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NASB | Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 2015 |
Genesis 6:4 There were Nephilim (men of stature, notorious men) on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, and they gave birth to their children. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown (great reputation, fame). [Num 13:33] |
Bible Question: The problem with interpreting 'sons of God' as angels in Genesis 6:4 stems not from Job 4:18, but with the fall of satan and his unholy angels itself. Angels are referred to in Jude 6-7 with Sodom and Gomorrah, but the 'gross immorality' with 'strange flesh' is not at all referring to angels here but to Sodom and Gomorrah- both cities that practiced homosexuality (Gen. 19:5). Angels are referred to in 2 Peter 2:4-5 which explains how the angels fell from grace, speaking of a once and for all judgment on the unholy angels. Now are angels permitted to continually sin to this day? I don't think so. If you also believe that angels cannot perpetually sin, then you also believe that satan and his angels fell ONCE from grace, that there was ONE time when iniquity was found in the angelic realm. Now the first recorded sin that we know of in history occurred in Genesis 3:6-7. If you believe that satan and his angels fell from grace only once, then he had to have already fallen from grace with his unholy angels at this time or THIS occurrence itself is the fall of satan and his angels- by enticing mankind to sin. Support for this view can be found in Ezekiel 28:12-18 where it is thought to refer to the fall of satan here. Also, Isaiah 14:12-15 is also recited as referring to the fall of satan. In verse 13 (and in the passage in Ezekiel), this is referring to a sin of 'haughtiness' and exultation rather than the sin of lust. Haughtiness is a sin of the spirit whereas lust is a sin of the flesh. This explains how the angels cannot be given in marriage (Matt. 22:30), but were susceptible to the sin of pride at one time and one time only. (their fall) Now if the first recorded sin is in Gen. 3:6 then how can Gen. 6:4 be referring to angels if they had already fallen from grace? There was a considerable amount of time between Gen. 3:6 and 6:4. I believe that since the angels were not given fleshly bodies then they would not be able to commit a sin of the flesh, since our deliverance from the sins of the flesh is a mystery to angels! (1 Peter 1:12). This is why I believe that they had to commit a sin of the spirit, and that sin being pride, with satan as their leader (Isaiah 14:13). For it was out of pride and envy that satan rebelled against God- to have His throne, and it was also out of envy that the Scribes and the Pharisees handed Jesus over to be crucified (Matt 27:18). When satan fell, he took a third of the angels of heaven with him (Rev. 12:4, 7-9). satan and his angels did not do this out of lust for the daughters of men, but because of their rebellion against God. So in result, the fall of satan and his angels had long occurred by the time of Genesis 6:4, when the line of Seth (the "Seed" in Gen. 4:25-26), who began to call upon the name of the Lord, began to intermarry with the daughters of men, being led astray by their own fleshly lust in Genesis 6:4. This is the reason why the 'sons of God' refers to the line of Seth rather than the angels of heaven. Note: I have chosen not to glorify the name of 'satan' to the point of violating grammatical rules.. |
Bible Answer: OK ... how do you explain demons and demonic possession which was addressed by Jesus when He practiced casting them out of people? 1/3rd of the angels fell with satan, and, because satan is not God, he cannot be everyplace all the time, so he has a lot of help ... demons ... fallen angels. Yes, our flesh is a great enemy of ours, but the Bible specifically addresses demonic activity in the world well into and throughout the New Testament (Ephesions 6:11-12 - Put on the whole armour of God, thaat ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places). And we see from scripture angels appeared to many in fleshly form: Abraham, Lot (the townspeople saw the angels as human and wanted to have homosexual relations with them.) And the Matthew 22:30 reference to angels not being given in marriage, let's back up a little to 28 and 29 and the previous conversation. The Saducees were trying to trick Jesus by asking if a woman married several times, who would be her husband in heaven? The scripture actually says,"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they (humans) neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." Key here is angels in heaven, the Niphilim were not desendents of angels in heaven. Demons are nasty dudes and have great power (Ephesians 6) and I'm not convinced yet that Genesis 6:2-6 are the Cain/Seth ancestors. You did a great job with a lot of great references. Keep digging and trying to change my mind. God bless! |