JERUSALEM IS the center of the world in the Book of 1 Enoch. That echoes Ezekiel 5:5 and 38:12, where Jerusalem is “the center [literally, “navel”] of the earth.” This is a concept probably best known from Greek religion, where the oracle of Delphi was at the site of the omphalos , the stone that was supposedly substituted for Zeus by his mother Rhea because Kronos was eating their children as soon as they were born. The omphalos represented the connection between Earth and Heaven—in other words, it was the center (or navel) of the world. Ezekiel, whose prophecies were well known to the authors of 1 Enoch, wrote that it was the city God desired for His eternal dwelling place (Psalm 132:13–14) that was the true center of all things. The description of Jerusalem in 1 Enoch chapters 26 and 27 also includes a description of a “cursed valley,” which is a reference to the Valley of Hinnom, where children were sacrificed to Molech at the Tophet. Although we didn’t make it explicit in our discussion, this is the origin of the idea that equates the place of eternal punishment with Gehenna (Hebrew ge = “valley”; henna = "Hinnom”), found in Matthew 5:22, 29, and 30 (sometimes rendered “hell”). Enoch was also taken to the mountain of God where he was shown the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The mountain of God is in the midst of “seven glorious mountains,” a sharp contrast to seven burning mountains described in 1 Enoch 18:13–16 and 21:3–6, which were angels being punished for transgressions. Finally, Enoch is transported to places that seem to be Petra and Arabia—interesting, since the only other locations that can be positively identified in 1 Enoch are Jerusalem and the areas around Mount Hermon. Sharon’s niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah . Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback ( https://amzn.to/4esHHgu ), Kindle ( https://amzn.to/3XR6KnV ), and as an audiobook at Audible ( https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Gates-of-Hell-Audiobook/B0DCX4YNVZ )! Derek’s new book Destination: Earth , co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback ( https://amzn.to/3YOHZJE ), Kindle ( https://amzn.to/3UBG1K5 ), and as an audiobook at Audible ( https://www.audible.com/pd/Destination-Earth-Audiobook/B0DDV1ZC8R?qid=1730562326 )! If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821) Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon) Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF) Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser’s two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch . Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch Follow us! X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation Substack: GilbertHouse.substack.com Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship JOIN US IN ISRAEL! Our next tour of Israel is October 19–30, 2025. For more information and to reserve your place, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel . NOTE: If you’e going to Israel with us in October, you’ll need to apply for a visa online before you travel. The cost is 25 NIS (about $7.50). Log on here: https://www.gov.il/en/departments/topics/eta-il/govil-landing-page Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate . Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/ . Video on demand of our best teachings! Stream presentations and teachings based on our research at our new video on demand site: GilbertHouse.org/video . Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store ! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store . Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the right-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org .
