Enochian literature covers all the texts related to the Books of Enoch. These include:
1 Enoch
2 Enoch (Slavonic Enoch & Apocalypse of Abraham)
3 Enoch (5th Century AD Gnostic text)
The Book of Giants
This article will look at 1 Enoch only, otherwise this post will be far too long.
1 Enoch is comprised of several texts and compiled between 300-200 BC. It was divided into 5 sections:
The Book of the Watchers
The Book of Parables
The Book of Luminaries
The Book of Dreams
The Epistle of Enoch
All these are based upon the person of Enoch, who we find mentioned in Genesis 5
Genesis 5 v 21-24
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Enoch did not die, much like Elijah (2 Kings 2 v 11), and was taken by God into the Heavens. Bear in mind, the idea of a human going to the Heavens when they died was considered exceedingly rare in the ancient worldview and only for ‘divine humans’ like royalty. Nowadays, we assume almost everyone goes to Heaven. I think this is a hang over from when the Western cultures were more overtly Christian than they are today.
These texts record Enoch’s travels into the Heavenly realms. After his journey is complete, he returns to tell his son and grandson about what he saw. After a time, God calls him back to Heaven.
Enoch and the New Testament
Enoch is mentioned three times in the New Testament. The first time is in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3 v37). The second time is in Hebrews, where the writer encourages his readers to remember Enoch.
Hebrews 11 v 5
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
Finally, he is mentioned in the short epistle of Jude.
Jude v 14-15
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
This is a quote from 1 Enoch,
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 raises issues over what is Scripture. Does this quote make 1 Enoch part of the inspired Word of God?
Throughout the New Testament, we know the Bible writers quote pagan poets. Paul quotes the Cretan philosopher Epimenides and the Cilician Stoic philosopher Aratus.
Acts 17 v 28
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
The mention of these philosophers in the Bible does not make their writings Scripture. This is the same for all extra-Biblical texts. Only the Bible is Scripture.
Apart from the quote above, there are several allusions in the New Testament to Enochian verses. In Matthew, Jesus tells a parable of the wedding banquet. Those who do not wear the wedding clothes will be thrown out and their will be gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 22 v 13
“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
We see similar language in Enoch, where Azazel (the name for the Devil in 1 Enoch) is thrown into darkness.
Bind Azazel hand and foot; cast him into darkness.
It could be that when Jesus’ followers heard this phrase, they linked those who were not appropriate dressed with the Azazel in the Book of Enoch.
Another influence is found in both Matthew and Revelation, where in 1 Enoch we read that the Azazel is thrown in the fire.
And in the great day of judgment let him be cast into the fire.
Matthew 25 v 41
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Revelation 20 v 14-15
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
As we have seen, the Book of Enoch had an influence on the New Testament. Which made it of great interest to the early Church writers.
The Story of the Watchers
The initial part of 1 Enoch unpacks the story of the Watchers. They were angelic beings and were referred to in the Book of Daniel.
Daniel 4 v 13
As I lay on my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
According to Enoch, these watchers relate to the sons of God in Genesis 6. The fallen watchers sought to corrupt humanity further, encouraging them to commit reprehensible sins and teaching them secret knowledge of all kinds.
Genesis 6 v 1-2
Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.
Their offspring, the Nephilim, enslaved humanity, spreading sin and corruption throughout the Earth.
The people cried out and four of the archangels heard them, bringing their petition to God.
The Seven Archangels
The New Testament gives us the names of two archangels, Gabriel (Luke 1) and Michael (Revelation 12). But in Enoch, five more are mentioned.
Uriel
Raphael
Reuel
Remiel
Sariel
Michael is placed in charge of Israel and the elect. Gabriel is in charge of paradise and the cherubim. Reuel disciplines the angels. Remiel guides the dead to their destination. Uriel is in charge of the Abyss in Hell, ensuring the demons stay imprisoned.
In respect to the story in Enoch, Sariel was told to instruct Noah on how to build the Ark. Raphael arrests Azazel and destroys the Nephilim by pitting them against each other.
Michael is sent to bind the sinful watchers, who had married the daughters of men, placing them in the Abyss.
Son of Man and the Book of Parables
This part of 1 Enoch emphasises a figure called the Son of Man. He is a divine being who has eternally existed with God.
He will come to the Earth, and lead people in righteousness. Those who follow Him will become as the stars. This Son of Man will execute God’s heavenly judgement and will destroy the powers who have enslaved the nations
And at that hour the Son of Man was named in the presence of the Lord of Spirits and his name before the Ancient of Days.
Even before the sun and the signs were created, before the stars of heaven were made, his name was named before the Lord of Spirits.
He will be a staff for the righteous with which for them to stand and not to fall. And he will be the light of the nations and the hope of those whose hearts are troubled.
All who dwell on the earth will fall down and worship him, and they will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits.
For this reason, he has been chosen and hidden before Him from before the creation of the world and forevermore.
There is much more relevant information regarding the New Testament worldview in 1 Enoch and so I’d encourage you to read the book. First Century Judean culture was deeply intimate with this text and you can see connections within the New Testament. Some of the ideas in Enoch fed into the gospels and epistles. And by becoming familiar with this text, we can get a better understanding of the New Testament Scripture.
There are many beautiful parts in the Enochian literature and here is one of my favourites. It is a kind of beatitudes.
Blessed is the man who opens his lips in praise of God of Sabbath and praises the Lord with his heart.
Blessed is he who opens his lips blessing and praising God.
Blessed is he who blesses all the Lord's works.
Blessed is he who looks down and raises the fallen.
Blessed is he who keeps the foundations of his fathers made firm from the beginning.
Blessed is he who speaks with humble tongue and heart to all.
For all these things will be laid bare in the weighing-scales and in the books, on the day of the great judgment.
Thank you for this neat summary. One quick proofreading point: your autocorrect has amusingly garbled two angelic names into Refuel and Remark!