There is a story in the traditions of Israel regarding the prophet Enoch that many Mormons may find familiar. As the story goes, knowing of the coming of the future flood that would come upon the earth, the prophet Enoch crafted plates of gold wherein he recorded the knowledge of The Fathers from Adam down to the present time. In some accounts, it is stated that he buried the plates in a hill or mountain. In other accounts, it was stated that he passed the plates down to Noah and then later found their way into the hands of the Patriarch Abraham, who then hid them away. Those familiar with The Book of Mormon's coming forth will see the remarkable similarities between this Enoch story and that of The Prophet Joseph Smith.
This parallel is not by accident, and it is also why the Book of Mormon is of far greater importance than many have ever considered. While the Book of Mormon contains the literal stories of the Nephites and the Lamanites, on another level, it was encoded with much of this ancient knowledge passed down by Enoch the Prophet.
The Prophet Enoch is a Nexus character in sacred history. His connection to Adam and his ascent into Heaven serve as a grand archetype for all future prophets that followed. In the teachings of Enoch, we find the Keys given to Enoch upon which the foundations of Zion can be established. These Keys of Knowledge and Spiritual Discipline are ancient and were passed down through the Fathers from Adam to Enoch, from Enoch to Noah, From Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to Israel, and from Israel to its varying tribes in one degree or another. Moreover, these Keys have been preserved and passed down by various prophets and schools in every period of time that a people have been called to ascend the mountain of the Lord's House. However tattered, hidden, and obscured these teachings are, they must be identified and recovered for this apocalyptic day.
Having seen the prophetic and panoramic past, present, and future of the earth, Enoch was shown that his descendants would be found overall the faces of the earth. However, he also knew of the secret designs of the Rebellious Watchers and the spiritual and physical bondage that accompanies their rule:
"And after that Zion was taken up into heaven, Enoch beheld, and lo, all the nations of the earth were before him; And there came generation upon generation; and Enoch was high and lifted up, even in the bosom of the Father, and of the Son of Man; and behold, the power of Satan was upon all the face of the earth. And he saw angels descending out of heaven; and he heard a loud voice saying: Wo, wo be unto the inhabitants of the earth. And he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced." (Moses 7:23-26)
Satan and his angels (The Rebellious Watchers) spread their secret works and combinations over the fact of the earth among all the nations of the earth. In doing so, the whole earth was filled with darkness. We in the Last Days are living under the same conditions. As Messiah prophesied to his generation, "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: “They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." (Luke 17: 26-27)
We are in the midst of an ancient war that commenced from before the foundations of the Earth. It is the War of the Sons of Light versus the Son's of Darkness. Their physical and spiritual weapons of war are very real. Our enemy is upon us and perhaps it is time for the return of the Sons and Daughters of Light.
THE RETURN OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF LIGHT
Because of apostasy, war, and time we have lost many of the direct writings of Enoch. Many have yet to be revealed. At the same time, the voice and teachings of Enoch have been echoed and preserved by the Prophets of the House of Israel and have been re-revealed in this dispensation. Unfortunately, without knowing the disciplines of ancient Israel, these great and sublime teachings have remained hidden in plain sight.
Among many of the Schools of the Prophets and the varying surviving traditions of Israel have been orally transmitted the Seven Laws of Hanoch (Enoch). They have sometimes been referred to by various names such as the Seven, The Principles of Truth, The words of Creation, and the Key before whose touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open. The laws presented here will be in English, but the ideas have been transmitted among various Jewish, Christian, and even Muslim esoteric traditions. These seven laws are important because they are the foundation stones by which the Torah of God operates in the Heavens and upon this earth. They are important because they are the co-creative principles that prepare the Sons and Daughters of Light to enter the Temple in Heaven and draw Heaven to Earth.
1. ALL IS SPIRIT; THE UNIVERSE IS SPIRIT
There have been several expressions of this teaching expressed among various traditions. In the Greek, it was declared THE ALL is MIND; The Universe is Mental. In other traditions, it was declared the ALL is Matter; The Universe is Matter. In this dispensation of time, it has been declared again, "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance. There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter." (D&C 131:6-8)
It explains that everything we term Life, Matter, and Energy is SPIRIT. In other words, the matter we see and feel is just spirit that is denser, and the spirit that we contemplate is more refined. It also explains that all the world or universe is simply a creation of God subject to the Laws of Created Things. In a sense, it is God in whom "live and move and have our being." Just as man is matter and spirit in a gross material vessel filled with the divine spark, we also work and create according to this grand key. An understanding of this great principle enables the individual to readily learn the laws of spiritual and physical creation and apply the same to his current state and eternal progression. The disciple is enabled to apply the seven laws of Enoch intelligently in an intentional manner toward connecting Heaven and Earth. With this master key, the student may unlock the many doors or gates of Heaven's temple and enter the same. This law explains the true nature of life, light, spirit, and matter and the why and how all these are influenced by the disciplines of the Spirit once taught in the ancient Schools of the Prophets. It is an idea of creation with both God and Man that all things are created spiritually/mind/ or thought before they are created or manifested in the physical:
"And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word." (Moses 3:7)
It is upon this principle that the Prophet Joseph Smith revealed:
"Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of truth. And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.
The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth; And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.
All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.
For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one." (D&C 93: 23-37)
2. AS ABOVE, SO BELOW, AS WITHIN, SO WITHOUT, AS THE UNIVERSE, SO THE SOUL
"And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air; But I, the Lord God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground." (Abraham 3:5-6)
We are creating all the time whether consciously or unconsciously. The images and thoughts we take in and replay become the reality of our existence. It is a law that gives reason to the commandment, "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God." (Exodus 20:3, Leviticus 26:1)
It is also the law underlying Alma's parable of the seed and the creative process:
" Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me." (Alma 32:28)
3. NOTHING RESTS EVERYTHING VIBRATES
This Law underlies the truth that everything is in motion, everything vibrates, and nothing is at rest. This Law of Enoch is also connected to the statement, ""It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance. There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter." (D&C 131:6-8)
The differences between Matter, Energy, Mind, and Spirit are the results of the varying rates of Vibration or refinement or purity. From the eternal throne of God to his Kingdom here on earth, everything is vibrating to one degree or another. The higher the vibration, the higher our progression is, and the closer our proximity to God. Thus, as our mental/spiritual ideas, images, and thoughts draw closer and closer to the thoughts and conditions of the Heart Contained in the Sermon the Mount, we discover that we are the conduits of desire that connects Heaven and Earth, thereby manifesting the reality of the spiritual on this material plane. This is also why the Teachings of Enoch given to his children after his return from his ascension into Heaven are reflections of those same Holiness Teachings Given to both the Jews and the Nephites at the respective Sermons on the Mount/Temple.
4: EVERYTHING IS DUAL; EVERYTHING HAS POLES
Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled. Polarity means that opposites are actually different degrees of the same thing. Love and hate or fear and courage, the holy and the profane are degrees of the same thing. The difference between is determined by their vibration. The conditions of the Heart expressed in the Sermon on the Mount/Temple are an example of those emotions and desires vibrating in concert with the Heavenly realm.
It is this principle of Enoch that underlies the words of the Prophet Lehi to his son:
"For it is necessary
that there is an opposite in all things
if not so my firstborn in the wilderness righteousness could not
be brought to pass
neither wickedness
neither holiness nor misery
neither good nor bad
for this reason all things must needs be a mixture in one
therefore if it should remain one body
it must necessarily remain as dead
having no life neither death
nor corruption nor incorruption
happiness nor misery
neither sense nor insensibility
therefore it must necessarily have been created
for a thing of nothing
therefore there would have been no reason
in the end of its creation
therefore this thing must necessarily destroy the wisdom
of Elohiym and his eternal purposes
and also the power and the mercy and the justice of Elohiym
And if you would say there is no Torah
you shall also say there is no sin
and if you shall say there is no sin
you would also say there is no righteousness
and if there be no righteousness
there be no happiness
and if there be no righteousness nor happiness
there be no punishment nor misery
and if these things are not
there is no Elohiym
and if there is no Elohiym
we are not neither the earth
for there could have been no creation
of things either to act or to be acted upon
therefore all things must have vanished away.
(Voices from the Dust 139, Compare 2 Nephi 2: 11-13)
5. THE PRINCIPLE OF RHYTHM
Everything has its tides. All things rise and fall. The principle of rhythm is the pendulum swing that occurs in everything. The degree to which the pendulum swings to the right is the degree of the swing to the left. The rhythm is compensatory. It is found in the seasons between work and the rest of the sabbath. It is found in the rotations of the sun, moon, and stars. It is found between birth and death.
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
This Law of Enoch is the underlying key to prophecy. The ancient disciples knowing this principle of creation-birth and death, love and loss, happiness and despair- understood that these cycles could not be annulled. Still, they could neutralize its effect upon themselves. Walking in the center path or path of balance, like Messiah, they neutralize the rhythm of the polar forces to bring balance and true beauty.
6. THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT
This Law of Enoch states that there is a Cause for every Effect and an Effect from every Cause. Everything Happens according to Law. Nothing ever happens by chance. In fact, there is no such thing as Chance. In the varying worlds or dimensions of Cause and Effect, the higher dominates the lower, but nothing ever escapes the Law. Understanding that the Causal in Heaven brings effects here on earth, the disciple then ascends to that degree or dimension of vibration and rhythm to help transform this world.
This Law of Enoch is Echoed in the following words of Lehi:
"And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement" (2 Nephi 2:10)
and also to the Prophet Joseph Smith:
"All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified.
For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things." (D&C 88:36-40)
and
"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130:20-21)
In this law, the agency of man is revealed wherein he chooses to be that which acts or that which is acted upon. It is the difference between walking the path of the Messiah as the Master on the cross rather than being a victim on the cross.
7. THE PRINCIPLE OF GENDER
This Law of Enoch embodies the truth that there is male and female manifested in everythiTherefore, The divine masculine and the divine feminine are eternal principles. This truth is manifest not only in this world but in the worlds of the mental and spiritual. This grand principle is communicated by God also to Moses:
"And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them." (Moses 2:27)
The image of God is both male and female. Every person contains both the divine masculine and feminine. By understanding this principle, we comprehend Spiritual Creation, Generation, and Re-generation. The condition of oneness between the male and female being the foundation of the Divine. The masculine and the feminine fulfill each other. The masculine tending toward strength, power, structure, and understanding, while the feminine tending toward grace, mercy, and wisdom. Imbalanced the masculine leads to tyranny just as the imbalanced feminine leads to chaos and lawlessness. This law has no reference to the many base, animalistic, and degrading teachings or sexual practices considered idolatry, abomination, and forbidden by God's laws.
The goal is for the Masculine and Feminine Principles to work in a condition of harmony and oneness with each other. Contained within it is the idea that the masculine impresses while the feminine is impressed upon. One giving and one receiving to bring forth new creation and regeneration.
THE RETURN OF THE SON'S AND DAUGHTERS OF LIGHT
"And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.
There also came up 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.
And the giants of the land, also, stood afar off; and there went forth a curse upon all people that fought against God
And from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his people, and they dwelt in righteousness. (Moses 7:13-16)
As it was in the Days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the son of man. But, while we do not have physical giants consuming us, we have corporate giants feasting upon our nation, our leaders, and our families, and our children. Secret combinations fill the land, the government, and even our churches.
Once again, we need to return to God. Once again, we need men and women who desire to walk the ancient paths of the Prophets. Once again, we need to hear the roaring of the Lions out of the wilderness. The Day of the Lord-a day of judgment- is coming upon our nation. Once again, we need the Sons and Daughters of light to wield the sword of justice in defense of truth and virtue.
Weakness abounds in us because of lawlessness, abuse, and the traditions of our modern fathers, but the Sons and Daughters of Light must return. We need those who desire to ascend the fiery stones of Heaven to restore the light to the earth. We need those who treasure the truth that came up out of the earth. Only in the restoration of the covenant blessings and gifts of God can the curses be overturned.
