The Son of Man / Elect One

Within the visionary landscapes of the ancient Enochic writings, a striking figure emerges as the agent of divine justice and redemption for a persecuted righteous community. This portrayal unfolds primarily in the Parables of Enoch, a section of 1 Enoch composed likely in the first century BCE, where the heavens reveal an eschatological drama of judgment upon oppressive kings and the exaltation of the faithful. The figure stands at the center of this cosmic reversal, embodying both the preexistent wisdom of God and the hope for vindication amid earthly suffering. Central to these visions is the figure's heavenly enthronement and preexistence. Described as chosen and hidden with the Lord of Spirits before the creation of the world, he is presented in 1 Enoch 48 as one whose name was invoked in the presence of the Ancient of Days from eternity. He occupies the throne of glory, a position that underscores his authority to execute judgment, as detailed in chapters 62 and 69. There the rulers of the earth witness his appearance with terror, recognizing too late the power they had denied, while the righteous are gathered to him as companions in eternal life. The figure's functions extend beyond judgment to active deliverance. In 1 Enoch 46 and 48 he is shown receiving the prayers of the oppressed and granting them wisdom, peace, and resurrection. This dual role of condemning the wicked and preserving the elect reflects the broader Enochian concern with theodicy, where divine order is ultimately restored through a mediator who bridges the heavenly and earthly realms. Later in the Parables, particularly chapter 71, the boundary between visionary and figure blurs, suggesting an intimate connection between the seer and the heavenly ideal. Within the wider Enochic tradition, including echoes in Jubilees and related apocalyptic texts, this portrayal enriches the understanding of messianic expectation as both transcendent and communal. It offers readers a lens into Second Temple Jewish thought, where hope for salvation rests not on earthly power but on alignment with the preexistent purposes of God.

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Category: Messianic / Apocalyptic

Key Chapters

The Book of Enoch 46 The Head of Days and the Son of Man. 2 min read The Book of Enoch 62 Judgment of the Kings and Mighty 2 min read The Book of Enoch 49 The Power and Wisdom of the Elect One. 1 min read The Book of Enoch 48 The Fount of Righteousness: the Son of Man—the Stay of the 3 min read The Book of Enoch 47 The Prayer of the Righteous for Vengeance and their Joy at its 1 min read The Book of Enoch 50 The Glorification of the Righteous 1 min read The Book of Enoch 38 The First Parable: Judgment of Sinners 1 min read

Key Passages

Vision of the Son of Man

The Book of Enoch 46:1-8

A¹nd there I saw One, who had a head of days, And His head was white like wool, And with Him was another being whose countenance had the appearance of a man, And his face was full of graciousness, like one of the holy angels.

² And I asked the angel who went with me and showed me all the hidden things, concerning that Son of Man, who he was, and whence he was, (and) why he went with the Head of Days? ³ And he answered and said unto me: This is the Son of Man who hath righteousness, With whom dwelleth righteousness, And who revealeth all the treasures of that which is hidden, Because the Lord of Spirits hath chosen him, And whose lot hath the pre-eminence before the Lord of Spirits in uprightness for ever. ⁴ And this Son of Man whom thou hast seen Shall raise up the kings and the mighty from their seats, And shall loosen the reins of the strong, And break the teeth of the sinners; ⁵ Because they do not extol and praise Him, Nor humbly acknowledge whence the kingdom was bestowed upon them. ⁶ And he shall put down the countenance of the strong, And shall fill them with shame. And darkness shall be their dwelling, And worms shall be their bed, And they shall have no hope of rising from their beds, Because they do not extol the name of the Lord of Spirits. ⁷ And these are they who judge the stars of heaven, , And tread upon the earth and dwell upon it. And all their deeds manifest unrighteousness, And their power rests upon their riches, And their faith is in the gods which they have made with their hands, And they deny the name of the Lord of Spirits, ⁸ And they persecute the houses of His congregations, And the faithful who hang upon the name of the Lord of Spirits.

The Son of Man sits on the throne

The Book of Enoch 62:1-16

N¹evertheless that Lord of Spirits will so press them That they shall hastily go forth from His presence, And their faces shall be filled with shame, And the darkness shall grow deeper on their faces.

² And =He will deliver= them to the angels for punishment, To execute vengeance on them because they have oppressed His children and His elect. ³ And they shall be a spectacle for the righteous and for His elect: They shall rejoice over them, Because the wrath of the Lord of Spirits resteth upon them, And His sword is drunk with their blood. ⁴ And the righteous and elect shall be saved on that day, And they shall never thenceforward see the face of the sinners and unrighteous. ⁵ And the Lord of Spirits will abide over them, And with that Son of Man shall they eat And lie down and rise up for ever and ever. ⁶ And the righteous and elect shall have risen from the earth, And ceased to be of downcast countenance. ⁷ And they shall have been clothed with garments of glory, And they shall be the garments of life from the Lord of Spirits: And your garments shall not grow old, Nor your glory pass away before the Lord of Spirits. ⁸ For from the beginning the Son of Man was hidden, And the Most High preserved him in the presence of His might, And revealed him to the elect. ⁹ And the congregation of the elect and holy shall be sown, And all the elect shall stand before him on that day. ¹⁰ And all the kings and the mighty and the exalted and those who rule the earth Shall fall down before him on their faces, And worship and set their hope upon that Son of Man, And petition him and supplicate for mercy at his hands.

Power and wisdom of the Elect One

The Book of Enoch 49:1-4

F¹or wisdom is poured out like water, And glory faileth not before him for evermore.

² For he is mighty in all the secrets of righteousness, And unrighteousness shall disappear as a shadow, And have no continuance; Because the Elect One standeth before the Lord of Spirits, And his glory is for ever and ever, And his might unto all generations. ³ And in him dwells the spirit of wisdom, And the spirit which gives insight, And the spirit of understanding and of might, And the spirit of those who have fallen asleep in righteousness. ⁴ And he shall judge the secret things, And none shall be able to utter a lying word before him; For he is the Elect One before the Lord of Spirits according to His good pleasure.

The Fount of Righteousness

The Book of Enoch 48:1-10

A¹nd on the day of their affliction there shall be rest on the earth, And before them they shall fall and not rise again: And there shall be no one to take them with his hands and raise them: For they have denied the Lord of Spirits and His Anointed. The name of the Lord of Spirits be blessed.

² And in that place I saw the fountain of righteousness, Which was inexhaustible: And around it were many fountains of wisdom; And all the thirsty drank of them, And were filled with wisdom, And their dwellings were with the righteous and holy and elect. ³ And at that hour that Son of Man was named In the presence of the Lord of Spirits, And his name before the Head of Days. ⁴ Yea, before the sun and the signs were created, Before the stars of the heaven were made, His name was named before the Lord of Spirits. ⁵ He shall be a staff to the righteous whereon to stay themselves and not fall, And he shall be the light of the Gentiles, And the hope of those who are troubled of heart. ⁶ All who dwell on earth shall fall down and worship before him, And will praise and bless and celebrate with song the Lord of Spirits. ⁷ And for this reason hath he been chosen and hidden before Him, Before the creation of the world and for evermore. ⁸ And the wisdom of the Lord of Spirits hath revealed him to the holy and righteous; For he hath preserved the lot of the righteous; Because they have hated and despised this world of unrighteousness, And have hated all its works and ways in the name of the Lord of Spirits: For in his name they are saved, And according to his good pleasure hath it been in regard to their life. ⁹ In those days downcast in countenance shall the kings of the earth have become, And the strong who possess the land because of the works of their hands; For on the day of their anguish and affliction they shall not (be able to) save themselves, ¹⁰ And I will give them over into the hands of Mine elect: As straw in the fire so shall they burn before the face of the holy: As lead in the water shall they sink before the face of the righteous, And no trace of them shall any more be found.

Prayer of the righteous for vengeance

The Book of Enoch 47:1-4

A¹nd in those days shall have ascended the prayer of the righteous. And the blood of the righteous from the earth before the Lord of Spirits.

² In those days the holy ones who dwell above in the heavens Shall unite with one voice And supplicate and pray On behalf of the blood of the righteous which has been shed, And that the prayer of the righteous may not be in vain before the Lord of Spirits, That judgement may be done unto them, And that they may not have to suffer for ever. ³ In those days I saw the Head of Days when He seated himself upon the throne of His glory, And the books of the living were opened before Him: And all His host which is in heaven above and His counsellors stood before Him, ⁴ And the hearts of the holy were filled with joy; Because the number of the righteous =had been offered=, And the prayer of the righteous had been heard, And the blood of the righteous been required before the Lord of Spirits.

The glorification of the righteous

The Book of Enoch 50:1-5

A¹nd in those days a change shall take place for the holy and elect, And the light of days shall abide upon them, And glory and honour shall turn to the holy,

² On the day of affliction on which evil shall have been treasured up against the sinners. And the righteous shall be victorious in the name of the Lord of Spirits: And He will cause the others to witness (this), That they may repent And forgo the works of their hands. ³ They shall have no honour through the name of the Lord of Spirits, Yet through His name shall they be saved, And the Lord of Spirits will have compassion on them, For His compassion is great. ⁴ And He is righteous also in His judgement, And in the presence of His glory unrighteousness also shall not maintain itself: At His judgement the unrepentant shall perish before Him. ⁵ And from henceforth I will have no mercy on them, saith the Lord of Spirits.

The lot of the apostates

The Book of Enoch 38:1-6

T¹he first Parable. When the congregation of the righteous shall appear, And sinners shall be judged for their sins, And shall be driven from the face of the earth.

² And when the Righteous One shall appear before the eyes of the righteous, Whose elect works hang upon the Lord of Spirits, And light shall appear to the righteous and the elect who dwell on the earth, Where then will be the dwelling of the sinners, And where the resting-place of those who have denied the Lord of Spirits? It had been good for them if they had not been born. ³ When the secrets of the righteous shall be revealed and the sinners judged, And the godless driven from the presence of the righteous and elect.

Did You Know?

This is the richest pre-the Anointedian Jewish development of a messianic judge figure.

It combines royal, prophetic, and angelic traits.

He is named before the sun and stars were made — absolute preexistence before all creation.

He removes kings from their thrones personally — judgment is not abstract but confrontational.

The righteous find rest specifically 'with' the Son of Man — proximity, not mere approval.