text:
The forbidden book of Enoch
"Our sun is one of a 100 billion stars in our galaxy. Our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies populating the universe. It would be the height of presumption to think that we are the only living thing in that enormous immensity" — Wernher Von Braun
Who is Enoch?
Enoch was the grandfather of Noah. The Book of Enoch chapter 68:1 "And after that my grandfather Enoch gave me all the secrets in the book and in the parables which had been given to him, and he put them together for me in the words of the book of the parables."
This makes it possible for the Book to have survived the flood as its not too hard to accept that Noah would have taken his Great Grandfathers writings with him onto the ark. We first learn of Enoch in Genesis 5 but it leaves us with questions. Hebrews 11 has the answers and Jude quotes Enoch! How did Jude come to know the words of Enoch? They are not in the Bible. The answer of course, is The Book of Enoch. The quote in (Jude 14-15) & (1 Enoch 1:9) is as follows: "In the seventh (generation) from Adam Enoch also prophesied these things, saying: 'Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners spoke against him'."
What is the Book of Enoch?
The Book of Enoch is an ancient Jewish religious work, ascribed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. It is not currently regarded as part of the Canon of Scripture as used by Jews, apart from the Beta Israel canon; nor by any Christian group, apart from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church canon. However, it is argued that all the writers of the New Testament were familiar with it and were influenced by it in thought and diction.
Western scholars currently assert that its older sections (mainly in the Book of the Watchers) date from about 300 BC and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably was composed at the end of the 1st century BC. However, Ethiopian scholars generally hold that Ge'ez is the language of the original from which the Greek and Aramaic copies were made, pointing out that it is the only language in which the complete text has yet been found.
The Book of Enoch was extant centuries before the birth of Christ and yet is considered by many to be more Christian in its theology than Jewish. It was considered scripture by many early Christians. The earliest literature of the so-called "Church Fathers" is filled with references to this mysterious book. The early second century "Epistle of Barnabus" makes much use of the Book of Enoch. Second and Third Century "Church Fathers" like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origin and Clement of Alexandria all make use of the Book of Enoch. Tertullian (160-230 C.E) even called the Book of Enoch "Holy Scripture". The Ethiopic Church even added the Book of Enoch to its official canon. It was widely known and read the first three centuries after Christ.
This and many other books became discredited after the Council of Laodicea. And being under ban of the authorities, afterwards it gradually passed out of circulation. At about the time of the Protestant Reformation, there came to be a renewed interest in the Book of Enoch which had long since been lost to the modern world. By the late 1400's rumors began to spread that somewhere a copy of the long lost Book of Enoch might still exist. During this time many books arose claiming to be the long lost book and were later found to be forgeries. The return of the long lost Book of Enoch to the modern western world is credited to the famous explorer James Bruce, who in 1773 returned from six years in Abyssinia with three Ethiopic copies of the lost book. In 1821 Richard Laurence published the first English translation. The famous R.H. Charles edition was published in 1912. In the following years several portions of the Greek text surfaced. Then with the discovery of cave 4 of the Dead Sea Scrolls, seven fragmentary copies of the Aramaic text were discovered.
The Book of Enoch is divided into five basic parts, but it is the The Book of Parables (37-71) which gives scholars the most trouble for it is primarily concerned with a figure called "the messiah"; "the righteous one"; "the chosen one" and "the son of man." Chapter 46:1-2, There I beheld the Ancient of days whose head was like white wool, and with him another, whose countenance resembled that of a man. His countenance was full of grace, like that of one of the holy angels. Then I inquired of one of the angels, who went with me, and who showed me every secret thing, concerning this Son of man; who he was; whence he was; and why he accompanied the Ancient of days. He answered and said to me, This is the Son of man, to whom righteousness belongs; with whom righteousness has dwealt; and who will reveal all the treasures of that which is concealed: for the Lord of spirits has chosen him; and his portion has surpassed all before the Lord of spirits in everlasting uprightness."
The opening verses of the Book of Enoch tell us that the revelations in this book were not meant for Enoch's generation, rather a remote generation, and of course the book would make more sense to the generations after Christ. We know that the early Church made use of the Book of Enoch, but it was then all but lost, until recent times. Perhaps this book was meant for our generation, as it is widely available today after being concealed for over a millennia. (Enoch 1:1-3) The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect and righteous, who will be living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be removed. And he took up his parable and said -Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, which the angels showed me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is for to come.
The Nephilim, Fallen Angels, Giants and the Watchers
Quotes from the Book of Enoch
The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect and righteous, who will be living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked and godless are to be removed. And he took up his parable and said –Enoch a righteous man, whose eyes were opened by God, saw the vision of the Holy One in the heavens, which the angels showed me, and from them I heard everything, and from them I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is for to come. Concerning the elect I said, and took up my parable concerning them: The Holy Great One will come forth from His dwelling, And the eternal God will tread upon the earth, (even) on Mount Sinai, [And appear from His camp] And appear in the strength of His might from the heaven of heavens. And all shall be smitten with fear And the Watchers shall quake, And great fear and trembling shall seize them unto the ends of the earth.
VI-XI. The Fall of the Angels: the Demoralization of Mankind: the Intercession of the Angels on behalf of Mankind. The Dooms pronounced by God on the Angels of the Messianic Kingdom– (a Noah fragment).
And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters.
And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children.' And Semjâzâ, who was their leader, said unto them: 'I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.' And they all answered him and said: 'Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.' Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: Samîazâz, their leader, Arâkîba, Râmêêl, Kôkabîêl, Tâmîêl, Râmîêl, Dânêl, Êzêqêêl, Barâqîjâl, Asâêl, Armârôs, Batârêl, Anânêl, Zaqîêl, Samsâpêêl, Satarêl, Tûrêl, Jômjâêl, Sariêl. These are their chiefs of tens.
And all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another's flesh, and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the lawless ones.
And Azâzêl taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. Semjâzâ taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, 'Armârôs the resolving of enchantments, Barâqîjâl (taught) astrology, Kôkabêl the constellations, Êzêqêêl the knowledge of the clouds, Araqiêl the signs of the earth, Shamsiêl the signs of the sun, and Sariêl the course of the moon. And as men perished, they cried, and their cry went up to heaven…
And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all lawlessness being wrought upon the earth. And they said one to another: 'The earth made without inhabitant cries the voice of their cryingst up to the gates of heaven. And now to you, the holy ones of heaven, the souls of men make their suit, saying, "Bring our cause before the Most High."' And they said to the Lord of the ages: 'Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and God of the ages, the throne of Thy glory (standeth) unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! Thou hast made all things, and power over all things hast Thou: and all things are naked and open in Thy sight, and Thou seest all things, and nothing can hide itself from Thee. Thou seest what Azâzêl hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which men were striving to learn: And Semjâzâ, to whom Thou hast given authority to bear rule over his associates. And they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have borne giants, and the whole earth has thereby been filled with blood and unrighteousness. And now, behold, the souls of those who have died are crying and making their suit to the gates of heaven, and their lamentations have ascended: and cannot cease because of the lawless deeds which are wrought on the earth. And Thou knowest all things before they come to pass, and Thou seest these things and Thou dost suffer them, and Thou dost not say to us what we are to do to them in regard to these.'
Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name "Hide thyself!" and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.'
And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azâzêl hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dûdâêl, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons. And the whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azâzêl: to him ascribe all sin.' And to Gabriel said the Lord: 'Proceed against the bastards and the reprobates, and against the children of fornication: and destroy [the children of fornication and] the children of the Watchers from amongst men [and cause them to go forth]: send them one against the other that they may destroy each other in battle: for length of days shall they not have. And no request that they (i.e. their fathers) make of thee shall be granted unto their fathers on their behalf; for they hope to live an eternal life, and that each one of them will live five hundred years.' And the Lord said unto Michael: 'Go, bind Semjâzâ and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. And when their sonshave slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is for ever and ever is consummated. In those days they shall be led off to the abyss of fire: and to the torment and the prison in which they shall be confined for ever. And whosoever shall be condemned and destroyed will from thenceforth be bound together with them to the end of all generations. And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because they have wronged mankind. Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: and it shall prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth' shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore.
And then shall all the righteous escape,
And shall live till they beget thousands of children,
And all the days of their youth and their old age
Shall they complete in peace.
And then shall the whole earth be tilled in righteousness, and shall all be planted with trees and be full of blessing. And all desirable trees shall be planted on it, and they shall plant vines on it: and the vine which they plant thereon shall yield wine in abundance, and as for all the seed which is sown thereon each measure (of it) shall bear a thousand, and each measure of olives shall yield ten presses of oil. And cleanse thou the earth from all oppression, and from all unrighteousness, and from all sin, and from all godlessness: and all the uncleanness that is wrought upon the earth destroy from off the earth. And all the children of men shall become righteous, and all nations shall offer adoration and shall praise Me, and all shall worship Me. And the earth shall be cleansed from all defilement, and from all sin, and from all punishment, and from all torment, and I will never again send (them) upon it from generation to generation and for ever.
And in those days I will open the store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven, so as to send them down upon the earth over the work and labour of the children of men. And truth and peace shall be associated together throughout all the days of the world and throughout all the generations of men.'
XII-XVI. Dream-Vision of Enoch: his Intercession for Azâzêl and the Fallen Angels: and his Announcement of their first and final Doom.
Before these things Enoch was hidden, and no one of the children of men knew where he was hidden, and where he abode, and what had become of him. And his activities had to do with the Watchers, and his days were with the holy ones. And I Enoch was blessing the Lord of majesty and the King of the ages, and lo! the Watchers called me –Enoch the scribe— and said to me: 'Enoch, thou scribe of righteousness, go, declare to the Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven, the holy eternal place, and have defiled themselves with women, and have done as the children of earth do, and have taken unto themselves wives: "Ye have wrought great destruction on the earth: And ye shall have no peace nor forgiveness of sin: and inasmuch as they delight themselves in their children, The murder of their beloved ones shall they see, and over the destruction of their children shall they lament, and shall make supplication unto eternity, but mercy and peace shall ye not attain."'
And Enoch went and said: 'Azâzêl, thou shalt have no peace: a severe sentence has gone forth against thee to put thee in bonds: And thou shalt not have toleration nor request granted to thee, because of the unrighteousness which thou hast taught, and because of all the works of godlessness and unrighteousness and sin which thou hast shown to men.' Then I went and spoke to them all together, and they were all afraid, and fear and trembling seized them. And they besought me to draw up a petition for them that they might find forgiveness, and to read their petition in the presence of the Lord of heaven. For from thenceforward they could not speak (with Him) nor lift up their eyes to heaven for shame of their sins for which they had been condemned. Then I wrote out their petition, and the prayer in regard to their spirits and their deeds individually and in regard to their requests that they should have forgiveness and length. And I went off and sat down at the waters of Dan, in the land of Dan, to the south of the west of Hermon: I read their petition till I fell asleep. And behold a dream came to me, and visions fell down upon me, and I saw visions of chastisement, and a voice came bidding (me) to tell it to the sons of heaven, and reprimand them. And when I awaked, I came unto them, and they were all sitting gathered together, weeping in 'Abelsjâîl, which is between Lebanon and Sênêsêr, with their faces covered. And I recounted before them all the visions which I had seen in sleep, and I began to speak the words of righteousness, and to reprimand the heavenly Watchers.
The book of the words of righteousness, and of the reprimand of the eternal Watchers in accordance with the command of the Holy Great One in that vision. I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth: which the Great One has given to men to converse therewith and understand with the heart. As He has created and given to man the power of understanding the word of wisdom, so hath He created me also and given me the power of reprimanding the Watchers, the children of heaven. I wrote out your petition, and in my vision it appeared thus, that your petition will not be granted unto you throughout all the days of eternity, and that judgement has been finally passed upon you: yea (your petition) will not be granted unto you. And from henceforth you shall not ascend into heaven unto all eternity, and in bonds of the earth the decree has gone forth to bind you for all the days of the world. And (that) previously you shall have seen the destruction of your beloved sons and ye shall have no pleasure in them, but they shall fall before you by the sword. And your petition on their behalf shall not be granted, nor yet on your own: even though you weep and pray and speak all the words contained in the writing which I have written.
And the vision was shown to me thus: Behold, in the vision clouds invited me and a mist summoned me, and the course of the stars and the lightnings sped and hastened me, and the winds in the vision caused me to fly and lifted me upward, and bore me into heaven. And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright me. And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals: and the walls of the house were like a tesselated floor (made) of crystals, and its groundwork was of crystal. Its ceiling was like the path of the stars and the lightnings, and between them were fiery cherubim, and their heaven was (clear as) water. A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with fire. And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice: there were no delights of life therein: fear covered me, and trembling gat hold upon me. And as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face. And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire. And in every respect it so excelled in splendour and magnificence and extent that I cannot describe to you its splendour and its extent. And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. And I looked and saw therein a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of cherubim. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look thereon. And the Great Glory sat thereon, and His raiment shone more brightly than the sun and was whiter than any snow. None of the angels could enter and could behold His face by reason of the magnificence and glory and no flesh could behold Him. The flaming fire was round about Him, and a great fire stood before Him, and none around could draw nigh Him: ten thousand times ten thousand (stood) before Him, yet He needed no counselor. And the most holy ones who were nigh to Him did not leave by night nor depart from Him. And until then I had been prostrate on my face, trembling: and the Lord called me with His own mouth, and said to me: 'Come hither, Enoch, and hear my word.' And one of the holy ones came to me and waked me, and He made me rise up and approach the door: and I bowed my face downwards.
And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: 'Fear not, Enoch, thou righteous man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice. And go, say to the Watchers of heaven, who have sent thee to intercede for them: "You should intercede" for men, and not men for you: Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons? And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those also do who die 5 and perish. Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. But you were formerly spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.
From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death of the giants, from the souls of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement –thus shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great judgement in which the age shall be consummated, over the Watchers and the godless, yea, shall be wholly consummated." And now as to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had been aforetime in heaven, (say to them): "You have been in heaven, but all the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth." Say to them therefore: "You have no peace."'
XVII-XXXVI. Enoch's Journeys through the Earth and Sheol.
XVII-XIX. The First Journey.
And they took and brought me to a place in which those who were there were like flaming fire, and, when they wished, they appeared as men. And they brought me to the place of darkness, and to a mountain the point of whose summit reached to heaven. And I saw the places of the luminaries and the treasuries of the stars and of the thunder and in the uttermost depths, where were a fiery bow and arrows and their quiver, and a fiery sword and all the lightnings. And they took me to the living waters, and to the fire of the west, which receives every setting of the sun. And I came to a river of fire in which the fire flows like water and discharges itself into the great sea towards the west. I saw the great rivers and came to the great river and to the great darkness, and went to the place where no flesh walks. I saw the mountains of the darkness of winter and the place whence all the waters of the deep flow. I saw the mouths of all the rivers of the earth and the mouth of the deep.
I saw the treasuries of all the winds: I saw how He had furnished with them the whole creation and the firm foundations of the earth. And I saw the corner-stone of the earth: I saw the four winds which bear [the earth and] the firmament of the heaven. And I saw how the winds stretch out the vaults of heaven, and have their station between heaven and earth: these are the pillars of the heaven. I saw the winds of heaven which turn and bring the circumference of the sun and all the stars to their setting. I saw the winds on the earth carrying the clouds: I saw the paths of the angels. I saw at the end of the earth the firmament of the heaven above. And I proceeded and saw a place which burns day and night, where there are seven mountains of magnificent stones, three towards the east, and three towards the south. And as for those towards the east, one was of coloured stone, and one of pearl, and one of jacinth, and those towards the south of red stone. But the middle one reached to heaven like the throne of God, of alabaster, and the summit of the throne was of sapphire. And I saw a flaming fire. And beyond these mountains Is a region the end of the great earth: there the heavens were completed. And I saw a deep abyss, with columns of heavenly fire, and among them I saw columns of fire fall, which were beyond measure alike towards the height and towards the depth. And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no firmament of the heaven above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it: there was no water upon it, and no birds, but it was a waste and horrible place. I saw there seven stars like great burning mountains, and to me, when I inquired regarding them, The angel said: 'This place is the end of heaven and earth: this has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. And the stars which roll over the fire are they which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in the beginning of their rising, because they did not come forth at their appointed times. And He was wroth with them, and bound them till the time when their guilt should be consummated (even) for ten thousand years.'
And Uriel said to me: 'Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons as gods, (here shall they stand,) till the day of the great judgement in which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the women also of the angels who went astray shall become sirens.' And I, Enoch, alone saw the vision, the ends of all things: and no man shall see as I have seen.
Contemplating the Nephilim by Scott Alan Roberts
I don't know if it's the rebellious, 'question all authority' streak in me, or merely a 'damn-the-cannonballs-and-full-steam-ahead' bravado, but I continually find myself questioning everything – even the things I tend to believe with the faith of a true zealot. As far back as my conservative, fundamentalist, evangelical seminary training, I tended to buck the system. I have no desire to create the false history that I was some sort of youthful, angst-ridden, anarchistic rebel, but suffice it to say I was, many times, labeled a 'trouble maker,' simply for asking certain questions. It was sometimes a serious charge leveled at me, and other times a tongue-in-cheek, wink-&-nudge understanding by my professors that they, too, suspected there was much more beneath the surface of our systematic theological dogmas.
That is the foundational stuff that culminated in my writing a book on the Nephilim. The stories of the bible had been presented to me so many times over the course of my childhood, that I felt I already possessed all the answers. But the detriment to being raised with those old stories is that they start to take on the aura of being just that – tales. We forget that these things, however they actually happened in the course of history, were real events happening to real people somewhere at their core.
It wasn't until I began thinking through my beliefs and sifting through the stories of faith, that I started noticing the missing elements and recognizing the gaping holes in the theology under which I had so willingly immersed myself. Now, this is not to say that those old bastions of faith were somehow misplaced or irresponsible in their doctrinal approaches, it's just that they weren't looking for the deeper answers, therefore they tended to blind themselves to the missing pieces of the puzzle that didn't fit their theologies. Dogmatic practices governed, manipulated and even ignored the questions, thereby rendering their followers incapable of even seeing the questions that were left bleeding-out like so many open wounds.
I want to 'know' things. I want to seek out the 'reasons why' I believe something. Faith without an object or foundation is blind, and I hate stumbling around in the dark. It is for these reasons that I set off in search of answers to my many questions.
The Nephilim were always a bit of an enigma to me. I was taught the story of 'Noah's Ark' in Sunday School, and in even greater detail when I was in seminary. Throughout all that education, however, never was I taught that the Sons of God and their Nephilim offspring were connected to the flood of Noah. And as it turned out, the mention of the Sons of God and the Nephilim were actually the preamble to the story of Noah and the Ark. The descent to human women of the beings known as the Sons of God, their subsequent cohabitation and sexual intercoursing, and then the ramifications of these acts on all of humanity, simply raised deeper questions in my mind. First of all, I wanted to know who they were, and secondarily, but not of less importance, I wanted to know why the account was so ignored in religious teachings. I wanted to know more. So I studied and researched and dug deeper.
It is incontrovertible in my mind that humanity underwent huge, creative interruption somewhere in our primordial past. The ancient history of humankind experienced an interference on so great a level as to be seen as nothing short of grandiose, if not catastrophic. The historic ramifications of the acts of the Watchers and their hybrid offspring affect not only the course of human DNA, but the entire thread of religious history, establishing the world's theologies and underscoring the subtexts of myriad spiritualities.
The story of the Nephilim – no – better: the history of the Nephilim is far-reaching. Their presence on this planet, from our ancient past through to our current events is tangible, yet strangely invisible to those who do not look or ask the questions.
Conscius gigno curator gigno scientia relinquo sapientia. Roughly translated, "Awareness begets Curiosity begets Knowledge bequeathing Wisdom." In other words: Think, seek, learn and apply. Repeat.
The Rise and Fall of the Nephilim: The Untold Story of Fallen Angels, Giants on the Earth, and Their Extraterrestrial Origins
Scott Roberts (Author), Craig Hines (Foreword)
New Evidence of a Hybrid Race That Walked Among Us! A long-time talk show host and researcher in the field of unexplained phenomena, author Scott Alan Roberts has come out with this riveting new book, loaded with the latest research and documentation about ET visitations, a hybrid race on early and alien-human meetings––a must have on the bookshelf of every reader curious about the legends of the Nephilim as mentioned in the Bible.
Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil:
Why Church Fathers Suppressed the Book of Enoch and Its Startling Revelationse
by Elizabeth Clare Prophet [ 524 pages ]
Did you ever wonder about the "sons of God" in the sixth chapter of Genesis? Well, it was a few lines summing up the book of Enoch, likely written prior to Genesis even. This book argues that Enoch is Scripture and also explains why that is so. But since as the cover reads the church fathers suppressed it, we don't find it in our Bibles today. But by drawing parallels to it and our Bible it concludes Jesus had thorough Enochian knowledge. Not only that, but that all the characters of biblical times knew of the Watchers' fall, and the adulteration of our race with Nephilim genetics.
Did rebel angels take on human bodies to fulfill their lust for the "daughters of men"? Did these fallen angels teach men to build weapons of war?
That is the premise of the Book of Enoch, a text cherished by the Essenes, early Jews and Christians but later condemned by both rabbis and Church Fathers. The book was denounced, banned and "lost" for over a thousand years-until in 1773, a Scottish explorer discovered three copies in Ethiopia.
Elizabeth Clare Prophet examines the controversy surrounding this book and sheds new light on Enoch's forbidden mysteries. She demonstrates that Jesus and the apostles studied the Book of Enoch and tells why Church Fathers suppressed its teaching that angels could incarnate in human bodies. Contains all the Enoch texts, including the Book of Enoch, and biblical parallels.
Fallen Angels and the Origins of Evil takes you back to the primordial drama of Good and Evil, when the first hint of corruption entered a pristine world-earth.
Contains Richard Laurence's translation of the Book of Enoch, all the other Enoch texts, including the Book of the Secrets of Enoch, biblical parallels.
Lost Book of Enoch : A Comprehensive Transliteration of the Forgotten Book of the Bible
by Joseph B. Lumpkin
Quoted in the book of Jude, and used to form our view of angels and demons, this book connects the dots of doctrine and prophecy in the scriptures. It goes into more detail about the "Sons of God (Angels) that left their positions in heaven to marry human women", having children that became giants and introducing violence, sorcery, and evil spirits into the world.
Witchcraft of the Fallen Angels?
Sources and Subject Related Links
Ancient Writings: Book of Enoch – The Watchers
http://www.heaven.net.nz/writings/enoch.htm
The Rise of the Watchers
Sons of God and Daughters of Man
Enochian Studies
Click here to read the The Book of Enoch now
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Filed Under: Ancient Writings, Life, Religious Texts, Science Tagged With: Book of Enoch, Fallen Angels, Giants, the Nephilim
Enoch was assumed into heaven alive he never died
The was transformed into Metatron his duty was to record as he did in first person. Angels incarnated on the earth then as they do now. The prophecy of Daniel 12 At the end time the great prince Michael will RISE to defend his people.
wonde says
Ethiopians to preserving the complete version of the forbidden book of Enoch among their bible.
Landon says
This is interesting. There's a legend in my family that we are descended from angels. I've been wanting to look more into it. These seem to be an interesting place to start.
Hitler also believed he was descended from a race which came about through the intermarriage of angels (fallen angels). Turns out he wasn't, and i'll hazard a guess that you're not either. If you are like 8 or 9 feet tall with two rows of teeth and 6 fingers on each hand, I may retract that statement.
When I was a small young man I met Jesus a door way into anouther dimension opened and he stood there I played with a young girl who I did not know in a field full of flowers and as a young child I picked some of those flowers and that seemed to upset him because they represented mankind and they were not ready to be picked he told me when the time was right I would sound the trumpet to his return so when I awoke I grabbed my uncles trumpet and tried to sound it I ended up with a bloody mouth I have never tried to sound a trumpet since I'm 58 hope he comes soon.
solarisquartz says
The supreme knowledge of manifestations on earth through the truth of universal principles.
gerry reis says
concious small still voice tells you;dnt ya think;a thousand years is like a day;wow;i think god has his redemtive plan; as does satan;what are u gonna do ;wiht all this knowledge;crystalls do communicate;such as harrp;gd day; pagans ruin all;gerry self righteous gain .pride;galatians 5;22 seek;;;;;;;;;
denny says
@ 1:57 in the video above, it reads that the illuminati wrote a book in the 70's called Atlas Shrug…that was written by Ayn Rand.and it's called Atlas Shrugged..
Oscar says
Your sources are intriguing. Maybe even true. But the youtube video at the end of your site is disturbing. It is full of unsupported information and anti feminism. This is true evil.
Solar says
Much prefer the research about the Essenes the brighter side of reality is much better for hope if realities are truly the desire of the supreme manifestation on earth.
So much to comprehend, one can look at all these different things and come to many conclusions. Us to be as food, or why tell part and not all, why allow one to speak in quatrains? Why no one else has the intellect ??? There are many questions for us, I do not think we die and that is the end. I have not all the things I would need to give a intelligent answer—we have been given just a TIP. A TIP ALL of the universe and to think we are alone, does the books speak of this–no……
Blanca says
If the Flood was God's way of destroying all the giants, then why were they still around afterward? We've got the story of Goliath from the Old Testament that proves giants escaped the Flood. Either there were giants on the Ark, God's Flood was weak and ineffectual, or the giants were beamed away to a waiting spaceship to cool their heels until the waters receded.
Or, you know, this whole thing could be a collection of Bronze Age mythology, rather than a true record of factual events. It's funny how all of the inherent problems just go away, if you view it in that light.
The best thing that could happen is at a certain time in history all sacred knowledge should be made available to all those that desire that knowledge and above the grasps of deceit as prophecy would have for the kingdom of heaven truly resides in the collective just some choose the worst way to get anywhere.
Kevin Waldeman says
There are a great many connections between the book of Enoch and the New Testament, and considering that the evidence shows that it existed long before the time of Christ, I believe that it's worth a closer look.
J.a says
Fascinating documents to get as close as you can to the original story what could ever be so worthy to make its place in the history of our past not to be confused for the reason of logic.
Gordon Lawrence says
Utter nonsense. I have read Tertulian, Philo, Justin Martyr, Iraneus and Origen amongst other Jewish writers extenively for my theology degree and have found no mention of enoch.
give me some citations and i will check them.
Conspiracy Cat says
Enoch is mention in the Bible, or did it slip your mind?
Ab Asaff says
For what it may be worth Martha.
The encounters and writings of Enoch are much less ambiguous than that of a lot of the Biblical Scriptures, Nostradamus and deciphered Sumerian tablets. After a long time studying this subject I will briefly summarize my conclusion.
It appears to me that highly evolved benevolent extraterrestrials came to this planet hundreds of thousands of years ago and decided to make an intelligent creative being out of the most advanced being which was the evolutionary dead end off shoot of the chimp. It was the hunched over animalistic ignorant cave man that had the potential to become a humanoid self aware creative entity worthy of a conscious divine soul to incarnate into.
The extraterrestrials made the decision to take the initiative and transform the lowly ignorant man- animal into a complete upright thinking man. Apparently, according to certain Eastern religious texts, there were a number of tries and failures over long periods of time which created profane and hideous entities. After brief evolutionary trial periods that proved fruitless, each entity in their turn was destroyed until the perfected human was finally accomplished. This was all done via DNA integration and manipulation and the final product was a conscious physically beautiful human race that we are.
Over the ages, many different extraterrestrial have visited this planet for various reasons. Most have avoided direct contact with us while a few have interacted with humans mostly in a subtle way as they knew we were the providence of high spiritual creators. As I understand it, a group of egotistical extraterrestrials known to our progenitors visited earth and were struck by the beauty of the human race and took of their women thus creating another type of human that was not suppose to be. The human DNA was infected by the DNA of those entities that was not compatible thus creating giant type humanoids and human deformities. Beyond that, they took on the roll of God's to the ignorant humans and enslaved and manipulated them as they pleased for their entertainment and pleasure. Upon realizing the intervention by the lower spiritually evolved undisciplined extraterrestrials, humanity's creators had to confront and do away with them via planetary cataclysms, floods etc. Reinforcements were summoned by both sides and high tech battles, mostly aerial ensued that was witnessed by the unsuspecting humans as alluded to in the ancient texts. Obviously our forefathers succeeded in getting rid of the malevolent beings (Nefilim) as we are still evolving today with free will under the vigil watchfulness of our nurturing progenitors.
That is more believable than God's word? That is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I ever read. Can you comprehend how far the nearest star besides the Sun is? Wow!!
Scordra says
Why is knowledge always seen as a sin? And why are women always unclean and defile the cleanliness of more righteous or higher powers (angels)? If God, Creator, Source, whatever name you claim made women and angels (of that I'm not positive), than aren't they all of goodness with the free will to choose otherwise? It is as if mankind was condemned by creation itself….
whoknows says
Well who committed the first sin? Adam or Eve. It was Eve that seduces Adam into eating the fruit. Read the creation story for more details
Brenda Brown says
Hi Scordra and Whoknows.
It's not that the knowledge that the Watchers brought that was the sin, it's that they brought it to mankind when mankind wasn't ready for it. Just as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was planted by God, in the Garden of Eden, and therefore, was not an 'evil tree', (Genesis 2: 8-9) so the knowledge of the Watchers was Heaven's own knowledge, but revealed out of time, with angel/human mingling, and to a spiritually immature race. Neither Enoch, nor the Bible, condemns the women who were taken as wives for the Watchers, but both in fact condemn the Watchers. (II Peter 2: 4)
Yes, both angels and mankind had free wills to choose for themselves who and what they would follow, but that doesn't automatically make every one of their choices good. For the angels to go against God's will, and reveal knowledge that people were not ready for, was them automatically elevating their will above that of their own Creator – the One who is Truth and Righteousness personified, and defying both Him and what was True and Righteous. And having turned their back on truth and righteousness, what was going to redeem them? They had rebelled against God, the ultimate of all goodness and life, and therefore chose the absence of goodness and life – which is evil and spiritual death/hell.
And while it's true Eve did act on her desire to sin first, please observe that God did not pronounce judgement on Eve alone – or blame her as if she was the cause of all the trouble. The serpent's acts brought a curse on it, as did Eve's, and judgment was also meted out to Adam for deciding to eat the fruit from the tree he knew God had told him not to. He was not 'seduced' into sinning, he chose to sin, knowing God had told him not to eat of the fruit of that particular tree. At no time in the informing of them of the judgement that they had brought on themselves, did God ever attribute all the sin to Eve, or Adam's part of it, to Eve. Each one paid for their own choices.
I agree with Brenda Brown. I agree to all she has stated.
None truly know says
I believe that Eve,s punishment for her not following the command was harder child birth and to crave her husbands approval/acknowledgments/ time. For Adam's punishment, he would crave to support his wife and children. Therefore, men always working or falling apart mentally cause they can't do it good enough and woman always craving approval from a man, yet man always gone working or falling apart. Vicious circle of never being happy by both sexes. Seems only righteousness on both parties will find some kind of peace, then we die.
It seem's that the stronger being " Man " Blames women, who if we really look THE MAN are taken with Beauty. Even the Son's of God Saw the daughter's of men–" seen their beauty." Even man-kind – mature men as well look upon the young BEAUTY –ones which are Most Beautiful–. Intelligent men —I personally as a young lady went to meet the Head of the Local Schools, the Master was late, the Principal was not. The highest up crawled into the room, on his hands and knees in front of the Young lady in her 20's. Which I know is true because the young lady was myself.
Not all grown mature men, I can say many–do become silly, as young boys. Dr's. professionals will seek the most beautiful most
of the time. I do not wish to get away from the subject, we know if we do look at what is old and on Earth Higher Beings have walked these lands. U.F.O.'s it tells us in the BIBLE enough if one reads, it also states we shall know all in the end, not all is told to us, why only those who made us know all. The end as we all know shall come, just as all over this earth as signs of intelligent beings living or visiting. Don't Blame Women, it is much to do with man, as well as the Son's who came to take the daughters as Wives. Much of the Bible has been left out, as some do see. I just agree don't blame it upon women for everything, One we can not help how we look, how our bodies are. No more than a man. The thing we seem to be able to control, would be our sexual action. Most, not all. I do not have the answers, it all is interesting to those of us who have studied and continue to study. I do believe we shall know someday.
HELEN PARKS says
The works of The Hidden Texts of Nostradamus are composed of a bit over ten thousand lines. These are the hidden texts of the quatrains converted.
Of the ten thousand lines 41% are in relation to the Anunnaki-Eridu-Sirius leagues.
Nostradamus seems to have considered the return of the Anu/Oannes triad imminent for us here in the 21st century.
So imminent as to refer to Easter – either in 2012 or 2013.
The warnings are many regarding their agendas
1) They are cannibals – they are coming for the 'harvest'
2) They need gold because they make their sun panels from nano arsenic/gold. These panels look like a beehive and contain their atmosphere
3) They live on artificial planetoids which are mobile
4) They can shape-shift
5) Masters of holographic deception
6) Involved in the 'rapture'. They ARE NOT involved in the 'ascension'
7) Nostradamus also calls them 'metricians' and 'numerators'. Almost as if they have highly efficient Asperger's Syndrome. Easter and Christmas are two seasons they feel comfortable using as 'time markers' for "miraculous" events
True thats why the roman catholic and nibiru made their calenders and did not include these scripts in the bible just the same as essenses where not included enoch was from a high galactic dimension so was the christ figure the true brother hood are still around this planet.
Hiram Wenner says
Great explanation. I really like to see clearly Martha
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Con la notizia della morte di Toby Smith, tastierista e fondatore dei Jamiroquai, in tanti tra fan e personaggi del panorama musicale hanno espresso le loro parole di dolore e cordoglio per la sua scomparsa prematura. Tra i tanti, oltre a Derrick Mc Kenzie e Paul Turner, ricordiamo Stuart Zender, gli Incognito e i Coldplay che hanno pubblicato sui loro social parole toccanti dedicate a lui.
Yesterday, I found out the news I was hoping, and truly believed, would never happen, that my dear friend Toby, had passed away. My heart hangs so heavy with grief and pain, that I have found it difficult to write anything about this up to now. The recent success of the new album has paled into complete and utter insignificance to me on hearing this terrible news.
Toby had fought this voracious illness with his own indefatigable and stubborn brand of spirit and courage for a very long time, and until fairly recently, had shown all the signs of beating it, only for it to take him away so cruelly from his wife, his children, his relations and his many friends.
But it has also taken him away from the millions of people who have enjoyed his music, the music I had the privilege of writing with him, the music that has brought joy and happiness to people's hearts across the whole planet for so long, and the music that leaves an indelible and everlasting legacy for all of us. This is my only solace at this most heartbreaking moment.
I have so much to say about the man but I will try to keep it brief for now. I want to remember Toby as the guy who struck me with his magic the first time I heard him play in my small bedsit in 1992, the guy who made laugh and cry in equal measure as we wrote the songs you all sing, the guy who would entertain us all on our most arduous tours with his obtuse sense of humour, and the guy who would crack me up with his quirky sense of style and his unique and candid views on people, life and love.
And so I want you all to remember him this way, because all you have to do is put his music on, wherever you are, whatever your mood, and let his amazing alchemy of chord structure, his mastery of timing, and his effortless and eloquent solos, get under your skin, right into your soul, and make you smile at the world, not matter how bad it seems.
He has been a huge part of my life. Without him, there would be no JAMIROQUAI, and as I write this, the moon is clear and bright in the sky, and I think of him how it should be, riding his mighty horse across it, leaving a trail of stars behind him.
I will miss you so much Tobesman. I will always be so proud of you. Ride the wind buddy, nothing can stop you now.


text:
Keiran Merrick
Keiran Merrick is a composer, lyricist, producer, multi instrumentalist and writer. He began his musical career at the age of sixteen with Bristol hip-hop collective First Degree Burns as a scratch DJ, guitarist, and vocalist. The band went on to perform across Europe and has been described as "an essential inclusion to any party or festival" (Chris Rutherford - Boomtown Festival founder).
Later he joined forces with rapper and spoken word artist
Adam Kammerling both in the studio and for live shows. This collaboration led to the creation of a stage show titled Shall We Take This Outside, an exploration of violence and
masculinity that combined acro-dance, breaking, parkour, hip-hop and spoken word.
He is currently working with Hash Hiterji (Roots manuva, Banana Clan), Lena Cullen (TeddyKillaz, She Is Danger, Dreadzone) and Colin Smith (Krossbow) as part of the collective Alternate Species. They produce and perform a fusion of trip hop, cinematic music and electronica.
Alongside these projects he has worked extensively as a composer for award winning advertising campaigns, TV shows, theatre productions and short films. You can see more of this work at
https://volophonic.com/bespoke-music-composition/
His musical theatre debut, as librettist and composer, is a modern day re-imagining of Kenneth Grahame's 'The Wind In The Willows' titled 'In The Willows'. Created in collaboration with Pippa Cleary (Adrian Mole, Jet Set Go!) and Poppy Burton-Morgan (Jungle Book, Little Mermaid) it won the 2018 Viborg Award for new Musical Theatre and has a UK wide tour scheduled for 2019.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Divinity, School of
Divinity thesis and dissertation collection
Word and supplement: reconstructing the doctrine of the sufficiency of scripture
WardT_1999redux.pdf (50.18Mb)
Ward, Timothy
This thesis aims to reconstruct the bases of the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture, bringing its orthodox Protestant formulation into discussion with some related topics in contemporary theology, hermeneutics, literary theory and the philosophy of language. Material for the reconstruction is found especially in speech-act theory, as developed by J.L. Austin, John Searle and Nicholas Wolterstorff, and as it has been applied to the Bible initially by Wolterstorff, Anthony Thiselton and Kevin Vanhoozer. The content of the thesis addresses both those who confess the doctrine too unreflectively and those who dismiss it too hastily.
An introductory chapter outlines the academic contexts in which the content of the thesis is located: the interpretation of the historical doctrine of Scripture; the influence of linguistic and literary theory on contemporary theology and biblical studies; Jacques Derrida's concept of the inevitable 'supplementation' of written texts; the question of authority in theology and how God is to be 'named'; the broad question of how Christian theology may think of God's action in light of modernity and post-modernity.
The body of the thesis begins with an analytical overview of the history of the doctrine's development and decline, focusing on its full articulation in the Protestant Reformation and in post-Reformation Protestant scholasticism, (chapter 2). Theologians of the latter type, particularly Francis Turretin, are defended against the charge that they departed significantly from the Reformation understanding of Scripture. This analysis describes three elements of the sufficiency of Scripture, each of which is reconstructed in turn in the three subsequent chapters.
Chapter 3 deals with the theological claim that God speaks, and that Scripture is a medium of his speech. A notion of what it is to speak based on speech-act theory and especially on Wolterstorff s application of it to divine speech is adopted, and used to inform a reading of Karl Barth's conception of God as speaker, in order to assess his rejection of fundamental aspects of the classical Protestant doctrine of Scripture. The identification of Scripture with the Word of God, acknowledging Barth's concerns, is defended.
Chapter 4 takes up the material aspect of the sufficiency of Scripture: that Scripture contains everything necessary to be known for salvation. Various construals of textual ontology are discussed: the hermeneutical models of 'textual self-sufficiency' offered in literary theory by New Criticism and in theology by Hans Frei; the opposing construals of authorship developed by E.D. Hirsch and deconstruction, especially as the latter is exemplified in the work of the NT scholar Stephen Moore; the reader-oriented hermeneutics of Stanley Fish and Stanley Hauerwas. A conception of Scripture as 'sufficient', in relation to an ethical construal of authorship and a description of the action of the Holy Spirit, is developed.
Chapter 5 takes up the formal aspect of sufficiency: that Scripture is sufficient for its own interpretation. The theories of intertextuality of Julia Kristeva and Roland Barthes are examined, and philosophical resources are found in the work of Mikhail Bakhtin on language and Paul Ricoeur on Scripture, exemplified in the NT exegesis of Richard Hays, to outline a conception of 'biblical polyphony'. The canonical hermeneutics of B.S. Childs is examined, and supplemented hermeneutically via a recent suggestion of E.D. Hirsch on authorial intentionality, and theologically with a defence of the orthodox Protestant doctrine of biblical inspiration, as articulated by B.B. Warfield. A conception of the canon of Scripture as 'sufficient' is offered.
A concluding chapter suggests how this reconstruction of the sufficiency of Scripture may inform questions of hermeneutics, biblical authority and Christian talk about God.


"UK Town Centres 2017-2022", report offers comprehensive insight and analysis of the market and sectors (including forecasts up to 2022), the major players, key trends and consumer attitudes. It provides in-depth analysis of the following: the hot issues impacting the market (over-spaced key retailers closing stores, rising operating costs threatening profitability, shifting retail mixes in town centres, closure and digitisation of services in town centres), strategies for success, sector sizes and forecasts, town centre case studies, retailer market shares and future outlook as well as consumer data.
Although physical share of retail spend is declining, stores remain an essential part of retail and town centres as the largest contributing channel to retail spend, is forecast to grow by 4.9% over the next five years. Food & grocery, the largest sector in terms of expenditure in town centres, will be the driving force behind this market growth, with shoppers continuing to carry out top-up shops in convenient town centre locations. Subsequently, food & grocery will account for more than 40% of town centre sales by 2022. Tesco and Sainsbury's will remain the market leaders in 2017, growing share driven by high inflation in the sector and the growth of convenience in food & grocery.
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- Food & grocery and health & beauty will experience the fastest growth in town centres, growing by 19.9% and 16.6% respectively, with the former being driven by growth in convenience and rising inflation, and the latter being driven by the overall growth in the health & beauty sector - it is set to be the fastest-growing retail sector out to 2022.
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Alexander McQueen has grasped the public's imagination like few other fashion designers before him, with exhibitions dedicated to his work continuing to attract record visitor numbers. Almost 500,000 people visited the V&A's 2015 'Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty' exhibition, for example, making it the most popular in the museum's history. Introduced by a short essay on the designer's work and peppered throughout by insight from McQueen's close collaborators and top fashion commentators, Alexander McQueen: Unseen unfolds chronologically, revisiting the designer's most iconic creations and revealing previously unseen behind-the-scenes moments that capture models, hairdressers, stylists, make-up artists and Alexander McQueen himself at their most candid and creative. Robert Fairer's stunning and high-energy photographs capture the glamour, grit and spirit that made McQueen's flamboyant shows unique. A treasure-trove of inspiration, they make this publication a must-have reference for fashion and photography lovers alike.


The European Union has signed an agreement with four nations to move ahead on creating new gas pipelines to reduce its energy dependence on Russia.
The European Union signed the new energy deal during a summit in Prague with four countries – Egypt, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The agreement aims to help pave the way toward creating a series of gas pipelines from central Asia and the Middle East through Turkey and into Europe.
Two of the countries which signed the deal, Azerbaijan and Egypt, are gas rich. Two others, Turkey and Georgia, would host the pipelines carrying the gas. Europe hopes that one of the planned pipelines, known as Nabucco, will be up and running by 2014.
At a press conference in Prague, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hailed the agreement.
The agreement aims to help Europe diversify its energy sources. Right now, 25 percent of its gas comes from Russia. And that has created problems – like in January, when a gas pricing dispute with Ukraine cut energy supplies and left a number of Europeans without heat.
But three other countries that attended the summit, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, have reportedly not signed onto the agreement. Still, Europe is pushing ahead, hoping parties to the Nabucco pipeline will seal a deal with Turkey by June.
Turkey, which hoped to join the European Union, threatened in January to block Nabucco, citing a lack of progress in its talks on EU accession, but on Thursday it voiced full support to the project.