After 365 years, on the first day of the first month, Enoch was in the house alone, resting on his couch and sleeping. Great distress came into his heart when he was asleep, and he wept with his eyes and sleep. He could not understand this distress or what would happen to him. There appeared to him two men exceeding big, so he never saw such Earth. Their faces were shining like the sun. Their eyes, too, were like a burning light.
From their lips was fire coming forth with clothing and singing of various kinds, which appeared purple. Their wings were brighter than gold, their hands whiter than snow. They were standing at the head of his couch and calling him by name.
Enoch saw these two men standing in front of him. He saluted them and was seized with fear. The appearance of his face was changed from terror. Those men told him to have courage, Enoch, do not fear. The eternal God sent us. Then, they carried Enoch to the west, where he saw the secret things of heaven. Let’s see what The Book of Enoch says about heaven.
What does The Book of Enoch say about heaven?
In the Book of Enoch, there are references to heaven and its description. Here are some key points regarding the portrayal of heaven in the Book of Enoch:
The Structure of Heaven: According to the Book of Enoch, heaven is depicted as a multi-tiered structure consisting of different levels or heavens. It describes the first heaven as being the closest to Earth and subsequent levels rising higher. Each level is associated with different purposes and is inhabited by different celestial beings.
The Presence of God: The Book of Enoch portrays heaven as the dwelling place of God, referred to as the “Ancient of Days” or the “Lord of Spirits.” It emphasizes God’s glory, power, and majesty, who is envisioned as a divine figure enthroned in heavenly splendor.
Angelic Hierarchy: The Book of Enoch presents a detailed hierarchy of angelic beings, including archangels, seraphim, cherubim, and other celestial entities. These beings are believed to reside in the various levels of heaven, fulfilling specific roles and carrying out divine tasks.
The Heavenly Court: The Book of Enoch describes a heavenly court or council where God presides over the assembly of angelic beings. This council is responsible for making decisions, issuing judgments, and overseeing cosmic affairs.
Paradise: The Book of Enoch also mentions a heavenly paradise or garden known as the “Garden of Righteousness” or the “Garden of Eden.” It is depicted as a place of beauty and abundance, reserved for the righteous and those who follow God’s commandments.
The Book of Enoch is not part of the traditional biblical canon and has a complex history. Different versions and variations of the text exist, and interpretations may vary among scholars and religious traditions. Therefore, the depiction of heaven in the Book of Enoch should be understood in the context of its specific religious and cultural background.
Enoch was loved by God and was sent up and wrecked down here by two of his angels to see heaven and its levels and describe them in The Secrets of the Book of Enoch. When he reached the age of 365 years, he was taken up into heaven and shown all the levels of heaven. There were ten levels right to them.
The first heaven came to pass when Enoch told his sons that the angels took him on their wings, bore him onto the first heaven, and placed him on the clouds. They placed him in the first heaven and showed a great sea greater than earthly. Enoch looked down and saw the treasure houses of the snow and the angels who keep their terrible storehouses. The clouds went as they came out and into which they went. As of all the flowers of the earth fair, the many angels guarding the treasure houses of these things.
Enoch 2-6
Then, it was taken out to the second heaven, which is darkness greater than earthly darkness. There Enoch saw prisoners hanging, watched, awaiting the great and boundless judgment. These angels were dark, looking more than earthly darkness and incessantly weeping through all hours. He said to the men with me. Wherefore are these incessantly tortured?
They answer: These are gods apostates who obeyed not God’s commands but took counsel with their own will and turned away with their prince saying it, who also is fastened on the fifth heaven.
Enoch 7:1-3
Then Enoch was taken to the third heaven.
Those men tipped his hands, led him to the third heaven, and placed him there. He looked downwards and saw the produce of these places, such as never been known for goodness. He saw all the sweet flowering trees beholding their sweet-smelling fruits and all the foods borne by them bubbling or fragrant exultation. Amid the trees of life in that place, where the Lord rests when He goes up into paradise. This tree is an equitable goodness and fragrance adorned more than every existing thing, and all sides of it in a form gold looking and fire-like and covers all.
And it has produced from all fruits. Its root is in the garden of the Earth’s end, and paradise is between corrupt beauty, incorruptibility, and two springs come out of which send forth honey and milk. And as spring sent forth oil and wine, I separate the four parts and go round with quite coarse and down into the Paradise of Eden between corrupt beauty and incorruptibility. Hence they go forth along the earth and have a revolution to their circle, even as other elements. And here, there is no unfruitful tree, and every place is blessed. And there are 300 angels very bright, who keep the garden and incessant sweet singing, and never silent voices serve the Lord for all the days and hours. And I said, How very sweet is this place?
Enoch 8: 1-10
And those men said to me, This place. Oh, Enoch is prepared for the righteous who endure all manner of offense from those that desperate. Their souls avert their eyes from iniquity and make righteous judgment and give bread to the hungering and cover the naked with clothing and raise up the fallen and help injured orphans and who walk without fault before the face of Lord and serve them him alone. For them it’s prepared this place for internal inheritance.
Enoch 9:1
Enoch saw a mountain of iron, copper, silver, gold, and soft metal, and he asked the angel who went with him, saying: “What are these?” The angel answered:
“These things you have seen shall serve the authority of the Messiah, that he may be powerful and mighty on earth. Wait a little while and all secret things shall be revealed to you, things which surround the lord of spirits. These mountains of precious metals which you have seen, they shall melt wax before a fire in the presence of the Elected one. The water which streams down from above, so shall they be weak under his feet. It shall come to pass that none who depend on gold and silver shall be saved. There shall be no iron for war, no materials for breastplates. Bronze and tin shall be worthless and lead shall be of no use.”
Enoch 52:2
Once again, in Hebrew and Jewish teachings, “the Messiah,” “the Elected One,” or “the Chosen One” are titles given to and used to describe Jesus Christ, a few out of quite several other titles he is known by.
After he had heard the angel, Enoch saw a deep valley with its mouth open, and all the Earth, the seas, and the islands put gifts, and all they could bring into it, yet the valley never became full. So do the sinners devour without content, everything the righteous work at. They shall perish before the Lord of spirits and be banished from his Earth.
Enoch looked into the valley and saw all the angels of punishment dwelling there. They were preparing all the Satans’ instruments, the adversaries’ weapons. So Enoch asked:
“For whom are they preparing these instruments?”
The angel answered:
“They prepare it for the kings and powerful of the earth, so that they may destroy themselves with it, so that they may be destroyed by it. After this, the elected one will appear with his congregation in the name of the lord of spirits, and the righteous shall be free from the operation of sinners.”
When he had heard this, Enoch turned to another part of the Earth and saw another deep valley. But this one was filled with burning fire, and he saw as the kings and powerful of the Earth were brought and cast into the burning valley. Looking more closely into the valley, he saw great iron chains of immeasurable weight and asked the angel: “Who are these chains prepared for?”
The angel answered:
“These are being prepared for the hosts of Azazel so that they may be thrown into the bottom of the pit of hell and be covered with rough stones as the lord of spirits commanded. On that day, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Phanuel shall take hold of them and throw them into the burning furnace, that the lord of spirits may take vengeance upon them for their unrighteousness and for leading astray those who live on earth.”
Phanuel is another name for the angel Uriel. After the angel had spoken, the passage briefly narrates the event of the great flood which happened in the days of Noah after Enoch had ascended into the heavens.
In the time of Noah, the lord of spirits opened all the storehouses of the waters above heaven and the fountains under the Earth’s surface, joining the waters of the heavens with the water beneath the Earth. The water above the sky is masculine, and the waters beneath the Earth are feminine. With their joint ferocity, the waters destroyed all who lived on dry land and everything under the ends of heaven.
After all, had been destroyed, the lord of spirits repented from his actions and swore by his great name, saying:
“I have destroyed all who dwell on the earth to no avail. Never shall I do this again to them. I will set a sign in the heavens, and it shall be a covenant between me and them, so long as the heaven is above the earth.”
So it was done. The Lord of spirits set a rainbow in the skies as a sign of his covenant and promise to never again destroy the Earth and the generations of Noah by the flood.
Speaking to those who displease him, the lord of spirits said:
“My angels shall take hold of them on the day of tribulation, and I shall unleash my punishment and wrath upon them. You mighty kings of the earth, you shall watch my elected one sit on the throne of glory and judge Azazel and all his associates and all his hosts in my name.”
With this, Enoch saw the angels of punishment going, holding scourges and chains of iron and bronze, and he asked the angel, saying: “Where are they going to? Who are they going to scourge?”
The angel answered:
“Each angel is going to the one they have chosen and their loved ones, that they may all be cast into the abyss in the valley. The valley shall be filled with those they chose and their loved ones, their lives shall end, and their days shall no longer be counted. The angels shall march east of the Parthians and Medes and stir up the kings so they may rush out like lions from their dens and wolves from their packs.
A restless spirit shall descend upon them, and they shall go up and trample all lands, but they shall not touch the city of the righteous ones. They shall turn against themselves, and by their own hands shall they fall. Man shall not know his brother, son, father, or mother until there are innumerable corpses and they have slaughtered themselves. Then the pit of hell shall open its jaws and swallow them up, and their destruction shall be final. Hell shall devour the sinners in the presence of the righteous. All shall fall and worship the lord of spirits.”
What are the 10 heavens in the Book of Enoch?
The Book of Enoch describes the heavens as a multi-tiered structure of different levels. While the book does not explicitly mention the ten heavens, it does provide details about several celestial realms. The exact number and names of these realms can vary slightly depending on different versions and interpretations of the text. Here are the commonly mentioned heavens in the Book of Enoch:
First Heaven: This is the lowest heaven, closest to Earth, and associated with clouds, rain, and atmospheric phenomena.
Second Heaven: The second heaven is depicted as the domain of the celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars. It is associated with the measurement and movement of time.
Third Heaven: The third heaven is described as the abode of Paradise or the Garden of Eden. It is a place of beauty and blessing reserved for the righteous.
Fourth Heaven: The fourth heaven is associated with the “eternal luminaries,” which likely refers to the dwelling place of certain angelic beings and the divine light source.
Fifth Heaven: The fifth heaven is depicted as the place where the souls of righteous individuals, who have been transformed into angelic beings, dwell after death.
Sixth Heaven: The sixth heaven is described as the abode of angels responsible for guarding and recording the deeds of humanity.
Seventh Heaven: The seventh heaven is portrayed as the dwelling place of God, often referred to as the “highest heaven” or the “heaven of heavens.” The divine throne and God’s glory and majesty are manifested in it.
Beyond the seventh heaven, the Book of Enoch also mentions additional realms or dimensions, including spaces for the judgment of the wicked, the dwelling place of fallen angels, and the abyss of darkness.
What does the Book of Enoch say about angels?
The Book of Enoch contains detailed information about angels, their nature, roles, and interactions with humanity. Here are some key aspects of angelic beings as described in the Book of Enoch:
Angelic Origins: The Book of Enoch suggests that God created angels as spiritual beings before the creation of the physical world. They are depicted as divine messengers and servants of God.
Angelic Hierarchy: The book presents a hierarchical structure among angels, with various ranks and roles assigned to them. It mentions archangels, seraphim, cherubim, and other classes of angels, each with specific functions and responsibilities.
Watcher Angels: One prominent group of angels mentioned in the Book of Enoch is the Watchers. These angels were tasked with observing and guarding humanity but later became corrupted and disobeyed God by descending to Earth, interacting with humans, and teaching forbidden knowledge.
Fallen Angels: The Book of Enoch describes a group of angels who rebelled against God, led by a fallen angel named Azazel. These fallen angels, also known as the Nephilim, engaged in illicit relations with human women, resulting in the birth of hybrid offspring called the Nephilim.
Angelic Guidance and Instruction: According to the Book of Enoch, angels serve as messengers of God’s will, providing guidance, instruction, and revelations to humans. They convey divine wisdom, visions, and prophecies, assisting righteous individuals in their spiritual journeys.
Interactions with Humanity: The Book of Enoch recounts instances where angels interacted with human beings, both positively and negatively. It describes angelic interventions, the teaching of celestial knowledge, and the punishment of wicked individuals.
Role in Judgment: The book depicts angels as participants in divine judgment. They are involved in the judgment of the righteous and the wicked, recording deeds and carrying out God’s commands.
Angelic Warfare: The Book of Enoch also describes angelic battles and conflicts. It portrays angels as warriors who fight against evil forces and engage in spiritual warfare.
The Book of Enoch contains diverse and sometimes complex stories of angelic beings, and interpretations may vary among religious traditions.
Learn more:
Is The Book Of Enoch In The Catholic Bible?
