THE BOOK OF 1 ENOCH has had a powerful influence on Christian theology. But it’s more than just an explanation of how the Nephilim came to be in Genesis 6.
The second section of the Book of 1 Enoch, chapters 37–71, is called the Book of Parables by scholars. It was the last section of 1 Enoch to be written, probably completed toward the very end of the 1st century BC. It contains teachings that are not found in any prior Jewish writing—for example, the forgiveness of sin through repentance rather than the Law, the imminent judgment of God on an evil world, and the coming of a messianic figure called the Son of Man who would execute God’s justice on rebellious angels, evil kings, and wicked landowners.
What’s more, scholars now believe the Book of Parables was written by Essenes—but not at Qumran, where the idea that anyone could be forgiven outside of their community and their rules was inconceivable. The group that wrote the Book of Parables lived in the north, at Mount Arbel near the town of Magdala on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.
This is near the south end of the valley through which the Jordan River flows between the Mount Hermon and the Sea of Galilee. This valley is the physical Valley of the Shadow of Death—and Jesus declared it so when he moved from Nazareth to make his home at Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee—plainly visible from Mount Arbel less than six miles away.
The Essenes of Mount Arbel, who could see Mount Hermon on the northeastern horizon, prepared the ground in the upper Galilee for the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah. And they did it with teachings preserved for us in the Book of 1 Enoch.
Listen to this week’s podcast below, or watch the interview at the Gilbert House app or our YouTube channel:
Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We’re starting to work in the building while we complete the final touches on the walls and studio setup. Thank you for making this possible! If you are so led, you can help out by clicking here.
Get our free app! It features all of our weekly content—this podcast, our weekly Bible study, the Gilbert House Fellowship, and our weekly program Unraveling Revelation. It’s free and available for iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle Fire tablets, and for Roku and Apple TV. Find the link here: www.GilbertHouse.org/app/.
Please join Derek and Sharon Gilbert each Sunday for the Gilbert House Fellowship, our weekly Bible study podcast. Log on to www.GilbertHouse.org for more details.
NOTE: The dates of our next tour of Israel has been changed from March 25–April 3, 2025 to the fall of 2025. Firm dates will be announced shortly.
The tour features our Iron and Myth panelists Doug Van Dorn and Dr. Judd Burton, along with author/adventurer Timothy Alberino! For more information, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel.
Discuss these topics at the VFTB Facebook page and check out the great podcasters at the Fringe Radio Network!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Email | RSS
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.