“The Promises … Shall Be Fulfilled”
- CFMCorner
- May 3
- 14 min read
CFM:
Videos, Podcasts, & Weekly Lesson Material
VIDEOS & PODCASTS
Media | Resource Links |
|---|---|
BYU RSC Library | |
Come Follow Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson | |
Come Follow Me Kid | |
Come Follow Me Scott Woodward & Casey Griffiths | |
Come Follow Up | |
D&C Historical Background | |
Don't Miss This | |
Follow Him | |
Grounded with Barbara Morgan | |
Gospel For Kids | |
Hurricane Adult Religion Class | |
Seminary Decks | |
Latter Day Kids | |
Line Upon Line | |
Meridian Magazine Podcast | |
Our Mother's Knew It | D&C 45 |
Saving Talents | |
Scripture Study Central | D&C 45
Restoration Voices Volume 2: D&C 45 Susan Easton Black |
Scripture Explorers | |
Scripture Gems | |
Scripture Insights | |
Talking Scripture | |
Teaching With Power | |
Thumb Follow Me | |
The Red Crystal | |
The Scriptures are Real | |
The Interpreter Foundation | D&C 45
|
Unshaken |
Resources and Insights for this Week's Lesson
Housekeeping
I’m currently experimenting with making the lesson materials cleaner and more organized. I aim to consolidate everything onto a single page rather than splitting content into separate sections. You'll also notice that I have put several things into expandable tabs. All of your favorites are still there, I've just tidied it up a bit.
I am also troubleshooting some issues with graphs not loading correctly, so I’ve made a few adjustments to improve stability and performance. I’ve converted our Section Outlines and Study Guides into downloadable PDF links to streamline things. You can still access all the embedded links from these PDFs, just as before — and they are now available for both online viewing and download. This will hopefully make reading them on phones and tablets better, and you can more easily plug the links into your scripture apps if you would like.
I am still working on figuring out how to integrate these files smoothly into the website itself, and I hope to get that done soon, but I wanted to get this lesson out to you sooner rather than later.
I hope these changes will ultimately make your experience more enjoyable. Please let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions, Your feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Topics for Deeper Exploration
Enoch: What We Know Today vs. What Was Known in Joseph Smith's Time
Introduction
The figure of Enoch—briefly mentioned in the Bible but dramatically expanded in Restoration scripture—has captured the imagination of both believers and scholars. But what did Joseph Smith and his contemporaries know about Enoch? And how does that compare to what we know today, thanks to the discovery of ancient texts and modern scholarship?
This article explores the fascinating contrast between what was known in the early 1800s and what we know now, helping us appreciate the depth of the revelations given in the Book of Moses.
What Was Known About Enoch in Joseph Smith's Time
In the early 1800s, the only widely known information about Enoch came from:
The Bible — Genesis 5:21–24 tells us that Enoch "walked with God" and was taken by God without seeing death. Hebrews 11:5 notes his translation, and Jude 1:14–15 quotes a short prophecy attributed to him.
The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch) — Although known to early Christian writers and quoted in Jude, 1 Enoch had been lost to the Western world for centuries. It was preserved only in Ethiopia and first translated into English in 1821 by Richard Laurence. This rare academic publication would not have been accessible to the young Joseph Smith or the broader frontier religious community.
In short, Joseph Smith's contemporaries knew almost nothing beyond the Bible's brief mentions of Enoch. Stories about Enoch leading a city, seeing grand visions, or prophesying of the last days were not part of the religious conversation in early 19th-century America.
What We Know About Enoch Today
Since Joseph Smith's time, discoveries in archaeology, ancient texts, and comparative mythologies have opened up a much richer view of Enoch:
1. Ancient Enochic Texts Rediscovered:
1 Enoch (Ethiopic Enoch) — Preserved in Ethiopia, containing visions of heaven, judgment, angels, and apocalyptic prophecies. Likely composed between the 3rd century BCE and 1st century CE. Early translations started in 1821 by Richard Laurence, but were sometimes crude or incomplete; modern translations (like those by R.H. Charles, 1912, or George W.E. Nickelsburg, James VanderKam) are considered highly reliable among scholars and draw on multiple manuscripts.
These records are valued for helping us to better understand Second Temple Jewish thought, apocalyptic expectations, and they demonstrate an example of apocalyptic styles of Jewish literature, providing valuable comparisons to the Book of Revelation in addition to providing important context and background to other New Testament concepts. These writings are generally regarded as non-scriptural but historically and culturally significant.
Dead Sea Scrolls (Aramaic Fragments of Enoch) — Found in the 1940s–50s, and dated to the time period of Christ, these records confirm 1 Enoch's ancient Jewish origin.
2 Enoch (Slavonic Enoch) — Describes Enoch's heavenly ascent. Survives only in Old Slavonic (Russian manuscripts), not Hebrew or Greek. Dating is uncertain — some scholars place it in the 1st century CE, others say it’s later, possibly medieval. Translations (especially from the 19th–20th century) are considered fairly reliable, but some material is fragmented or corrupted. Contains highly speculative material, including elaborate heavenly journeys, mystical cosmology, and angelic hierarchies. Debated over whether it reflects early Jewish traditions or later Christian-Slavic mystical reworking.
3 Enoch (Hebrew Enoch) — survives primarily in Hebrew, preserved in medieval manuscripts (likely dating from the 5th–6th century CE or later). It is strongly tied to Merkabah mysticism — a Jewish mystical tradition focused on visions of God’s throne-chariot and heavenly realms.
Interestingly, some of the symbolic imagery in 3 Enoch (like chariots, angelic beings, and throne visions) aligns conceptually with other ancient traditions, including depictions found on ancient Minoan artifacts such as the Hagia Triada sarcophagus (~1450–1400 BCE), which shows a chariot drawn by winged lions — a striking parallel to Ezekiel’s vision of cherubim.
Additionally, the Minoan throne rooms at Knossos feature similar motifs in ritual spaces that suggest deep symbolic resonances with Israelite tradition. Although scholars widely debate the extent of any direct influence on Israelite tabernacle or temple rituals.
However, archaeological studies do show that Minoan-made goods (such as frescoes, pottery, and luxury items) reached both Egypt and Canaan through Mediterranean trade networks. Notable sites include:
Tell el-Dab‘a (Avaris) in Egypt, where Minoan-style frescoes were found in a Hyksos palace. Many scholars suggest that Avaris may have been where the Israelites were concentrated (The Expulsion of the Hyksos) because this location was home to a broader Semitic community.
Tel Kabri in northern Israel — which preserves Minoan-style wall paintings; Minoan Frescoes at Tel Kabri, Aegeans in Israel
Hazor, Ashkelon, and other Levantine sites, where Aegean pottery and luxury goods circulated during the Late Bronze Age. (Disentangling Entangled Objects: Iron Age Inscriptions from Philistia as a Reflection of Cultural Processes)
While these findings do not suggest that Minoan artisans directly trained biblical figures like Bezalel or Oholiab (the artisans of the Tabernacle), they illustrate how ancient Israel existed within a broader Mediterranean cultural web where artistic styles, materials, and technologies moved across borders, to a greater extent than previously realized.
For example, the famous purple and blue dyes (Techelet תְּכֵלֶת) used for priestly garments and temple veils can be traced back to technologies developed in the Aegean, on the island of Crete. These technologies were later refined in Phoenician centers like Tyre and Sidon following the Mycanean invasion. This invasion followed a devastating volcanic eruption on Thera (modern day Santorini), which led to the scattering and eventual extinction of the Minoan civilization. The scriptures explain that both Moses and David were instructed to find skilled artisans for the Tabernacle and Temple, who were experienced in these specific textile technologies. The Bible also tells us that Solomon’s temple was built under the direction of Hiram of Tyre, a Phoenician-Israelite, who had been trained in Phoenician expertise (2 Chronicles 2–3).
Altogether, these connections invite thoughtful reflection on the shared symbolic patterns and histories shared across ancient cultures — reminding us that the craftsmanship, technologies, and symbolic traditions we encounter in biblical texts may reflect a rich, interconnected past, stretching back through Mediterranean networks, and perhaps touching echoes of even older memories associated with figures like Enoch.
2. Modern Scholarly Advances:
Enoch is now recognized as a major figure in ancient Jewish apocalypticism, shaping early concepts of angels, judgment, and the afterlife.
Comparative Mythology and Archaeology: Insights into Shared Ancient Patterns
Comparative mythology is the study of myths, symbols, and sacred stories across cultures to uncover shared themes, archetypes, and narrative patterns. Scholars like Joseph Campbell, Mircea Eliade, and others have explored how cultures separated by geography and time often tell remarkably similar stories — of creation, floods, hero journeys, divine ascent, or transformation.
A podcast I’ve mentioned previously, The Ancient Tradition, explores many of these kinds of records and their potential cross-cultural connections.
In the case of Enoch, scholars have drawn attention to intriguing overlaps across traditions. For example:
Jewish mysticism connects Enoch with Metatron, the angelic scribe and heavenly mediator.
LDS scholars, such as Hugh Nibley, have drawn parallels between Enoch, the Egyptian god Thoth, and the Greek god Hermes, noting shared archetypal roles.
When we step back and look at Minoan, Israelite, Canaanite, and Egyptian religious symbols, it becomes less surprising to find overlapping imagery — especially once we recognize how interconnected these civilizations were through trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange.
Across these figures (Enoch, Metatron, Thoth, Hermes), we see striking similarities:
Divine scribes, record-keepers, or inventors of writing systems.
Bearers of sacred wisdom, initiators of mysteries.
Intermediaries between the divine and human realms.
Associations with heavenly ascent, chariots, or throne visions (e.g., Ezekiel’s chariot, Merkabah mysticism, or winged creatures depicted in Minoan art).
⚠ Scholarly Cautions
While these symbolic patterns suggest fascinating connections, it’s important to remember:
Shared imagery does not automatically imply shared belief or direct cultural influence.
Mythic and theological patterns must be evaluated separately from archaeological evidence.
Fringe theories — such as proposals linking Enoch’s people to the Minoans, or tying the Atlantis legend to the Thera eruption — remain speculative and are often outside mainstream scholarship. These ideas may warrant thoughtful investigation and further research, but they should be handled with care and academic rigor.
Within LDS scholarship, figures like Hugh Nibley have engaged these comparisons as theologically suggestive explorations, not as archaeologically proven claims. This distinction is key to maintaining both faith-based wonder and intellectual credibility.
3. LDS Restoration Scripture (Book of Moses, Pearl of Great Price):
Contains unique and profound material not present in the ancient texts we know, such as Enoch leading Zion, the city being taken up, and the Lord's personal weeping over humanity's wickedness.
Theological Controversies and Connections
Although several LDS scholars, such as Hugh Nibley and others, have suggested potential comparisons between Enoch, Metatron, and the Egyptian god Thoth as cross-cultural archetypes, there are still many questions and things we have to sort out. Questions are good, but we must approach these questions and theories responsibly to avoid misinterpretation and cause unnecessary confusion.
Further Reading
Hugh Nibley, Enoch the Prophet (BYU Scholars Archive)
Gabriele Boccaccini, Beyond the Essene Hypothesis
Andrei Orlov, The Enoch-Metatron Tradition
Richard Laurence (1821), The Book of Enoch (first English translation)
The Book of Enoch: A New Translation by George W.E. Nickelsburg and James C. VanderKam – Highly respected scholarly translation and commentary.
The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol. 1, edited by James H. Charlesworth – Contains 1 Enoch with scholarly introductions and cross-references.
Revisiting Joseph Smith and the Availability of the Book of Enoch
"Could Joseph Smith Have Drawn on Ancient Manuscripts When He Translated the Story of Enoch?" – Interpreter Foundation
Why Is Wisdom Personified in Scripture?
Chapter Outlines
📘 Doctrine & Covenants Section 45
Section Outline
Overview
Date: March 7, 1831
Location: Kirtland, Ohio
Recipient: The Church, through Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon
Revelation Context: This revelation was given during a time of rising public opposition, false reports, and slander against the newly organized Church. Joseph Smith noted that despite the attacks, this revelation brought joy to the Saints, as the Lord revealed profound truths about Christ’s role, the signs of the times, the Second Coming, the gathering of Israel, the establishment of Zion, and the Millennium.
Timeframe & Setting
By early 1831, the Saints had recently gathered in Kirtland, Ohio, following the Lord’s command to move from New York. Public curiosity and suspicion surrounded the Church, and many false stories were circulating to discredit the work. Joseph and Sidney were engaged in translation work (the Bible translation project), and the Saints were receiving new commandments and instructions for establishing the Church in Kirtland. This revelation draws from Christ’s teachings on the Mount of Olives, offering the Saints a sweeping prophetic vision of future events.
Key Circumstances
The revelation was prompted by the Saints’ need for reassurance, instruction, and prophetic foresight amid external pressures. Many were anxious about the growing hostilities, the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises, and their role in preparing for Zion. Joseph and Sidney, as central leaders, were seeking divine direction to help the Saints organize, unify, and spiritually prepare. This section gives an extended prophetic timeline — from the earthly ministry of Christ to the Second Coming, the Millennium, and the establishment of the New Jerusalem.
Purpose of the Revelation
The Lord delivers instructions to strengthen the Saints by:
Affirming Christ’s role as Advocate and Redeemer.
Revealing the signs and events leading to His Second Coming.
Warning of desolations, sicknesses, and wars that will sweep the earth.
Outlining the gathering of Israel and the Gentiles’ role in the Restoration.
Commanding the Saints to translate the New Testament to gain further light.
Calling the Saints to gather, build Zion, and prepare for the New Jerusalem.
Significance
This section is one of the most doctrinally rich revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants:
It links the Restoration directly to ancient prophecy (Mount of Olives discourse, Enoch’s city, the Abrahamic covenant).
It outlines key eschatological events: the fall of Jerusalem, the times of the Gentiles, the Second Coming, the Millennium, and the final judgment.
It clarifies the Saints’ covenantal role in gathering, building Zion, and establishing the New Jerusalem.
Symbolically, it bridges the ancient and modern churches, showing how the Lord’s work spans dispensations and fulfills eternal promises.
Study Guides
Maps:
Comments