Recently, someone asked a whole series of questions concerning the book of Chanoch. Before we take on those questions, consider the following:
Chanoch (Enoch) 1:1-2
THE word of the blessing of Chanoch, how he blessed the elect and the righteous, who were to exist in the time of trouble; rejecting all the unrighteous and wicked. Chanoch, a righteous man, who with ELOHIYM, answered and spoke, while his eyes were open, and he saw a holy vision in the heavens. This the angels showed me. 2 From them I heard all things, and understood what I saw; that which will not take place in this generation, but in a generation which is to succeed at a distant period, on account of the elect.
Chanoch (Enoch) 93:12
Afterwards, in the seventh week, a perverse generation shall arise; abundant shall be its deeds, and all its deeds perverse. During its completion, the righteous shall be selected from the everlasting plant of righteousness; and to them shall be given the sevenfold doctrine of his whole creation.
So, here are the questions, and here are the answers:
Q: I cannot understand 450-foot-tall people.
A: This assumes an 18” cubit, which may or may not be true. In fact, the cubit is not described with particularity anywhere in scripture – therefore this height is a guess by interpreters.
Q: I see no basis in Scripture for this.
A: What is scripture? Jude quotes directly from Chanoch (Enoch). Did he err? Peter references Chanoch (Enoch) directly. Was he in error?
Q: The cubit we have is nowhere near this size and in Revelation, it says the angels have a cubit similar to the size of a human.
A: Suppose the cubit was the size of the hand, and not the forearm. Isaac Newton reckoned it to be from the elbow to the fingertip, but what is the scriptural reference the gives us modern reckoning to decipher ancient reckoning? It does not exist, nor could it.
Q: How and why does it have names of fallen angels (about twenty to thirty of them) that are not named anywhere in Scripture?
A: The name Aza’zel is found in the Hebrew. It is the name of the scapegoat. (Leviticus 16:8; 16:10; 16:26). Further, some of these angels (not the fallen) are also named throughout the Apocryphal writings (all originally Canonized).
Q: Who is Gadre’el that is named as the one who led Eve astray? Also angelic powers are spirits.
A: This is a good question. There is recent evidence that one of the names of this fallen watcher was Allah (according to recent published writings of Walid Shoebot). Do you believe that there was a being in the garden? Was that being in spirit only? Was the serpent who was cast into the dust some kind of distant but somehow related animal, or did the angel who tempted her have a physical being? You see, the book of Genesis raises similar questions.
Q: As Jesus explains - the angels are not married or given in marriage. They also do not have a human body, [nor can they create with their power so that they could give themselves a body] (scriptural support for this proposition? Was Satan then created as a serpent? And what did that serpent look like before it lost its legs and arms?). These were demonically-possessed humans who produced demonically-possessed children.
A: Who are demons? Both Chanoch (Enoch) and Yovheliym (Jubilees) define demons as the souls of the Nephiliym (Nephilim)(devils are the souls of the fallen watchers).
Q: I'm pretty confident that God teaches the use of plants and roots, not demons.
A: Does “God” teach sorcery (pharmakia)?
Q: I'm pretty sure God would have been the one to show the metals in the earth to use.
A: For weapons of war?
Q: I'm pretty confident that the inhabitants of earth were not calling on Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael to petition God to destroy the earth with a flood.
A: If all populated areas included hundreds of T-Rexes and cannibalistic giants – at what point does life get so desperate that such a thing might have been possible?
Q: I don't see any Biblical support for burying "Aza’zel" in the desert until judgment day.
A: Review the discussion of the practice for Yom Kippuriym in Vayiqra (Leviticus) 16 and discuss why the Aza’zel was sent into the wilderness.
Q: However there is plenty of evidence that MANY demons were locked at the time of the flood in Hades/Hell.
A: Yes there is; mostly found in Kepha (Peter) and Yahudah (Jude), both who reference or directly quote Chanoch (Enoch).
Q: Why were the "Watchers"/angels sending Enoch on behalf of God to go declare judgment and reprimand somehow to the demonic angels?
A: The fallen watchers had given up their heavenly bodies to take on flesh. They desired to return to their heavenly station expecting mercy. The passage makes it clear that it was found to be completely wrong that Chanoch would petition on behalf of those who were given the responsibility of watching over them (an instruction on the penalty for the breach of a fiduciary duty).
Why is Uriel over Tartarus/Hades? Why so much cryptic images of stars and luminaries? Why the hierarchies of angels that the Bible does not say?
Q: Why is it talking about portals in the heavens in strange places?
A: It is not talking about portals (gates) in strange places. The discussion appears cryptic because it does not use modern language. The gates are those places where the sun is seen coming up on the horizon. If you watch this yourself, you will see the twelve gates that are discussed. At the equator, the sun rises due west at the equinox; from there, on the next new moon, it rises a little north; then again a little north; then it reaches the summer solstice; the next month it returns; it returns again, and then it reaches the autumnal equinox again at the equator. The next new moon, the sun rises to the south of the equinox, then again more the next month, then it reaches the winter solstice; the following month it returns a bit; the next month a bit more, and then it reaches the vernal equinox. This can be readily observed today.
Q: Why on that day were two monsters parted - one male and one female - the behemoth and the leviathan about which the Scriptures do not apply gender?
A: Male and female he created them. Why would this be different with these two creatures?
Q: Why are angels measuring the depths and secrets of the world?
A: That Chanoch (Enoch) would have the information.
Q: Some of it seems to be written by Chanoch's (Enoch's) grandson - who is this?
A: Noach (Noah)
Q: What does it mean by telling which demonic arts were taught/shown to men/women by each fallen angel with their name given as though they each had their responsibilities; why so much attention to demonic powers and how were they showing?
A: Because according to this testimony, mankind did not know war, sorcery, abortion, make-up, etc. before the fallen watchers imparted this information. Remember, we are talking only seven generations from the absolute purity and innocence of Adam and Chuah (Eve) in the garden.
Q: What is he measuring as the place for the righteous between the North and West winds?
A: Why do we have a discussion of Avraham’s bosom in the besorah (gospel)?
Q: Why so much attention and calculation of astronomy rather than signs and seasons which the Bible says they are for?
A: The heavenly luminaries were given to correct those who followed exclusively a lunar calendar (which leads to at least 10 days of error per year), or those who followed exclusively a solar calendar (which would supplant the natural rhythm of life) – to set forth a firm calendar based on a solar-lunar system. Unfortunately, the purity of the earth’s orbit was not retained after the times of Yahusha ben Nun (Joshua), and the earth went from a 364 day year to a 365.2 day year.
Q: How can they name portals from heaven and tell where rain, snow, wind, heat, dew, prosperity, health, destruction, drought, locusts come from?
A: This is simply the method of predicting the weather. We rely on doppler radar.
Q: Why the names of seven suns and their light portions?
A: These are not the names of seven suns, but the seven names of the sun. It describes the sun in different characteristics.
Q: What is the meaning of all of these visions that are not explained and do not seem to have any direct parallel with other prophecies in the Bible?
A: Chanoch (Enoch) 1:1-2
The word of the blessing of Chanoch, how he blessed the elect and the righteous, who were to exist in the time of trouble, rejecting all the unrighteous and wicked. Chanoch, a righteous man, who with ELOHIYM, answer and spoke, while his eyes were open, and he saw a holy vision in the heavens. This the angels showed me. (And who gave John his vision in Revelation?)
2 From them I heard all things, and understood what I saw, that which will not take place in this generation, but in a generation which is to succeed at a distant period, on account of the elect.
For further reading...
What is Canonization?
Canonicity: The Septuagint – Part 1
Canonicity: The Ethiopic Bible – Part 2
Canonicity: The Synod of Jamnia – Part 3
Canonicity: The Council of Nicea – Part 4
Canonicity: The Council of Laodicea – Part 5
The Cepher of Chanoch (Book of Enoch) - its structure
The Cepher of Chanoch (Book of Enoch) - its credibility
Cepher Chanoch: On the veracity of the Book of Enoch
Cepher Chanoch: Understanding the Book of Enoch