The Ancient Tradition: Audio Writ

In 1805, the British Museum acquired one of its first…and most important,
ancient Egyptian artifacts, the Shabaka Stone, an unassuming green breccia millstone. The inscription on the stone sat untranslated in the museum for nearly 100 years before American Egyptologist James Henry Breasted translated it into English in 1901. It was only then that Egyptologists realized the profound significance of what they had in their possession- a copy of the world's earliest (arguably) surviving creation story.  

The stone’s inscription begins with a list of King Shabaka’s royal names followed by a dramatic account of the unification of Upper and lower Egypt.  The inscription concludes with a description of the Supreme God Ptah’s creation of the gods, the cosmos, and the earth.

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The Enuma Elish, also known as The Seven Tablets of Creation, is one of the oldest stories in the world.  Dated to between 1800 and 1600 B.C., this Babylonian creation myth gives an account of the creation of the world and the rise of the Babylonian gods.  The epic is included here for its rich symbolism, description of the pre-creative state of the universe,  its portrayal of the cosmic battle between order and disorder, and its emphasis on kingship.

In this audio recording of the Enuma Elish, Tablets V-VII, Marduk creates the earth from the corpse of Tiamat.  The gods proclaim Marduk king and he is set upon a throne.  Marduk calls an assembly of the gods.  The gods petition Marduk to make shrines for themselves.  They build dwellings on high.  The gods swear an oath and confirm the sovereignty of Marduk over heaven and earth.  Marduk's royal titular of fifty names is recited.

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

The Enuma Elish, also known as The Seven Tablets of Creation, is one of the oldest stories in the world.  Dated to between 1800 and 1600 B.C., this Babylonian creation myth gives an account of the creation of the world and the rise of the Babylonian gods.  The epic is included here for its rich symbolism, description of the pre-creative state of the universe,  its portrayal of the cosmic battle between order and disorder, and its emphasis on kingship.

In this audio recording of the Enuma Elish, Tablets I-IV, the Babylonian gods are born out of the disordered, undifferentiated waters of pre-creation, personified by the goddess Tiamat and her consort, Apsu.  Troubled by the restless young gods, Apsu and his minister, Mummu, plot to destroy them.  The young god, Ea, slays Apsu.  Ea builds his dwelling over the dead remains of Apsu.  In their splendid home, Ea and his lover conceive and begat Marduk, the Babylonian King of the gods, the sovereign over the whole universe.  Tiamat prepares for war with Marduk by assembling a fearsome army of dragons, vipers and monsters.  The gods give Marduk weapons to challenge Tiamat.   Marduk harnesses the seven winds, shoots Tiamat with an arrow, and slays her.

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch,  a Jewish apocalyptic writing, is one of the most compelling ancient texts to survive to the present day.   Although knowledge of the book was unknown in the West until 1892, Slavonic manuscripts of the book survived in Russia for more than 1200 years.  Although not part of the Biblical canon today, R.H. Charles, editor of the first English translation (1896), noted that it was "much used...by Christian[s]...in the early centuries".   Considering its status as a Jewish book, it's intriguing that early Christians and not Jews were the ones known to have preserved it.  The preservation of the text, coupled  with references to the text in early Christian writings and among early Church theologians and ecclesiastical leaders, suggests the text may have constituted part of the sanctioned canon of the early Church.   The book is included here for its exceptional preservation of many elements of The Ancient Tradition.

In this audio recording of The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch, Chapters 61-73, Enoch teaches his children to make offerings with a pure heart.   He encourages them to look to God and love one another.  Enoch is taken to heaven and darkness covers the land.  Enoch's son, Methuselah, erects an altar and makes offerings to God.  The Lord appears to Methuselah in a dream and appoints him High Priest.  The elders of the people dress Methuselah in priestly clothes and place a crown on his head.  When Methuselah is close to death, the Lord commands him to give his priestly clothes to Nir, his grandson.  Nir's wife, Sopanim, immaculately conceives a child.  Noah and Nir dress the child in priestly clothes and name him Melchizedek.  Melchizedek reigns as the first priest and king of Salem (Jerusalem).

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch,  a Jewish apocalyptic writing, is one of the most compelling ancient texts to survive to the present day.   Although knowledge of the book was unknown in the West until 1892, Slavonic manuscripts of the book survived in Russia for more than 1200 years.  Although not part of the Biblical canon today, R.H. Charles, editor of the first English translation (1896), noted that it was "much used...by Christian[s]...in the early centuries".   Considering its status as a Jewish book, it's intriguing that early Christians and not Jews were the ones known to have preserved it.  The preservation of the text, coupled  with references to the text in early Christian writings and among early Church theologians and ecclesiastical leaders, suggests the text may have constituted part of the sanctioned canon of the early Church.   The book is included here for its exceptional preservation of many elements of The Ancient Tradition.

In this audio recording of The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch, Chapters 41-60, Enoch shares with his children what he saw in the heavens.  He declares God has a face like man's, he speaks of the scales of the end-time judgment, and teaches his children to make offerings with a pure heart.  Enoch encourages his children to make copies of the books he's written and "love them more than any sweet food on earth, and read them and follow them".  Enoch gathers his son Methuselah's family, along with the elders of the people, to bless them.  He testifies the Lord "came down to the earth" in the days of Adam and appointed Adam a King over all the peoples and creatures on the earth.

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch,  a Jewish apocalyptic writing, is one of the most compelling ancient texts to survive to the present day.   Although knowledge of the book was unknown in the West until 1892, Slavonic manuscripts of the book survived in Russia for more than 1200 years.  Although not part of the Biblical canon today, R.H. Charles, editor of the first English translation (1896), noted that it was "much used...by Christian[s]...in the early centuries".   Considering its status as a Jewish book, it's intriguing that early Christians and not Jews were the ones known to have preserved it.  The preservation of the text, coupled  with references to the text in early Christian writings and among early Church theologians and ecclesiastical leaders, suggests the text may have constituted part of the sanctioned canon of the early Church.   The book is included here for its exceptional preservation of many elements of The Ancient Tradition.

In this audio recording of The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch, Chapters 21-40, Enoch ascends to the highest heaven where he sees the Lord's glorious face.  The Lord commands Michael to anoint Enoch with oil and robe him in clothes of glory.  The Lord tutors Enoch "like a man talks to his neighbor" in the holy secrets of creation, the fall of the archangel Satanail, the prisoners in Hades anxiously awaiting the judgment, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the history of the world, and "all things that it is fitting to learn".  The Lord commands Enoch to write the holy secrets down in books and share them with his children.

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch,  a Jewish apocalyptic writing, is one of the most compelling ancient texts to survive to the present day.   Although knowledge of the book was unknown in the West until 1892, Slavonic manuscripts of the book survived in Russia for more than 1200 years.  Although not part of the Biblical canon today, R.H. Charles, editor of the first English translation (1896), noted that it was "much used...by Christian[s]...in the early centuries".   Considering its status as a Jewish book, it's intriguing that early Christians and not Jews were the ones known to have preserved it.  The preservation of the text, coupled  with references to the text in early Christian writings and among early Church theologians and ecclesiastical leaders, suggests the text may have constituted part of the sanctioned canon of the early Church.   The book is included here for its exceptional preservation of many elements of The Ancient Tradition.

In this audio recording of The Book of the Holy Secrets of Enoch, Chapters 1-20, Enoch is woken from a distressing sleep to find two angels at the foot of his bed.  The angels recount God's command to escort Enoch to the highest heaven.  In the first heaven, Enoch is shown the rulers of the stellar orders and the angels guarding the storehouses.  In the second heaven, he's shown the prisoners awaiting the great judgment.  In the third heaven, he's shown a paradisical-like Eden and a tree of "incomprehensible goodness."  In the fourth heaven, he's shown all of the movements and sequences of the sun, moon and stars.   In the fifth heaven, he's shown the Watchers who broke their covenants on the summit of Mount Hermon.  In the sixth heaven, he's shown the seven archangels who rule over angels.  In the seventh heaven, he is shown the "dominions, orders and governments" of heaven and he's shown a glimpse of God sitting on his throne in the highest heaven. 

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

Hidden within the poetic verses of the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the world's oldest religious texts, are indispensable clues to the nature and origin of the world's earliest religious tradition- The Ancient Tradition.  Once you've given Tablet XI a listen, turn your ear to our sister podcast, The Ancient Tradition, where we reveal striking similarities in the ancient record- myths, cosmologies, theologies, and sacred writings- which point to an original, pure religion in deep antiquity.  Is it the true religion?  If so, you are in for the theological adventure of a lifetime.

In this audio recording of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet XI, King Gilgamesh asks Utnapishtim how he found eternal life.  Utnapishtim gives an account of building a boat, stocking it with provisions, and sealing the hatch on the day commanded by the Sun God.  Utnapishtim recounts how, upon surviving the deluge, the god Enlil boarded the boat, touched Utnapishtim and his wife on the forehead and transformed them into gods.   Gilgamesh desires the same for himself.  Utnapisthtim tests Gilgamesh's fortitude by challenging him to go without sleep for a week.  Gilgamesh fails the test.  Unable to conquer sleep, Gilgamesh relents, knowing he is incapable of conquering death.  Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh of a precious plant at the bottom of the sea capable of restoring youth.  Gilgamesh acquires the plant.  The plant is stolen by a snake.  Gilgamesh returns to Uruk without eternal life.

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

Hidden within the poetic verses of the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the world's oldest religious texts, are indispensable clues to the nature and origin of the world's earliest religious tradition- The Ancient Tradition.  Once you've given Tablet X a listen, turn your ear to our sister podcast, The Ancient Tradition, where we reveal striking similarities in the ancient record- myths, cosmologies, theologies, and sacred writings- which point to an original, pure religion in deep antiquity.  Is it the true religion?  If so, you are in for the theological adventure of a lifetime.

In this audio recording of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet X, King Gilgamesh encounters Shiduri, a tavern-keeper, outside of the garden, near the seashore.  Gilgamesh confides in her the sorrow he feels over the death of his friend, Enkidu, and seeks her aid to cross the Waters of Death so he can continue his quest for Utnapishtim, guardian of the secret of eternal life.  Shiduri warns him of the perils of crossing the Waters and directs him towards  Ur-shanabi, Utnapsithtim's boatman, who can ferry him across.  Ur-shanabi and Gilgamesh successfully cross the Waters.  Upon landing, Gilgamesh  encounters Utnapishtim.

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.

Hidden within the poetic verses of the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the world's oldest religious texts, are indispensable clues to the nature and origin of the world's earliest religious tradition- The Ancient Tradition.  Once you've given Tablet IX a listen, turn your ear to our sister podcast, The Ancient Tradition, where we reveal striking similarities in the ancient record- myths, cosmologies, theologies, and sacred writings- which point to an original, pure religion in deep antiquity.  Is it the true religion?  If so, you are in for the theological adventure of a lifetime.

In this audio recording of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet IX, King Gilgamesh, upon Enkidu's death, wanders the earth in search of Utnapishtim, who guards the secret of immortality.  Upon reaching Mount Musha, Gilgamesh encounters a scorpion-man whose charge is to guard the passage under the mountain.  The scorpion-man grants Gilgamesh passage.  Gilgamesh races through twelve sets of double doors and arrives in Dilmun, the Garden of the Gods, a garden of jeweled trees.

Join us for this episode and visit us on the web at theancienttradition.com and www.youtube.com/@theancienttradition for more amazing comparative religion.