The First Eye Witness
May 1st, 2009 by jgrimes
Lately on the web, there has been a great amount of discussion about Heaven. Like, does heaven really exists, or do humans go to heaven when they die. However, whatever the focus is, it is all centered on whether or not heaven is an actual place.
The Book of Enoch, is about a man who was taken up to heaven to visit God. The story is could be compared to an adventure story, like those found in Gulliver’s Travels or the Travels of Marco Polo. The text is about Enoch’s own personal, eye-witnessed, accountants of Paradise. The Book of Enoch was written in ca. 160 BCE. He was said to be the great grandson of Adam, and the first born child of Cain and Cain’s sister/wife. Cain soon founded a city after Enoch’s birth, and named the city Enoch. This city was located in the countryside of Nod, just east of Eden. The bible tells us that Nod was located in the land of the Nomads. It is my personal opinion, Nod was located in the now eastern region of Iraq. I believe, the actual city of Enoch lies between Iraq and Iran, under the sands. It is also written, that Enoch was born on the 6th day of Tsivan. I have personally interpreted that date to be the 21st of March.
Nevertheless, historical and biblical controversy has always surrounded the story of Enoch. Especially since, the book of Genesis was written in the 5th century bce. Which only seems to add to the controversy, surrounding the authenticity of the story. Thereby, creating more dilemmas and historical confusion, because everyone does not agree on the date of the story. They think if it was true, the story would have occurred, before- the original book of Genesis was written. However, I don’t have a problem with the date. The story happened after the original book of Genesis was written, and it must have been a valuable story, or the Hebrews would not have listed Enoch’s name in the bible at all. So therefore, I think the story is true.
Biblical Reference
Genesis, Chapter 4 tells us a great deal about Enoch. In Chapter 4 you will also learn that Adam and Eve’s third child, Seth had a son. Seth and his sister wife named their son Enosh. Many confuse the two, and often think they are one in the same. I think the confusion stems from Genesis Chapter 5, verse 21 which abruptly changes the readers attention to Cain’s son. If you aren’t that familiar with the Holy text, Chapter 5, verse 1-20 the bible tells us all about Seth, Enosh and their descendants. Verse 21 rapidly changes the focus from Seth and Enosh to Enoch, son of Cain. In Genesis Chapter 5, verses 25-28 readers are also informed that Enoch was also the Great, Great-Grandfather of Noah. As in the biblical figure Noah, who built an ark. Moreover, it is my belief that Cain’s son (not Seth’s son Enosh) was who ascended into heaven, at the ripe age of 365 never to return.
Genesis 5:24 “Then Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him.”
The Book of Enoch purportedly records Enoch’s vision of the cosmos. The author describes Sheol(Hell) as divided into four sections. One section of hell is where the faithful saints Isaac, Abraham, Moses, blissfully awaited Judgment Day. Another section of Hell, was separated for the moderately good, who awaited their reward. The third section, is where the wicked are punished and await their Judgment at the resurrection of Christ, and the last where the wicked who don’t even warrant resurrection are tormented. It is said in the Christian bible, that upon Christ’s resurrection, he went into hell. They bible clearly states that he went there to “cleansed waiting sinners and resurrect God’s faithful to heaven.” Which would then put Enoch’s time-line, in perfect harmony with the resurrection story. In the book of Enoch, it tells us how Enoch was approach by two angels in the night, with the orders to take him to Heaven. Enoch is given a truly, unique opportunity, to see the realms of Paradise for himself. He was instructed to report what he saw, and commit it into the memories of his children, in order that the eye-witnessed accounts be not forgotten. Hence, the oral translation handed down, a lifetime of many different generations.
I find the Book of Enoch to be an influential body of text to use for research, religious studies, and knowledge of the unknown. What I find even more amazing is the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which speaks of levels in heaven and heavenly realms of heaven and how once getting there, a soul is then sent back to earth- resembles Enoch accountants. It is also a known fact, that the two beliefs never cross territorial lines, until after the birth of Christ. The Tibetan book was written sometime around the eighth century ad. I further believe that the Book of Enoch, was not made public until the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947 and 1956. If you want to truly understand the voice of God and heaven, I highly suggest you take the time to read this REMARKABLE account of Enoch’s journey to heaven.
A Gnostic Reference of Enoch
In the holy text known as the Gnostic Gospels, Enoch is also mentioned in the Gospel of Melchizedek. It is written in this holy gospel, that Melchizedek was a direct descendant of Adam, Abel, Enoch, and Noah. The Gnostic Gospel clearly says Abel was the father of Enoch, not Cain or Seth. It is a known fact, that the Book of Melchizedek is a sacred text, however, not a recognizable text of the Torah or the Holy Bible. Nevertheless, it is a part of the Book of Mormon. Rather, its beliefs and teachings are.
I have started to question the Holy biblical belief that Cain is the biological father of Enoch. After my own investigation, it my belief that Enoch was the only child of Abel. It is my further belief that Cain, filled with remorse for killing Abel, took Abel’s only son to raise as his own. I also believe, that by naming a city after his slain brother’s, infant son- a peace offering was made before God. In the holy biblical text, no where in Genesis, does it list the descendants of Abel. Which I have always seen to be a peculiar oddity. However, in the Book of Melchizedek, Melchizedek clearly states that Enoch was from the seed of Abel. I feel that through hundreds of years of oral translation, the two stories somehow got crossed, and parts of the story were forgotten or left out.
The Facts Surrounding the Book of Enoch
The Book of Enoch is a sacred text, found amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls. Upon the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a much better and far earlier account was found to have existed. The date has yet to be determined, because the papyrus paper it was written on, is severely deteriorated. Moreover though, is that people do not value this book as much as the Book of Deuteronomy, that too, is badly deteriorated. Therefore, the restoration of the Book of Deuteronomy, is taking precedence over the Book of Enoch. Welcome to the politics of religion.
