A Revisionist Reading of the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, in Society of Biblical Literature 1998 Seminar Papers (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1998), 36799. See Scott D. Mackie, Eschatology and Exhortation in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2007), 17071; John Dunnill, Covenant and Sacrifice in the Letter to the Hebrews (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992), 261; Luke Timothy Johnson, The Scriptural World of Hebrews, Interpretation 57 (July 2003): 238; Crispin Fletcher-Louis, All the Glory of Adam: Liturgical Anthropology in the Dead Sea Scrolls (Leiden: Brill, 2002), xii; and Silviu Bunta, The Convergence of Adamic and Merkabah Traditions in the Christology of Hebrews, paper presented at the 2010 SBL Annual Meeting, Atlanta, November 21, 2010. George Nickelsburg and James VanderKam see this passage as a compelling reference to resurrection (ibid., p. 268). , And I looked and beheld a tree; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty. Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies 90. Nickelsburg, George W. E., and James C. VanderKam, eds. 1874. 11. Vol. However, these are all narratives of the ascension of a single exceptional individual allowed to partake in, generally, a single exceptional experience. . As time progressed toward the flood, the righteous were caught up to join . Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1980. Later in Hebrews, we get more insight into his disappearance: "By faith . In our day, when stories of scripture figures are often dismissed as fables or ignored altogether, Enochs story and message are more vital and relevant than ever. Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society, 2007. Haniel's many alternate names have confused some people over which angel really carried Enoch into heaven, so Richard Webster says in his book Encyclopedia of Angels that "Haniel is sometimes thought to be the angel who transported Enoch to heaven" but some people credit other angels. There is, perhaps, a comparison that we can make here between the idea that this community has fled and the statement in Moses 7:69, ZION IS FLED. Importantly, the church that can be found in this city on Mount Zion is actually the Church of the Firstborns, plural, in the Greek. In chapter 7 of the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith provides us with an extensive account of how Enoch built a city called the City of Holiness, even ZION (Moses 7:19). In his book Edgar Cayce and the Kabbalah: Resources for Soulful Living, John Van Auken also credits Haniel as being "the angel who carried Enoch (who, according to the Bible, did not die but was 'taken by God' from Earth to heaven.". Enoch is taken up to heaven, chalk painting by Albertus Pictor (1440-1507) in Trave 2 of Hrkeberga Church, Enkping, Sweden.. We make this interpretation of veil of darkness being spiritual in nature based on similar phrases elsewhere in scripture, for example, Moses 7:56 (the heavens were veiled) and Doctrine and Covenants 38:8 (the veil of darkness shall soon be rent), which imply that this veil will cut off direct communication from heaven. This collection is known as the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, or the Angelic Liturgy, and consists of thirteen songs meant to be sung or recited on each of the first thirteen Sabbaths of the year. [22] Moses 7:62. In the Parables of Enoch 45:45 we read:[28] On that day, I shall make my Chosen One dwell among them, and I shall transform heaven and make it a blessing and a light forever; and I shall transform the earth and make it a blessing. Jim Davila has noted that in 2 Enoch (7172) we find the unusual tale of Melchizedek being taken away to paradise during the Flood so that he may serve later as a high priest.3 Additionally, in the Qumran texts known as 11QMelchizedek and the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice, Melchizedek appears to be depicted as a high priest who serves in the heavenly temple.4 Davila describes the trajectory of the figure of Melchizedek in ancient literature as moving from Melchizedek the priest-king to Melchizedek the god.5. 30. They lived in the light of God and had a shining appearance. 1, 91-221. Andersen, F. I. The author contrasts the experience of the Israelites under Moses and how they were not able to even touch Mount Sinai with that of the followers of Jesus Christ, who were given full access to Mount Zion. 4 I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom. 26. . [26], N. T. Wright, the well-known Anglican bishop and New Testament scholar, described the uniting of heaven and earth as follows:[27]. [13] Likewise, as George Mitton observes, the Book of Mormon as a testimony of the risen Lord is equally fitting since the symbol of its coming forth from the earth is reminiscent of the Lords resurrection.[14], Of course, in contrast to some other ancient religions, evidence for an early Israelite belief in a personal resurrection is controversial. Elder Alvin R. Dyer observed that the dimensions of the drawing of the Prophets proposed temple structures for Zion were 610 x 870, thus matching the dimensions of the Latter-day Saints Visitors Center, finished in 1981 and located on part of the Independence Temple Lot owned by the Church (Alvin R. Dyer, Report of Meeting with President David O. McKay, diary, March 10, 1967, accn. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. New York City, NY: W. W. Norton, 2019. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University FARMS, 2000. The Pearl of Great Price: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary. However, Enoch and Elijah did not die. Samuel I. Thomas, The Mysteries of Qumran: Mystery, Secrecy, and Esotericism in the Dead Sea Scrolls (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009), 209. The work of scholars such as George Nickelsburg and Hugh Nibley has opened our eyes to ancient traditions regarding the figure of Enoch, so that we, as Latter-day Saints, have come to realize what a wealth of knowledge the Prophet Joseph Smith provided when he produced his inspired renderings of the first several chapters in Genesis, including the greatly expanded story of Enoch. However, as in the previous instance, there is an important difference. James R. Davila, Melchizedek: King, Priest, and God, in The Seductiveness of Jewish Myth: Challenge or Response, ed. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1983. Enoch and all who lived in Zion, his city, were so righteous that Heavenly Father took the whole city up into heaven. One of the most significant additions to the biblical record in Joseph's revelation on Enoch is not only that Enoch was taken up alive into heaven, as the Genesis passage implies, but also that the entire city of Enoch was eventually received up into heaven as well. Lukes tale of the prodigal son turns out to be not symbolic foreshadowing, but literal foretaste, of a greater reunion. We know this because Enoch received many visions from God and "walked with him" (D&C 107:49) and talked with Him "face to face" (Moses 7:4). 12. Imagine a 365-year-old citydisappeared. 2 vols. Translated by Mayer I. Gruber. Enoch is taken up to heaven, and is appointed guardian of all the celestial treasures, chief of the archangels, and the . But (we experience only) quietness and gladness; and (exhibit) love and affection toward God and each other.7. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004. Temple on Mount Zion 6, 3196. 2:6) at Gods right hand. This unique community matured over a period of 365 years, after which it was received up into heaven. [31] R. Alter, Hebrew Bible, Psalm 85:[12], justice and peace have kissed, 3:206. and Do we see this theme in ancient texts, or is this a complete innovation on the part of Joseph Smith as he sought to unite his followers around an inspiring and unifying goal? [12] Moses 7:62. Dramatic [re]enactment of the Sons exaltation (chs. In the previous article in this series, we saw how ancient texts combine with the Book of Moses to tell a more complete story of the gathering of Zion. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2012. https://archive.org/details/1enochcommentary0002nick. (NIV) Hebrews 11:5. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! The Book of Giants tradition in the Chinese Manichaica. In Ancient Tales of Giants from Qumran and Turfan: Contexts, Traditions, and Influences, edited by Matthew Goff, Loren T. Stuckenbruck and Enrico Morano. Having sworn that He would return, the Lord at last addresses Enochs repeated, unanswered question with the solemn declaration that, indeed, the day would come when the earth shall rest (Moses 7:61). 1. Wissenschlaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 360, ed. . (accessed December 8, 2021). 274ff; G. L. Mitton, Book of Mormon As a Resurrected Book. David J. Larsen is an adjunct professor for the Department of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University and an editorial fellow at BYU Studies. 4. Wright, Nicholas Thomas. Cf. And we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other. The first and perhaps greatest tribulation is that a veil of darkness [would] cover the earth (Moses 7:61). Mackie, Ancient Jewish Mystical Motifs, 9899 n.34. Peter W. Flint and James C. VanderKam, 2vols. In Psalm 85 and 1 Enoch, two divine attributes meet and kiss, whereas in Moses 7:63 it is Enochs city and the Lord Himself that fall upon the necks of the righteous and kiss them, as they would a returning prodigal. . Everything was gone without a trace. Haniel's Role. And I beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain [veil], where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. To help you remember that these great events are coming, you will need: heavy paper, glue, scissors, a sharpened pencil, and . (accessed October 28, 2021). Andrew Louth, The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition: From Plato to Denys (New York: Oxford University Press, 1981), 199200. In the Psalm, the personification of the divine traits is used to create a metaphor of peace and prosperity in the land, whereas in Moses 7:62, it depicts the coming forth of a united testimony from above and below of the Only Begottenspecifically of His resurrection and the resurrection of all men., Latter-day Saint interpreters understand the imagery of Moses 7:62 as referring to the restoration of the Gospel. Image Collections; Gospel Art; Gospel Art Book; Old TestamentGospel Art Book; c. 1105. A new take on the parable of the lost sheep may change how you see yourself in the church, 5 things Latter-day Saints should know about ancient Christians, 6 temple dresses + accessories Latter-day Saint women will love. . (accessed December 18, 2021). Discourse by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Third Ward Meeting HOuse, Salt Lake City, Sunday evening, June 23, 1874. Finally, while MCP depicts Mount Sumru with thirty-two or thirty-six palaces at its summit, the plat for the city of Zion prominently featured twenty-four numbered temple sites at its center. Orem and Salt Lake City, UT: The Interpreter Foundation and Eborn Books, 2020. [9] E. T. Benson, Teachings 1988, October 198.6, p. 105 quoted Moses 7:62 with specific reference to the Book of Mormon. During the millennium, the people of Enoch will return to help build the kingdom of God on Earth. [2] Ascent and transformation of BGs thirty-two divinely prepared cities of earthly Zion to thirty-two palaces of heavenly Zion atop Mount Sumru. So I never realized until yesterday that the whole "City of Enoch taken up to heaven" is uniquely mormon. [29] Terryl and Fiona Givens comment (T. L. Givens et al., God Who Weeps, p. 106): The beauty and power of this image is in its concreteness. The Pearl of Great Price: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary. Send Me Your Angel: Saint Padre Pio and Guardian Angels, Seraphim Angels: Burning With Passion for God, The Holy Spirit Appears as a Dove During Christ's Baptism. Nickelsburg, George W. E., ed. Such individual ascent was probably the exception, rather than the rule.22, Alexander goes on to suggest that the leader of this liturgy, much like Enoch, would likely have already made the ascent himself and would thus be qualified to lead his congregation into the celestial realm. While talking to the Lord, Enoch expressed his full confidence in Zion, saying, "SurelyZionshall dwell in safety forever" (Moses 7:20). We are then told that Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven (Moses 7:21). Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1983. https://www.marquette.edu/maqom/slavonicenoch.html. Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith. Enoch preached repentance to "all the people" except the Caananites because of their wickedness (Moses 7:12). Vol. Who lived there? Daily news, articles, videos and podcasts sent straight to your inbox. Declaration of familial relationship between Father and Son (naming ritual)Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee (1:5; 2:1213). 17). Ksa, Gbor. 2:11- 12) and a whirlwind (2Ki. Although the text does not explicitly depict this large company ascending into heaven together with Enoch, it does state that when the kings of the land came to find these thousands of followers of Enoch, they were not found and were thought to be dead.6, Another account that is very similar to the story of Enoch and the City of Zion, but which involves the ascension of a different group, is the early Jewish story entitled The History of the Rechabites. This document tells of a man named Zosimus, who was taken up into Paradise, where he encountered a group of luminous beings called the Blessed Ones. These Blessed Ones, to whom Zosimus also refers as earthly angels, were surprised to see him in their midst and expressed that they did not expect to meet mortals until the end of the world. A city was named after him. Although there is no apparent connection to Enoch in the Rechabite story, the mere existence of a tradition in which a group of people is taken up as mortals to live in Paradise and reside there in an altered, purified state until the end times is very significant. There are numerous biblical and pseudepigraphal texts that relate the ascensions of great biblical heroes such as Abraham, Jacob, Levi, Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, and Paul. See https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/ ). See also pp. The book of 3 Enoch features archangel Metatron (who had originally been the prophet Enoch before becoming an angel in heaven) reflecting on what happened when archangel Haniel came to take him on a trip from Earth to heaven. He is also said to be leading . Verse18 indicates that those who have received this covenant have fled in order to take hold upon the hope set before them. Moreover, in both cases the destination of the western movement of each group is identified as a unique hierocentric location: for Enochs people that location was Mount Sumru in the middle of the world map, while for the early Saints that location was Mount Zion, which shall be the city of New Jerusalem (Doctrine and Covenants 84:2, emphasis added), a relatively central location on the North American continent. [14] G. L. Mitton, Book of Mormon As a Resurrected Book, p. 131. Not only is Haniel "a prince of angels who takes Enoch up to heaven in a fiery chariot in 3 Enoch," but Haniel "also holds the keys to the palaces of heaven," writes Julia Cresswell . On the origins of this text, see John W. Welch, The Narrative of Zosimus (History of the Rechabites) and the Book of Mormon, in Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited, ed. (accessed October 29, 2021). The Doctrine and Covenants, Section 45:11-12. Even after Zion was taken off the earth, there were still those taking up residence in the city. 404405 n. 2836. Genesis 5:22-23. When the people of God were attacked, their enemies fled to "a land out of the depth of the sea, and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off and went upon the land which came up out of the depth of the sea" (Moses 7:14), which could have been anisland or a peninsula in the general region of the City of Enoch. Young, Brigham. Cf. Does John 3:13 mean that no one went to Heaven before Jesus? Enoch became a prophet to a wicked people, and eventually, all the people of the City of Enoch became so righteous, that they were "translated" and taken up to heaven, to return during the millennial rule of Jesus Christ. [16] G. W. E. Nickelsburg et al., 1 Enoch 2, 62:1316, pp. Yes, but the answer requires some explaining. The confirmation of the divine oath with these heirs of promise served to give them hope. He currently lives in Springville, Utah, with his wife and their four (soon to be five) children. The Doctrine and Covenants, Section 38:4. The text goes on to imply that all of the patriarchs were seeking to reach, or return to, a country or a citya heavenly city (Heb. City of Enoch Taken Up to Heaven Genesis 6-11; Moses 8 Noah and the Ark Tower of Babel Genesis 12-17; Abraham 1-2 The Lord delivers Abraham from wicked priests Abraham gives Lot his choice of land Abraham pays his tithes to Melchizedek Abraham marries Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar Summarizing his findings regarding this ritualized ascent, Mackie concludes, Hebrews depicts Jesus exaltation as involving an ascent, as he passed through the heavens (4:14; see also 1:6; 7:26) and entered into heaven itself (9:24). [32] Church History Library, MS 2567. And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken? For Joseph Smith, Enoch and his people set the pattern for others to follow. A possible description we have of where the City of Enoch might have been located is in Moses 7:17, which states that the people of Enoch "were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish," making it possible that the City of Enoch could have been built somewhere in a mountainous region. 3 Enoch 6:1-18 records: It's interesting to note that the angels who encountered Enoch when he arrived in heaven detected the fact that he was a living human being by his scent and were upset about his presence there among the angels until God explained why he chose Enoch to come to heaven without dying first. There are two problems with this argument. Elijah was the second man to be taken to heaven in a natural body, Enoch being the first (Gen. 5:24; Heb. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God (D&C 76:5558). The Joseph Smith Papers, Histories 1, ed. To use an example that I see as similar, the temporary transfiguration of Christ on the mountain height was, if anything, a preview of his anticipated exaltation and heavenly enthronement. For thousands of years, people have wondered: Where did it go? However, "mountains" and "high places" could also mean sanctuaries or places of worship, not necessarily the location for a city. I have found a related pattern of themes in my own research on other Qumran texts, including a collection of poetic compositions or songs known as the Hodayot, or Thanksgiving Psalms, and the scroll labeled 4Q381, a collection of noncanonical psalms. Vol. See also J. M. Bradshaw et al., Gods Image 2, Commentary Genesis 9:26, p. 323). What a blessing it is to live in a day when we are preparing for the return of Zion. Archangel Haniel's role as an angel who allows people into various heavenly places may be one of the reasons God chose her to take Enoch into heaven. Fortunately, the scriptures, especially the Pearl of Great Price, provide details about the divine destiny and history of the City of Enoch. When there was corruption in the earthly temple, peoplesuch as the Qumran community and the early Christianswere striving for the heavenly temple located in the heavenly city. We observed that the Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of Christians gaining access to the heavenly city, which was also referred to as Mount Zion. As a result, the text says, his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world; And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together (Gen 14:3235, JST). But that didn't mean that those who weren't in the city at the time were out of luck. Can an EntireCommunity AscendtoHeaven? . Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. (Leiden: Brill, 1999), 2:465. 3. Obviously they were able to preserve some pearls that otherwise had been vaguely remembered but discarded. Based on the translation by Newsom in Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XL, 166. [1] https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2022-01-01/president-russell-m-nelson-suggests-3-resolutions-in-his-first-message-of-2022-238652 . During his ministry, Enoch also built a city for the people of God or the people who repented and were baptized. (accessed May 19, 2021). As a leader and prophet of the people of God, Enoch met personally with the Lord on many occasions throughout his 365-year ministry. James R. Davila, Heavenly Ascents in the Qumran Scrolls, in The Dead Sea Scrolls after Fifty Years: A Comprehensive Assessment, ed. The city of Enoch thus attained a terrestrial . The patriarchs and those in the monarchy, as well as those who lived in ancient Palestine before the sixth-century BCE Babylonian exile, did not imagine that the dead would be raised.. They were all equal in height, had brilliant faces and identical robes. . Nibley, Hugh W. The Prophetic Book of Mormon. Whereas the idea of Enoch, as an individual, ascending to heaven is common in the ancient religious literature regarding the patriarch, parallels to the notion of his entire community being translated and taken up as well are not so apparent. With Enochs Zion removed from the world, the residue of the people left behind continued to increase in wickednessa downward spiral that ultimately ended with the coming of the Great Flood to cleanse the earth of their iniquity. Joseph Smith himself wrote, commenting on the parable of the mustard seed (J. Smith, Jr., To the Elders, p. 227, emphasis added. Enoch was 430 years old at that time. 28. Thus began a vision of what would happen to the earth from then to the Millennium, and where Zion would eventually be located. Esther Chazon, Betsy Halpern-Amaru, and Ruth A. Clemens (Leiden: Brill, 2010), 22627. Maxwell, Neal A. [6] As to the righteous, Elder Neal A. Maxwell comments:[7], God preserved and prepared Enochs people in the midst of awful and enveloping evil, and, reassuringly, he has promised His people in our own time that though great tribulations shall be among the children of men, my people will I preserve.[8], The phrase: And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of earth recalls a similar phrase in Psalm 85:11. Noel Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997), 32374, an expanded and updated version of The Narrative of Zosimus and the Book of Mormon, BYU Studies 22, no. Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007. Later, referring to the publication of the Book of Mormon, the Prophet wrote (J. Smith, Jr. et al., Histories, 1832-1844, History Drafts, 1838Circa 1841, Draft 2, p. 386, emphasis added): It had now come to pass that, Truth had sprung out of the earth; and Righteousness had looked down from Heaven, so we feared not our opponents, knowing that we had both Truth and righteousness on our side. Translation of 1QHodayota XV:2930 by Newsom in Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XL, 214. The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson. Of One Heart: The Glory of the City of Enoch. So Enoch was snatched up from earth to heaven, and then we are told "that he did not see death." A plain reading of Hebrews 11:13 seems to say that Enoch actually did experience death. We can see the parallel here between Enoch and Melchizedek of the Joseph Smith revelations, Jesus in Hebrews, and the leader of the Sabbath Songs: in each the leader gains access to the heavenly temple through his faithfulness and is then able to lead his followers in that same path of ascent. Genesis 5:24 tells us that "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." Hebrews 11:5 adds: "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Some erroneously jump to the conclusion that Enoch was taken up . [29], Robert Alter, writing of Psalm 85, captures the commonality of spirit with Moses 7:63:[31] This bold metaphor focuses the sense of an era of perfect loving harmony. Even after Zion was taken off the earth, there were still those taking up residence in the city. Regarding those who are destined for celestial glory, it says, They are they into whose hands the Father has given all thingsThey are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Philip Alexander, Qumran and the Genealogy of Western Mysticism, in New Perspectives on Old Texts: Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium of the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature, 911 January, 2005, ed. . Rashi. 22. 1, 517-59. They were seven yet onethe unity of angels. The Narrative of Zosimus and the Book of Mormon. Reprint, Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft, 1966. In chapter 7 of the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith provides us with an extensive account of how Enoch built a city "called the City of Holiness, even ZION" (Moses 7:19). After all, Latter-day Saints have been called, like Enochs people, to more fully engage our hearts and accelerate our labors in a spirit of consecration until the Enochs vision of a true and permanent Zion becomes a reality. This is the connection that the author of Hebrews makesthat Jesuss priesthood is the priesthood of Melchizedek. * In the last days, the city and its people will return to earth and be part of the New Jerusalem. They controlled and harmonized everything in Gods creation. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained:[17]. Paulien, Jon. Regarding their sinless and harmonious state, they explained, Among us there is no sickness, pain, fatigue to our bodies, mutilation, weariness, or temptations; not even Satans power can touch us, for there is not among us rage, jealousy, evil desire, or hateful thoughts. The religion itself reminds me of an apocryphal book; there are wonderful gems inside as well as interpolations.

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