Is Metatron in the Bible? Who or what is Metatron?
Metatron is the name of an angelic being described in the Babylonian Talmud, Kirkisani and other mystical writings, and in the Christian apocryphal books of Enoch. According to these writings, after God took Enoch to heaven (Genesis 5:24), he was transformed into the angel Metatron. His "flesh was turned to flame, his veins to fire. . . his eyeballs to flaming torches" and he was "placed on a throne next to the throne of glory." According to Rabbinic tradition, he is the highest angel and the celestial scribe. There is no mention of Metatron, or any evidence for his existence, in the Bible.
The mystical writings that mention Metatron also say he is second only to God in terms of power and wisdom, glory and strength, and that the other angels all obey him. He is also supposed to be a kind of mediator between God and Israel, and was possibly the angel who led Israel through the wilderness as a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. This is a rather startling assertion, as the Bible clearly says "the Lord went before them" and the translation of the word "Lord" is YHWH, or Yahweh, which is God's name, and not the name of a holy angel (Exodus 13:21-22). There is only one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).
Metatron is at best a legend, and at worst, a deception—there is no reason to believe he exists. The Bible never mentions him, and the descriptions of Metatron in the mystical writings do not agree with the biblical descriptions of angels. The Bible tells us not to pursue "godless myths and old wives' tales" but to instead train ourselves in godliness (1 Timothy 4:7 NIV). Furthermore, the worship of angels is associated with asceticism and false visions, and is opposed to the worship of Christ (Colossians 2:18-19).
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