I'm currently reading the Book of Enoch which is found in the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible. I'm a little past halfway through and I must say it's a fascinating, bizarre and absurd read. In short; so far I've read about a future age of a heavenly kingdom on earth and doom for the sinners and ungodly. No surprises there. But then there is the stuff about fallen angels coming down from heaven and teaching humans all kinds of sin like witchcraft and having babies with human women who give birth to giants! And then there is the ridiculous astronomy. Apparently the sun, moon, stars and the weather enter earth from inter-dimensional portals from one end of the earth dome, and make their way to exit portals on the other side of the dome! I'm only halfway through but I can clearly see why this book was omitted from the "Cannon" of the Bible. I'll give more commentary when I've finished reading this book. Seems like the prophet Enoch was on some kind of drug trip!
I never read the book. But I have heard some refer to it and cite some of what the book of Enoch states on some shows on the History Channel and from some series in their History Vault. Fallen Angels is a western way or Christian definition. The native Americas referred to these beings if that is what they were as star people, other cultures as the gods and other names I forgot since its been awhile since I watched anything dealing with the book. Now most cultures and traditions around the world speaks of someone, god/s coming from the heavens, the stars, the sky to create life on earth. creation myths abound in the old texts from Sumeria to the present day. All involve someone, something coming from above. Also there are legends of giants all over the world like there are about the great flood. Dimensions, what would someone as far back as Enoch know about dimensions? But then again when Buddha was ready to die after gaining enlightenment he was asked where he would go since he wouldn't be reborn again. The Buddha replied he was going to a place where there was time and no time, space and no space, conscious and no conscious and listed several other things. Reading what he said a lot of people today think he was talking about going into a different dimension some 2500 years ago. A lot of cultures make room for the unrational, not everything has to be rational. Most westerners have no room for the unknown, the supernatural for a lack of a better word, perhaps the unexplained. Explanations that aren't rational in their minds.
Just finished reading the book. Just two more thoughts; who is this 'Son of Man'? Obviously it's not Jesus because Jesus is either God himself or the 'Son of God'. The second thought: I loved the overview of the history of Israel where all the tribes of Israel are portrayed as sheep and their enemies are other animals. I wonder what Bible literalists (looking at you young earth creationists) would make of such a metaphor. Perhaps that's another reason this book was omitted from the Bible.
I began a discussion a few days ago that is based partly on what I read in the Book of Enoch. http://www.politicalforum.com/index.php?threads/darth-vader-azazel-zeus.516000/ Darth Vader = Azazel = Zeus???
I am of the opinion that the book of Enoch was omitted from the Bible because of the silly astronomy described in it. But my Quiverfull friend (whom I talked about in another thread) said it's because the book supports evolution (the idea of angels procreating with humans who give birth to giants)! That's super ironic because I thought it was omitted to make the Bible not assert scientifically disproved claims! My fundamentalist friend however, makes me reconsider the value of the book. Does that make the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the One True Church?!
I think a part of the book of Jude is also taken from the book of Enoch. There is evidence to suggest that in early Christianity it was widely read, like the shepherd of hermas but over time was relegated further and further to the periphery of Christianity until only the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the only sect to accept such a book.
Did you know that Jude 1:14 quotes the Book of Enoch? In fact, the early Xtian writers were heavily influenced by the book, which is why so much of their myths--even the very words and teachings of Jesus--are similar to Enoch.
Enoch was also only one of two who was taken by God without dying. Gen.5:22-23 Enoch lived 65 yr.s and fathered Methuselah. Gen.5:24 Enoch walked with God and :and he was not;for God took him. There is a LOT to get into with this. Gen.6:2 the sons of "God" saw the daughters of "men" and they were fair aka pretty and they took them all that they chose. 6:4 . There were GIANTS in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came into the daughters of men and they bare children to them. Who were the sons of God and GIANTS who took the daughters of men fro wives? Soon the world became corrupt and God flooded it. The Pyrimids and the constilations also have lots to do with Enoch and these mystery giants. Isa.19:19 There shall be a alter to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt. And a pillow at the border there of to the Lord. This Pyrimid has windows that point directly to the constellations Pleiades and Orion. Job.39:31..Can thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades ,or loose the bands of Orion? Who are the wheels in Eze.? Ezek. 1:4, 3:15 , etc.
