Who are the Sons of Elohim?
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The Companion
Bible note on the
first few verses of Genesis 6 seeks to inform us that the "sons of Elohim" are angels that sinned. In its
appendices, at least three separate treatises attempt to prove that angels came
down to this earth and cohabited with the "daughters of men;" this unholy union produced Nephilim, or
giants. According to Companion Bible editor, Dr. Bullinger, these giants (the monsters of iniquity) had to be
destroyed in the deluge.
Although the Companion Bible is a reliable and helpful study tool with its many notes
and comments, there remain serious questions about the resourceful logic and
reasoning of Dr. Bullinger in this instance. Not all Bible expositors agree
with his explanation of Genesis 6:1-40. Others, however, have taken the same
erroneous position as Dr. Bullinger in maintaining that the "sons of Elohim" are fallen
angels.
Possibly the apocalyptic Book of Enoch gave birth to the theory that the “sons of Elohim" were sinning
angels. Several books in one, the Book of
Enoch was written shortly after 200 B.C.E. The pseudonymous author
undoubtedly got his idea from pagan mythology in which the pagan deities came
down to earth, indulging their sensual appetites. Roman and Greek literature is
filled with such fantasies.
Permeated with many fanciful errors and exaggerations,
the Book of Enoch alleges that 200
angelic beings took part in this offense. These apocalyptic books, rightfully
rejected by both Jewish and Christian scholars, are the source of many
imaginative and farfetched tales about angels. These pseudepigraphic books are
sometimes used as a source for unbiblical teachings of the so-called
"mysteries."
From the Book of
Enoch, the theory that angels descended to this earth crept into the Septuagint version. Of the three oldest
manuscript copies of the Septuagint, only the Codex Alexandrinus of the
fifth century gives the word "angels" in Genesis 6:2 instead of "sons of Elohim." Not one of
the Hebrew manuscripts, however, has "angels" in that verse. Rather, they read "sons
of Elohim." The other leading Greek manuscripts read "sons of
Elohim." In his Antiquities of the
Jews, Jewish historian Josephus makes a brief reference to the
"angel" concept. Having been earlier associated with the Essenes, Josephus was well indoctrinated with the Book of Enoch because the book sprang
from them. It is easily seen that the concept that angels were the "sons of Elohim" originated
with pagan mythology and then was taught in the Book of Enoch. It was promulgated by Josephus and ultimately
inserted into the Septuagint.
Angels Cannot Procreate
The
theory must be rejected simply on the grounds that angelic beings are spirit.
As spirit beings, they are created without flesh and blood bodies. They lack
the necessary genes and chromosomes to procreate. Because they are created
spirit beings they cannot create of themselves. The name Yahweh signifies creation. It has the meaning of EXISTENCE, or
bringing into existence. It is the name of the FIRST CAUSE. No angel or spirit
being is ever called by the family name YAH except Yahshua, and He was the one Who did the creating in the Old
Testament, John 1:1-3; Heb 1:1-2. Angels are called by the title EL, such as
Gabriel, but none has YAH as part of its name. Yahshua Himself said that the
angels "neither marry nor are given
in marriage,” Mark
Procreation is a type of creation, and angels do not
have that gift. They are sexless. Even if angels were able to change their
spirit bodies into fleshly bodies, as in Genesis 19 where Abraham greeted two
angels and the visible Yahweh of the Old Testament, there is no evidence that
angels ever created anything. Yahweh has reserved that power for Himself. The
argument has been raised that the angels could have taken over the bodies of
humans, and through the humans been the progenitors of the NEPHILIM, the giants
in those days. But one of the laws of genetics necessitates that the offspring
be like the human being because the genes and chromosomes come from the human,
and angels are unable to create. Humans are souls, (mind and body), and if the
angel is able to control the man's spirit (mind), the offspring would still
nevertheless be like the humans.
Man's genes would determine the characteristics of the
children he would father. Taking possession of a man is not the same as having
children through him - an angelic impossibility - and having the child take on
the characteristics of the angel.
When Yahshua was born as a human in
If we are to accept the theory that the "sons of
Elohim" are angels, then we have a problem with Genesis 6:3 where Yahweh
says, "My Spirit shall not always
strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred
twenty years." He does not say that His trouble is with ANGELS, but He
says it is with man who is flesh and who lives 120 years. If the angels were at
fault, then Yahweh would not have said that His Spirit would not always
"strive with" (remain in) man. He would have said ANGELS!
In verses 3, 5, and 6 we read that it was man and not ANGELS who had sinned and
grieved Yahweh. Verse 7 says that Yahweh now plans to destroy
A further study of verse 1 of Genesis 6 reveals
another truth. We see that "... when
men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto
them," we are being told of a population explosion. The population
expanded and the people began to intermingle more and more. Verse 2 tells us
that the "sons of Elohim saw the
daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which
they chose." The context is clear that there were polygamous
marriages, for they "took them wives of all which they chose." The sense is that they had more
than one wife, such as the Messiah said in Matthew 24:38: "marrying
and giving in marriage."
Note that the Messiah made no reference to these
marriages as being to angelic beings. He made it clear that it was humans
marrying and divorcing and making a travesty of the institution of marriage.
Yahshua warned that the end of the age would be much like the time of Noah,
filled with man's sin and rebellion.
Another overlooked statement is that the "sons of Elohim" took wives "of all which they chose." It
is obvious that the relationship was not just an affair for a short time, but
that they took "wives" and continued to live on the earth. If these
were angels, they would still be living on this earth as human beings and would
not have gone back to the spirit realm; as such, they would have been destroyed
in the flood. However, as already noted, it was fleshly man with whom Yahweh
was displeased, so He destroyed man with a flood.
Nephilim – Giants
Those
believing the "sons of Elohim" were angels contend that through the union of the angels with the
"daughters of men" came the NEPHILIM, or giants. The giants spoken of
supposedly were begotten through angel - man relations. A closer look at verse
4 of Genesis 6 shows this to be in error: "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that when the sons of Elohim 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."
Notice what this verse DOES NOT say.
It does not say that when the "sons
of Elohim" came in unto the daughters of men that they begat giants.
It plainly says "There were giants
in the earth in those days; and also [moreover] AFTER that when the sons of Elohim 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." It does not say that the children were GIANTS! It says
that these offspring became men of renown. They were heroes - not giants. The
Bible says that in the days when "there
were giants [Nephilim] upon the
earth" is when the sons of Elohim came to the daughters of men.
NEPHILIM is Strong's
Concordance No. 5808 and means a feller. It is from No. 5307 and is the
verb "to fall." In addition to being translated GIANT, it can mean
"one who is fallen, a depraved one, one who has sunk below the human race
in morals." If the purpose for the flood was to destroy the Nephilim as
the Companion Bible states, and these
Nephilim were the result of sinning angels cohabiting with mankind, then why do
we read of the Nephilim as still being a race of people 800 years after the
flood that was supposed to get rid of them all?
Numbers 13:33 tells of the 10 spies who came back from
the land of Canaan reporting that the sons of Anak were Nephilim and the
Israelites were grasshoppers in comparison. But the Companion Bible overcomes this awkward inconsistency by saying
that there was a "second irruption" of the angels and mankind but
limited to the
Dr. Bullinger is forcing an interpretation on Genesis
6:4 that moves ahead 800 years, down to the time of the author Moses. He would
have us believe that Moses wrote the book of Numbers when the Nephilim were in
the
Daughters of Men
Who
were the "daughters of men?" The Hebrew word is bat or bath, and has
several connotations. It is used as the female offspring, but can include other
female descendants. Daughters is also applied to the
produce of animals, trees, or plants. Joseph is called a "fruitful bough whose daughters [branches] run over the wall," Gen. 49:22. The meaning is that of women
as native residents, professing a religion defined by its place of origin.
There is
One of the reasons proponents support the angel theory
is that they contend “sons of
Elohim" is confined to those who were directly created by the divine
hand and not born of other beings after their own order. Adam is called a son
of Elohim, Luke 3:38. The Messiah is said to give to them that receive Him the
power to become the sons of Yahweh, John
The term "sons
of Elohim" occurs four times in the Old Testament. In addition to
Genesis 6:2, it occurs in Job 1:6, 2:1, and also in Job 38:7. The singular
(bar=son) is found in Daniel
Also, the 38th chapter of Job. verse 7, undoubtedly refers
to the angelic beings: "When the
morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy?" This verse refers to creation of the earth and the stars before man was
created.
What about the two verses in Job 1:6 and 2:1, are
these also referring to angelic beings? The first reads, "Now there was a day when the sons of Elohim came to present
themselves before Yahweh and Satan came also among them." Chapter two
is almost identical, "Again there
was a day when the sons of Elohim came to present themselves before Yahweh, and
Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh." If these
sons are angels, are we to assume that they are not always in Yahweh's
presence? Gabriel said he was, Luke 1:19. The Messiah said, "they always
behold the face of My Father... " Matt. 18:10. There is really no purpose to "present themselves before Yahweh."
These "sons
of Elohim" were righteous humans who had come voluntarily before
Yahweh. They were obeying the command in Exodus 23:17 and Deut. 16:16. Three
times in the year we are to appear before Yahweh, the Feast of Unleavened
Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. As these people came
in obedience to Yahweh's command, Satan came among them to see what havoc he
could do. Notice that these people came voluntarily to PRESENT themselves before Yahweh. Obedient people are known as the children
or sons of Yahweh.
Coming into the presence of Yahweh is contrasted to the disobedience of Cain who "went out from the presence of
Yahweh," Gen. 4:16. [Or of Jonah who fled "from the presence of Yahweh."] Both were definitely on
earth, but they went away in disobedience from the visible presence of Yahweh
on earth.
It is clear in Genesis 6:2 that the "sons of Elohim" are to be
distinguished from the "daughters of
men." Nowhere in Scripture are evil angels ever called "sons of Elohim." It is only
the good angels who are given this title, as we saw in Job 38:7. Mankind is
also given this title if he is obedient to Yahweh and is converted to Yahweh's
laws. This is true both in the Old Testament where
It is through Yahshua that we are given the
opportunity to become the sons of Yahweh, John 1:12. Paul reveals that if we
are led of Yahweh's Spirit in obeying Him, we are counted for the sons of
Yahweh, Romans 8:14. He says that as adopted sons we are joint heirs with
Messiah, and that the whole creation is awaiting the manifestation of the sons
of Yahweh, verses 19-21. The resurrection is the "adoption" or being born into the family of Yahweh, verse
23. In 1 John 3:1-3, the writer elaborates on this aspect of being sons
(children) of Yahweh, and all who have this hope "purify" themselves by obedience as did Yahshua.
The writers of the New Testament were Hebrews, who
knew the Old Testament usage of "sons." They continued to use the same terms in their writings. Alluding to the
fruits of his ministry, Paul often refers to Timothy as his "son" in the faith, 1 Tim.
1:2; 2 Tim. 2:2. Paul also referred to Titus as his son (Titus 1:4) and
Philemon as well, verse 10, and the entire Corinthian assembly, 1 Cor. 4:14.
Sons are referred to as those who are in an obedient son relationship. Paul
used the term "sons" referring to those he had converted to the faith. Being a "son" of something is a pure Hebraism used with reference
to origin, destination, or characteristic, and does not refer to humans alone.
The "sons of Elohim," then,
are the Seth line as opposed to the daughters of men, the Cain line (destroyed
in the flood for their disobedience).
Conclusion
1.
Angels are spirit
beings and do not have material bodies.
2.
Yahshua showed
that angels do not procreate. Matt. 22:30.
3.
No angel is given
the name "Yah," the prime cause of creation.
4.
Even though
angels can control the minds of humans, the human body will beget "after
its kind."
5.
Genesis 6:3 says
Yahweh's Spirit "shall not always
strive with man," not
angels.
6.
Verses 3, 5, 6
all say that it was
7.
Verse 7 says
Yahweh will destroy
8.
These were
polygamous marriages, and the Messiah said nothing that indicated angels were
involved, Matt. 24:38.
9.
The Bible says
they took them wives, a long-term
proposition.
10.
Nowhere are angels - demons - ever called "sons of Elohim."
11.
Job 1:6 and 2:1 speaks of "sons of Elohim" and refers to those humans voluntarily
presenting themselves to Yahweh.
12.
The "sons
of Elohim" were those of the Seth line and the "daughters of
men" were those of the Cain line.
Genesis 6 shows that the human family became more and
more depraved. The offspring of Seth were being influenced by the degenerate
Cain line and were taking up the pleasures and philosophies of the world.
Hedonism and pursuit of fleshly gratification of all
sorts was prophesied to take place again before the return of Yahshua, and it
will be very much like the days of Noah, Matthew 24:37. Whenever good and evil
mix, evil usually dominates and the clean becomes unclean. It will become so
bad that Yahshua said if those days were not shortened, there would be no
humans left on earth, Matt. 24:22.
It is up to each of us to overcome our carnal nature
and overcome the evil influences of the world. Yahweh said that He would not
destroy the earth again with a flood as He did in Noah's time. This time He
will destroy the wicked with fire.
We all should remember the days of Noah and what
brought on the flood. We should strive to be the "sons of Yahweh" by doing those things that are pleasing
to Him. Here is the promise we are given: "He
that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be His Elohim and he shall
be My son." Revelation 21:7.
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