Often it is said that there are two theories about who the Nephilim were and who were the Sons of God. Based on texts that are not the Bible, some have interpreted sons of God to mean fallen angels and the Nephilim as to be the sons of those fallen angels. Those that disagree with that interpretation are usually labeled as holding the Sethite view, that the sons of God were just a righteous lineage of Seth who replaced the slewn Abel as a son of Adam. However, what I am seeing is that neither are quite accurate as I intend to show you. Its not lineage at all, its heart and obedience. The only lineage element is when the unrepentant sins of the fathers being adapted as sins of the sons also. Lets get started as there is a bit do go over.
נְפִיל nᵉphîyl, nef-eel'; or נְפִל nᵉphil; from H5307; properly, a feller, i.e. a bully or tyrant:—giant.
The root word shows its not about sky giants, but its about those who fall away from obedience and faith, ceasing to be cultivators, they become destroyers.... hunters. Orion is the constellation for the hunter. As the Hebrew- Chaldee Lexicon shows, it is incorrect to ascribe the Nephilim to be large in body over the definition of being bully/tyrant/ hunters that strike down- Fellers of men and armies. I'll get to the large in body in a moment but we can see the definitions as cast down like excommunication, or cut down like death as in extinguishing a life, or in some aspects to seemingly just lay down as is surrender like one would abandoning the faith.
We can see examples of these hunters that reject the ways of God and embrace actively walking contrary to them.
Gen 8 Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain parallels Esau
Gen 27 :39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him, “Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, And away from the dew of heaven from above. 40 “By your sword you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck.” 41 So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
It isn't a Linage that made men Nephilim, it is actions. It is a heart posture that abandons faith and walks in the ways contrary to God.
1 John 3
11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
Malachi 1: 2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “
Yet I have loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.”
Who's son was Cain? Was it not Adam's Son? The designation of being a son is based on ACTION.
Gen 4:Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.”
Cain was born to Adam and Eve but he was cut off from the family based on his actions and rejection of the ways of God, and he BECAME and killer, Tyrant, Bully, Mighty one, Feller of his brother... He became a Nephilim. The son of Cain, followed in his fathers footsteps in the rejection of the ways of God, as Lamech engages in polygamy and murder
Gen4:19 Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. ... 23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me; 24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
Gen 28:8 So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased his father Isaac; 9 and Esau went to Ishmael, and married, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth.
Gen 10
8 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
1 Chron 1:10 Cush fathered Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth.
What does Nimrod mean?
It means "rebellion". Nimrod was a "Mighty one," Genesis 6:4 states that the mighty ones were men of renown. Men. Men of violence. He was a hunter just like Esau who wanted to kill his brother. He was in rebellion like Cain who rejected the ways of God. He founded Babylon which was a testament to Man instead of God.
Gen 27 :39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him, “Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, And away from the dew of heaven from above. 40 “By your sword you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck.” 41 So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
Look at Goliath as he was one of these mighty ones,
1 Samuel 17:Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.
His gear was about 2-300 lbs for a man of 7 to 9ft. he was a destroyer, one that made a reputation as a champion of the philistines, a killer, a feller of armies and men. Goliath was a descendant of Anak
- Numbers 13 interprets the Nephilim as giants,
- Numbers 13 connects the Nephilim with the sons of Anak (the Anakim).
- Joshua 11 notes that the Anakim were driven to into Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.
- 1 Samuel 17 says Goliath was from Gath and that he was a giant.
Why are their giants? Why do they have 6 fingers and toes? The answer to this is so simple its easy to overlook. Sin. Deuteronomy 27 just to name a few things
- Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
- ‘Cursed is he who strikes his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
- ‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
- ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
it continues in the next chapter
- “The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke, in all you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me. 21 The Lord will make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from the land where you are entering to possess it. 22 The Lord will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew, and they will pursue you until you perish
- “If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the Lord your God, 59 then the Lord will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, even severe and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses.
Sin and rebellion against the ways of God, Faith in God, and loving God, and walking with God, results in disease and hereditary afflictions such as but not limited to Gigantisms which is a tumor on the pituitary gland, and Polydactyly. Deuteronomy 28 gives us reasons for the genetic attributes of Giants- but it is the CHOICE of ACTION and the REJECTION of GOD and GOD'S WAYS that make them Nephilim. Look back at the context of Genesis 6
6 Now it came about, when men [ Human men] began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them [Secular daughters of these human men] , 2 that the sons of God [Believers] saw that the daughters of men[ Secular women] were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man [ Human men] forever, because he also is flesh[ still human men]; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
Men were being lead away from the faith and obedience by enticing women, JUST LIKE WITH BALAAM
{Numbers 31 And Moses said to them, “Have you spared all the women? 16 Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord. }
4 The Nephilim [ Hunter/ Bully / Tyrant/ Murderers] 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.
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. 10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. 13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.
Adam was a shepherd, cultivator who beared the image of God
Abel was a shepherd and offered what was good and his deed were righteous before God
Noah was a shepherd and found favor in the eyes of God doing what is good.
Jacob was a shepherd cultivator who didn't choose multiple wives he was tricked into it
David was s shepherd and a cultivator
Cain rejected the ways of God and became a killer - decultivator
Esau rejected the ways of God and became a hunter- decultivator
Nimrod was a mighty one that made Babel in defiance of God and was a hunter- decultivator
What we see in Genesis 6 is not angel demon babies being born and the union of spirits and women resulting in God killing all the men in the world but it being about violence for some reason. What we see is that Actions, choices... that is what makes one a son of God
Even Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews points to this in regards to Nimrod he writes:
God also commanded them to send colonies abroad, for the through peopling of the earth; that they might not raise seditions among themselves, but might cultivate a great part of the earth, and enjoy its fruits after a plentiful manner. But they were so ill instructed, that they did not obey God. For which reason they fell into calamities, and were made sensible by experience of what sin they had been guilty of. For when they flourished with a numerous youth, God admonished them again to send out colonies. But they imagining the prosperity they enjoyed was not derived from the favour of God, but supposing that their own power was the proper cause of the plentiful condition they were in, did not obey him. Nay they added to this their disobedience to the divine will, the suspicion that they were therefore ordered to send out separate colonies, that, being divided asunder, they might the more easily be oppressed. 2. Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grand-son of Ham, the son of Noah: a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means that they were happy; but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny; seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his own power. He also said, “He would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again: for that he would build a Tower too high for the waters to be able to reach; and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their fore-fathers.”
Nimrod, this mighty one - this Nephilim- Is creating violence against the ones who are obedient farmers in the faith, for the purpose of getting them to reject God, and become dependant upon his hand. Another way of saying this is that "the Nephilim were on the earth, and made violence against God imposing tyranny and lead the sons of God astray"
- 1 John 3:10, By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
- Deut 14:1-2,You are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. 2 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
- Romans 8:14,14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
- Romans 8:19, For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.
- Romans 9:25-27, As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ And her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’” 26 “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.” 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved;
- Galatians 3:26, For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
- Galatians 4:6, Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
- Luke 6:35, But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
- 1 Chron 17:13-16, I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”’” 15 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.16 Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?
- Luke 20:34-36 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
There are no verses that say Angels are sons of God anywhere in scripture unless the reader inserts it into the text based not on the Word of God, but based on their own suppositions from outside the word of God
Job 1, and 2 are referencing the faithful obedient men of God appearing before the Lord at the 3 appointed feasts. As it states in Exodus 23 and 34
17 Three times a year all your males(sons) shall appear before the Lord God.
23 Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. 24 For I will drive out nations from you and enlarge your borders, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the Lord your God.
If we take Job 38 where God is condescending concepts to Job and mentions stars singing and Sons of God, we still would have to inject angels as one of these two things- in a poetic passage that also states that ice comes from "lady parts". This would also indicate that God wasn't down dressing Job verbally, but that Job was actually at creation during its formation as God says "tell me who laid the foundation because surely you were there". Its a hyperliteralism fallacy.
So to recap, No sons of God aren't angels falling and taking earth wives and making giant babies. Nor are the sons of God just a specific line of Seth. Its what it means to be adopted sons of God. Grafted in to His house.
