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STUDY TEN
Nephalim: Fallen Angels
A Study in Scriptural Integrity:
Storylines in Genesis IV
Scripture development, Biblical use of words.
We have seen it is often necessary to combine different
scriptural interpretation techniques to come to a fuller understanding. In studying Genesis 6:4 our primary tool
will be scripture development, which is how a story or subject develops as it is unfolding in one or more sections of Scripture, but we will also need to look up the Biblical
use of certain words and phrases. It is indeed excellent, a manifestation of
God's grace that we have the privilege of even serving Jesus Christ. It is
simply astounding that this service primarily consists of simply accepting the
truth concerning God, and accepting the truth concerning His son Jesus Christ, and then living
accordingly. It is simply awesome to understand that the
mightiest living entity ever (and always) in existence has created us to
fellowship with Him. It is also incomprehensible to realize that, thanks
to the revelations of the "Church Epistles," (The post-Ascension
Bible books written to the Body of Christ) we do not have to be ignorant of
spiritual matters. How easy it is to sift the "flour" of Old
Testament, Gospel , Church, and Apocalyptic revelation through the filter of
the revelation of "the things that are freely given to us of God...comparing spiritual things with
spiritual." But how easy it is to forget to do this! Remember how it is written, that the natural
man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, neither can he know them,
for they are spiritually discerned? In this context came the great truth that
while we now have a terrestrial body; in the future we shall have a spiritual. Now the seed via which we as humans reproduce therefore
is carnal. But then? Then we shall be as the angels of God, neither
marrying, or given in marriage. Why? Because, the earth will be filled, and the
purpose of God for human procreation fulfilled. What is the purpose of God? God Himself demanded of Job, "Where wast thou when I laid the
foundations of the earth," of "eden," of paradise? ...who laid the corner stone thereof, When the morning stars sang together, and all
the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:4b & 6b-7 The corner stone? What IS the cornerstone of
Paradise? Man. Just as the man Jesus is corner stone for the
church, MAN is the cornerstone of paradise, Jesus himself being chief. As it is even today said, God made the
heavens for earth, earth for man, and man for himself. Man was not present for the laying of eden.
He was, however, present for the promise of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone, in
whom all the sons of God to this day rejoice. And after his creation, Man was given three
responsibilities above his duty to love God, three "jobs." 1) "Don't eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil." 2) "Dress and keep the garden." 3) "Replenish the earth." (Gen. 2:17; 2:15, 1:28; 1:27-28) When woman was given the promise of a seed
for mankind, the "laying of the corner," (Gen. 3:15) Adam could
rejoice. When new generations were given additional details, as this
"corner" was laid, the people, the sons of God, rejoiced, along with
the morning stars, God's servant spirits, which watched this unfold. It looked, by carnal appearance, at one time like the promise would
not come to pass, that God's Word was going to fail. Man had failed at two of his responsibilities. He
had eaten that which he was told not to, which killed his spirit and foiled his ability to fellowship
perfectly with God. This led to his expulsion from the garden he was to tend,
and while he was still to tend the earth, it was no longer in harmony. But although not in its intended fullness, he
could perform the third task, "replenish the earth." The effect of this duty is explained in Gen
5:1 " This is the book of the generations of Adam." The standard of
how Man accomplished this was revealed in verse three, "and begat in his
own likeness, after his image." After his image. Today we would say,
"according to the parent's DNA." What was the image of Adam? Was it the image
of God? No, that part of Adam "in the day he ate thereof" died. I
Corinthians, regarding the revelation of spiritual matters, tells us it was
"earthy." "Terrestrial," not "celestial." And
that, in the pattern God created, "after his kind, with the seed in
itself." As much as the first part of Genesis deals
with the failure of man's first two responsibilities, this section of Genesis
deals with his struggle to "replenish" the earth: the procreation of man.
Man procreates how? Right. Through
intercourse, impregnation and conception, and gestation of immature young.
Therefore, man's failures in this section deal primarily with failures of this
nature. And he procreates "after his kind."
Even chimpanzees, having the least difference of genetic material of all animals, cannot
procreate with man. It is "after its kind," and the "kind"
of man is Mankind, and terrestrial. (When man's nature after Judgment becomes
celestial, it will be as "the angels in heaven, neither marrying or given
in marriage," which will involve no ability to reproduce, for we will have
no need to "replenish the earth.") Notice the "Ands" which connect all
the following verses to Gen. 6:1. It connects ALL the activity to that last
verse, using a figure of speech called "anaphora," starting all the parts of a
list with the same word. There are actually several figures of speech
connecting this entire section, including anaphora and parallel lines, but we
in this study will concentrate anaphora and on a specific "A-B"
literary structure, what is called a "complex extended alternation" of parallel lines that will bring us to the conclusion to the matter. ("A-B" simply means a word or
phrase dealing with one subject or idea, then a word or phrase dealing with a
relative but differing subject or idea, and then alternately repeating it one
or more times in succession.
The first subject will repeat aspects of the same emphasized concept, and the second subject will relate aspects of the second, related, subject.
This section is actually an A-B-C structure, which I will expound on in another study not in this series and which further emphasizes this complex pattern of the first men adhering to God's assignment, then eventualy abandoning it entirely.) Gen. 5:1&2: "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." Gen. 5:2: We will see that "
Male and female created he them; " are the two nouns kicking off this extended alteration, the concepts " male " and " female " the principle concepts. "Male" and
"female," we will see are afterward replaced with "sons" and "daughters," which become the related
nouns of our complex alternation of parallel lines. Again, "Sons" and "daughters" are now
the nouns of our "complex extended alternation." Remember, what this
means simply is that God is putting extreme emphasis on this, and He would very
much like us to get it right. Sometimes using a word or phrase in a figure of speech will alter the literal meaning of the words. If I say " You have a green thumb, " is your thumb literally green? But in Scripture, figures of speech often leave the literal meaning the same, but always add emphasis. We may not yet be at the end of this alternation to see what is emphasized, but it is focusing us on the concept "male and female," and on procreation. We continue with
the form of this account, you can read the full context later on your own once you learn to recognize the emphasized pattern: 5:4: "And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons (A) and daughters:
(B)" 5:7: "And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons (A) and daughters:(B)" 5:13: "and begat sons (A) and daughters.
(B)" 5:16: "and begat sons (A) and daughters.
(B)" 5:19: "and begat sons (A) and daughters.
(B)" 5:22: "and begat sons (A) and daughters.
(B)" 5:26: "and begat sons (A) and daughters.
(B)" 5:30: "sons (A) and daughters (B)."
The next verse,
6:1, will conclude the thought connected by the "Ands". 6:1: And it came to pass, when men (A) began
to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters (B) were born unto
them..." All the figurative elements are brought
together here in verse 1. The continued "And" of the series anaphora
is here. The A-B parallel line structure of the subjects "sons" and
"daughters" is still present. The significance of man's third
responsibility, to replenish the earth, is still here. The next verse makes the point. 6:2: "That the sons of God (A) saw the
daughters of men (B) that they were fair, and they took them wives of all which
they chose." These sons, (A), and these daughters, (B),
who were they? Since we have the A-B figure, it is the same general people
throughout. These "sons" are the same as the
sons of Adam in 5:4, and of Enos in 5:10, so on down the line. It is one chain
of thoughts here, not a collection of jumbled messages. This is a concise
listing and explanation of the "generations of Adam," Adam whose sons
are, as he was, referred to as "sons of God." Why are they called the sons of God? Because they were progeny of he who was
created "in the image of God." Of course, this is Adam. Genesis 5:1,
remember. The context, right here in Genesis, tells me this. I don't have to guess or search
elsewhere. While Adam died spiritually, he still a son of God by creation (not
begotten,) and so his sons were referred to likewise. The context, Genesis, reveals all of these
things as well. I don't have to guess or try to read into it. Eve was made as a
helpmate, a partner, for Adam. This was the only given standard. Her daughters
were who? The daughters of men. Let's continue, having seen just who these
sons are and understanding that these daughters were also the daughters of
chapter 5, and indeed all were the sons and daughters of the sons and
daughters. 6:3:" And the Lord said, My Spirit shall
not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an
hundred and twenty years." Hold on. God is angry. Why? All it said is
that people went about replenishing the earth like He said to, right? Why is He
then angry? Because man is blowing his third
"job." How? And why is his error so great as to
bring upon him wrath? We are dealing with the sons of God. These
were people still very close to the dawn of creation, close in generations
to"he who was made "in God's
image." Their genetic makeup was not as contaminated as it would some day
be. These were beautiful and attractive men,
healthy and vibrant. They were "hunks," personable, having everything
going for them, and they had decades in which to develop their charms, for they
were long lived. The women were "daughters of men,"
not just any men but these sons of God, and they were "fair." Same
thing here, they were gorgeous, the lot of them. THEN, it said, "they took them wives of
all which they chose." God is mad for this? This is why he will not
strive? There is more than the English translation would have us believe. The
word "wives" is the generic word for "women" in the text;
these men took for women "all" of which they choose. It does not say, "this man chose this
woman, that man chose that woman, and they paired off." Nor does it say
"one of whom they chose." No, it says "all." They would choose this one today, that one
tomorrow. It was nothing more than promiscuous fornication, not at all in the
order that God had set up. THEREFORE, "My spirit shall not always
strive with man, for that he also is flesh." For corrupting the final task he was given to
do, for this God was "angry" with man! Why? Because people are hurt by the sin of others.
Not only the sinner, even those around them reap ill. God's plan for Man, and
thus the ability of Man to live rightly, was botched. 6:4: "There were giants in the earth in
those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men
which were of old, men of reknown." Giants. Big, tall people?
perhaps, but I don't
believe that tells the entire story. The "giants" were, in Hebrew,
"nephilim," a word from the root "nephal" that means
"fallen ones" or "fallen." Fallen how? Some say it is fallen angels. I don't believe
it can be handled that way, by guessing or searching high and low for a hint of
a hidden meaning. When we find the meaning, we will be astounded at how clearly
it will fit into the context. I believe that the key is in the word
"nephilim." itself; The root for "nephilim" is the same as for a
word translated "abomination," and also for a word translated
"concubine." "Nephal," root of
"piggul," is translated once "abomination," and
"pilegesh" is translated "concubine" 36 times and
"paramour" once. From Strong's Concordance, "giant
Or nphil {nef-eel'}; from naphal; properly, a feller, i.e. A bully or tyrant -- giant.
see HEBREW naphal;giant
Or nphil {nef-eel'}; from naphal; properly, a feller, i.e. A bully or tyrant -- giant.
see HEBREW naphal" "Causing to fall to evil of a sexual
nature," perhaps, and whether "giants" are "spirits which
influence to sexual deviancy," or "men who are prone to such,"
you judge. I would guess the latter, because the phrase "after that"
connotes they weren't always here with man, while Lucifer's follower spirits
seem to have been since before Adam. Regardless, there were these giants, these fellers of men, and the sons
of God were men which came in unto the daughters of men, and caused them to
bare children. It does NOT say that the "nephilim" did that to them,
but MEN who were called "sons of God." The children born to these promiscuous unions,
the conclusion of the "A-B" sequence that tells of the
"replinishing" of the earth, are these mighty men. They became mighty
men, men of renown. Giants. Nephilim. Men causing others to fall in the error. Men of tremendous promiscuity. They were men, men coming from
"seed" after their own "likeness" (1:11, 1:24, 5:3) There
is no indication they were more or less than the offspring of fallen men, pure
and simple. For them to be would contradict the pattern of man and woman we see here in Genesis, and the
truths of Matthew 22 and I Corinthians 15. Remember, angels are not given to marriage.
Why? They are not made for procreation. "The same day came to him the
Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, "Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother
shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. "Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a
wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: "Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. "And last of all the woman died also. "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for
they all had her. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,
nor the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but
are as the angels of God in heaven."
Matt. 22:23-30 When those resurrected have new bodies, they
will be like the angels, not marrying, not given in marriage. Scripturally, "marrying and given in
marriage" is not a legal arrangement, it is not a social arrangement. It is a
man "taking" a woman, a woman "taking" a man, sealed by the act of carnal
union. Angels do not do this. Even if they were to "manifest in flesh" and
engage in carnal unions, look at 1 Corinthians: "The first man is of the
earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. "As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the
heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image
of the heavenly. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality." 1 Cor. 15:47-53 The first man, Adam, is of the earth, the
second man of heaven. When dealing with the issues related to procreation (and
keeping God's command) in the earthly, and related to the resurrection, this is
important to remember. Those that are earthy, such as those who
procreate, are earthy. Those who are heavenly, who are spiritual, do not
procreate the same way. "Be fruitful, and multiply" was to a man of
both earth and heaven, before the fall. But after the Fall, Adam was dead
spiritually, he had died when sin entered by his work. Now Adam, and his children, are earthy, and
it is these earthy children Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 15. Look at all the trouble God Himself had to go
through to build Himself a family based on the incorruptible seed, pnuema
hagion. Luke records the account of Matthew 22 a
little differently. This does not mean either account is
erroneous. Often in Scripture not all of the conversation or events of a
situation are recorded, indeed, that would take a book to large to carry. Rather, one account may contain part of the
account, some, other parts. For example, two malefactors, two "kagorgai,"
were led and crucified at the same time as Jesus, and one railed at him,
mocking. But the other kagorgi was repentant, and Jesus said that he would be
with him in Paradise. Not in Heaven, but Paradise. Later, after the placard with his accusation
was nailed to his cross, two robbers, two "lestoi," were then crucified with
him. Both of these lestoi mocked Jesus. Confusion has arisen because these two lestoi
are confused with the two kagorgi. So when Luke has a slightly different
translation of the account of the parable of the woman with the seven husbands,
some think there was a contradiction in the Bible. There is not. It is a failure of
transcription, translation, or our understanding, and we will see Luke actually
simply adds new information. "But they which shall be
accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead,
neither marry, nor are given in marriage: "Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are
the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." Luke 20:35-36 Equal to angels, they neither marry, nor are
given in marriage. Furthermore, they are children of God, being the children of
the resurrection! This is the Biblical usage of concepts these words we are looking at have to conform to. Adam was son of God by creation. But in the
resurrection, something special happens. Men are no longer referred to as sons
because of their relation to Adam, they are called sons by something that
occurs during the resurrection! Understanding this simple concept, that there
is a gap between carnal procreation and the spiritual, we continue. "Mighty" simply means trained and
adept in the art of war, "gibbor." "Mighty" in scriptures
means "a well trained man for war." They were violent men. Look in our cultures
today. In cultures where promiscuity and sexual wickedness is the context,
rather than a stable family, violence is the norm. The children arise
violently. It is true there is no new thing "under the sun," i.e.,
spontaneous to the Earth and to man. "Renown" simply means a culture of
celebrity. Seem familiar? Therefore, because of this culture of
promiscuity, violence and celebrity, God was able to look around and see
"great wickedness," to the point He "repented" that He had
even made man! Simply, this is the chronicle of man's
failure to adhere to God's will because of his lust and greed. He refused to
replenish the earth in the way God had willed for him and designed for him. It
was, as the saying goes, "strike three." Man struck out, as revealed
by the account of the Flood that will follow. There is no mystery as to whom these mighty
men were. They were the sons and daughters of men and woman given to great
promiscuity, violence, and the "worship" of celebrity. It is indeed a phenomenon of grace that the
Bible has remained together as long as it has. It seems more remarkable that
even when Christians disagree on details, so many of us can agree on certain
"primary" truths. That God created all things, that He sent Jesus
Christ as a payment for our sins, that He rose Jesus from the dead, and that
Jesus is our risen Lord, attending to the "function" of his people. Nevertheless, we are to strive to speak the
same thing, and we are to strive to keep doctrinal differences minimal. It is,
after all, "one faith." God bless you. May you continue to seek truth
in the pages of its revealing, and may God continue to keep your hearts tender.
And remember to try understanding difficult
sections of scripture according to Biblical usage and in their greater context.
May we remain in His Grace, true to His
commands.
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