the-book-of-enoch-r-h-charles - Fallen Angels

Introduction cvii
will be a constant progress from light to light and righteousness
to righteousness—which is the heritage that has been preserved
for them by the Messiah 58^' ^.
Eefriiuiioti, national and iudividnal. The problem of com-
bining both these types of retribution had been partly solved in
the O.T. With the new solution of the problem of national
retribution we shall deal under the title ' the Kingdom '. But
the more difficult of the two problems had to do with the
individual. Earthly prosperity is no mark of the divine favour,
but only a source of delusion to those who experience it.
In 91-104 the writer denies Ezekiel's doctrine that a man's
earthly condition corresponds to his moral desert. The wicked
often enjoy unbroken prosperity in this life 102^"^^ lOS^'^i' ^^'j
and die in honour 103^°, and the righteous fare ill 102*'',
and die in darkness and tribulation 102'*' ^^. But the right-
eous are bidden to be of good cheer, though their life on
earth be only such as sinners deserved, and their latter end be
full of grief; for in the next life the balance will be redressed,
and ' all goodness and joy and glory are prepared for them and
written down for the spirits of those who have died in righteous-
ness ' 103^. ' The angels remember' them ' for good before the
glory of the Great One ' 104^, for though aforetime they were
' put to shame through ill and affliction ', they shall in due time
' shine as the lights of heaven ' and ' the portals of heaven shall
be opened ' to them 104^, and they ' shall become companions of
the hosts of heaven ' 104^. And as for the wicked their recom-
pense is awaiting them ; for they shall ' descend into Sheol . . .
and into darkness and chains and a burning flame where there
is grievous judgement ' shall their spirits enter for all the
generations of the world 103'' *-
We cannot leave this subject without confessing ' how nobly
its author maintains the cause of goodness in the face of
triumphant evil, how unhesitatingly he concedes that this
world gives its best to the unrighteous and the sinner, and
that godliness can find no stay or encouragement therein. Yet