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Who Were The "Sons of God"?
Angels of God vs. sons of Seth
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Intro
Attacks on the Original Truth
Angels that sinned
The Reason For The Flood
Historical Standings and Understandings
Biblical texts on the subject
So, What About Scriptures Like These?
References |
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| From the text in Genesis
6:4-5 we see the first mention of the bizarre events which gave the world
the Nephilim. It is also there that the term "sons of God" is
used in reference to the Nephilim. There we read: |
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"Now
it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land,
and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the
daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves,
whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not
strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; nevertheless his
days shall be one hundred and twenty years." 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." |
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From this famous
text, the topic of who were the “Son's of God” has sparked
some controversy over the years in certain circles and thus two views
on the identity of the “sons of God” have developed. The
first view is that they were simply the angels of God and the second
view is that they were the “righteous descendants of Seth”.
The latter is easily disproven as you will see in a minute.
This text implies
that not only did the Nephilim inhabit the earth in at least two different
time periods—in antediluvian times (time of the Flood) "and
afterward", but also that the "Sons of God" were also
around after the flood, "coming into the daughters of men".
It is because of this verse, as well as such mentions of giants later
on in such passages as Numbers 13:33, that it becomes apparent that
the "Sons of God" had to be supernatural and not merely human
- because how else could the fathers of the Nephilim still be around
after "all flesh" except for Noah and his crew were killed
in the flood?
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| Attacks
on the Original Truth |
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The
term “sons of God” which we read in the Genesis 6 is B'nai
Elohim in the original Hebrew text. The B'nai Elohim was
viewed by the entire early Church as being the “angels of God”
up until the late 4th century. The more notable scholars whom held this
view were Cyprian, Justin, Eusebius, Athenagoras, Philo, Josephus, and
Judeaus. Also, the Apochrypha holds to this view as well.
Enemies
of the Church, such as Julian “the Apostate” and Celsus, exploited
and twisted the Church's original view of this topic in order to attack
early Christianity and Cyril of Alexandria publicly rejected the long
held view of the Church. Later, and as result of the influence of the
priors mentioned, the theory of Seth's descendants being the “sons
of God” was introduced by a contemporary of the famous Origen, namely
Julius Africanus. In time, and as a result of such sabotage, the truth
about the “sons of God” became the secondary understanding
of this topic.
This
was perpetuated so effectively because it was simply inconceivable to
established Western thought that angels could, and would, mate with human
women. It was much more palatable to such a society that this new view
was the truth. Note: the Ethiopian Church never adopted this new view
due, in part, to the fact that the Book of Enoch, which clearly holds
to the original view, was included into their canonized Bible.
Biblically,
there is no mention or implications anywhere of the descendants of Seth
being especially righteous or holy. In fact, not even one of them were
saved from God's indictment of the wickedness that brought about the Flood.
Even more damning is the fact that it was actually the son of Seth, Enosh,
who led the world into epic levels of apostasy. We fail to see this by
the mistranslated verse in Genesis 4:25. In the original Hebrew that verse
reads “... then men began to profane the name of the Lord”[1]
Also,
nowhere in human history nor in the Judeo-Christian scripture is there
any evidence/mention of a good human and bad human conceiving human beings
of gigantic proportions. According to Hebrew/Christian scripture, and
actual life experience, everything is produced after its own “kind”
(Genesis 1:21, Genesis 1:24). It is dishonest to say that that's always
true except for this one solitary time in history – just to make
the “Sethite” point. |
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From
the Bible we see some things mentioned about the angels. By considering
their attributes, capacites, and known historical behavior one becomes
aware of the plausibility of the "Sons of God" in Genesis 6:4
in fact being angels. For example we see that: |
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- They can manifest
physically and into human form (Genesis chapters 18 & 19)
- They possess the
capacity to engage others physically such as in combat [2]
- They possess the
capacity to cause many problems in the world (Genesis 6:1-2; 2 Peter 2:4;
Jude 6 )
- The high level ones
are the main forces at work, behind the scenes, in the world & affairs
of man. (Daniel 10 ) |
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From
the above, the picture is clearly drawn that the angels can manifest into
real, physical, male form and can both engage in human-level activities
and possess the intelligence, vision, and motive to engage
in conspiracies against mankind. |
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And,
concerning actual scriptural references of the events involving the angels
sinning in Genesis, we see this: |
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| "For if
God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell,
and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment..."
-- 2 Peter 2:4 |
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| "And the
angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,
he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment
of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about
them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going
after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance
of eternal fire." -- Jude, verses 6 & 7 |
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The
event of the Great Flood was preceded by several generations of preacher-prophets
who warned the people of the coming Judgement of God because of the wickedness
brought into mankind via the fallen angels of God and their Nephilim.
The ones we know of by name were Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah.
This plan by
Satan and his forces, which caused the world to be wiped out, was designed
to frustrate God's plan for the promised Messiah byway of corrupting the
Adamic bloodline. But, Noah was apparently unique in that his genealogy
was still uncorrupted. [3]
Satan
knew that if he could completely corrupt the pure Adamic stock of human
kind, either before the flood or after, that he would thwart Gods promise
to him that his head would be crushed by the seed (descendant) of the
woman (Genesis 3:15). He knew that the Messiah could not be part fallen
angel to become the Mediator between God and man (which is the focus of
the New Testament Scripture). Satan knew this promised Seed's blood had
to be pure in order for the Prophecy to come true. Had it been part man,
part God, AND part fallen angel the there could be no Mediator between
God and man, and therefore no one to “crush his head”.
Notably,
these odd events are also alluded to various ancient mythologies such
as the Greek's “Titans” who were said to have been part earthly
and part heavenly in their origins.[4] The
Greek word “titan” is linked to the ancient Chaldean “sheitan”
and also the Hebrew “satan”. |
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| Historical
Standings & Understandings |
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The
Targum Jonathan states that the Nephilim were given this name
because they were descended from fallen angels. [5]
The New American Bible commentary draws a parallel to the Epistle of Jude
and the statements set forth in Genesis, suggesting that the Epistle refers
implicitly to the paternity of Nephilim as heavenly beings who came to
earth and had sexual intercourse with women.[6]
The footnotes of the Jerusalem Bible suggest that the Biblical author
intended the Nephilim to be an "anecdote of a superhuman race”.
[7]
In
the book of Enoch, (which was considered scripture by the early Christians
and is part of the Ethiopian canonized scripture today), we are given
more insight into this historic event which lends a little more understanding.
In 1 Enoch 6:1-8, 7:1-6 we read: |
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1
And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that
in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters.
2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw
and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose
us wives from among the children of men 3 and beget
us children.' And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them:
'I fear ye will not 4 indeed agree to do this deed,
and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.' And they
all answered him and said: 'Let us all swear an oath, and all bind
ourselves by mutual imprecations 5 not to abandon
this plan but to do this thing.' Then sware they all together and
bound themselves 6 by mutual imprecations upon
it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days
of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount
Hermon, because they had sworn 7 and bound themselves
by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their
leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel,
Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, 8 Asael, Armaros,
Batarel, Ananel, Zaqlel, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel.
These are their chiefs of tens.
Ch 7:1 And all the others together with them took
unto themselves wives, and each chose for himself one, and they
began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and
they taught them charms 2 and enchantments, and
the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And
they 3 became pregnant, and they bare great giants,
whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed 4
all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain
them, the giants turned against 5 them and devoured
mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles,
and 6 fish, and to devour one another's flesh,
and drink the blood. Then the earth laid accusation against the
lawless ones. |
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It was said by Josephus
that, “many angels of God accompanied with women, and begat sons
that proved unjust, and despisers of all that was good, on account of
their own strength,... these men did what resembled the acts of those
whom the Grecians called giants" (Ant. Book 1, ch.3) He also said,
"There was till then left the race of giants, who had bodies so
large, and countenances that they were surprising to the sight, and
terrible to the hearing. The bones of these men are still shown to this
very day" (Ant. Book V, ch. 2)
It was also said
by the Ante-Nicene fathers that the angels fell "into impure love
of virgins, and were subjugated by the flesh.... Of these lovers of
virgins, therefore, were begotten those who are called giants"
Justyn Martyr said,
"but the angels transgressed... were captivated by love of women,
and begat children"
Methodius said,
"The devil was insolent... as also those (angels) who were enamored
of fleshly charms, and had illicit intercourse with the daughters of
men"
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| Biblical
Texts on the Subject |
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Throughout
the Hebrew / Old Testament scriptures this term is used to reference the
angels of God. In the Christian New Testament, and upon the New Covenant
being brought into existence through the Christ, this term is reserved
for those who have been birthed of God's Spirit and therefore birthed
into His spiritual family. Until the time of Christ, no human could be
born of God by His Spirit and therefore even be qualified to be called
a “son of God”. Therefore, in the time of the Old Testament
/ Hebrew Bible, the only beings who could be called “sons of God”
were the created angels of God. |
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| Old Testament
References to “Sons of God”: |
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Job 1:6 Now there
was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD,
and Satan came also among them. (KJV) [And it came to pass on a day, that,
behold, the angels of God came...]
Job 2:1 Again there
was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD,
and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. (KJV)
[And it came to pass on a certain day, that the angels of God came to
stand before the Lord,...]
Job 38:7 When the
morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
(KJV) [When the stars were made, all my angels praised me with a loud
voice.]
Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7,
as well as Genesis 6. The “sons of God” are said to have "shouted
for joy" at the creation. How could this possibly refer to human
beings? How could humans have witnessed the creation? |
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| New Testament
References to “Sons of God”: |
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John 1:12 But as
many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name: (KJV)
Romans 8:14 For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (KJV)
Romans 8:19 For the
earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the
sons of God. (KJV)
Phil 2:15 That ye
may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the
midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights
in the world; (KJV)
1 John 3:1 Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it
knew him not. (KJV)
1 John 3:2 Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:
but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall
see him as he is. (KJV) |
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| So,
What About Scriptures Like This One? |
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| "At
the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;
they will be like the angels in heaven” - Matthew 22:30 &
Mark 12:25 |
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Firstly,
when building foundational doctrinal understandings it is paramount not
to take one single verse, (its parallels in the other Gospel's included),
out of context. We must instead consider the whole picture in order to
see the whole picture.
Secondly,
does the phrase "they will be like the angels in heaven" absolutely
imply that the angels of God are sexless? There is nothing, Biblically,
to substantiate such a view. Biblically speaking, every reference to the
angel's gender is male. Therefore, couldn't this scripture simply point
out that in Heaven there are no marriages because all it's inhabitants
are male – and that marriage is a lower, earthly phenomena because
of the existence of this new thing called 'woman' and the temporal paradigm
of human-initiated reproduction?
On
a Biblical level just consider the creation account. God made a man and
then, only after the man could not find a companion for himself (Genesis
2:20), God created a woman OUT OF THE MAN's “rib”. It is then
said of her that she would be called 'woman' for she came out of man.
From this we see God's original design for man, just as angels, was for
man to be just that.... male. We've only known a world with male AND female
so we tend to assume it just must have always been like this. |
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1.This
is the translation of the Old Testament into Greek in the third century
before Christ. Many of the New Testament quotes are from this translation.
Targum of Onkelos: "...desisted from praying in the name"; Targum
of Jonathan: "surnamed their idols in the name..."' Kimchi,
Rashi, and other ancient Jewish commentators agree. Jerome indicated that
this was the opinion of many Jews of his day. Maimonides, Commentary on
the Mishna (a constituent part of the Talmud), A.D. 1168, ascribes the
origin of idolatry to the days of Enosh.
2.Death
of the Firstborn in Egypt, Exodus 12; Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19;
185,00 troops slaughtered, 2 Kings 19:35.
3.Genesis
6:9 - in the King James Version this is very apparent
4.Fallen
Angels and the Heroes of Mythology, by John Fleming.
5.Targum
Yonathan, Nefilim in Hebrew, literally 'fallen ones.' They were called
this because they were the sons of the fallen angels (Targum Yonathan).
See Numbers 13:33.
6.New
American Bible, footnotes page 1370, referring to verse 6. The angels
too, who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling,
he has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgement of the great
day. Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which, in the
same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity and practiced unnatural
vice, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
—Jude 1:6–7, New American Bible.
7.“The
author does not present this episode as a myth nor, on the other hand,
does he deliver judgment on its actual occurrence; he records the anecdote
of a superhuman race simply to serve as an example of the increase in
human wickedness which was to provoke the Flood.
—Jerusalem Bible, Genesis VI, footnote.XX |
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