Jude & Enoch: Part IV

"The Lost Books"

So, the short but powerful Book of Jude seems to Echo the Apostle Peter's writings in 2nd Peter, because both Jude and Peter, zero in on false prophets, and warn us to both beware of them, and not to become one of them. Because God's judgment awaits those who use his Word for gain and twist God's Word for their own purposes and self-aggrandizement.

And Jude burns a particularly vivid, verbal brand on these false prophets, by defining them as "Ungodly men", first in verse 4. Then Jude quotes Enoch, in verse 15. But before we get into an examination of this amazing prophecy, which I believe are the only genuine words of Enoch, in existence, because as I said before, I believe the so-called "Book of Enoch” in the Apocrypha, is a total counterfeit. And that being the case, it leads us to wonder, exactly where did Jude get his information concerning Enoch's prophecy from?

I believe the answer is a fairly easy guess, although it is indeed only a guess on my part. And that is, even though we are not specifically told of a "Book of Enoch", anywhere in the Old Testament, it is likely there was such a book. Or, Enoch's words may have been recorded in some of the other lost books, which we are told of, in various places, in the Old Testament.

There were quite a few ancient extra-biblical books, which have been lost to us over time, perhaps having been burned during the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, back in 70 A. D. Or those books might have been destroyed in one of the many sackings of Jerusalem. And perhaps some of these lost books are yet hidden somewhere beneath the Temple mount, waiting to someday be rediscovered. Wouldn't that be something special!?!

Anyway here is a list of some of these lost books, in the order of their first mention, in the Old Testament.

1. "The Book of Jasher" (Joshua 10: 13) This was apparently a book. of poetry, ballads and stories, pertaining mostly to the outstanding deeds of courage and feats of strength, which were done by the "Mighty Men of Valor", of Israel. Many of the names of King David's mighty men are listed in the Books of the Kings, and The Chronicles of Israel. (2 Samuel 23, & 1 Chronicles 7) And again, I believe the so-called “Book of Jasher,” which we see out there for sale today, is a total counterfeit.

2. "The Book of the Acts of Solomon" (1st Kings 11:41) This book should not be confused with the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastics, and The Song of Solomon, which are books of the wisdom and the poetry of King Solomon, which he himself wrote, which are not books his deeds, or his actions.

Then we are told of three books, which would be quite a read I think! And they are;

3. "The Book of Nathan the Prophet"

4. "The Prophecy of Abijah the Shulamite"

5. "The Visions of Iddo the Seer". This book is described as mostly pertaining to the judgments of God, upon wicked King Jeroboam, who was the first King of the Northern Kingdom. And it was the raising up of several golden calf idols, throughout the Northern Kingdom of Israel, by King Jeroboam, which began their downward slide into idolatry.

All three of these lost manuscripts are mentioned in 2nd Chronicles 9:29. The last are:

6. "The Book of Shemiah, the Seer." (2nd Chronicles 12:15)

7. "The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia" (Esther 12:15)

8. "The Book of Purchase" (Jeremiah 3 2:12) This was evidently a legal document, concerning land purchases, inheritances, and land transactions among the peoples of the Southern tribes of Judah, and Benjamin. The Jews were very meticulous about these kinds of land transactions because their land pertained to their inheritances, which in the land of Israel, were regarded as sacred. So their land allotments were viewed as having been divinely appointed.

So, here we have seen at least eight books, which are mentioned in the Old Testament, but which have apparently been lost to us over time. Enoch's prophecy may have been contained in its own manuscript, or it might have been incorporated into one of those lost books, like the Book of Jasher, or The Prophecies of Nathan the Prophet. Because the Jews were very particular in recording everything they did in a very concise manner. I cannot imagine Enoch's prophecy had simply been a verbal legend that had been passed down by word of mouth over the span of two millennia. Because that would have been totally out of character for the meticulous record-keepers that the Jews of Biblical historical times were.

So, let's wind this up now, with the remarkable words of the prophecy of Enoch.