Subject: What is progeny? |
Bible Note: HI Bows44, I will try to answer your questions. Jude 1:6-7 "And those angels not having kept their first place, but having deserted their dwelling-place, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of a great Day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, in like manner to these, committing fornication, and going away after other flesh, laid down an example before-times, undergoing vengeance of everlasting fire." This passage tells us that there were angels that left their "dwelling place", or in the Greek, "oiketerion". This word is used only one other time in the New Testament, in 2 Cor. 5:2 "For also in this we groan, greatly desiring to be clothed with our dwelling place out of Heaven," speaking of our heavenly body. So these angels somehow left their heavenly bodies, apparently. Jude goes on to tell us about the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that they "went after other flesh", "sarkos heteros", or "flesh of a different kind". We know that just before the destruction of Sodom, the men of Sodom demanded that Lot hand over the two angels, that they might have sex with them. So it would seem from Jude that there were angels who left their heavenly bodies, who went after others who were not angels, to have sex with. For this sin, they were placed in chains, held for judgment. Peter also wrote of angels that would seem to be the same ones: 2 Peter 2:4 "For if God did not spare sinning angels, but delivered them to chains of darkness, thrust down into Tartarus, having been kept to judgment;" If the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 are fallen angels, we have the story behind these passages. If not, we can only wonder when it was that angels did these things. For me, this is the kind of harmony I look for in Biblical interpretation. The "sons of God" fathered children with the "daughters of men". Angels who left their own dwelling and went after different flesh are chained awaiting judgment. Regarding Daniel 10:13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." Exactly who or what these beings are is not explicity identified for us. Its easy to think that this Michael is the archangel mentioned by Jude (vs. 9). The septuagint translates "prince" as "archon", same in Eph 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers (archon)," So we understand these passages to be about angels of God, and fallen angels. There are not any scriptures that tell us numbers, how many angels there are, how many fell, and how many were chained unto judgment. I seems some are bound, and some not. There are extra-biblical writings that tell us about the "70 ruling angels" who govern over the nations, some fallen, some not, but these are not inspired, therefore not authoritive. Ditto for many modern-day teachers that claim to know a lot of information about angels, and the complexities of angelic warfare, again, this is not from Biblical sources. So we have a couple of referrences in Daniel, Ephesians, and a few others, that indicate that there are angelic powers, that were, and perhaps are, associated with regions or cities, but with very little detail. It would seem angels that are bound have no power. They are held for judgment. The whole idea of binding them signifies restraint. Why would an angel want to possess, or indwell, an human body? Angels are a higher creation than man (Psalm 8:5, Heb. 2:7-9). The only times we are told in scripture that an angel indwells a man is when Satan enters Judas, and implicitly, when Satan indwells the final human world ruler. Conversely, why is it that these "demons", or "unclean spirits" are to driven to possess a body? Here again, we are given very little detail. There are many referrences to "unclean spirits", and "demons", but does the Bible actual define these as fallen angels? We know from Luke 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. that the unclean spirit desires to possess a body. The same is illustrated in the story of Legion and the pigs. But why would an angel need a body to inhabit? Angels are powerful beings, created as a complete creature. On the other hand, if fallen angels fathered children with human women, what would be the spiritual status of their offspring? When they were killed in the flood, did their dying bodies then release these "unclean spirits", who were neither man nor angel, and who would never be satisfied with their existance, and seek to inhabit another body, until that time appointed when they would be sent to their final judgement? Just some thoughts. Love in Christ, Mark |