1 Enoch

About this book

Chapter 23

1 From there I went to another place to the west of the ends of the earth. 2 And I saw a burning fire which ran without resting, and did not pause in its course day or night⁠ but ran regularly. 3 And I asked saying: 'What is this that does not rest?' 4 Then Raguel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered me and said to me: 'This course of fire which you have seen is the fire in the west that pursues all the lights of heaven.'⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 23:2 and Revelation 4:8

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · New Testament

Summary

1 Enoch describes a fire at the western edge of the earth that never rests day or night, driving the sun and stars. Revelation uses the same cosmic language to describe worshipping creatures around God’s throne, never resting day or night.

Passages

1 Enoch 23:2

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

1 From there I went to another place to the west of the ends of the earth. 2 And I saw a burning fire which ran without resting, and did not pause in its course day or night but ran regularly. 3 And I asked saying: 'What is this that does not rest?' 4 Then Raguel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered me and said to me: 'This course of fire which you have seen is the fire in the west that pursues all the lights of heaven.'

300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Revelation 4:8

New Testament

6 and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying. 8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, Who was, and who is, and who is still to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

92–96 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Revelation

References

... Enoch’s throne vision, specifically 14:19-23, offers another parallel to, and the possible source of, this imagery. Streams of fire issue from under God’s throne, and this fire encircles him and stands by him like a guard. Those who ‘approached him did not depart by day, nor by night did they leave him.’ Supporting this parallel is the description of God’s throne attendants in Revelation 4:8: καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λέγοντες ... τὸ μὴ ἔχον ἀνάπαυσιν, 1 Enoch 23:3). In the next chapter Enoch will arrive at the mountain throne of God, which in 18:6 is associated with fire that ‘burns night and day’ (compare 18:9). ...

George W. E. Nickelsburg, A Commentary on the Book of 1 Enoch Chapters 1-36, 81-108 (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001), 310.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

1 Enoch108 chapters

Compare 1 Enoch 23:2 and Revelation 4:8

Summary

Passages

1 Enoch 23:2

Revelation 4:8

References

Your feedback

Leave a comment

Glossary

Search the Library