《《The book of Enoch》（以诺书）》狱蛇

5、Special Introduction 2

　　§ 2. CONTENTS

　　Chap. 1: 1, Superscription.

　　Chap. 1-5, Introduction. The source and divinely inspired character of this revelation given to Enoch during his intercourse with the angels, as well as its object: to announce the overthrow and destruction of the sinners when God shall come to judge, and the Messianic blessings in store for the righteous in the world now to come.

　　Chap. 6-16, The historical basis of the book, containing an account of the fall of the angels through their carnal connection with the daughters of men, as the author’s exegesis of Gen. vi. 1 sqq. The determination of God to inflict a temporal punishment upon them, which is to last until their condemnation in the final judgment, and the record of how this determination was carried out; the prediction of the flood as the means of cleansing the earth. Enoch, as a man privileged to communicate with higher beings, is requested by the fallen angels to write for them a petition for mercy. This he does; but is sent back by God himself to renew the previous announcement of the certain punishment of these angels. The object of this narrative is to prove historically that God will certainly punish sinners, and is thus to add force to the prediction of the true author in announcing the destruction of the sinners in his days.

　　Chap. 17-36, Description of what Enoch saw during his trip around and above the earth. He describes the divine origin of nature and its laws, sees the place of departed spirits both good and bad, the place of final punishment, the tree of life in the south, and the tree of knowledge in the garden of the just, and many of the secrets of nature.

　　Chap. 37-71 form a rounded whole, and are entitled: The second vision of wisdom. It is divided into three parables by the writer himself; 38-44, being the first, contain a prophetic account of the congregation of the holy as it will be after the removal of the sinners. Enoch views the mysteries of heaven, sees the myriads of the angels, and notes four, Michael, Rafael, Gabriel, and Fanuel, as the archangels. He speaks also of some of the secrets of nature, and lauds wisdom, which he personifies. 45-57, introduced as the second parable, treat chiefly of the Messiah, his nature and work, especially his judgment, and glorify the period of blessing and peace that his coming shall inaugurate. 58-69: 25 (with the exception of 60: 65-69: 25, which are from another hand), as the third parable, contain an account of the blessed condition of the righteous and of the judgment and condemnation in store for the wicked. Chap. 70 and 71 contain a suitable close to all the parables.

　　Chap. 72-82, with the special title, The book of the courses of the luminaries, the astronomical book proper, contain a long and tedious account of the course and movements of the sun, moon, and stars, respecting which the angel Uriel, “who is over them,” instructed the seer.

　　Chap. 83-91 contain two visions in dreams, the first, 83 and 84, predicting the flood and the first judgment, the second, 85-90, giving an allegorical account of the development of the world-history from the creation to the time of completion in the Messianic future, the whole from a purely theocratic stand-point. Under the symbolism of wild and tame animals the relation of Israel to the neighboring nations is recorded, the whole, as far as historical, from a biblical view. Chap. 91 gives a fitting admonition of Enoch to his children.

　　Chap. 92-93 (and 91: 12-17) pass over the same ground that the second dream does, only more briefly, as ten “world-weeks.”

　　Chap. 94-105, the paraenetic part proper and the practical application of the instruction given to the times of the author, the cry of woe over the sinners, and the exhortation to hope and fidelity to the righteous. Chap. 106-107 have an account of the birth of Noah and his wonderful appearance, and prediction of the flood. Chap. 108, introduced as “another book of Enoch,” contains a renewed brief prediction of the sure destruction awaiting the sinners and of the certain blessing in store for the righteous. The revelation is received from an angel.