Paperback: 204 pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 15, 2012 AD) ISBN-10: 1480102768 ISBN-13: 978-1480102767
Ken Johnson is an author and lecturer who speaks on a variety of issues related to Bible prophecy, ancient history, and the apostasy that will form in the church in the last days. He received a Doctorate in Theology from the Christian College of Texas, Texarkana TX, in 1989 AD. We previously reviewed his books here.
If you encounter information about UFOs, aliens, genetically manipulated hybrids, Ancient Aliens, fallen angels, the eschaton (the last days, end times, etc.) and their corresponding ubiquitous references to the “days of Noah” (see here); you are sure to have run across references to the Book of Enoch. Some Christians see the book as irrelevant since it is not canonical, some see it as nothing more than a commentary-like historical document much like Josephus’s works, some see it as divinely inspired and blame the corrupt church for removing it from the cannon and some see it as (at least partly) divinely inspired but not belonging within the cannon.
Considering the last two views, note that, indeed, some supposed Bible believing Christians are willing to, in a manner of speaking, sacrifice the Bible upon Enoch’s altar. For their love of the Book of Enoch they claim that the book was canonical, was in the Bible, is divinely inspired but claim that in order to keep its secrets from humanity the Council of Nicaea (as some specify) removed it. In other words, they fall for the Da Vinci Code falsehood about that council. In fact, the Council of Nicaea had nothing to do with canonization and just transferring the supposed removal of the book from the cannon to another date proves nothing.
The point is that for their love of the Book of Enoch they are willing to, as I have heard more than once, claim that the Bible was just haphazardly put together (they do not deny that the books within the cannon are inspired but that there are others, at least one more, that belong therein as well). But it is not even for their love of “Book of Enoch” but one specific version of the Book of Enoch which is known as the Ethiopic Book of Enoch (or, simply Ethiopic Enoch) or 1 Enoch. And not for their love of the Ethiopic Book of Enoch / 1 Enoch but a portion of it namely, the Book of the Watchers. And often, not for their love of a portion of a form of the book but for fragments of it which speaks about the events in Genesis 6 and a few other fragments of interest.
Ken Johnson seems to take the sober view that while what we know today as the Ethiopic Book of Enoch has its problems (such as Gnostic accretions), he thinks,
“the main reason Christians should study Enoch is to learn prophecy. In addition to the many prophecies about Messiah…there are some very important ones for our time…One completely fulfilled prophecy is given in chapter 10. Seventy generations after Enoch, sin would be atoned for. Luke 3:23-38 records that Jesus Christ was the seventieth generation from Enoch. It is because of Him we may obtain forgiveness and eternal life.”
As for canonical issue, he writes:
“The Book of Enoch teaches that the righteous are to live their lives by a series of books that will be given to them. Further, they will be judged by these books, not the Book of Enoch.”
He then quotes the text at 104:12-13,
“Books will be given to the righteous and the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom. These books will be given to them, and they will believe and rejoice in them; and then all the righteous who have learned the paths of uprightness from them will be rewarded.”
He includes a footnote which states:
“The 66 books of the Bible would be created as a rule and guide for faith. Notice the Book of Enoch is not included in this set of books.”
He then quotes Enoch at 105:1-2,
“‘In those days,’ says the Lord ‘the children of earth will be summoned and a testimony given about the wisdom of them [the book of the Bible]; for they are the guides, and a reward for the whole earth. For I and My Son will be united with them forever in the paths of uprightness in their lives; you children of uprightness will have peace. Rejoice in their truth.” [brackets in original]
He comments thusly:
“Everyone will be judged by the Bible, not the Book of Enoch. This shows Enoch was never supposed to be added to the Canon.”
What Ken Johnson’s book Ancient Book of Enoch presents is some historical background, a translation of the entire Ethiopic Book of Enoch and concludes with points to ponder such as details about the Nephilim, “includes a previously unknown chapter from the Dead Sea Scrolls that actually explains how they did their genetic tampering” and actually offers, based on the premise that prophetic sections of Enoch are accurate, a chart whereby to ascertain the “window of time” of the Messiah Jesus’ return.
Some of the historical background is as follows:
“The Book of Enoch is quoted by church fathers and rabbis alike, all the way back to the first century. By the year AD 700 it was forgotten by the church as a whole.”
Moreover, some ancient church fathers inform us:
“that the Ethiopic version of Enoch (called 1 Enoch) was considered the real Book of Enoch and that it contained real prophecy. It was not, however, to be added to the canon of Scripture, but was considered recommend reading by Scripture much like the Ancient Book of Jasher. What we know today as 2 Enoch and 3 Enoch.”
As for the modern translation:
“We have a translation of the real Book of Enoch which has been edited from time to time. The style of writing suggests this translation of Enoch was done about 1000 BC and possibly again in 200 BC. If we find that it contains accurate prophecy, we must see it as a true gift from God…
A man named James Bruce heard that the only translation known to still exist of the lost Book of Enoch was preserved by the Ethiopian Christian Church. In AD 176, Bruce travelled to Ethiopia to find the Book of Enoch. Six years later, in 1773, he brought three manuscripts back to London where they lay in the British Museum untranslated. One hundred and twenty years later, in 1893, a man named R. H. Charles translated the manuscripts from the Ethiopic language into English.”
Ken Johnson also provides charts “to see Enoch’s doctrines and prophecies and how they line up with Scripture.” Including in which texts the Old and New Testaments agree with the Book of Enoch.
Something which generally is brought up about the Book of Enoch is that the New Testament quotes it at Jude 1:14-15 which reads:
“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’”
Thus, we harken back to Genesis 5:24 which tell us, “And Enoch walked with God; and he [was] not, for God took him.” Upon this concept Hebrews 11:5 states, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” This is where the Book of Enoch comes into play as it fill in gaps in our knowledge of Enoch, what he was doing and what he related to us. Of course, one must be weary of gap filling texts because some such texts were written for that specific purpose; someone purposefully would write a text in order to fill in gaps and attribute the text to an ancient patriarch.
Of course, that Jude quoted the “Book of Enoch” does not mean that the whole text of Enoch is thus biblically approved. In like manner, that Paul quotes a Greek poet does not mean that we should claim that the text from that poet is divinely inspired, belongs in the cannon, the Council of Nicaea removed it, etc., etc., etc.
Johnson writes:
“The Holy Spirit inspired Jude to quote Enoch for a reason. The Ancient Book of Enoch opens by addressing those in the Tribulation period. It contains numerous prophecies about the flood and fire judgments, and the two comings of the Messiah. It teaches that the Messiah is the Son of God and that He will shed His blood to redeem us and even predicts the generation that this would occur! The book of Enoch prophesies a window of time in which the Second Coming would occur and prophesies that there will be twenty-three Israeli Prime Ministers ruling in fifty-eight terms from AD 1948 to the beginning of the Tribulation period, and much more…
The Ancient Book of Enoch recounts the history of the angels that fell in the days of Jared, Enoch’s father. It testifies to their marriages with human women and their genetic experiments.”
Regardless of your view on the Book of Enoch, it is worth reading and especially elucidated by Ken Johnsons additional info including very helpful footnotes.
You can purchase the book at Amazon at this linkAncient Book of Enoch.
You can visit Ken Johnson’s bookstore at Biblefacts – portal
You can visit his forum at Yahoo – group/biblefactsorg
You can view his videos at Youtube – biblefactsorg
You can befriend him at Facebook – Biblefacts-Ministries
You will also find many resources at his web-homepage which is Biblefacts.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A plea: I have to pay for server usage and have made all content on this website free and always will. I support my family on one income and do research, writing, videos, etc. as a hobby. If you can even spare $1.00 as a donation, please do so: it may not seem like much but if each person reading this would do so, even every now and then, it would add up and really, really help. Here is my donate/paypal page.
Due to robo-spaming, I had to close the comment sections. However, you can comment on my Facebook page and/or on my Google+ page.