The Doctrine of the Nephilim

Some would argue that the Family Tree of humanity in Genesis 1-6 was corrupted by fallen Angels when they mated with women and gave birth to “Giants”, later called “Anakims”, “Emims”, “Horims”, “Zamzummims”, & “Rephaims” (Gen. 6:4; Gen. 14:3-6, 15:20, Num. 13:22, Deut. 1:28, 2:10-12, 20-23, 3:11, 9:2, 1 Sam. 17:4-7, 2 Sam. 21:20-22, 1 Chron. 11:23; Josh 15:8, 18:16, 2 Sam. 5:18, 22, 23:13, 1 Chron. 11:15, 14:9, Isa. 17:5), and this was the primary reason for the watery deluge that brought about the End of the World.

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the Sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 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. 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. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” - Genesis 6:1-7

Promoters of this false doctrine denounce the possibility that Adam and Eve’s spiritual posterity are in reference in Genesis 6:1-7. Rather, they allege that these individuals, called “the Sons of God” (Gen. 6:2, 4), are the same mysterious beings that are spoken about in Job 1:6 & 2:1.

“Now there was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.” - Job 1:6

“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.” - Job 2:1

The Book of Job goes on to speak of Angels one more time, calling them, “the Sons of God”, while simultaneously referring to them as “the Morning Stars” because of their spectacular appearance (Job 38:7) – a metaphor that would be employed again repeatedly in Revelation 1:16, 20, 2:1, 3:1, 9:1, 12:3-4. Some would argue that this is the case and point on why “the Sons of God” in Genesis 6 must be Angels, which would mean that their posterity in the earth was a cursed hybrid creature of some kind that was half Man and half Angel.

Nevertheless, this teaching fails to put a “difference” between holy Angels and unholy Angels, or upright Angels and fallen Angels, just like the general tenor of all false doctrines do blur the line between the holy and profane in respect to believers and nonbelievers (Ezek. 22:26, 44:23, Jer. 15:19, Mal. 3:18). A few simple questions can expose the folly of this interpretation in how it grossly misrepresents the Doctrine of Angels in the Scripture.

The Stardom of Angels: Can fallen Stars still be called Stars? If their high station of brightness was lost when they plummeted down to earth, are they still Stars?

The Sonship of Angels: Can fallen and unforgivable Sons of God still be called Sons? If their high station of royalty in Heaven was lost when they were cast down to earth, are they still considered Sons?

“In the beginning” all Angels were created upright and sinless when the LORD created the 3rd Heaven (Gen. 1:1, 2:1, Ezek. 28:15; Isa. 57:15, 2 Cor. 12:2). This took place in the timeless moments of eternity because God created the 2nd & 3rd Heaven, and the Earth as a planet, before the creation of Light, which marks the beginning of the 1st Day (Gen. 1:1-5). Even though the 2nd Heaven was void of the sun, moon, planets, and stars, created on Day #4 (Gen. 1:14-19), and even though the Earth was void of Light & form (Gen. 1:2), created on Day #1 (Gen. 1:3-5), the combined message delivered through Genesis 1:1-2, 2:1, & Job 38:7 would indicate that the 3rd Heaven and all its personages were created to completion just before Day #1.

“Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” - Job 38:3-7

Angels were created before and are superior to mankind (Ps. 8:5, Heb. 2:7, 9). It makes sense that these celestial beings would be made when the 3rd Heaven was created (Gen. 2:1). Nevertheless, according to Scripture, we can be absolutely certain that Angels existed before Day #1. For, according to Job 38:3-7, myriads of holy Angels stood in the galleries round about the LORD singing and shouting for joy as they beheld God creating “the foundations of the earth” – when he “fastened” it as with a “corner stone” that it couldn’t be moved (Job 38:3-7). This describes the creation of planet Earth from its core to its surface, when the planet was covered with water just before Day #1 (Gen. 1:1-2), and also when the LORD brought the land from its core to the surface as a fixed and immovable object in the midst of the seas on Day #3 (Gen. 1:9-13). Therefore, it can be deduced that both the 2nd & 3rd Heavens were created before Day #1, as is indicated by Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 2:1 (speaking of a plurality of Heavens), while we know that the 1st Heaven wasn’t created until Day #2 (Gen. 1:6-8).

However, sometime soon after the LORD rested from all his works, on Day #7 (Gen. 2:2-3), a falling out happened among the sinless Angels of Heaven (Ezek. 28:15), known as “the Sons of God” (Job 38:7). It couldn’t have been too long because Eve didn’t conceive any children until after the fall of Mankind (Rom. 5:12-14). The fateful day came when a great one from among the mighty Legions, an “anointed Cherub” of the highest rank (Ezek. 28:14), proudly revolted against the LORD because he imagined himself to be a god (Ezek. 28:2)! As one wiser than Daniel (Ezek. 28:3) and “perfect in beauty” (Ezek. 28:12), and with a heavenly voice that was divinely fashioned like “tabrets” and “pipes” (Ezek. 28:13), his appearance and stature rivaled that of the one true God in the delusional perception of a third of the holy Angels in Heaven (Ezek. 28:17, Rev. 12:4).

As one who stood out among the mighty host of “Morning Stars” (Job 38:7) by reason of his “beauty” and “brightness” (Ezek. 28:17), as a “Son of the Morning” (Isa. 14:12), somehow he was able to convince many other Angels to rebel against God, even though it was obvious that he was inferior to God because, as an Angel, he was there among them all in “Eden” beholding the divine exploits of creation from the beginning (Ezek. 28:13). Nevertheless, this “Lucifer” (Isa. 14:12), which by interpretation means “Morning Star”, desired to be exalted by a “throne” above all the other “Stars of God” just like “the Most High” (Isa. 14:13, 14). Therefore, in the angelic insurrection a War broken out in Heaven between the holy and unholy Angels (Rev. 12:7-9).

“…I beheld Satan [the Accuser] as lightning fall from Heaven.” – Lk. 10:18

This rebellion was met with the full power of the Godhead! No forgiveness was offered. No plan of redemption was authored. Neither did the LORD spare any of them (Jude 1:6, 2 Pet. 2:4)! In Luke 10:18, Jesus bore witness to it all. The omnipotent power of divine rebuke struck down these Angels with such force that they fell as lightning from Heaven! Because they “kept not their first estate” as sinless beings, they were no longer worthy of Heaven (Jude 1:6). When they “sinned” they became unholy and “profane” in the sight of God (2 Pet. 2:4, Ezek. 28:16). Their blessings were turned into curses. Their titles of glory were turned into divine sentences of torture. As degenerate Angels they are now called “Devils” (Lev. 17:7, Deut. 32:17, 2 Chron. 11:15, Ps. 106:37). Their lead Cherubim forfeited his beauty and became “a great red Dragon” (Rev. 12:3). Those who followed him into battle exchanged their heavenly Sonship for a hellish Serpent-hood (Rev. 12:8, Lk. 10:19).

“And the great Dragon was cast out, that old Serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his Angels were cast out with him.” – Rev. 12:9

These “cursed”, sinful, Godforsaken, and unforgiveable Angels cannot be called the Children of God (Matt. 25:41)! God’s Angels belong in Heaven, while “the Devil and his Angels” belong in Hell (Matt. 25:41)! The reprobate Angels traded the brightness of their freedom in Stardom for the “chains of darkness” in the pit of Hell (Isa. 14:15, Jude 1:6, 2 Pet. 2:4). Therefore, as Angels who are officially “Fallen from Heaven”, their brightness and glory as Morning Stars is a thing of the past (Isa. 14:12, Ezek. 28:17).

“…I will cast thee as profane out of the Mountain of God” – Ezek. 28:16

“…I will cast thee to the ground” – Ezek. 28:17

“…cast them down to Hell” – 2 Pet. 2:4

“…brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” – Isa. 14:15

Therefore, when “Satan”, which by interpretation means, “the Adversary”, is momentarily allowed to enter into a heavenly assembly of “the Sons of God”, as described in Job 1:6 & 2:1, it is a divinely allowed intrusion by an “Adversary” for a preplanned purpose in the heart of God. A similar scene was beheld by the prophet Micaiah in yet another extraordinary occasion, but this time the intruding presence was called a “Spirit” that came among “all the Host of Heaven” when it was gathered as a congregation (1 Kings 22:19-23), because the LORD purposed to employ the Fallen Angel as “a lying Spirit” to bring judgment upon Ahab (1 Kings 22:1-28). For, ordinarily, the Devil isn’t allowed in Heaven! The Serpent cannot freely come and go as he pleases.

When Satan entered into the heavenly assembly of “the Sons of God”, it doesn’t say that his coming was peaceable as if he was one of them, it states that “[the Adversary] came also among [the Sons of God]” (Job 1:6, 2:1). Angelic Sonship is an exceedingly high station of sinless blessedness. This is not to be mistaken as some inconsequential title given to both sinful and saintly Angels. Angelic Sonship is a higher station of sonship than what the redeemed and holy saints of Mankind presently enjoy.

“And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 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. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” - Luke 20:34-38

When sinless Angels fell and became sinful, they lost their Sonship in becoming Fallen Angels. Contrastingly, when sinful men of Fallen Mankind are forgiven and saved through a new birth, they are adopted into the Family of God as Sons. Then, finally, at the Resurrection, upon becoming sinless like the holy Angels in Heaven, they will experience a higher degree of Sonship that is in fact equal to an Angelic Sonship (“…for they are equal unto Angels; and are the Children of God, being the Children of the Resurrection.” – Lk. 20:36; Ps. 8:5). Sons are always holy Angels or holy men who are spiritually and morally conformed to the image and likeness of God. That’s the truth! Sinful men or Angels cannot be called Sons (2 Tim. 2:19). Therefore, “the Sons of God” in Genesis 6:2 & 4 could not be speaking of Devils. This isn’t speaking of a great falling away among holy Angels! This is speaking about a great falling away among the holy men of the line of Seth in the Early Church. For, the Dragon and his Angels had fallen into sin and forfeited their Sonship over 1,000 years before this time. No forgiveness was offered to the Fallen Angels and no falling away among the stary host of holy Angels has happened since then (Rev. 12:3-4, Jude 1:6, 2 Pet. 2:4).

Conclusively, we can be certain that these Fallen Angels lost their Sonship. Consequentially, we can also be sure that they lost their Stardom. For, in falling from so great a height of glory, it is to be expected that they lost their Stardom. They forfeited the brightness of this station in being cast down to Hell and enchained in darkness (Jude 1:6, 2 Pet. 2:4)! Remember? Accordingly, only holy Angels are referred to as bright and shining Stars (Job 38:7, Rev. 1:16, 20, 2:1, 3:1), while unholy Angels are referred to as Fallen Stars that are darkened by reason of their banishment from Heaven (Rev. 9:1-11, Isa. 14:12, Lk. 10:18, Rev. 12:3-4).

Harmoniously, in reverse order, when redeemed men and women are physically resurrected into sinless bodies like holy Angels (1 Jn. 3:1-2, Lk. 20:34-38, Rev. 20:5-6), they are then made to inherit angelic Stardom upon becoming sinlessly perfect in a glorified human body (1 Jn. 3:1-2, 1 Cor. 13:9-13, Php. 3:12-14). “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:43; Prov. 4:18). In this physical “regeneration” the resurrected saints of all ages will “bear the image of the heavenly” (Matt. 19:28, 1 Cor. 15:48-49). Exactly as Daniel foretold, they will “shine as the brightness of the firmament” and “as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:3)! Even so, Amen.