The Book of Jubilees
The Book of Jubilees is an ancient Jewish text that retells biblical history, especially from Genesis and Exodus, with added details, prophecies, and a focus on divine covenants. It is sometimes called the “Lesser Genesis” and was highly valued by some Jewish groups, including the Essenes (who preserved it among the Dead Sea Scrolls).
Though not in most biblical canons, it is considered canonical in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity and is respected in Jewish and Christian apocryphal traditions.
Key Themes and Purpose of Jubilees
1. Timeline Based on “Jubilees” (49-Year Cycles)
- The book divides history into jubilees (periods of 49 years each).
- This system emphasizes God’s control over time and history, similar to the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in Leviticus 25.
2. Retelling and Expanding Genesis-Exodus
- Jubilees closely follows Genesis and early Exodus but with additional details not in the Bible.
- Examples of additions:
- Angels play a bigger role in world events.
- Heavenly tablets record all of history in advance.
- Moses receives a vision of past events at Mount Sinai.
- Extra details on the lives of Adam, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham.
Jubilees
3. The Importance of the Law (Torah) Before Moses
- Jubilees teaches that God’s law existed before Moses and was given to Adam, Noah, and Abraham.
- This view strengthens Jewish traditions of strict Torah observance.
- It claims that angels also follow the Torah in heaven.
➡️ This contrasts with Jesus’ teachings that the Law was fulfilled in Him (Matthew 5:17).
4. Enoch and the Watchers
- Like the Book of Enoch, Jubilees expands on the fallen angels (Watchers) who corrupted humanity (Genesis 6:1-4).
- It explains why the Nephilim (giants) were wiped out by the Flood.
➡️ This aligns with Enoch and Maccabees in describing a spiritual war behind human events, which Jesus and Revelation also emphasize.
5. The Future and End Times
- Jubilees prophesies about the Messianic age, final judgment, and the restoration of Israel.
- It warns about corruption and apostasy before the end times.
- The righteous will be rewarded, and sinners destroyed.
➡️ These ideas mirror Daniel, Revelation, and the Maccabean struggles, reinforcing Jubilees as an apocalyptic text.
Why Jubilees Matters for Abraham’s and Judah’s Descendants
🔹 It preserves the covenant traditions of Abraham and Moses.
🔹 It strengthens Jewish identity against foreign influences (similar to Maccabees).
🔹 It warns about end-times apostasy and the final judgment.
🔹 It connects to Messianic prophecy, reinforcing themes Jesus later fulfilled.
