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HOUSMAIL HM074 14 April 2001 WHO ARE THE
SONS OF GOD IN GENESIS 6:1-4? "When men
began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them,
the SONS OF GOD saw that the DAUGHTERS OF MEN were fair; and they took to
wife such of them as they chose .....When the sons of God came in to the
daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men
that were of old, the men of renown." (Genesis 6:1-4
RSV) Popular
religion identifies the "Sons of God" in the above passage, as the "fallen
angels" of 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6, and Revelation 12:7-9. These
"fallen angels" are often also said to be the same as the "evil
spirits", or "demons", which cause the bizarre symptoms accompanying
a unique form of mental illness, which was healed by Jesus on a number of occasions. However,
for the careful Bible Student, none of these SPECULATIONS can be regarded as tenable. 1.
PETER AND JUDE The
“fallen angels” of 2 Peter and Jude are held captive in TARTARUS, in "chains
of darkness", awaiting the judgement. According to Greek mythology, Tartarus
is the deepest compartment in HADES, "the abode of the dead". For
Christians who understand Bible Truth about the state of the dead, this is equivalent
to saying that these "fallen angels" are dead -- non-existent! They
are certainly NOT FREE to roam the earth! 2.
REVELATION 12 The
"fallen angels" of Revelation 12 are something else! It is not hard
to discern that the "dragon", (and devil and angels) of this chapter
are symbols which point us, NOT to a literal fallen angels, but to the Pagan Roman
Empire, and its persecuting role in the first 300 years of early Church history.
This is NOT a HISTORY of some event prior to Creation, but a PROPHECY of events
FUTURE to John's time! A
NEW CATEGORY OF ANGELS? Whoever
these "angels" (messengers) are in the above two categories, they are
certainly NOT from amongst the "ministering Spirits" of Hebrews 1:14, or the celibate immortals
of Luke 20:36! To identify
them as former "heavenly beings" requires us to "invent" another
category of "angels" who are both mortal and sinners! 3.
DEMONS? The
Demons of the Gospels are "spirits". They are afflictions of the MIND.
And they are NEVER described as materialising in human form. According to Jesus
(in Luke 24:39) spirits do not have "flesh
and bones". They are NOT the same as the dead "angels" (messengers)
of 2 Peter and Jude. They could not be the
Sons of God in Genesis 6. PRIVATE
SPECULATION? The
theory which identifies the "Sons of God" in Genesis 6:2,4, as the "fallen angels"
from Jude, 2 Peter 2, and Revelation 12, seems to me to be little
more than "creative" PRIVATE SPECULATION! (2 Peter 1:20) There is certainly NO
positive Scriptural link between them. A
SATISFYING ALTERNATIVE The
much more satisfying alternative identifies the Sons of God in Genesis 6, as HUMAN Sons of God!
It is NOT new or unique! And for me personally, it fits MUCH better with the facts
available from the Scriptures. That
the title "Sons of God" can, and should be, validly applied to HUMANS,
is clearly shown by significant references in both the Old and New Testaments. Hosea
1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be
as the sand of the sea, it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living
God. (Also, in Romans 9:26) Romans
8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY
are the sons of God. Romans
8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Philippians
2:15 That YE may be blameless and harmless, the sons
of God. 1 John
3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us, that WE should be called the sons of God. 1 John
3:2 Beloved, NOW are WE the sons of God. THE
REAL IDENTITY Who
then are these "Sons of God" in Genesis
6? Can we identify them a little more closely? Based
on the information available from the Scriptures quoted above, the simple answer
is that they were from amongst the HUMANS in Genesis
4:26, who "began to call upon the name of God". They
were guilty of UNEQUALLY YOKING themselves with women who are contrasted as the
DAUGHTERS of MEN. They
made the same stupid mistake, and committed the same sin as Solomon did! (1 Kings 11:1-4;) "Even him did outlandish women cause
to sin." (Nehemiah 13:26) POST
FLOOD MYTHS That
identification leads to a further INTERESTING conclusion that the HUMAN progeny
of these "marriages" were the mighty MEN OF OLD who became the subjects
of the many legends about the mythical "Heros”, and "Idol Gods"
found in post flood pagan cultures. These have infected Christianity with many
recognisable "doctrines of demons"! (Genesis
6:4; 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 Corinthians 10:20) Allon |