THE BOOK OF THE ORDER OF ELIJAH THE PROPHET
This origin of this text is unknown. It was supposedly translated from an ancient source which cannot be verified. It appears to be another example of Neo-Apocryphal literature. We present it here for the sake of history and because the main Old Testament figure is Elijah the Prophet. We had to render some of the verses into a more understandable context. It contains several Gnostic elements and may share some similar views expressed in certain Dead Sea manuscripts.
CHAPTER 1
1. The record of Elijah the Tishbite which he wrote for his disciple Elisha whom he called from his field in Abelmaholah unto the holy order of God.
2. Behold, I, Elijah, write this record with mine own hand and no man shall see it until I have ascended into heaven.
3. Then shall mine authority and the keys of my Priesthood which is the Priesthood of the fathers pass to my son Elisha by right of lineage and obedience.
4. This Priesthood came down to me from the fathers by lineage, for I am a descendant of Joshua the son of Nun who was descended from Ephraim the son of Joseph through whom the rights of the Firstborn descended in Israel.
5. These rights I received when I was but a lad from my Father before he was martyred for the testimony of Jehovah and, according to the word of the Lord, I have appointed Elisha, who is mine adopted son, to be my successor in bearing off this work.
6. Nevertheless, not all of my rights shall rest upon him, for the Lord hath said, behold, my servant Elijah shall not die but shall bear with him the keys of his ministry unto the heavenly city until the last days when I shall send him unto one of his seed whom I shall raise up to bear the fullness of this ministry again among the sons of men.
7. But he shall leave with Elisha those keys necessary to continue his work in organizing the Schools of the Prophets and the Order of Enoch that the sons of the prophets may continue to live after the holy order of God.
CHAPTER 2
1. Therefore, my son Elisha, I leave for thee this Book of the Order by which thou mayest govern the Order of Enoch, for I have organized and governed this Order according to the revelations of the Lord to me and under the direction of his Holy Spirit I give thee these instructions.
2. Everyone who desireth to enter the Order of Enoch must be one who loveth the Lord his God with all his heart, might, mind and strength and one who loveth his fellowman as himself, according to the word of the Lord through Moses.
3. He must covenant to live the law of consecration and to hold all things common with his brethren according to the pattern set by our First Parents, for when they came forth from the garden they divided not up the land but held it in common until their posterity through wickedness began to lay claim to it for themselves.
4. Behold, this private ownership of the property came to pass through the teachings of that evil combination which was organized by Cain that men might get gain for themselves because the love of God and man is not in them.
5. He who entereth the Order must be one who is dedicated to seeing the face of God and receiving from him the promise of eternal lives.
6. He must keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord his God, to do what is good and upright in the sight of God according to that which he commanded through Moses the lawgiver and through his servants the prophets.
7. He who seeketh to enter the holy order of God must be one who loveth that which the Lord loveth and hateth that which the Lord hateth.
8. He must keep all the evil far from him and love to do good, that his works may bear testimony of his righteousness before God and man; he must be governed by the principles of truth, righteousness, and justice in all he doeth while in this tabernacle of clay, having repented of his inclination to follow after the dictates of the flesh, no longer doing evil according to the selfishness and jealousy and contentious spirit which dwelleth in the natural man.
9. Every member of the Order must be dedicated to bringing into a bond of mutual love all those who are striving to live after the holy order of God.
10. To live after the order of the ancients means that they must live in the community of God's elect, holding all things common and loving one another as themselves.
11. Yea, they must unite in one heart and one mind, for only thus can Zion be built up in its perfect order and the name of our God be glorified.
12. Those entering the holy order must have shown by their works their desires to live according to all that God has revealed, to keep all his commandments, to perfect their lives according to God's holy order that they may be sanctified by the blood of the covenant unto the renewal of their spirits and their bodies.
13. They must love all the children of Light, each according to his position in the House of God, for those who live the highest law are most able to be loved, and so forth, even unto the lowest law of God.
14. They must hate the works of darkness and avoid intercourse with the sons of Belial, each according to the measure of his guilt, for God will bring every work into judgment and those who associate with the wicked will be condemned with them.
CHAPTER 3
1. He who loveth the truth and truly desireth to live after the order of heaven must declare his willingness to be united to the congregation of the Lord's elect and must consecrate by covenant all of his mind, all of his strength and all of his wealth to the community of God so that his mind may be purified by the truth of the Lord's precepts, his strength controlled by the Lord's perfect ways, and his wealth disposed of in accordance with the Lord's just design.
2. He must order his life according to the pattern which the Lord hath given, observing the hours of worship, the Sabbaths and the Holy Days to do them, neither omitting the feasts nor neglecting the fasts of the Lord.
3. He must be one whose heart is knit unto the ordinances of God's law, who will strive diligently to preserve them in purity, neither breaking the laws, changing the ordinances nor neglecting the everlasting covenants of our God.
CHAPTER 4
1. When such a man cometh forward to present himself as a candidate for admission into the Order, he should be examined carefully by the elders of the community, and having been proven worthy, he must enter into a covenant in the presence of God, the holy angels, and his brethren of the Order by entering into the waters of immersion that he will do according to all that God hath commanded and not turn away from the service of the Lord through fear of wicked men or evil spirits nor through discouragement because of the trials which Belial shall send against him, for the Lord God of our Father hath appointed that all who seek to live after his holy order shall be tried and purified until their gold is pure and their dross consumed.
2. When a man hath entered into this covenant in the waters of immersion, the elders of the community are to lay their hands upon his head and bless him with the Holy Spirit of God.
CHAPTER 5
1. At the end of each year, every member of the community is to be interviewed, from first to last, that the spiritual standing of each in the community may be determined.
2. This is needful so long as Belial continues to hold sway as the god of this world.
3. The object of this interview is that every man in Israel may be made aware of his status in the community of God's elect, that he may measure himself against the perfect, eternal society of heaven.
4. If any man finds that he is being governed by a law which is beyond his desires, then let him be placed among those who live after his own heart.
5. If any man will qualify himself to live a law higher than he is living, let the opportunity be given him to live that law.
6. Thus no man in Israel need be abased below his ability to qualify nor exalted above his desires to live after the heavenly pattern.
7. Thus all members of the community will stand, each in his proper place, according to a true evaluation of his standing before God.
8. Let those who judge in these matters, judge according to correct principle, in profound humility, being full of charity and equity toward their brethren and sisters that the society of heaven may flourish among you, being sanctified by love and unity in the Lord our God.
CHAPTER 6
1. Anyone who refuses to live after the pattern of God's holy order, the perfect society of heaven, but persists in walking after stubbornness of his own heart and the vain traditions of his fathers, shall not be admitted into the community of God's elect.
2. For inasmuch as he has rebelled against the discipline required of those who are called to set their lives in order according to the precepts of the heavenly law, he cannot be counted among the saints of the Most High.
3. The spiritual, mental, physical and material resources of such a man are of no value to the community of God's elect; therefore he shall not be permitted to enter into the Order of Enoch to live after the pattern of heaven.
4. If he were honest in acknowledging his weaknesses before God, then would the Lord make his weaknesses to become strengths unto him, but inasmuch as his heart remaineth stubborn and he repenteth not, he shall remain in his sins.
5. Such an one looketh upon the light of God's truth but seeth only darkness.
6. He can never be sanctified because the light is not in him that he should be born again, a new creature in the Lord.
7. Although he should offer numerous sacrifices in the similitude of the Lamb of God and be immersed in water any number of times and be washed and anointed after the order of the Messiah, yet he can never be cleansed from his sins except through contrition and repentance, wherein he rejecteth his former works and walketh in the path which our Father walked, which is the holy order of God.
8. Unclean, unclean he remaineth so long as he will not be governed by the laws of God, neither submit himself to the ordinances; he shall never enter into communion with the heavenly hosts.
9. It is only when the spirit of man hath been awakened to the light of God's truth that he can begin to direct his life according to those holy principles by which he can ascend into the presence of God and make his calling and election sure.
10. Only through obedience to those laws and that holy order which have been handed down from our fathers who entered into the presence of the Lord and held communion with the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn can a man sanctify his life to commune with the fathers who have gone on before.
11. Thus can the blessings and rights and the priesthood of the fathers descend upon their heads and they shall dwell in the courts of the sanctified in time and eternity.
12. For only through obedience to the laws and ordinances of God, walking faithfully after his holy order and enduring unto the end therein can a man be redeemed from the Fall and gain a remission of all his sins so that his mind can be opened to gaze upon the true light of life.
13. It is through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Lord that a man receiveth the Holy Ghost which will lead him unto true and complete union with God and all holy men as his iniquities are lifted from him and his mind is expanded to receive God's truth that he may walk therein as one of the children of light.
14. For the atonement of the Lamb of God cometh upon all those who are upright and humble and submissive to all the ordinances of God that their sins should be washed away in the waters of immersion and they be sanctified through the blood of the covenant and immersion in fire and in the Holy Ghost.
15. Thus are they purified from all stain that they should be pure and holy, without spot.
16. Only such an one can perfectly direct his steps to walk blamelessly through all the vicissitudes of life, never deviating from the ways of God, but keeping all the commandments without turning either to the right or to the left and without overstepping any of the bounds imposed by the word of God.
17. Then indeed is he perfectly acceptable before God and a pleasure unto our Lord.
18. Then will his joy increase and he will enter by covenant into the community of the faithful to dwell with the Father who has inherited His throne forever and ever.
CHAPTER 7
1. Those who enter into covenant to hold all things common according to the Order of Enoch and faithfully adhere to the Order of the Ancients should be instructed that their minds may be opened to the vision of eternity and how the order of heaven can be established and perpetuated here on the earth.
2. He who is called to instruct the children of Light in these matters must understand and teach the disciples the true nature of man, the different influences which form his character, the meaning of his history and the reason that God at one time blesseth him bounteously and at another time afflicteth him dreadfully.
3. This is the hidden knowledge, the application of which redeemeth man from his natural state and ushereth him into the holy order of God where he can be prepared to enter into the presence of God himself and partake of the fruits of eternal lives.
CHAPTER 8
1. The Lord is a God of knowledge.
2. By his word was everything made which was made and he governeth all things according to his infinite foreknowledge.
3. Even before he created the heavens and the earth, he counseled with the hosts of heaven and planned a plan wherein the spirit of every man should have his appointed role, for the spirit of every man appeared before the Lord of spirits in the beginning and received a place appointed in the family of heaven and earth.
4. When a man filleth his appointed role, it is according to the glorious design of the Lord of spirits and thus, as each one functions according to the divine plan, the work of God is pushed toward its consummation.
5. The designs of God cannot be frustrated; in his hand lieth the government of all things and he sustaineth all the children of men in their needs, wherefore it becometh all men to worship the Lord God of Israel and be obedient to the divine plan which he hath ordained in their behalf.
CHAPTER 9
1. Now, the God of the spirits of all men created man to rule the world and set before him the ways of life and death, truth and falsehood.
2. Thus was man made free, even from the beginning to choose for himself the good or the evil until the final judgment when the works of every man shall be made manifest and each shall receive a just reward according to his works requisite with the mercy of our God.
CHAPTER 10
1. The origin of truth lieth in the Fountain of Light, the Holy One of Israel, while the origin of falsehood or evil lieth in the Wellspring of Darkness.
2. All who practice righteousness are under the domination of the Prince of Lights and walk in the path of Light while those who practice evil are under the domination of the Angel of Darkness and walk in the path of darkness.
3. Yea, the Angel of Darkness is the Devil, that evil spirit who lieth in wait to entrap the souls of men and drag them down to misery and woe.
4. He lieth in wait at any opportunity to lead the unwary soul into sin and error so that through his evil influence, even the children of light are led to commit those things which are grievous in the eyes of God.
5. When men of their own free will choose to follow the influence of this enemy of all righteousness, they fall from the grace of the God of heaven and must repent of their iniquities that the Lord can visit them in his mercy and redeem them from their sins, that they may know to sing the song of redeeming love.
6. All the afflictions which befall the children of men, all their trials, all their sorrows result from the acts of this Prince of Evil.
7. He and all his hosts are dedicated to causing the children of light to fall from grace and become enmeshed in their snares.
8. Nevertheless, the God of Israel with all his holy angels is always nearby to assist the sons of Light and save all those who will call upon his name from the power of the evil ones.
9. The Lord God hath given unto man his agency to choose the good or the evil.
10. The Lord loveth righteousness and will for ever and ever and is always pleased with those who walk in paths of righteousness, but he hateth the evil and those who walk in the paths of evil will be cast out of the presence of the Lord at the last day, for the Lord cannot look upon evil with any degree of acceptance nor can those who love evil dwell in his presence.
CHAPTER 11
1. These are the fruits of the Spirit of God: enlightenment whereby a man can perceive the ways of God to walk therein, discernment to know the good from the evil, reverence for the name of Deity and consciousness of the approaching judgments of God, humility, patience, abundant charity, love of righteousness, vision, wisdom, trust, faith, confidence in the power of the Almighty God, knowledge, self-mastery, sanctity, pure thoughts, abounding love for all who follow the truth, purity, modesty and the ability to hide within oneself the secrets of God which one has received.
2. All these things come unto men in this world through communion with the Spirit of truth.
3. All those who walk in that path which is set before them by the Spirit of truth shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones and shall find wisdom and hidden treasures of knowledge.
4. These shall inherit eternal lives, even the continuation of the seeds forever and ever, worlds without end.
5. Eternal shall be their blessings and everlasting their joy in the realms of glory, for they shall be crowned with light and robed in glory and shall dwell in everlasting burnings in the presence of our God.
CHAPTER 12
1. With the wicked it is not so, for the fruits of wickedness are greed, malice, falsehood, pride, presumption, deception, guile, insolence, unrighteous anger, folly, arrogance, lewdness, unchastity, blasphemies, selfishness, blindness of the eyes, deafness of the ears, stiffness of neck and hardness of heart.
2. Such men walk entirely in the ways of darkness and all their works are evil and abominable in the eyes of God.
3. Those who walk in the paths of evil shall receive a multitude of afflictions at the hands of the holy angels.
4. These are the sons of Perdition who are subject to the wrath of God through all eternity.
5. Eternal horror is their end and perpetual reproach, even the disgrace of final annihilation in the fire, for they shall dwell in outer darkness until their end which is extinction without remnant or survival and after this, their lot no man knoweth nor is it revealed to any man save those who are made partakers thereof.
CHAPTER 13
1. Thus, O Elisha, are the ways placed before every man that he may choose the good or the evil.
2. Thus is man free to choose for himself, for the Lord will force no man to choose the right and the devil cannot force him to choose evil.
3. Between good and evil there is an eternal enmity; they cannot exist together in peace.
4. But the Lord God hath appointed a time of judgment when he shall destroy evil forever.
5. Then will truth emerge triumphant and shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.
6. Then shall the sanctified, those who have been refined and purified from all evil and all the effects of wickedness through the immersion of fire and of the Holy Spirit, reign with the Lord upon the sanctified earth.
7. These have been washed clean in the waters of immersion and received of the Holy Spirit unto the cleansing of their souls from all the abominations and filth of wickedness, that having been made pure and holy they might understand the hidden mysteries of the kingdom of God, those secrets which remain among the sons of Light, being endowed with the vision of the heavenly order.
8. These hath God chosen to be joint heirs in his eternal covenant that they should inherit his glory.
9. Then will the earth be redeemed; death and hell shall be no more and men shall dwell in the presence of God, those who have been sanctified, forever and ever, worlds without end.
CHAPTER 14
1. Now, my son Elisha, having explained the influences which lead men to do good or evil, I shall give unto thee the rules of the Order which all the members of the community of God's elect are bound to obey.
2. All such as shall have declared their desire to turn away from all evil and walk in obedience to every word of God according to the commandments which he hath given shall observe these rules.
3. They are to keep apart from the company of the froward, having not intercourse with the inhabitants of the world except such as is required in the exercise of their stewardships and the preaching to them of the gospel of repentance.
4. They are to be one with their brethren in the community of God's elect holding all their goods common according to the holy order of God and holding one faith and one doctrine.
5. They are to abide by the decisions of the Presidency of the Order and the Family Council in all matters and be subject to the word of God as it is delivered through his prophets the Patriarchs in all matters doctrinal, economic and judicial.
6. They are to be united in all their efforts and always practice veracity, humility, righteousness, justice, charity and decency with no one walking in the stubbornness of his own heart or going astray according to the ideas of his fallible human mind.
7. They are to unite their efforts in overcoming their carnal natures, that the flesh may be subjected to the spirit, putting off the carnal man, becoming spiritual in their natures.
8. They are to establish truth in Israel that falsehood should be banished from among them forever.
9. They are to unite with an everlasting covenant forming a bond of union which can never be broken.
10. They are to freely extend forgiveness to all who have enlisted in the cause of holiness and truth.
11. Thus shall they become united as one man before the Lord our God that they may be found acceptable in his sight.
CHAPTER 15
1. Obedience to these rules can only be maintained through cultivation of the Holy Spirit which is received in the ordinances of God's House.
2. Every one who seeketh admittance to the community of the Order must first be approved by the Presidency of the Order.
3. He must then enter into a covenant of God in the presence of his brethren of the Order, binding himself by a solemn oath to consecrate all of his mind, all of his strength and all of his wealth to the community of God's elect.
4. He who maketh this covenant is to keep himself apart from those who have not received the ordinances of God's House, except when acting in the strength of his Priesthood in the service of our God.
5. Those who reject the ordinances of God's House cannot perfect their lives that they may be sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost; therefore, they remain in their sins and their pride, being subject to the judgment of God, for surely he shall come forth in vengeance upon all those who have the Covenant revealed unto them but receive it not, until they shall be finally destroyed without remnant if they repent not.
6. No man can be purified except by the power of the Holy Ghost which is received in the ordinances of God.
7. Only thereby can men become holy if they repent of their evils, for without repentance, the reception of the ordinances is a mockery before God and shall result in a cursing and not a blessing.
CHAPTER 16
1. When a man desireth to enter the Covenant and take upon himself the ordinances of God's House, thereby allying himself with the congregation of the saints, he is to be interviewed to determine his conduct in life, his relations with his fellowmen, and his adherence to correct principle and the true doctrines of heaven.
2. He who is found acceptable shall then enter the Order of Enoch after the Aaronic order where, through obedience to the word of God and the instructions of those who preside over him in the Priesthood, he may progress from one degree to another until he entereth into the Order of the Father, the holiest of all.
3. Moreover, every member of the Order is to be interviewed at the end of each year to evaluate his spiritual attitude and the performance of his duties.
4. Thus by annual and other interviews, the standing of each man in the community may be made evident, that the righteous may be promoted by virtue of their increased understanding and the integrity of their conduct, while the froward shall be demoted for their waywardness.
CHAPTER 17
1. When any member of the community hath been offended by another or observeth another in wrongdoing, he is not to come against that erring one with a railing accusation, but is to approach him truthfully, humbly and humanely.
2. A saint of God must not bear hatred in his heart toward his brother.
3. If the offender will not hear his complaint, then he is to take with him two of the teachers to reason with him.
4. If the offender will not hear them, then he is to be called before the High Priest and his brethren who are set as judges in Israel.
5. Thus will all disputations be settled in order, without anger or emotion, that peace and harmony and unity may be preserved in Israel.
6. Furthermore, no man is to bring a charge publicly against his brother except he prove it by witnesses, for in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every charge be established.
CHAPTER 18
1. These rules should govern the affairs of the community.
2. All those who have entered the holy order of God should be obedient to those who have been placed over them in the Priesthood in all matters, as especially those relating to the Order of Enoch.
3. All the elect are to eat at a common table, assemble at every appointed time to worship the Lord their God and attend all councils to which they are invited.
4. They are to attend the schools of the Priesthood where they can be instructed in the order of heaven.
5. They are to neither eat nor drink that which hath not been blessed and sanctified.
6. They shall assemble at sunrise, high noon and sundown to praise the Lord their God and worship before his throne.
7. They shall meet together often to study the word of God and share the word of life.
CHAPTER 19
1. The council of the Order is to be conducted according to the laws of God.
2. Every member is to have an equal opportunity to give his opinion in the council.
3. No one, however, is to interrupt while his brother is speaking not to speak until he is finished.
4. Everyone is to speak in turn, as he is called upon.
5. No one is to speak on any subject which is not the concern of that council.
6. Thus by reasoning together will the council determine the will of God that all things in the Order may be done to the glory of the God of Israel.
CHAPTER 20
1. Regarding the teaching of this order, O Elisha, no one is to engage in discussion or disputation with another concerning the Law of God nor is it to be discussed with those who are not sincerely seeking the truth.
2. With those, however, that have chosen the right path, everyone is to discuss matters pertaining to the knowledge of God's truth and of his righteous judgments.
3. The purpose of such discussions is to guide the minds of the members of the community, to give them insight into God's hidden wonders and truths, and to bring them to walk blamelessly each with his neighbor in harmony with all that has been revealed to them.
4. For this life is a time of preparation for meeting the Lord and a time when the elect must be careful not to mingle with the wicked lest they be led to turn aside from the way through the cunning craftiness of the evil ones.
CHAPTER 21
1. Thus must the elect be careful to live by every word of God.
2. Say unto those who are seeking the inner vision in these dark days, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let mine elect keep no fellowship with the world for all their ways are evil before me.
3. Leave them to pursue their wealth and profit, for they are slaves to their desires.
4. Be ye zealous to carry out every covenant and commandment which ye have received in the ordinances of mine house or ye shall be in the power of the devil, and surely it shall be hard for you at the judgment bar.
5. Faithfully exercise your stewardships according to the holy order of God which I have revealed unto you.
6. Accept willingly whatever may befall you, for I, the Lord, have all things in mine hands and take your pleasure in nothing but according to the will of God.
7. Speak only that which is acceptable before your God and lust not after anything which I have not commanded.
8. Then shall your reward be sure and ye shall stand at the judgment bar without fear. Amen.
CHAPTER 22
1. Now, Elisha, my son, I shall soon leave to join my Father Enoch whose city I have sought all my days, but I shall leave with thee the keys which are necessary for thee to do the work which the Lord hath appointed thee.
2. My mantle also shall fall upon thee and the pure in heart will know thy voice and will follow thee.
3. Farewell, my son.
4. May the grace of God attend thee all thy days and may the peace of God be in thine heart. Amen.
CHAPTER 1
1. The record of Elijah the Tishbite which he wrote for his disciple Elisha whom he called from his field in Abelmaholah unto the holy order of God.
2. Behold, I, Elijah, write this record with mine own hand and no man shall see it until I have ascended into heaven.
3. Then shall mine authority and the keys of my Priesthood which is the Priesthood of the fathers pass to my son Elisha by right of lineage and obedience.
4. This Priesthood came down to me from the fathers by lineage, for I am a descendant of Joshua the son of Nun who was descended from Ephraim the son of Joseph through whom the rights of the Firstborn descended in Israel.
5. These rights I received when I was but a lad from my Father before he was martyred for the testimony of Jehovah and, according to the word of the Lord, I have appointed Elisha, who is mine adopted son, to be my successor in bearing off this work.
6. Nevertheless, not all of my rights shall rest upon him, for the Lord hath said, behold, my servant Elijah shall not die but shall bear with him the keys of his ministry unto the heavenly city until the last days when I shall send him unto one of his seed whom I shall raise up to bear the fullness of this ministry again among the sons of men.
7. But he shall leave with Elisha those keys necessary to continue his work in organizing the Schools of the Prophets and the Order of Enoch that the sons of the prophets may continue to live after the holy order of God.
CHAPTER 2
1. Therefore, my son Elisha, I leave for thee this Book of the Order by which thou mayest govern the Order of Enoch, for I have organized and governed this Order according to the revelations of the Lord to me and under the direction of his Holy Spirit I give thee these instructions.
2. Everyone who desireth to enter the Order of Enoch must be one who loveth the Lord his God with all his heart, might, mind and strength and one who loveth his fellowman as himself, according to the word of the Lord through Moses.
3. He must covenant to live the law of consecration and to hold all things common with his brethren according to the pattern set by our First Parents, for when they came forth from the garden they divided not up the land but held it in common until their posterity through wickedness began to lay claim to it for themselves.
4. Behold, this private ownership of the property came to pass through the teachings of that evil combination which was organized by Cain that men might get gain for themselves because the love of God and man is not in them.
5. He who entereth the Order must be one who is dedicated to seeing the face of God and receiving from him the promise of eternal lives.
6. He must keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord his God, to do what is good and upright in the sight of God according to that which he commanded through Moses the lawgiver and through his servants the prophets.
7. He who seeketh to enter the holy order of God must be one who loveth that which the Lord loveth and hateth that which the Lord hateth.
8. He must keep all the evil far from him and love to do good, that his works may bear testimony of his righteousness before God and man; he must be governed by the principles of truth, righteousness, and justice in all he doeth while in this tabernacle of clay, having repented of his inclination to follow after the dictates of the flesh, no longer doing evil according to the selfishness and jealousy and contentious spirit which dwelleth in the natural man.
9. Every member of the Order must be dedicated to bringing into a bond of mutual love all those who are striving to live after the holy order of God.
10. To live after the order of the ancients means that they must live in the community of God's elect, holding all things common and loving one another as themselves.
11. Yea, they must unite in one heart and one mind, for only thus can Zion be built up in its perfect order and the name of our God be glorified.
12. Those entering the holy order must have shown by their works their desires to live according to all that God has revealed, to keep all his commandments, to perfect their lives according to God's holy order that they may be sanctified by the blood of the covenant unto the renewal of their spirits and their bodies.
13. They must love all the children of Light, each according to his position in the House of God, for those who live the highest law are most able to be loved, and so forth, even unto the lowest law of God.
14. They must hate the works of darkness and avoid intercourse with the sons of Belial, each according to the measure of his guilt, for God will bring every work into judgment and those who associate with the wicked will be condemned with them.
CHAPTER 3
1. He who loveth the truth and truly desireth to live after the order of heaven must declare his willingness to be united to the congregation of the Lord's elect and must consecrate by covenant all of his mind, all of his strength and all of his wealth to the community of God so that his mind may be purified by the truth of the Lord's precepts, his strength controlled by the Lord's perfect ways, and his wealth disposed of in accordance with the Lord's just design.
2. He must order his life according to the pattern which the Lord hath given, observing the hours of worship, the Sabbaths and the Holy Days to do them, neither omitting the feasts nor neglecting the fasts of the Lord.
3. He must be one whose heart is knit unto the ordinances of God's law, who will strive diligently to preserve them in purity, neither breaking the laws, changing the ordinances nor neglecting the everlasting covenants of our God.
CHAPTER 4
1. When such a man cometh forward to present himself as a candidate for admission into the Order, he should be examined carefully by the elders of the community, and having been proven worthy, he must enter into a covenant in the presence of God, the holy angels, and his brethren of the Order by entering into the waters of immersion that he will do according to all that God hath commanded and not turn away from the service of the Lord through fear of wicked men or evil spirits nor through discouragement because of the trials which Belial shall send against him, for the Lord God of our Father hath appointed that all who seek to live after his holy order shall be tried and purified until their gold is pure and their dross consumed.
2. When a man hath entered into this covenant in the waters of immersion, the elders of the community are to lay their hands upon his head and bless him with the Holy Spirit of God.
CHAPTER 5
1. At the end of each year, every member of the community is to be interviewed, from first to last, that the spiritual standing of each in the community may be determined.
2. This is needful so long as Belial continues to hold sway as the god of this world.
3. The object of this interview is that every man in Israel may be made aware of his status in the community of God's elect, that he may measure himself against the perfect, eternal society of heaven.
4. If any man finds that he is being governed by a law which is beyond his desires, then let him be placed among those who live after his own heart.
5. If any man will qualify himself to live a law higher than he is living, let the opportunity be given him to live that law.
6. Thus no man in Israel need be abased below his ability to qualify nor exalted above his desires to live after the heavenly pattern.
7. Thus all members of the community will stand, each in his proper place, according to a true evaluation of his standing before God.
8. Let those who judge in these matters, judge according to correct principle, in profound humility, being full of charity and equity toward their brethren and sisters that the society of heaven may flourish among you, being sanctified by love and unity in the Lord our God.
CHAPTER 6
1. Anyone who refuses to live after the pattern of God's holy order, the perfect society of heaven, but persists in walking after stubbornness of his own heart and the vain traditions of his fathers, shall not be admitted into the community of God's elect.
2. For inasmuch as he has rebelled against the discipline required of those who are called to set their lives in order according to the precepts of the heavenly law, he cannot be counted among the saints of the Most High.
3. The spiritual, mental, physical and material resources of such a man are of no value to the community of God's elect; therefore he shall not be permitted to enter into the Order of Enoch to live after the pattern of heaven.
4. If he were honest in acknowledging his weaknesses before God, then would the Lord make his weaknesses to become strengths unto him, but inasmuch as his heart remaineth stubborn and he repenteth not, he shall remain in his sins.
5. Such an one looketh upon the light of God's truth but seeth only darkness.
6. He can never be sanctified because the light is not in him that he should be born again, a new creature in the Lord.
7. Although he should offer numerous sacrifices in the similitude of the Lamb of God and be immersed in water any number of times and be washed and anointed after the order of the Messiah, yet he can never be cleansed from his sins except through contrition and repentance, wherein he rejecteth his former works and walketh in the path which our Father walked, which is the holy order of God.
8. Unclean, unclean he remaineth so long as he will not be governed by the laws of God, neither submit himself to the ordinances; he shall never enter into communion with the heavenly hosts.
9. It is only when the spirit of man hath been awakened to the light of God's truth that he can begin to direct his life according to those holy principles by which he can ascend into the presence of God and make his calling and election sure.
10. Only through obedience to those laws and that holy order which have been handed down from our fathers who entered into the presence of the Lord and held communion with the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn can a man sanctify his life to commune with the fathers who have gone on before.
11. Thus can the blessings and rights and the priesthood of the fathers descend upon their heads and they shall dwell in the courts of the sanctified in time and eternity.
12. For only through obedience to the laws and ordinances of God, walking faithfully after his holy order and enduring unto the end therein can a man be redeemed from the Fall and gain a remission of all his sins so that his mind can be opened to gaze upon the true light of life.
13. It is through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Lord that a man receiveth the Holy Ghost which will lead him unto true and complete union with God and all holy men as his iniquities are lifted from him and his mind is expanded to receive God's truth that he may walk therein as one of the children of light.
14. For the atonement of the Lamb of God cometh upon all those who are upright and humble and submissive to all the ordinances of God that their sins should be washed away in the waters of immersion and they be sanctified through the blood of the covenant and immersion in fire and in the Holy Ghost.
15. Thus are they purified from all stain that they should be pure and holy, without spot.
16. Only such an one can perfectly direct his steps to walk blamelessly through all the vicissitudes of life, never deviating from the ways of God, but keeping all the commandments without turning either to the right or to the left and without overstepping any of the bounds imposed by the word of God.
17. Then indeed is he perfectly acceptable before God and a pleasure unto our Lord.
18. Then will his joy increase and he will enter by covenant into the community of the faithful to dwell with the Father who has inherited His throne forever and ever.
CHAPTER 7
1. Those who enter into covenant to hold all things common according to the Order of Enoch and faithfully adhere to the Order of the Ancients should be instructed that their minds may be opened to the vision of eternity and how the order of heaven can be established and perpetuated here on the earth.
2. He who is called to instruct the children of Light in these matters must understand and teach the disciples the true nature of man, the different influences which form his character, the meaning of his history and the reason that God at one time blesseth him bounteously and at another time afflicteth him dreadfully.
3. This is the hidden knowledge, the application of which redeemeth man from his natural state and ushereth him into the holy order of God where he can be prepared to enter into the presence of God himself and partake of the fruits of eternal lives.
CHAPTER 8
1. The Lord is a God of knowledge.
2. By his word was everything made which was made and he governeth all things according to his infinite foreknowledge.
3. Even before he created the heavens and the earth, he counseled with the hosts of heaven and planned a plan wherein the spirit of every man should have his appointed role, for the spirit of every man appeared before the Lord of spirits in the beginning and received a place appointed in the family of heaven and earth.
4. When a man filleth his appointed role, it is according to the glorious design of the Lord of spirits and thus, as each one functions according to the divine plan, the work of God is pushed toward its consummation.
5. The designs of God cannot be frustrated; in his hand lieth the government of all things and he sustaineth all the children of men in their needs, wherefore it becometh all men to worship the Lord God of Israel and be obedient to the divine plan which he hath ordained in their behalf.
CHAPTER 9
1. Now, the God of the spirits of all men created man to rule the world and set before him the ways of life and death, truth and falsehood.
2. Thus was man made free, even from the beginning to choose for himself the good or the evil until the final judgment when the works of every man shall be made manifest and each shall receive a just reward according to his works requisite with the mercy of our God.
CHAPTER 10
1. The origin of truth lieth in the Fountain of Light, the Holy One of Israel, while the origin of falsehood or evil lieth in the Wellspring of Darkness.
2. All who practice righteousness are under the domination of the Prince of Lights and walk in the path of Light while those who practice evil are under the domination of the Angel of Darkness and walk in the path of darkness.
3. Yea, the Angel of Darkness is the Devil, that evil spirit who lieth in wait to entrap the souls of men and drag them down to misery and woe.
4. He lieth in wait at any opportunity to lead the unwary soul into sin and error so that through his evil influence, even the children of light are led to commit those things which are grievous in the eyes of God.
5. When men of their own free will choose to follow the influence of this enemy of all righteousness, they fall from the grace of the God of heaven and must repent of their iniquities that the Lord can visit them in his mercy and redeem them from their sins, that they may know to sing the song of redeeming love.
6. All the afflictions which befall the children of men, all their trials, all their sorrows result from the acts of this Prince of Evil.
7. He and all his hosts are dedicated to causing the children of light to fall from grace and become enmeshed in their snares.
8. Nevertheless, the God of Israel with all his holy angels is always nearby to assist the sons of Light and save all those who will call upon his name from the power of the evil ones.
9. The Lord God hath given unto man his agency to choose the good or the evil.
10. The Lord loveth righteousness and will for ever and ever and is always pleased with those who walk in paths of righteousness, but he hateth the evil and those who walk in the paths of evil will be cast out of the presence of the Lord at the last day, for the Lord cannot look upon evil with any degree of acceptance nor can those who love evil dwell in his presence.
CHAPTER 11
1. These are the fruits of the Spirit of God: enlightenment whereby a man can perceive the ways of God to walk therein, discernment to know the good from the evil, reverence for the name of Deity and consciousness of the approaching judgments of God, humility, patience, abundant charity, love of righteousness, vision, wisdom, trust, faith, confidence in the power of the Almighty God, knowledge, self-mastery, sanctity, pure thoughts, abounding love for all who follow the truth, purity, modesty and the ability to hide within oneself the secrets of God which one has received.
2. All these things come unto men in this world through communion with the Spirit of truth.
3. All those who walk in that path which is set before them by the Spirit of truth shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones and shall find wisdom and hidden treasures of knowledge.
4. These shall inherit eternal lives, even the continuation of the seeds forever and ever, worlds without end.
5. Eternal shall be their blessings and everlasting their joy in the realms of glory, for they shall be crowned with light and robed in glory and shall dwell in everlasting burnings in the presence of our God.
CHAPTER 12
1. With the wicked it is not so, for the fruits of wickedness are greed, malice, falsehood, pride, presumption, deception, guile, insolence, unrighteous anger, folly, arrogance, lewdness, unchastity, blasphemies, selfishness, blindness of the eyes, deafness of the ears, stiffness of neck and hardness of heart.
2. Such men walk entirely in the ways of darkness and all their works are evil and abominable in the eyes of God.
3. Those who walk in the paths of evil shall receive a multitude of afflictions at the hands of the holy angels.
4. These are the sons of Perdition who are subject to the wrath of God through all eternity.
5. Eternal horror is their end and perpetual reproach, even the disgrace of final annihilation in the fire, for they shall dwell in outer darkness until their end which is extinction without remnant or survival and after this, their lot no man knoweth nor is it revealed to any man save those who are made partakers thereof.
CHAPTER 13
1. Thus, O Elisha, are the ways placed before every man that he may choose the good or the evil.
2. Thus is man free to choose for himself, for the Lord will force no man to choose the right and the devil cannot force him to choose evil.
3. Between good and evil there is an eternal enmity; they cannot exist together in peace.
4. But the Lord God hath appointed a time of judgment when he shall destroy evil forever.
5. Then will truth emerge triumphant and shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.
6. Then shall the sanctified, those who have been refined and purified from all evil and all the effects of wickedness through the immersion of fire and of the Holy Spirit, reign with the Lord upon the sanctified earth.
7. These have been washed clean in the waters of immersion and received of the Holy Spirit unto the cleansing of their souls from all the abominations and filth of wickedness, that having been made pure and holy they might understand the hidden mysteries of the kingdom of God, those secrets which remain among the sons of Light, being endowed with the vision of the heavenly order.
8. These hath God chosen to be joint heirs in his eternal covenant that they should inherit his glory.
9. Then will the earth be redeemed; death and hell shall be no more and men shall dwell in the presence of God, those who have been sanctified, forever and ever, worlds without end.
CHAPTER 14
1. Now, my son Elisha, having explained the influences which lead men to do good or evil, I shall give unto thee the rules of the Order which all the members of the community of God's elect are bound to obey.
2. All such as shall have declared their desire to turn away from all evil and walk in obedience to every word of God according to the commandments which he hath given shall observe these rules.
3. They are to keep apart from the company of the froward, having not intercourse with the inhabitants of the world except such as is required in the exercise of their stewardships and the preaching to them of the gospel of repentance.
4. They are to be one with their brethren in the community of God's elect holding all their goods common according to the holy order of God and holding one faith and one doctrine.
5. They are to abide by the decisions of the Presidency of the Order and the Family Council in all matters and be subject to the word of God as it is delivered through his prophets the Patriarchs in all matters doctrinal, economic and judicial.
6. They are to be united in all their efforts and always practice veracity, humility, righteousness, justice, charity and decency with no one walking in the stubbornness of his own heart or going astray according to the ideas of his fallible human mind.
7. They are to unite their efforts in overcoming their carnal natures, that the flesh may be subjected to the spirit, putting off the carnal man, becoming spiritual in their natures.
8. They are to establish truth in Israel that falsehood should be banished from among them forever.
9. They are to unite with an everlasting covenant forming a bond of union which can never be broken.
10. They are to freely extend forgiveness to all who have enlisted in the cause of holiness and truth.
11. Thus shall they become united as one man before the Lord our God that they may be found acceptable in his sight.
CHAPTER 15
1. Obedience to these rules can only be maintained through cultivation of the Holy Spirit which is received in the ordinances of God's House.
2. Every one who seeketh admittance to the community of the Order must first be approved by the Presidency of the Order.
3. He must then enter into a covenant of God in the presence of his brethren of the Order, binding himself by a solemn oath to consecrate all of his mind, all of his strength and all of his wealth to the community of God's elect.
4. He who maketh this covenant is to keep himself apart from those who have not received the ordinances of God's House, except when acting in the strength of his Priesthood in the service of our God.
5. Those who reject the ordinances of God's House cannot perfect their lives that they may be sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost; therefore, they remain in their sins and their pride, being subject to the judgment of God, for surely he shall come forth in vengeance upon all those who have the Covenant revealed unto them but receive it not, until they shall be finally destroyed without remnant if they repent not.
6. No man can be purified except by the power of the Holy Ghost which is received in the ordinances of God.
7. Only thereby can men become holy if they repent of their evils, for without repentance, the reception of the ordinances is a mockery before God and shall result in a cursing and not a blessing.
CHAPTER 16
1. When a man desireth to enter the Covenant and take upon himself the ordinances of God's House, thereby allying himself with the congregation of the saints, he is to be interviewed to determine his conduct in life, his relations with his fellowmen, and his adherence to correct principle and the true doctrines of heaven.
2. He who is found acceptable shall then enter the Order of Enoch after the Aaronic order where, through obedience to the word of God and the instructions of those who preside over him in the Priesthood, he may progress from one degree to another until he entereth into the Order of the Father, the holiest of all.
3. Moreover, every member of the Order is to be interviewed at the end of each year to evaluate his spiritual attitude and the performance of his duties.
4. Thus by annual and other interviews, the standing of each man in the community may be made evident, that the righteous may be promoted by virtue of their increased understanding and the integrity of their conduct, while the froward shall be demoted for their waywardness.
CHAPTER 17
1. When any member of the community hath been offended by another or observeth another in wrongdoing, he is not to come against that erring one with a railing accusation, but is to approach him truthfully, humbly and humanely.
2. A saint of God must not bear hatred in his heart toward his brother.
3. If the offender will not hear his complaint, then he is to take with him two of the teachers to reason with him.
4. If the offender will not hear them, then he is to be called before the High Priest and his brethren who are set as judges in Israel.
5. Thus will all disputations be settled in order, without anger or emotion, that peace and harmony and unity may be preserved in Israel.
6. Furthermore, no man is to bring a charge publicly against his brother except he prove it by witnesses, for in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every charge be established.
CHAPTER 18
1. These rules should govern the affairs of the community.
2. All those who have entered the holy order of God should be obedient to those who have been placed over them in the Priesthood in all matters, as especially those relating to the Order of Enoch.
3. All the elect are to eat at a common table, assemble at every appointed time to worship the Lord their God and attend all councils to which they are invited.
4. They are to attend the schools of the Priesthood where they can be instructed in the order of heaven.
5. They are to neither eat nor drink that which hath not been blessed and sanctified.
6. They shall assemble at sunrise, high noon and sundown to praise the Lord their God and worship before his throne.
7. They shall meet together often to study the word of God and share the word of life.
CHAPTER 19
1. The council of the Order is to be conducted according to the laws of God.
2. Every member is to have an equal opportunity to give his opinion in the council.
3. No one, however, is to interrupt while his brother is speaking not to speak until he is finished.
4. Everyone is to speak in turn, as he is called upon.
5. No one is to speak on any subject which is not the concern of that council.
6. Thus by reasoning together will the council determine the will of God that all things in the Order may be done to the glory of the God of Israel.
CHAPTER 20
1. Regarding the teaching of this order, O Elisha, no one is to engage in discussion or disputation with another concerning the Law of God nor is it to be discussed with those who are not sincerely seeking the truth.
2. With those, however, that have chosen the right path, everyone is to discuss matters pertaining to the knowledge of God's truth and of his righteous judgments.
3. The purpose of such discussions is to guide the minds of the members of the community, to give them insight into God's hidden wonders and truths, and to bring them to walk blamelessly each with his neighbor in harmony with all that has been revealed to them.
4. For this life is a time of preparation for meeting the Lord and a time when the elect must be careful not to mingle with the wicked lest they be led to turn aside from the way through the cunning craftiness of the evil ones.
CHAPTER 21
1. Thus must the elect be careful to live by every word of God.
2. Say unto those who are seeking the inner vision in these dark days, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let mine elect keep no fellowship with the world for all their ways are evil before me.
3. Leave them to pursue their wealth and profit, for they are slaves to their desires.
4. Be ye zealous to carry out every covenant and commandment which ye have received in the ordinances of mine house or ye shall be in the power of the devil, and surely it shall be hard for you at the judgment bar.
5. Faithfully exercise your stewardships according to the holy order of God which I have revealed unto you.
6. Accept willingly whatever may befall you, for I, the Lord, have all things in mine hands and take your pleasure in nothing but according to the will of God.
7. Speak only that which is acceptable before your God and lust not after anything which I have not commanded.
8. Then shall your reward be sure and ye shall stand at the judgment bar without fear. Amen.
CHAPTER 22
1. Now, Elisha, my son, I shall soon leave to join my Father Enoch whose city I have sought all my days, but I shall leave with thee the keys which are necessary for thee to do the work which the Lord hath appointed thee.
2. My mantle also shall fall upon thee and the pure in heart will know thy voice and will follow thee.
3. Farewell, my son.
4. May the grace of God attend thee all thy days and may the peace of God be in thine heart. Amen.
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