The Mystery of Enoch: Jude 1:14-15
“14) It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15) to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”” Jude 1:14-15
In these verses, Jude quotes from the book of Enoch. He lived prior to the flood of Noah. The story of Enoch is recorded in Genesis 5:21-24. Let me quote these verses.
“21) Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. 22) Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. 23) So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24) Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis 5:21-24
As you can see, we do not have many details of his life. He was the father of Methuselah, who was the oldest man that ever lived. These verses also tell us that Enoch walked with God. He had a very close relationship with God in a world and at a time that was becoming very wicked. We also discover that God took him in the prime of life. 365 years old in his days was equivalent to 35 years old today.
Notice, there is no record of physical death. The text merely says “he was not for God took him.” Some call this a rapture. He and Elijah are the only two men in the Bible that did not undergo natural death. Some put Melchizedek in that category as well because of Hebrews 7:3, but he is much more mysterious because he had no birth certificate either.
What is interesting is that he is referred to three times in the New Testament. (Luke 3:37, Hebrews 11:5, Jude 1:14) There is no question that Enoch was a genuine biblical character.
This brings us to the mystery of Jude quoting from Enoch. There is a old book called “The Book of Enoch”, but it was not part of the Jewish Scriptures nor the Protestant Old Testament. Several versions exist today. The irony is that the quote by Jude does appear in the book of Enoch. I consider the book of Enoch as interesting reading but definitely not Scripture nor inspired.
So why else is the book of Enoch significant? The book fills in the mystery of Genesis 6:1-5 and the sons of God having relations with the daughters of men and the Nephilim. It talks about 200 angelic watchers that came to earth and became wicked. The book actually gives names to some of them.
It is intriguing reading, but we have no record of its authenticity or transmission. There is no record of Jewish Scribes making copies of this manuscript as they did the Old Testament text.
However, fragments of the book of Enoch were found with the Dead Sea scrolls along with other secular documents. This version is often referred to as 1 Enoch and did not include the “Book of Parables” that make up chapters 37-71 of modern versions. They were apparently added later which casts a dark shadow on the authenticity of the book. Other fragments have also been found elsewhere from Ancient Greek and Latin translations, but the only complete copies that exist are from the later Ethiopic translation.
The book of Job is the only accepted biblical book that most scholars place prior to the flood. As noted earlier, chapters one and two both talk about the sons of God as angelic beings that had to appear before God to give an account of their activity. Job 1:6 and 2:1 both say that Satan also came among them. This gives credence to the Jude and Peter interpretation of the sons of God being fallen angels.
The quote from Jude in verses 14-15 seems to be a reference to coming judgement and lines up with Revelation 19:11-21. Jesus is coming back with a host from heaven to judge the wicked together with Satan and his cohorts. Satan’s doom has be sealed from ancient times.
History and current events are rushing toward a climax. I believe we are moving into what the Bible calls the end times or the end of this present epoch. (See Acts 1:6-7) A new biblical dispensation or epoch is about to unfold. It will include the tribulation period followed by millennial reign of Jesus on earth. (See Revelation 20:1-7) This may all be included in the prophecy of Enoch.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
