4. Doctrinal outline of the Book of Enoch: "In doctrine the book of Enoch exhibits a great advance of thought within the limits of revelation in each of the great divisions of knowledge. The teaching on nature is a curious attempt to reduce the scattered images of the Old Testament to a physical system. The view of society and man, of the temporary triumph and final discomfiture of the oppressors of God's people, carries out into elaborate detail the pregnant images of Daniel. The figure of the Messiah is invested with majestic dignity as 'the Son of God,' 'whose name was named before the sun was made,' and who existed 'aforetime in the presence of God.' And at the same time his human attributes as 'the son of man,' 'the son of woman,' 'the elect one,' 'the righteous one,' 'the anointed,' are brought into conspicuous notice. The mysteries of the spiritual world, the connection of angels and men, the classes and ministries of the hosts of heaven, the power of Satan, and the legions of darkness, the doctrines of resurrection, retribution, and eternal punishment are dwelt upon with growing earnestness as the horizon of speculation was extended by intercourse with Greece. But the message of the book is emphatically one of 'faith and truth,' and while the writer combines and repeats the thoughts of Scripture, he adds no new element to the teaching of the prophets. His errors spring from an undisciplined attempt to explain their words, and from a proud exultation in present success. For the great characteristic by which the book is distinguished from the later apocalypse of Ezra (Esdras, 2nd Book) is the tone of triumphant expectation by which it is pervaded. It seems to repeat in every form the great principle that the world, natural, moral, and spiritual, is under the immediate government of God. Hence it follows that there is a terrible retribution reserved for sinners, and a glorious kingdom prepared for the righteous, and Messiah is regarded as the divine mediator of this double issue. Nor is it without a striking fitness that a patriarch translated from earth, and admitted to look upon the divine majesty, is chosen as 'the herald of wisdom, righteousness, and judgment' to a people who, even in suffering, saw in their tyrants only the victims of a coming vengeance." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Hackett Edition, p. 740.)
The two preceding notes, giving an outline of the Book of Enoch and its doctrines, deal with a version of the writings of Enoch that doubtless have been more or less corrupted; but even in mutilated form one may discern the aim outline of a great and important work dealing with the Gospel of Christ as known to the ancients. A history of the book—so well known and frequently fed by many of the Christian fathers—and its being brought to Europe and translated into the English language will be found in both Kitto and Smith's works.
LESSON XV.
(Scripture Reading Exercise.)
THE DISPENSATION OF THE GOSPEL GIVEN TO NOAH.
| ANALYSIS. | REFERENCES. |
| I. Noah Before the Flood: 1. Birth, Character, and place in History. 2. Conditions of Society in days of Noah. 3. The calling of Noah and the Nature of the Gospel committed to him. | Gen. v:28-32. Book of Moses viii:8-13. Notes 1 and 2. Gen. vi:1-13. Note 3. Book of Moses, ch. viii:13, 15, 17, 19, 23, 24. See also viii:16, 19, and cf. Ibid, vi:43-68. |
| II. The Flood. | Gen. vii and viii. Josephus Antiquities. Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, Art. Noah. |
| III. Noah After the Flood. 1. Renewal of the Covenant—Its sign. 2. The Curse upon Canaan. 3. The Seven Precepts of Noah—His Death. | Gen. ix:8-17. Gen. ix:18-29. Note 3, 4. |
NOTES.
1. Why a Dispensation of the Gospel was Given to Noah: The reason for giving a dispensation of the Gospel to Noah seems to have been the same as that which led to the giving of a dispensation of it to Enoch—viz., the increasing wickedness of the people. There had been no break in the line of righteous men who held the priesthood; but the increasing wickedness of the people, and the necessity of warning them of impending calamities required the dispensation of the Gospel given to Noah. In order to understand how complete the dispensation of the Gospel given to them was, it is necessary that the student compare Book of Moses ch. viii:19, with ch. vi:43-68, as suggested in the references given in the analysis; since it is said that Noah was commanded to "go forth and declare his Gospel unto the children of men even as it was given unto Enoch" (ch. viii:19): and how fully the Gospel was given unto Enoch can only be appreciated by a comparison of the texts given above.
2. The Character of Noah: "That the conduct of Noah corresponded to the faith and hope of his father we have no reason to doubt. The brevity of the history satisfies not human curiosity. He was born six hundred years before the Deluge. We may reasonably suppose that through that period he maintained the character given of him: 'Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.' (Gen. vi:8, 9.) These words declare his piety, sincerity, and integrity, that he maintained habitual communion with the Father of Mercies, by the exercises of devotion, and that he was an inspired instrument of conveying the will of God to mankind. The wickedness of the human race had long called upon the wisdom and justice of God for some signal display of his displeasure, as a measure of righteous government and as example to future ages. For a long time, probably many centuries, the better part of men, the descendants of Seth, had kept themselves from society with the families of the Cainite race. The former class had become designated as 'the sons of God,' faithful and obedient: the latter were called by a term evidently designated to form an appellation of the contrary import, daughters of men,' of impious and licentious men. These women possessed beauty and blandishments, by which they won the affections of unwary men, and intermarriages upon a great scale took place. As is usual in such alliances, the worst part gained the ascendency. The offspring become more depraved than the parents, and a universal corruption of minds and morals took place. Many of them became 'giants,' the mighty men of old, men of renown (nephilism) apostates (as the word implies), heroes, warriors, plunderers, 'filling the earth with violence.' God mercifully afforded a respite of one hundred and twenty years (Gen. vi:3; I Pet. iii:20; 2 Pet. ii:5), during which Noah sought to work salutary impressions upon their minds, and to bring them to repentance. Thus he was 'a preacher of righteousness,' exercising faith in the testimony of God, moved with holy reverence, obeying the divine commands, and, by the contrast of his conduct, condemning the world (Heb. xi:7); and probably he had during a long previous period laboured in that benevolent and pious work." (Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature, Kitto, vol. II, p. 425.)
3. Conditions of Society in Days of Noah: "Very remarkable. however, is the glimpse which we get [from the Bible] of the state of society in the antediluvian world. The narrative it is true is brief, and on many points obscure: a mystery hangs over it which we cannot penetrate. But some few facts are clear. The wickedness of the world is described as having reached a desperate pitch, owing, it would seem, in a great measure to the fusion of two races which had hitherto been distinct. And further the marked features of the wickedness of the age were lust and brutal outrage. "They took them wives of all which they chose:" and, "the earth was filled with violence." "The earth was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. * * And it came to pass when men (the Adam) began to multiply on the face of the ground and daughters were born unto them; then the sons of God (the Elohim) saw the daughters of men (the Adam) that they were fair, and they took to them wives of all that they chose. And Jehovah said. My spirit shall not for ever rule (or be humbled) in men, seeing that they are (or, in their error they are) but flesh, and their days shall be a hundred and twenty years. The Nephilim [the giants] were in the earth in those days; and also afterwards when the sons of God (the Elohim) came in unto the daughters of men (Adam) and children were born to them, these were the heroes which were of old, men of renown." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Art, Noah.)