century scientist-magus who wrote about the angelical language considered to be Enochian. He had a dialogue with supernatural beings apparently who taught him this language
  • the first genuine Book of Enoch manuscript was brought to the west in 1773, before that it was all fakes and fabrications. It wasn’t until 1906 that a true translation was published
  • Freemasons who heavily involved with Enochian texts. They practiced Enochian magic
  • there are 3 Enochian texts, the present book is just the first one, which dates to the 1st or 2nd century BC

I-XXXIV

VI-XI. The Fall of the Angels; the Demoralization of Mankind

  • the children of heaven (angels) came down, saw and lusted over the children of men - p. 5
  • the angels taught the women about plants, cutting of roots, charms, and enchantments - p. 5
  • the angels had several leaders and each leader taught men a different thing - p. 5
    • Azazel taught men how to make weapons
    • Kokabel taught men the constellations
    • Baraqijal taught men astrology
    • Araqiel taught men the signs of the earth
    • etc
  • it was four other angels who tattle-tailed on the knowledge-bestowing angels to God - p. 6-7
    • Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel = ‘good angels’
    • Uriel is the leader. Enoch primarily talks with him
  • God instructs these ‘good’ angels to imprison the other ones
  • Azazel, Semjaza, and all the rest are ‘binded’/imprisoned on God’s command. God also commands the good angels to destroy the children of the Watchers
  • the ‘bad’ angels are referred to as ‘watchers’ - p. 8
  • only after the earth is rid of these Watchers is there righteousness among the people - p. 9

XII-XVI. Dream Vision of Enoch: His Intercession for Azazel and the Fallen Angels. And his Announcement to them of their First and Final Doom.

  • Enoch was hiding and no one knew where he was hiding
  • the Watchers asked Enoch to intercede to God on their behalf
  • God is punishing the Watchers for they committed sin: they have defiled themselves by sleeping with daughters of men and produced children
  • the children of women and Watchers are giants. God calls them ‘evil spirits’
  • God rejects the intercession of Enoch

XVII-XXXVII. Enoch’s Journeys Through the Earth and Sheol

XVII-XIX. The First Journey

  • Enoch’s journey through some place, not sure if heaven or earth
  • he saw flaming fires, rivers made of fire, the firmament of the heaven
  • he saw seven mountains made of stone/gems. One of them reached the heavens
  • he went to “hell” and saw that too. The angel Uriel told him that this is the abode of the ‘bad’ angels, the Watchers, those who defiled mankind

XX. Names and Functions of the Seven Archangels

XXI-XXXVI. The Second Journey of Enoch

XXI. Preliminary and Final Place of Punishment of the Fallen Angels (Stars)

  • Enoch goes to a place that was “chaotic and horrible”
  • he sees 7 stars of the heaven bound together burning with fire
  • Uriel says they are being punished for their sins for 10 thousand years

XXII. Sheol or the Underworld

  • Enoch visits a place where the spirits of the souls of the dead are located
  • Enoch talking with Raphael about the judgement of people

XXIII. The Fire that Deals with the Luminaries of Heaven

  • Enoch visits another place where he sees a burning fire that does not rest
  • Raguel said this fire “is the fire in the west which persecutes all the luminaries of heaven” - p. 21
  • luminaries of heaven refers to celestial bodies like sun and moon

XXIV-XXV. The Seven Mountains in the North-West and the Tree of Life

  • Enoch visits the 7 mountains and speaks to angel Michael

XXVI. Jerusalem and the Mountains, Ravines, and Streams

  • Enoch visits a blessed place where there were mountains with ravines and steams flowing out

XXVII. The Purpose of the Accursed Valley

  • Uriel says the accursed valley is the gathering place of those who utter words against the Lord

XXVIII-XXXIII. Further Journey to the East

  • Enoch sees more beautiful trees, valleys, rivers and streams
  • he visits the garden of Righteousness, where the “tree of wisdom” resides. It bears fruit that they eat and know great wisdom. Raphael confirms this is the tree that Adam and Eve ate from.
  • Enoch sees the stars, he records them, writes down their positions, their names, their number, their times, their months, etc, according to what Angel Uriel showed him = astrology

XXXIV-XXXV. Enoch’s Journey to the North

  • Enoch sees more portals open to heaven (similar to previous places he visited)

XXXVI. The Journey to the South

  • 3 more open ports of the heaven
  • Enoch blesses the Lord.
  • The Lord shows off his creation so that the angels, spirits, and mankind could see the might of His work and praise him

XXXVII-LXXI. The Parables

XXXVIII-XLIV. The First Parable

XXXVIII. The Coming Judgement of the Wicked

  • talks about the judgement of the wicked and righteous

XXXIX. The Abode of the Righteous and of the Elect One; the Praises of the Blessed

  • the holy ones intercede and pray for the children of men
  • the rest talks about the abode of the righteous people. Enoch longs for it

XL-XLI. The Four Archangels

  • the four archangels were by the Lord’s side
  • Michael: the merciful and long-suffering
    • his voice blesses the Lord over and over
  • Raphael: who is set over all diseases and wounds of the children of men
    • his voice blesses the Elect One and the elect ones who hang upon the Lord
  • Gabriel: who is set over all powers
    • his voice prays and intercedes for those who dwell on earth and supplicates in the name of the Lord
  • Phanuel: who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life
    • his voice fends off the Satans and forbids them to come before the Lord to accuse the dwellers of earth
  • The Elect One = a messianic figure. An individual chose to play a role in God’s plan for salvation and judgement
    • Christians believe this to be Jesus

XLI 3-9. Astronomical Secrets

  • Enoch witnesses the secrets of lightening and thunder, of the winds blowing the earth, the clouds, the sun and moon

XLII. The Dwelling-Places of Wisdom and of Unrighteousness

  • Wisdom dwells in heaven with the angels

XLIII-XLIV. Astronomical Secrets

  • Enoch witnesses more secrets regarding thunder and lightening

XLV-LVII. The Second Parable

XLV. The Lot of the Apostates: the New Heaven and the New Earth

  • the sinners/apostates will face a harsh judgement

XLVI. The Head of Days and the Son of Man

  • “Head of Days” is a name for God
  • Enoch sees a great man, whose face was full of graciousness, like one of the angels. He is the “Son of Man” and he accompanies God (head of days).
  • God has chosen the Son of Man
  • the Son of Man will put down the kings from their thrones

XLVIII. The Fount of Righteousness: the Son of Man - the Stay of the Righteous: Judgement of the Kings and the Mighty.

  • Enoch sees the fountain of righteousness and fountains of wisdom. Many are drinking it.
  • the Son of Man was named BEFORE the sun the signs were created, BEFORE the stars were created
  • the Son of man “shall be the light of the Gentiles, and the hope for those who are troubled of heart. All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him.” - p. 39
  • in the Son of Man’s name they (the righteous) are saved - p. 40
    • you have to be righteous to be saved in the Son of Man’s name

XLIX. The Power and Wisdom of the Elect One

  • in the Elect One lies the spirit of wisdom

L. The Glorification and Victory of the Righteous: the Repentance of the Gentiles

  • the people shall be saved only through His name

LI. The Resurrection of the Dead, and the Separation by the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked

  • the Elect One will sit on God’s throne
  • the Elect One will pick the righteous from among the people
  • on this day, “the earth shall rejoice, and the righteous shall dwell upon it, and the elect shall walk thereon.” - p. 43

LII. The Seven Metal Mountains and the Elect One

  • Enoch in heaven see mountains: a mountain of iron, copper, silver, gold, soft metal, and lead
    • only 6 are mentioned
  • before the Elect One, these mountains are powerless
  • all these mountains shall be destroyed when the Elect One appears before the face of God

LIII-LIV. The Valley of Judgement: the Angels of Punishment: the Communities of the Elect One

  • the Angels of punishment create tools to cast away the sinners into the fire in the valley of judgement

LIV 7-LV 2. Noachic Fragment on the first World Judgement

  • ?

LV 3-LVI 4. Final Judgement of Azazel, the Watchers and their Children

  • the Elect One will judge Azazel and his associates in the name of the Lord of Spirits

LVI 5-8. Last Struggle of Heathen Powers against Israel

  • the Angels shall return and “hurl themselves” upon the Parthians and Medes
  • “Sheol shall devour the sinners in the presence of the elect” - p. 48

LVII. The Return from the Dispersion

  • ?

LVIII-LXXI. The Third Parable

  • discusses similar topics as the other parables: punishment of the wicked, the righteous being saved, the Elect One
  • discusses Noah and the flood
  • discusses the names and functions of the fallen Angels
  • the name of the Son of Man has been revealed so they rejoice. The Son of Man wipes the sinners off the face of the earth
  • “all shall walk in his (Son of Man) ways since righteousness never forsakes him.” - p. 71

LXXII-LXXXII. The Book of the Course of the Heavenly Luminaries

  • heavenly luminaries = sun, moon, stars, other natural phenomenon
  • this part is about the rising and setting of the sun, moon, etc
  • this book claims that the sun is the same size as the moon, but is 7 times brighter
  • sun is referred to as ‘he’ while moon as ‘she’
  • talks about the wind
  • Enoch sees 7 mountains and 7 rivers
  • talks about the heavenly tablets, which is the book of all the deeds of mankind - p. 84

LXXXIII-XC. The Dream Visions

  • Enoch is telling his son Methuselah about his dream visions he had many years prior
  • in one dream vision Enoch saw the heavens collapsing and destroying the earth
    • when he had this vision, Enoch told his grand-father Mahalalel about it. His grandpa told him to pray to God to spare the righteous, so Enoch did that
  • in another dream vision Enoch sees a bunch of bulls, some white, some red, some black. Somehow the vision turns into the story of the flood and Noah

XCII-CV. The Concluding Section of the Book

  • Enoch is giving his sons some final words of advice. Be righteous, avoid sin, etc
  • “for ye men shall put on more adornments than a woman, and coloured garments more than a virgin.” - p. 119
  • “For I and My Son will be united with them for ever in the paths of uprightness in their lives; and ye shall have peace: rejoice, ye children of uprightness. Amen.” - p. 131

CVI-CVII. Fragment of the Book of Noah

  • Enoch’s grandson, Lamech, had a son. The sons “was white as snow and red as the blooming of a rose, and the hair of his head and his long locks were as white as wool, and his eyes beautiful… he arose in the hands of the midwife, opened his mouth, and conversed with the Lord of righteousness” - p. 132
    • very interesting description. The infant speaking to the Lord? Sounds familiar
  • Lamech went to his father Methuselah and said “I have begotten a strange son, diverse from and unlike man, and resembling the sons of the God in 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… he has not sprung from me but from the angels” - p. 132
  • Lamech petitions to his father that he approach “our father” Enoch about this
  • Enoch says that in the future there will be a great deluge, and his new infant who was born of Lamech will be the only survivor along with 3 of his sons. You should call him Noah, he tells Methuselah
    • 3 sons is in reference to Noah’s sons Japheth, Shem, and Ham

Analysis

Notes and Quotes

  • the Watchers called Enoch, “Enoch the scribe” - p. 10
    • interesting cause in Islamic tradition, Enoch is Idris, the prophet who invented writing
  • “You have been in heaven, but all the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth. Say to them therefore: you have no peace. - p. 14
    • God says this to Enoch in response to Enoch’s intercession for the Watchers
  • number 7
    • Enoch sees 7 mountains - p. 21
    • Enoch sees 7 mountains and 7 rivers - p. 80

The Watchers / Fallen Angels

  • “and they (the angels) have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins” - p. 7
    • the angels were teaching mankind many things, from astrology, to constellations, to enchantments, to root-cutting. In other words, the angels were bestowing knowledge upon them. Maybe this is what is being equated to as ‘all kinds of sins’… similar to how the fruit-bearing tree in heaven had the outcome of bestowing knowledge upon whomever eats from it.
    • it’s basically as if knowledge = sin
    • the Watchers are then punished by God. Enoch intercedes for them but God rejects his intercession.
  • “these are the angels who descended to the earth, and revealed what was hidden to the children of men, and seduced the children of men into committing sin.” - p. 60
    • “revealed what was hidden”… super interesting. What were the ‘heavens’/God hiding from mankind?
  • “the fourth (fallen Angel) 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 into 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” - p. 64-65
    • so he taught them to read/write and therefore they are sinning?

Knowledge

  • Enoch called out for asking questions
    • Uriel said “Enoch, why dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for the truth?” - p. 17
    • Michael said “Enoch, why dost thou ask me regarding the fragrance of the tree, and why dost thou wish to learn the truth?” - p. 22
  • Tree of Wisdom - p. 25
    • in the Garden of Righteousness resides the Tree of Wisdom, that bears fruit that provides great wisdom
    • Raphael says Adam and Eve ate from this tree, “they learnt wisdom and their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked and they were driven out of the garden” - p. 25
  • “the fourth (fallen Angel) 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 into 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” - p. 64-65
    • so he taught them to read/write and therefore they are sinning?

The Son of Man

  • in the Son of Man’s name they (the righteous) are saved - p. 40
    • you have to be righteous to be saved in the Son of Man’s name… so not just anyone can be saved
  • “all shall walk in his (Son of Man) ways since righteousness never forsakes him.” - p. 71

Noah’s Flood

  • God was punishing them for what they learned: sorcery, secrets of the angels, violence of the Satans, witchcraft, etc - p. 60-61
  • Enoch’s grandson, Lamech, had a son. The sons “was white as snow and red as the blooming of a rose, and the hair of his head and his long locks were as white as wool, and his eyes beautiful… he arose in the hands of the midwife, opened his mouth, and conversed with the Lord of righteousness” - p. 132
    • very interesting description. The infant speaking to the Lord? Sounds familiar.
  • Lamech went to his father Methuselah and said “I have begotten a strange son, diverse from and unlike man, and resembling the sons of the God in 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… he has not sprung from me but from the angels” - p. 132
  • Lamech petitions to his father that he approach “our father” Enoch about this
  • Enoch says that in the future there will be a great deluge, and his new infant who was born of Lamech will be the only survivor along with 3 of his sons. You should call him Noah, he tells Methuselah
    • 3 sons is in reference to Noah’s sons Japheth, Shem, and Ham

Main Idea of the Book

  • there isn’t any ‘main idea’, it’s just like a typical religious text
  • 75% of the entire text is just talking about punishing the sinners and saving the righteous

Reflections

There was ALOT of repetition. It’s very interesting how ‘mysteries’ or knowledge such as the ability to write are viewed as negative things. This was probably the most shocking thing in the book.

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