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Specific Bible Studies - Nephilim - Giants in the earth - Gen. 6
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SUBJECT: Nephilim - Giants in the earth - Gen. 6
QUESTION: Did angels have children with human women?
ANSWER:
No, they did not. This Bible study is being prompted by a new, best-selling book by Patrick Heron, "The Nephilim and the Pyramid of the Apocalypse". In it he purports that these giants or Nephilim of Genesis 6:4 are actually demons who chose to have sexual relations and produce children with human women. He presents the idea of Nephilim being a race of hybrid demons and humans and that it was this race that erected the ancient pyramids of Egypt. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Listen to our Sound Bite Bible Study on this subject: sound bite
Gen 6:1-4
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
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.
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 renown.
We are not talking about angels having sexual intercourse with human females here. This is talking about human males and females.
WHAT DOES SPIRITUAL LOGIC TELL YOU?
- If these fallen angels were having sexual relations with human women, why aren't they doing it all through history and even today?
- WHY WOULD GOD ALLOW IT? His purpose for mankind is to bring them into the family of God. Why would He allow angels this opportunity to gain entrance into the Family of God, ESPECIALLY if one believes these to be the fallen angels doing this?
- Even if it were true (which it is not) what difference would it make? The verses that people use to purport this idea ARE BEFORE THE FLOOD, which means that EVEN if it were true (which it is not), THEY ALL DIED IN THE FLOOD, unless one wishes to believe that Noah, his wife, and/or son and/or their wives were direct descendents of angels. NO ONE CAN PROVE SUCH A THING. This never happened. God would never allow it. It serves no purpose. It goes contrary to the Plan of God for mankind. Satan and all angels (fallen or not) must ask permission before they do ANYTHING (See opening verses of Job) and God would not allow this.
- If spirit beings are able to have sexual relations with humans, it would follow that they could have sexual relations among themselves and produce offspring. Why no mention of this anywhere in the Word of God?
- Genetically speaking, why is it that in such a supposed union between spirit beings and humans that the human elements dominate the spiritual? Why do we not see some or all of these offspring with spirit powers, such as immortal life, ability to transport themselves or the ability to appear in different forms?
- In his book, Mr. Heron states that these beings are also present after the Flood. For this to be, the spirit beings would have had to enter into a new round of relations with human women. Where is this hybrid race today? If they died out or were not able to reproduce themselves, why aren't the same spirit beings propagating today to keep the race going?
- If the spirit beings are having relations with human females, we must assume these spirit beings are male. This would generally presuppose female spirit beings. After all, why would God create male spirit beings with the ability to have sexual relations and no one to have relations with? So if there are female spirit beings, why do we not see record or speculation of the female spirit beings seeking out human male partners? Would these offspring appear different from the alleged descriptions of the offspring borne of human females?
- If we are to assume that these spirit beings are male only, how many trillions of years passed before God decided to create humans thus giving these spirit beings their first opportunity at such relations?
- Again in his book, Mr. Heron states that the spirit being's (demons) offspring (these supposed giants) were the ones who built the pyramids as a counterfeit to the New Jerusalem spoken of in Revelation. If this is true, these counterfeits are not even worth a mention. New Jerusalem is described as being either a cube or pyramid-shaped city 1,500 miles high, long and wide. It has 12 gates (3 on each side) and enough floor space to match the total land space of the present earth many times over. This city needs no light for Jesus and God, the Father dwell in it and are the light of it. There is a river described as flowing from its base. The pyramids of Egypt have no similarity but for presupposed shape. For the most part they are solid, no known spirit beings dwell in them and there is no light forthcoming from them. Their are no gates and no river flowing from its base. If truly a counterfeit, the pyramids would have to go down as the most pathetic counterfeits of all history.
The Bible reveals that angels are created spirits (Heb. 1:14). They are not mortal flesh like humans.
Heb 1:13-14
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
As created spirits, angels do not reproduce sexually or by any other means. Jesus Christ said so. Notice Luke 20:34-36; Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25.
Luke 20:34-36
34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36 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.
Matt 22:30
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Mark 12:25
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
Who then were these "sons of God"? They were male human beings. Adam was a son of God by creation (Luke 3:38).
Luke 3:38
38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
In like manner, all of Adam's male descendants are by God's act of creation physical sons of God. The context of Genesis, chapter 6 concerns physical human beings-not angels. Notice: "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man ..." and "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth" (verses 3 and 7). It was sinful man that God had determined to destroy-not angels (their time of final judgment is yet to come). Angels are spirit and cannot be destroyed by water. With the out-pouring of the deluge "all flesh died... and every man..." (Gen. 7:21-23).
Gen 7:21-23
21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
Notice the commentary:
Genesis 6:1-8
THE GROWTH OF SIN-
[diyn] (heb 1777) "be down, strive, subdue, judge." [bashagaam] (heb 7683) "inasmuch, as also." The rendering "in their error" requires the pointing [bashaagaam], and the plural form of the following pronoun. It is also unknown to the Septuagint. [napiliym] (heb 5303) "assailants, fellers, men of violence, tyrants."
Having traced the line of descent from Adam through Sheth, the seed of God, to Noah, the author proceeds to describe the general spread and growth of moral evil in the race of man, and the determination of the Lord to wipe it away from the face of the earth.
Verse 1-4. There are two stages of evil set forth in - the one contained in the present four verses, and the other in the following. The former refers to the apostasy of the descendants of Sheth, and the cause and consequences of it.
When man began to multiply, the separate families of Cain and Sheth would come into contact. The daughters of the stirring Cainites, distinguished by the graces of nature, the embellishments of art, and the charms of music and song, even though destitute of the loftier qualities of likemindedness with God, would attract attention and prompt to unholy alliances.
The phrase "sons of God," means an order of intelligent beings who "retain the purity of moral character" originally communicated, or subsequently restored, by their Creator. They are called the sons of God, because they have his spirit or disposition. The sons of God mentioned in , are an order of rational beings existing before the creation of man, and joining in the symphony of the universe, when the earth and all things were called into being. Then all were holy, for all are styled the sons of God. Such, however, are not meant in the present passage. For they were not created as a race, have no distinction of sex, and therefore no sexual desire; they "neither marry nor are given in marriage" . It is contrary to the law of nature for different species even on earth to cohabit in a carnal way; much more for those in the body, and those who have not a body of flesh.
(from Barnes' Notes)