Nephilim article...
- Mastermind
- Esteemed Senior Member
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 3:22 pm
Nephilim article...
"Some Christian have speculated that the "sons of God" from Genesis 6 were demonic beings, who had sexual relations with human women, and are now condemned to future judgment.9 However, Jesus made it clear that angels are asexual beings who do not engage in sexual relations at all.10 Since demons are merely fallen angels,11 they would, likewise, be unable to procreate with women."
There are a few flaws with this. For starters, the assumption that angels cannot engage in sexual relations. The verse used to support this is the following:
"On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Him and questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'IF A MAN DIES, HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP AN OFFSPRING TO HIS BROTHER.' "Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. "And last of all, the woman died. "In the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her." But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:23-30) "
My problem with this is the following: In the realm of Heaven, there is no need for sex, because all spirits are immortal. However, on Earth, this is not the same. When God Himself came to us, He came as a male. Humans are male and female. Angels have been known to come to Earth and take a human form(usually male as well). I believe the angels who entered Sodom were male as well. So, while angels are asexual in Heaven(Like the rest of its occupants, from God to human), by no means does it imply that upon taking a body on earth, they have to stay that way.
Gen 19:2
I propose to you a different alternative.
What if the Nephilim were the gods of ancient polytheistic religions? I know short to nothing about Egyptian and Hindu gods(Apart from the fact that some of the Hindu gods were great warriors, much like the Nephilim supposedly were). Hinduism originated in Assyria, which was also in the Middle East(Modern day Iraq I believe). What I do know however, are the Greek mythis, with which I grew up. When I first saw the passage about the "Sons of God", my mind jumped straight to Zeus, and within a few seconds, to the fact that almost every single male god would impregnate mortal women. If the nephilim were indeed fallen angels(as i suspect they were), it only makes sense that they would be like the greek gods, which were well known for their brutal treatment of humans, their almost non-existant moral code and their sexual "freedom". Apollo himself is often portrayed as a beautiful winged male, which is what an angel looks like to us. The Greeks also have a flood account, which they blamed on Zeus(And Zeus was probably to blame, although I doubt he started it). I wonder if the battle with the Titans wasn't also simbolic. The titans were basically gigantic gods(the gods themselves were larger than humans). Zeus and his gods supposedly won the battle, but what if the battle with the titans wasn't in reality the battle between the forces of God and those of Satan? Having been cast down to earth, the Nephilim could simply lie and say they won. Typhon himself reminds me of the description of God casting Satan(the dragon, which is what Typhon actually was) out of Heaven. I am definitely going to do more research in the subject, these are just some preliminary ideas. Let me know what you think.
There are a few flaws with this. For starters, the assumption that angels cannot engage in sexual relations. The verse used to support this is the following:
"On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Him and questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'IF A MAN DIES, HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP AN OFFSPRING TO HIS BROTHER.' "Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. "And last of all, the woman died. "In the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her." But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:23-30) "
My problem with this is the following: In the realm of Heaven, there is no need for sex, because all spirits are immortal. However, on Earth, this is not the same. When God Himself came to us, He came as a male. Humans are male and female. Angels have been known to come to Earth and take a human form(usually male as well). I believe the angels who entered Sodom were male as well. So, while angels are asexual in Heaven(Like the rest of its occupants, from God to human), by no means does it imply that upon taking a body on earth, they have to stay that way.
Gen 19:2
I propose to you a different alternative.
What if the Nephilim were the gods of ancient polytheistic religions? I know short to nothing about Egyptian and Hindu gods(Apart from the fact that some of the Hindu gods were great warriors, much like the Nephilim supposedly were). Hinduism originated in Assyria, which was also in the Middle East(Modern day Iraq I believe). What I do know however, are the Greek mythis, with which I grew up. When I first saw the passage about the "Sons of God", my mind jumped straight to Zeus, and within a few seconds, to the fact that almost every single male god would impregnate mortal women. If the nephilim were indeed fallen angels(as i suspect they were), it only makes sense that they would be like the greek gods, which were well known for their brutal treatment of humans, their almost non-existant moral code and their sexual "freedom". Apollo himself is often portrayed as a beautiful winged male, which is what an angel looks like to us. The Greeks also have a flood account, which they blamed on Zeus(And Zeus was probably to blame, although I doubt he started it). I wonder if the battle with the Titans wasn't also simbolic. The titans were basically gigantic gods(the gods themselves were larger than humans). Zeus and his gods supposedly won the battle, but what if the battle with the titans wasn't in reality the battle between the forces of God and those of Satan? Having been cast down to earth, the Nephilim could simply lie and say they won. Typhon himself reminds me of the description of God casting Satan(the dragon, which is what Typhon actually was) out of Heaven. I am definitely going to do more research in the subject, these are just some preliminary ideas. Let me know what you think.
- Mastermind
- Esteemed Senior Member
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 3:22 pm
Nephilim are quite distinctly more powerful than humans. The polytheistic religions from the mediterranean area have different races representing their gods, so i would assume the nephilim would also take different shapes, from beast headed humanoids to white greeks. The nephilim are supposedly aliens in our day. I read an interesting article on it a while ago, I'll see if i can find it and post it tonight.
- Jac3510
- Ultimate Member
- Posts: 5472
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:53 pm
- Christian: Yes
- Sex: Male
- Creation Position: Young-Earth Creationist
- Location: Fort Smith, AR
- Contact:
I don't know, MM. No offense, but I think you might be reading into it a bit too much. It seems pretty important to check out Numbers 13:33. These certainly can't be the same Nephilim, can they? Maybe the "nephilim" wasn't a RACE of people so much as it was a classification? "Men of renown," you might say--characteristically giant, evil, etc.?
I'll have to look it up later . . .
I do agree with you on your point regarding Jesus' statement. The problem is that Moses doesn't use the phrase anywhere else. It does occur in Job, but we don't know who it was written by or even when it was written, so we can't assume that Moses was familiar with the work (although the events themselves doubtlessly came before even Abraham).
So, the term, to me, can't say too much. It's found elsewhere only in Job--someone correct me if I'm wrong there. I'm not saying that they weren't angels. I see no reason to assume that they aren't, but I don't think we can be dogmatic on it.
Regardless, I have my severe doubts that the aliens of today would be comparable to the Nephilim of old
I'll have to look it up later . . .
I do agree with you on your point regarding Jesus' statement. The problem is that Moses doesn't use the phrase anywhere else. It does occur in Job, but we don't know who it was written by or even when it was written, so we can't assume that Moses was familiar with the work (although the events themselves doubtlessly came before even Abraham).
So, the term, to me, can't say too much. It's found elsewhere only in Job--someone correct me if I'm wrong there. I'm not saying that they weren't angels. I see no reason to assume that they aren't, but I don't think we can be dogmatic on it.
Regardless, I have my severe doubts that the aliens of today would be comparable to the Nephilim of old
And that, brothers and sisters, is the kind of foolishness you get people who insist on denying biblical theism. A good illustration of any as the length people will go to avoid acknowledging basic truths.Proinsias wrote:I don't think you are hearing me. Preference for ice cream is a moral issue
- Mastermind
- Esteemed Senior Member
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 3:22 pm
I looked in the passage you gave, and it doesn't seem to swing either way. I highly doubt that them being bigger and stronger would be enough to make the narrator compare himself with something as insignificant as a grasshopper.Jac3510 wrote:I don't know, MM. No offense, but I think you might be reading into it a bit too much. It seems pretty important to check out Numbers 13:33. These certainly can't be the same Nephilim, can they? Maybe the "nephilim" wasn't a RACE of people so much as it was a classification? "Men of renown," you might say--characteristically giant, evil, etc.?
I'll have to look it up later . . .
All I'm saying is that the article on the Nephilim on this site misunderstands these verses. I just want to keep open the possibility that the nephilim were descendants of fallen angels and probably had incredible powers of their own.Jac3510 wrote:I do agree with you on your point regarding Jesus' statement. The problem is that Moses doesn't use the phrase anywhere else. It does occur in Job, but we don't know who it was written by or even when it was written, so we can't assume that Moses was familiar with the work (although the events themselves doubtlessly came before even Abraham).
So, the term, to me, can't say too much. It's found elsewhere only in Job--someone correct me if I'm wrong there. I'm not saying that they weren't angels. I see no reason to assume that they aren't, but I don't think we can be dogmatic on it.
me too, but the article was still interesting.Jac3510 wrote:Regardless, I have my severe doubts that the aliens of today would be comparable to the Nephilim of old
- Jac3510
- Ultimate Member
- Posts: 5472
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:53 pm
- Christian: Yes
- Sex: Male
- Creation Position: Young-Earth Creationist
- Location: Fort Smith, AR
- Contact:
Regarding Numbers, I actually had in mind the Flood. Logistically, they couldn't have been the same, so it seems to me that "nephilim" isn't a race.
I'll look at the article in detail when I get off work.
I'll look at the article in detail when I get off work.
And that, brothers and sisters, is the kind of foolishness you get people who insist on denying biblical theism. A good illustration of any as the length people will go to avoid acknowledging basic truths.Proinsias wrote:I don't think you are hearing me. Preference for ice cream is a moral issue
- Prodigal Son
- Senior Member
- Posts: 709
- Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:49 pm
- Christian: No
mastermind,
i have brought this theory up to many people before only to be laughed at.
i have never heard of anyone else who thought the same!
it makes alot of sense to me. the ancient myths speak so much of giants and so many gods. myths usually have some basis in reality.
please write again with any new information.
i am so excieted!
i have brought this theory up to many people before only to be laughed at.
i have never heard of anyone else who thought the same!
it makes alot of sense to me. the ancient myths speak so much of giants and so many gods. myths usually have some basis in reality.
please write again with any new information.
i am so excieted!
- Mastermind
- Esteemed Senior Member
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 3:22 pm
- Prodigal Son
- Senior Member
- Posts: 709
- Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:49 pm
- Christian: No
- Mastermind
- Esteemed Senior Member
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 3:22 pm
- Mastermind
- Esteemed Senior Member
- Posts: 1410
- Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 3:22 pm
Found it. Keep in mind I only read the beginning, so cannot verify its accuracy.
http://www25.brinkster.com/lowestroom/w ... allen.html
http://www25.brinkster.com/lowestroom/w ... allen.html
- Prodigal Son
- Senior Member
- Posts: 709
- Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:49 pm
- Christian: No
-
- Esteemed Senior Member
- Posts: 1143
- Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:24 am
- Christian: No
- Location: Calgary, Canada
I've always thought that...colors wrote:i've recently started thinking that aliens could be demons attempting to draw us away from God.
It may very well also be part of Satan's plan for the end times - imbed in the cultural psyche the notion that aliens are real, and then possibly use that as a means for the antichrist to help unite the world or as an explanation for the disappearance of part of the world at the rapture. People laugh at me, but hey; what's a guy gonna do? LOL
- Jac3510
- Ultimate Member
- Posts: 5472
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2004 6:53 pm
- Christian: Yes
- Sex: Male
- Creation Position: Young-Earth Creationist
- Location: Fort Smith, AR
- Contact:
Wuh?Mastermind wrote:well, the nephilim ARE fallen angels so...
And that, brothers and sisters, is the kind of foolishness you get people who insist on denying biblical theism. A good illustration of any as the length people will go to avoid acknowledging basic truths.Proinsias wrote:I don't think you are hearing me. Preference for ice cream is a moral issue
-
- Familiar Member
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:10 am
- Christian: Yes
- Sex: Male
- Creation Position: Day-Age
Re: Nephilim article...
Some people believe that the Nephilim are one and the same as Neanderthals.
They co existed with modern humans but were physically more powerful, true they were shorter but the whole giants thing is a mistranslation.
As for their fathers not being fallen Angels because of what Jesus said about angels, he was talking about angels in Heaven in their proper place. Do you really think fallen angels or demons behave the same way?
All those legends about Zeus having flings with women are probably based on the Bible.
They co existed with modern humans but were physically more powerful, true they were shorter but the whole giants thing is a mistranslation.
As for their fathers not being fallen Angels because of what Jesus said about angels, he was talking about angels in Heaven in their proper place. Do you really think fallen angels or demons behave the same way?
All those legends about Zeus having flings with women are probably based on the Bible.