Angels Gone Wild: An Autobiography by Enoch (Maybe) & Friends

The Book of Enoch. A book of controversy. A book of intrigue.  What’s it about?  Apparently, God missed a few key details when he told Moses to write Genesis (Please note my sarcasm). So Enoch had to fill us in on all the juicy, forbidden knowledge. Forget the fact that it was rejected for a few millennia… it must hold divine truths amongst the heretical blasphemy! It’s one of the most googled books today. And it’s a favorite book of reference in Ancient Aliens and documentaries about forbidden books.

This isn't a new phenomenon. The push for the acceptance of Enoch is much like that of Nostradamus. The advocates are not rooted in centuries of theological discernment but in their love of fictional stories that present the Bible as an unfinished (or incomplete) work of holy men. I have no doubt that the Book of Enoch was influential in some early Jewish and Christian circles, but it was never considered a parallel to the Holy Scriptures. In fact, Enoch contains several distinctive concepts that are not found in the canonical Hebrew or Christian Bibles. Many stories in Enoch blatantly contradict the Bible.

As we begin, I want to pose the question: “Why do many Christians reject the Book of Enoch as canonical scripture?” Let's explore five key reasons why I do not accept it as inspired (or even relevant) for the church today. Let me preface these remarks by saying “Yes” I have read the book of Enoch, the Apocryphal and Psuedo-Apocryphal books, along with many other ancient “religious” books. I’ve taken courses through several universities to help me gain insight on this issue. I’m not an expert, but not a novice either.

This blog is only meant to spur conversation on this important issue. I’ll channel my inner Dave Mason from “We Just Disagree” and say, “ There ain't no good guy. There ain't no bad guy. There's only you and me and we just disagree.” If you disagree with my views… we can still be brothers! I still love you. I’ll start by going from the most absurd contradictions to the less extreme (if that could be said).

Reason to Reject Enoch #1) Wicked Angels, Giants, Corruption & (By The Way) Noah Didn’t Build the Ark.  Yup. You read that correctly. Enoch tells a completely different story about creation. The fall of man, the purpose of the flood and the presence of biblical giants are all attributed to fallen angels. Those concepts are essential in understanding the entire work.  It describes a group of angels called the Watchers who decide to leave Heaven, have sex with humans, and teach humans forbidden knowledge including the “sacred” sciences: metallurgy, cosmetics, sorcery, etc.

The sexual union of these “angels” and humans produce a race of giants known as the Nephilim. This is a race of giants that have half human DNA and half angelic DNA. Enoch attributes the origins of evil and demonic spirits to this angelic rebellion and the “spirits” of the deceased Nephilim. Even after physical death they can inhabit a new body. The fallen angels need a human intercessor, namely Enoch, to appeal to God on their behalf. It elaborates on the specific sins of these Watchers which led to widespread corruption and violence on Earth.

The Bible mentions "sons of God" and "Nephilim" but doesn't offer such detailed backstory or the names of these fallen angels and their specific transgressions. So when you read Genesis 6-8, the Bible gives a different narrative. Enoch describes Noah's birth with vivid details, including his eyes shining like the sun and his immediately praising God after birth (like Buddha took 7 steps and declared never to reincarnate again). His eyes blast rays of light with the power of an entire star. When Noah walked into a room the entire space would glow from his “bright” eyes like something likened to those seen in the Bonnie Tyler music video for “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”

If you believe the book of Enoch, the book of Jashur, and a few Jewish traditions, Noah’s wife (called Naamah), who was possible a second wife to Noah, was from the race of Nephilim. She is allegedly the daughter of Lamech (or Enoch, depending on your source), she is the sister to Tubal-Cain, and she bore children after the flood with Noah’s son Ham. Naamah, and her giant family, really constructed “Noah's” Ark. Noah is lucky to be nominated for a supporting role in this drama.

Reason to Reject Enoch #2) The Angels Are Gods, Enoch Is (Like) Jesus & There Are 10 Heavens. Enoch offers some elaborate stories regarding cosmology, angelology and theology.  The book describes a highly structured cosmology with multiple heavens, detailed hierarchies of angels, holy councils of angels (and demons), and specific names and roles for various angelic beings (Uriel, Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, Phanuel, etc.). Again, Moses misses the mark by neglecting to reveal the intricate and expansive views of angelology. Enoch fills this gap by teaching that angels are responsible for celestial movements, natural disasters and other unidentified phenomena. And, as you may have guessed it, they are “aliens” that probably built the pyramids and are behind the UFOs that go unexplained.

Enoch actually travels through time and space. In fact, a significant portion of the book recounts Enoch's extensive celestial journeys, where he is guided by angels through various realms of Heaven and Hell and everything in between.  He witnesses divine judgment, sees the places of punishment for the wicked, and gains profound knowledge about the cosmos and future events. Strangely enough, Enoch is given the very divine insight of the sacred sciences that got the whole world destroyed by flood. He gets to see it and write about in his book.

The biblical account of Enoch (Genesis 5:24) simply states that "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him," without providing any details of such journeys. These celestial, time traveling journeys are bizarre and cannot be corroborated with Holy Scripture. There are 10 Heavens, cosmic trees, hiding places for souls to avoid judgment, and a flat earth! Yup. Enoch was the first proponent on the flat earth theory.

The angels are described as “gods” and Enoch is the first Mediator (like Jesus). There is a divine council who decide the fate of man. Also, if you really want to go down a rabbit hole research “Megatron,” his super powers, and wild adventures he has in Enoch.

Reason to Reject Enoch #3) Forget the Prophets, Priests, Kings, Apostles & Early Church Leaders… Enoch Knows Best. The books accepted into the Old Testament canon were written or endorsed by prophets. Likewise the New Testament books were accepted by apostles or those closely associated with them (like John Mark and Luke). The Book of Enoch lacks any such direct apostolic or prophetic authorship or endorsement. Advocates of the inclusion of Enoch will argue that Jude (the half brother of Jesus) quotes from Enoch (Jude 14-15). It’s clear that Jude is quoting Enoch as a historical source, not endorsing the entire book as divinely inspired scripture.

How could someone argue that the book of Enoch is the equivalent of the law, the prophets and/or the apostles? Many ancient texts, even pagan ones, were quoted for illustrative purposes without being considered canonical. There are literally dozens of books quoted in the Old and New Testament. Those books that are culturally significant, evidence of philosophical thought, or simply used for a footnote, are not immediately accepted as inspired. They only appear as a matter of reference.

The absence from the Hebrew Old Testament (Tanakh) speaks volumes.

The exclusion from the Hebrew Bible, which forms the Old Testament for Christians, is significant for a number of reasons. Jewish scholars and rabbis meticulously preserved and canonized their sacred texts over centuries. The Book of Enoch was never part of this accepted collection. If it was not considered inspired by the very people entrusted with the Old Testament scriptures, it raises a significant red flag for its canonical status.

Beyond the specific quote in Jude, neither Jesus nor any of the New Testament writers extensively quote or refer to the Book of Enoch as authoritative scripture. This stands in stark contrast to their frequent citation of books like Isaiah, Psalms, Deuteronomy, and the Prophets. The silence of Jesus and the apostles on Enoch speaks volumes about its perceived authority in the early church. If it wasn’t important to them, why should it be important to us?

While some early church fathers, particularly in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, held the Book of Enoch in high regard and eventually included it in their canon, this was not a universal or widespread acceptance. The vast majority of early Christian communities in the West and East did not include it in their biblical lists. Its inclusion in the Ethiopian canon is a unique development and not representative of the broader historical consensus.

Reason to Reject Enoch #4) Sacred Sciences, Gnostic Doctrine & Other Heresies That Contradict Scripture. While not exclusively Gnostic, the Book of Enoch contains elements and theological concepts that diverge significantly from mainstream biblical teaching, sometimes bordering on the fantastical or esoteric. It introduces unique angelology, astronomy, demonology, and cosmological narratives that are not corroborated or developed in the canonical scriptures. Early church fathers were wary of texts that introduced new, often speculative, theological frameworks that could lead to heresy.

Upon closer examination, some interpretations and specific details within the Book of Enoch present theological discrepancies or even outright contradictions with the clearer revelation found in the accepted biblical canon. For example, its extensive and often complex angelology and explanations for the origin of evil differ significantly from the simpler and more consistent biblical accounts.

Unlike many canonical books which often claim divine inspiration (“Thus says the Lord," or "The word of the Lord came to..."), the Book of Enoch does not consistently present itself as having the same direct divine authority. While it purports to be the words of Enoch, it lacks the consistent prophetic "Thus says the Lord" formula found in truly canonical works. And, to be honest, how do we know who really wrote the book? The Book of Enoch is clearly not a single, unified text, but rather a collection of five distinct parts, possibly by different authors, compiled over several centuries. The precise number of writers and their identities remain unknown. Scholarly consensus suggests it was written by multiple authors during the Second Temple period (roughly 3rd century BC to 1st century AD). According to the Bible Enoch lived pre-flood about 4000 years earlier. Oops. Historians, inspired writers, archeology and common sense must go out the window.

Reason to Reject Enoch #5) It’s A Perfect Gift For Bible Critics & Conspiracy Theorists. We’ve all been led astray (apparently) by modern day Bible scholars and historians. The Book of Enoch outlines a precise 364-day solar calendar, emphasizing its divine origin and importance for proper religious observance. This stands in contrast to the lunisolar calendar that was predominantly used in ancient Israel and is reflected in the biblical feast days and calculations.

While the Bible contains apocalyptic literature (like Daniel and Revelation), Enoch presents its own unique set of apocalyptic visions, detailed prophecies about the coming judgment, the Messianic kingdom, and the ultimate fate of the righteous and the wicked, often with different nuances and imagery than what is found in canonical scripture. People who enjoy looking for the haystack in the needle love this aspect of the book. Figurative imagery and generic prophesies are written in such a way that any creative person can interpret them in their own way.

Enoch refers to a divine figure, the "Son of Man" or "Elect One," who is presented with pre-existent attributes, sitting on a throne of glory, and destined to execute judgment and usher in a righteous kingdom. While the New Testament uses "Son of Man" in reference to Jesus, the portrayal in Enoch precedes and potentially influenced some early Christian understandings, but the specific pre-existence and judgmental role attributed to this figure in Enoch's context are distinct from the Old Testament prophetic literature. So, in effect, Enoch was Jesus… before Jesus was Jesus.

In conclusion, while the Book of Enoch offers valuable insights into intertestamental Jewish thought and apocalyptic literature, its exclusion from the biblical canon by the vast majority of Christians is not arbitrary. It's a decision rooted in historical precedent, theological discernment, and a careful examination of its relationship to the universally accepted inspired scriptures. For Christians, the biblical canon is considered complete and sufficient for faith and practice. The Book of Enoch, despite its intriguing nature, simply does not meet the criteria established by centuries of Christian tradition.

The Book of Enoch is a fascinating and often-discussed ancient Jewish religious work. While it holds significant historical and theological interest for some, particularly within certain Jewish traditions, the vast majority of Christians throughout history have not accepted it as part of the inspired, authoritative biblical canon. So why are we hearing so much about it these days? Simple. People are bored with the Bible and want to be entertained with fresh, new teachings to challenge the mainstream religions of Judaism and Christianity. People come to hate “organized religion” so they turn to disorganized fairy tales and colorful fantasies.

The doctrines taught in Enoch are not for general consumption. Can you imagine a VBS where churches teach children that fallen angels procreated with humans and were condemned for eternity in a divine time-out but still made time to build the ark for Noah? It's truly a shame this theological blockbuster didn't make the final cut for the biblical canon. Imagine the Sunday school lessons on celestial paternity suits! It’s all there in the supposed “Deleted Scenes” from the Bible.

Staunch supporters of Enoch might say the real sin of today’s church is not knowing exactly which demon was responsible for teaching us about cosmetics and metallurgy. So, if you're looking for an alternative authoritative, not-so universally accepted guide to the origins of evil, and why women love a good eyeliner, look no further than this canonical banger… Enoch’ Excellent Adventure! He’s the OG alien abductee and first conspiracy theorist. If it wasn’t so ridiculous it might be funny. Read and proceed with caution.

You are loved.

Ray Reynolds, PhD

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