Revisiting the Oldest Biblical Related Book: Enoch
By V. J. Berry
Copyright 2017
The Book of Enoch asserts that it contains the gathered, sacred writings of the pre-flood patriarch and prophet, Enoch (Church, 2017). It is believed by biblical scholars that the book is the oldest book written because it is mentioned in Genesis. Several accounts that appear in Genesis first appear in the Book of Enoch written ca. 300 B.C.E. (Lamsa, 1957). The Book of Genesis was written after the Exodus during the 15th century B.C.E.that is accredited to Moses as the author. Enoch’s writings describe 7,000 years of world history and the events that would occur even to the “latter days” and the Tribulation period (Burns, 2006-2016).
Although the Book of Enoch is not a part of the canon, it is considered to be a sacred book much revered by Jews and Gentiles alike well into the 8th century C. E. Its contents were also quoted by theologians into the 9th century C. E. The prophet Enoch was well known among Jews, Muslims, Mohammedans, and mentioned in the Koran (Schodde, G., 1882). When there was a doubt about the authenticity of the authorship of the book, R. I. Burns (2006/2016) presented 110 pages of evidence to prove that Enoch really wrote the book that bears his name.
Enoch
Enoch is one of four biblical persons bearing that same name: (1) oldest son of Cain (Gen. 4:17); (2) the second son of Jared (Gen. 5: 18); (3) the son of Midian (Gen. 25:4); (4) the oldest son of Reuben (Gen. 45:9, Ex. 6:4). The prophet Enoch being discussed in this paper is the second son of Jared because of the prominence given him in the following scriptures: Gen. 5: 18-24; Jude 1: 14-15; Hebrews 11:15; Book of Enoch 68: 1. He is 7th from Adam. There are 70 generations from his son, Methuselah, to Jesus. He lived 365 years on earth and was taken by God and did not see death (Schodde, 1882).
Ancient Aramaic
The Book of Enoch was written in ancient Aramaic and was neither changed nor revised. To this end, the Patriarchate of the East, in 1957, praised the translation of the book by Lamsa (1957) as being a most excellent, accurate work. He said as follows:
The Church of the East received the scripture from the hands of the blessed Apostles themselves in the Aramaic original, the language spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and the Pershitta is the text of the Church of the East which has come down from the biblical times without any change or revision.
The ancient Eastern texts translated from the Aramaic are closely related to ancient Hebrew much like the relationship of American English and English spoken in Great Britain. The ancient Aramaic language was spoken and written by the Jewish people from the 4th to 6th century B. C. E. from Persia to Europe and along the Nile River area through the length of Egypt. Due to the similarity of the ancient languages of Aramaic and Hebrew, words were often interchanged. Ancient Aramaic was the language of the church as it spread eastward (Lamsa, 1957).
Descriptions of Sections One and Two of the Book of Enoch
Following are brief descriptions of the first ten chapters of the Book of Enoch which demonstrates the similarity to Genesis that was written 300 years later (Lamsa, 1957).
Chapter One: Enoch prophecies the destruction of the earth – it will be submerged but a remnant will be saved. He further describes who that remnant will be.
Chapter Two: He records his astronomic observations and that the luminaires of the sky do not depart from their paths.
Chapters three, four, and five: Enoch describes the work of God in creation. He also warns the people for their lack of obeying God’s commandments and reminds them of the final judgment and destruction of sinners — they will be cursed eternally. For the chosen, they will receive light, joy, peace, and wisdom forevermore.
Chapter six: Enoch recalls the angels lusting after the children of mankind and took many as wives. This chapter leads into Chapter seven and details of this event.
Chapter seven: The angles taught their wives and children how to make charms and conjurations. . The descendants of this culture were giants who consumed all that could eaten including each other, and drank the blood of their victims.
Chapter eight: Enoch continues: Mankind was taught to make swords, knives, shields, coats of mail, and how to see behind them. They were also taught how to create works of art, jewelry, and how to use the metals of the earth. And there was great wickedness upon the earth. Enoch also gives the names of the angles and what specials skills they possessed.
Chapter nine: Michael, Gabriel, Surjan, and Urjan (good angles) appealed to God for a solution to this problem.
Chapter ten: God response: God spoke and sent Arsjalojur to the son of Lemech and ordered him to tell the son, in God’s name, to hide and reveal to him the end which is to come. The whole earth will be destroyed, and the water of the deluge will come over the whole earth and what is upon it will be destroyed. And instruct him that he may escape and his seed remain on the whole earth. In later chapters, Enoch tells of shortening the lifespan of mankind after the great flood.
God did not stop there. For further reading of the Book of Enoch, you may find a good translation at: http://www.hermetics.org/pdf/enoch.pdf
References
Burns, R. I. (2006/2016). The Book of Enoch. San Francisco, CA: Messianic Prophecy Edition.
Church, J. R. (2017). Enoch the first book ever written. Oklahoma City, OK: Prophecy Publication.
Lamas, G. M. (trans). (1957). Holy Bible from the ancient Eastern text. New York, NY: Harper Collins Pub. (George M. Lama’s translation from the Aramaic of the Pershitta, 1933/1957).
Schodde, G. (1882). The Book of Enoch: Translation from the Ethiopic with introduction and notes. Andover, OH: Warren Draper.
Noah and Enoch lived about 1500 yrs after the creation.
The first reference is the original translation of Enoch/ the second reference is the latest one. Read the Watchers chapter first.
*http://scriptural-truth.com/stuff/BookOfEnoch.pdf
*always look for this in translations. It is a true copy.