The Book of Jubilees, also know as Little Genesis, is an excellent book full of wisdom and insight. It truly is a shame that this book, who the penned author is Moses, is often rejected. While scholars continue to debate the authenticity of the book, and I maintain its due to bias of said scholars, this book of Jubilees was found with the Dead Sea Scrolls. In fact, the largest section of Jubilees was in a vessel that also contained Genesis (dating back to second century BCE). This is important because it signifies that the Levities who took care of the scriptures, recognized Jubilees as scripture.
“And it came to be, when Mosheh (Moses) had completed writing the Words of this Torah in a book, until their completion, that Mosheh (Moses) commanded the Lĕwites (Levites), who bore the ark of the covenant of יהוה, saying, “Take this Book of the Torah, and you shall place it beside the ark of the covenant of יהוה your Elohim, and it shall be there as a witness against you.” (Deuteronomy 31:24-26)
“And Israel blessed his sons before he died and told them everything that would befall them in the land of Egypt; and he made known to them what would come upon them in the last days, and blessed them and gave to Joseph two portions in the land. And he slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the double cave in the land of Canaan, near Abraham his father in the grave which he dug for himself in the double cave in the land of Hebron. And he gave all his books and the books of his fathers to Levi his son that he might preserve them and renew them for his children until this day.” (Jubilees 45:14-16)
You may be wondering how does placing scripture in earthen vessels equate to honoring scripture? Well, in the Torah we find this commandment.
“These are the laws and right-rulings which you guard to do in the land which יהוה Elohim of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the soil. “Completely destroy all the places where the nations which you are dispossessing served their mighty ones, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall break down their slaughter-places, and smash their pillars, and burn their Ashĕrim with fire. And you shall cut down the carved images of their mighty ones and shall destroy their name out of that place. “Do not do so to יהוה your Elohim.” (Deuteronomy 12:1-4)
This was taken to mean that we should not destroy objects that have the name of Yah on/in them. One example of this would be the scrolls, or Bibles in our case, as the name of Yah is written all over them (Unless the translators have removed His name). So, what did the Levites do when a scroll became to worn out? Instead of burning them, as that would be destroying the name of Yah, they placed them in vessels and put them in caves. Much like a burial.
Another interesting tidbit, is that the Messianic (Keep Torah and follow Yeshua) Ethiopians (who claim to be descendants from the tribe of Levi), have always had the book of Jubilees as part of their canon.
So why do the Ethiopians have it and not the rest of the world? Well, the first perpetrators to consider Jubilees as non-authentic were the Pharisee’s of Judea in the 9th century CE. Because of this they did not add it to their Masoretic canon, which is what KJV and many other canons are based off of.
The book of Jubilees contains verses that discuss future events, and they are consistent with the rest of scriptures. Here are a few examples that might get you excited to give the book of Jubilees a try.
Regathering and Tabernacles
“And they will forget all My law and all My commandments and all My judgments, and will go astray as to new moons, and sabbaths, and festivals, and jubilees, and ordinances. And after this they will turn to Me from amongst the Gentiles with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their strength, and I will gather them from amongst all the Gentiles, and they will seek me, so that I shall be found of them, when they seek me with all their heart and with all their soul. And I will disclose to them abounding peace with righteousness, and I will remove them the plant of uprightness, with all My heart and with all My soul, and they shall be for a blessing and not for a curse, and they shall be the head and not the tail. And I will build My sanctuary in their midst, and I will dwell with them, and I will be their Elohim and they shall be My people in truth and righteousness. And I will not forsake them nor fail them; for I am the Yah their Elohim.” (Jubilees 1:13-17)
“And speak to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am taking the children of Yisra’ĕl (Israel) from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and shall gather them from all around, and I shall bring them into their land.” (Ezekiel 37:21)
“And I shall make a covenant of peace with them – an everlasting covenant it is with them. And I shall place them and increase them, and shall place My set-apart place in their midst, forever.” (Ezekiel 37:26)
Circumcising the Heart, the In Dwelling of the Set-apart Spirit, and Cleansing
“And after this they will turn to Me in all uprightness and with all (their) heart and with all (their) soul, and I will circumcise the foreskin of their heart and the foreskin of the heart of their seed, and I will create in them a holy spirit, and I will cleanse them so that they shall not turn away from Me from that day unto eternity.” (Jubilees 1:22)
“And I shall sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean – from all your filthiness and from all your idols I cleanse you. And I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. And I shall take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I shall give you a heart of flesh, and put My Spirit within you. And I shall cause you to walk in My laws and guard My right-rulings and shall do them.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
New Creation and Mount Zion
“For Yah has four places on the earth, the Garden of Eden, and the Mount of the East, and this mountain on which thou art this day, Mount Sinai, and Mount Zion (which) will be sanctified in the new creation for a sanctification of the earth; through it will the earth be sanctified from all (its) guilt and its uncleanness through- out the generations of the world.” (Jubilees 4:26)
“And it shall be in the latter days that the mountain of the House of יהוה is established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. And all nations shall flow to it. And many peoples shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of יהוה, to the House of the Elohim of Ya‛aqoḇ, and let Him teach us His ways, and let us walk in His paths, for out of Tsiyon(Zion) comes forth the Torah, and the Word of יהוה from Yerushalayim(Jerusalem).” (Isaiah 2:2-3)
“For look, I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to heart.” (Isaiah 65:17)
Within Jubilees we also get additional detail on some of the events mentioned in the Torah and other books as well.
The Angels that Praised Elohim During Creation
“And thereupon we saw His works, and praised Him, and lauded before Him on account of all His works; for seven great works did He create on the first day.” Jubilees 2:3)
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. Who set its measurements, if you know? Or who stretched the line upon it? Upon what were its foundations sunk? Or who laid its corner-stone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy?” (Job 38: 4-7)
The Garden of Eden
“And in the first week of the first jubilee, [1-7 A.M.] Adam and his wife were in the garden of Eden for seven years tilling and keeping it, and we gave him work and we instructed him to do everything that is suitable for tillage.” (Jubilees 3:15)
“And יהוה Elohim took the man and put him in the garden of Ěḏen to work it and to guard it.” (Genesis 2:15)
Expulsion from the Garden
“And on that day on which Adam went forth from the Garden, he offered as a sweet savor an offering, frankincense, galbanum, and stacte, and spices in the morning with the rising of the sun from the day when he covered his shame. And on that day was closed the mouth of all beasts, and of cattle, and of birds, and of whatever walks, and of whatever moves, so that they could no longer speak: for they had all spoken one with another with one lip and with one tongue. And He sent out of the Garden of Eden all flesh that was in the Garden of Eden, and all flesh was scattered according to its kinds, and according to its types unto the places which had been created for them.” (Jubilees 3:27-29)
“So יהוה Elohim sent him out of the garden of Ěḏen to till the ground from which he was taken, and He drove the man out. And He placed keruḇim at the east of the garden of Ěḏen, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:23-24)
Angels Instruct Men and Corruption
“And in the second week of the tenth jubilee [449-55 A.M.] Mahalalel took unto him to wife Dinah, the daughter of Barakiel the daughter of his father's brother, and she bare him a son in the third week in the sixth year, [461 A.M.] and he called his name Jared, for in his days the angels of Yah descended on the earth, those who are named the Watchers, that they should instruct the children of men, and that they should do judgment and uprightness on the earth.” (Jubilees 4:15)
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
Angels or Messengers, depending on the translation, are charged with instructing humans in the ways of Yah. This makes since, given all the references we have about angels visiting certain figures in the Bible. Unfortunately, some of the Watchers gave into lust and thus brought about the Nephilim.
“And he testified to the Watchers, who had sinned with the daughters of men; for these had begun to unite themselves, so as to be defiled, with the daughters of men, and Enoch testified against (them) all.” (Jubilees 4:22)
“And it came to be, when men began to increase on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men, that they were good. And they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And יהוה said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever in his going astray. He is flesh, and his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of Elohim came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, the men of name.” (Genesis 6:1-4)
I encourage everyone to test the book of Jubilees, give it a read for yourself and see what you think. For me the book has added layers of understanding and provided me insights to some things that were only lightly touched upon in the canon. I’m grateful to be alive in such a time to discover these books that were ripped from the bible, to have them so accessible. Well, continue to test all things and may the Ruach Hakodesh lead you into all truth.
P.S.
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