If your life is not in jeopardy
for what you believe, you’re probably on the wrong side!
If you don’t believe Genesis 1-11,
how can you possibly believe John 3:16?
“Indeed, all who want to live a godly
life united with the Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted.” (2Tim 3:12)
It is what you actually believe that determines how you walk out your faith,
“but avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, quarrels and fights
about the Torah; because they are worthless and futile.” (Titus 3:9)
Please Note: Absolutely nothing on this website should be taken as anti-Church or anti-Rabbinic. I am not anti-anything or anti-anyone. I am only pro-Torah and pro-Truth (see “Philosophy”), but sometimes the Truth upsets our long-held beliefs. I know it certainly upset mine! For example, see “Why Isn’t My Theology Consistent Throughout the Website?”
Developing a
Systematic Messianic Theology
“The purpose of careful theological formulations is not to put barriers in the way of people who are seeking salvation, but to define clearly the truths upon which genuine [Biblical] faith rests, so that people will not be misled by false doctrines.” [Bowman]
“It must be clearly and unequivocally stated that theology cannot save you. Only faith in Messiah Yeshua can save you. Theology can only give you sound doctrine.” [RLS]
Unless otherwise specified, throughout the Theology section of my website I use the term “Torah” in the wider sense of including the entire body of inspired Scripture: both the Tanakh and the Apostolic Writings. I personally do not consder any other so-called “sacred writings” either inspired by God or authoritative for the Believer’s walk of faith. Thus, I do not consider the Mishnah (the “Oral Torah”) as part of Torah. You should make up your own mind.
[Explanations of rabbinic citations are HERE]
Est. reading time: 20 minutes
What the Torah[1] Says About
Nephilim
When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God [benéi Elohim] saw that the daughters of man were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. (Gen. 6:1-2, HCSB)
The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterwards, when the sons of God [benéi Elohim] came to the daughters of man, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men. (Gen. 6:4, HCSB)
“We even saw the Nephilim there.” (The Anakim, offspring of Anak, were descended from the Nephilim.) “To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them.” (Num. 13:33, HCSB)
Sons of God
any interpreters believe that “the sons of God” were
descendants of Cain and that the “daughters of men” were the descendants of Seth.[2] If that is the correct interpretation, how can it be that these
“sons of God” appeared before God with the accuser (Job 1:6; 2:1), and how can it be that they shouted for joy when
God laid the “cornerstone” of creation? (Job 38:6-7) No, the sons of God, or benéi Elohim, are
spirit beings:
One day the sons of God [benéi Elohim] came to present themselves before the Lord, and [the adversary (ha-satan)] also came with them. (Job 1:6)
One day the sons of God [benéi Elohim] came again to present themselves before the Lord, and [the adversary (ha-satan)] also came with them to present himself before the Lord. (Job 2:1)
What supports [the earth’s] foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars [angelic hosts] sang together and all the sons of God [benéi Elohim] shouted for joy? (Job 38:6-7)
Y'hudahJude calls them “angels[3] who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling,” (Jude 1:6) and KefaPeter says that they are kept bound “with eternal chains in darkness for the judgment of the great day” (1Pet. 3:18-20).[4] It seems that their initial effort was to corrupt the human bloodline (DNA) in order to keep Messiah from being born. Before Creation, God had decreed that all judgment would be turned over to Messiah, who had to be totally pure. If they could corrupt human DNA, they could prevent Messiah from being born and would not have to face their judgment. This is why Satan used Herod to kill all the male children in Bethlehem when Yeshua was born (Matt. 2:16-18), and why he tried to corrupt Yeshua during His 40 days in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13).
These “demons” who currently attempt to have sexual relations with human women are called Incubi in modern demonology.
Most modern Bible scholars now reject the “descendants of Seth” idea and agree that the “sons of God” (benéi Elohim) in Genesis 6:1-4 are spirit beings, many of whom assumed human form and cohabited with human women to produce hybrid giant offspring, the Nephilim. Otherwise, how is it possible that the union of the sons of Cain and the daughters of Seth could produce mutant giants?
Nephilim
|
||||||
King James, Douay-Rheims, Wycliffe, and some other versions translate Nephilim as “giants” and Tyndale translates it as “tirantes” (tyrants). Most of the newer versions don’t attempt to translate the word; they just transliterate it as “Nephilim.” [HERE]
The Hebrew word transliterated as “Nephilim” or N'filim is נְפִיל, literally fallen ones. It comes from the root word נְפִיל (naphal), to fall or to be thrown down. Translated as giants in some English versions, the translation is not literally accurate, but it does adequately convey the idea of their appearance.
The Nephilim were the hybrid offspring of fallen benéi Elohim and/or angels who mated with human women. They were literally mutants. Perhaps the human DNA had become almost totally corrupt by the time of Noah, leading God to destroy the entire human species in order to protect the uncorrupted DNA of Noah so the Messiah could be born as pure human. According to Numbers 13:33, the Nephilim also inhabited Canaan at the time of the Israelite conquest, and included Goliath and his four brothers from the Canaanite city of Gath. While God sent the flood to wipe out the Nephilim, the fact that Goliath and his brothers were Nephilim indicates that this “demonic” cohabitation was resumed after the flood.
Curiously, after the reference to Nephilim in Numbers 13:33, the word changes from נְפִיל (nephilim) to רְפָאִ֛ים (repha'im). However, if we look carefully, we can see that both words refer to the same race.
“There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim) …” (Num. 13:33)
Like the Anakim [sons of Anak], they are also regarded as Repha'im, but the Moabites call them Emim. (Deut. 2:11)
It is also regarded as the land of the Repha'im, for Repha'im formerly lived in it, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummin, (Deut. 2:20)
So the Nephilim (נְפִיל), the Anakim (כָּעֲנָקִ֑ים) [or Anakites], the Repha'im (רְפָאִ֛ים) [or Rephaites], the Emim (אֵמִֽים), and the Zamzummim (זַמְזֻמִּֽים) [or Zamzummites] are all the same race of mutant giants. This helps explain why during the conquest of Canaan, God instructed the Israelites to totally exterminate the entire race: they were all capable of passing on the mutant Nephalim DNA.
In Jewish theology, demons are the immaterial part of the dead Nephalim.
Anakim (כָּעֲנָקִ֑ים)
Where can we go? Our brothers have discouraged us, saying: “The people are larger and taller than we are; the cities are large, fortified to the heavens. We also saw the descendants of the Anakim there.” (Deut. 1:28, HCSB)
The Emim, a great and numerous people as tall as the Anakim, had previously lived there. They were also regarded as Repha'im, like the Anakim, though the Moabites called them Emim. (Deut. 2:10-11, HCSB)
This too used to be regarded as the land of the Repha'im. The Repha'im lived there previously, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummim, a great and numerous people, tall as the Anakim. The Lord destroyed the Repha'im at the advance of the Ammonites, so that they drove them out and settled in their place. (Deut. 2:20-21, HCSB)
The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them and you have heard it said about them, 'Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?' (Deut. 9:2, HCSB)
At that time Joshua proceeded to exterminate the Anakim from the hill country-Hebron, Debir, Anab-all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua completely destroyed them with their cities. No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites, except for some remaining in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. (Josh. 11:21-22, HCSB)
“Now give me this hill country the Lord promised [me] on that day, because you heard then that the Anakim are there, as well as large fortified cities. Perhaps the Lord will be with me and I will drive them out as the Lord promised.” (Josh. 14:12, HCSB)
Hebron's name used to be Kiriath-arba; Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. After this, the land had rest from war. (Josh. 14:15, HCSB)
More references for Anakim and Anak.
Repha'im (רְפָאִ֛ים)
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, came and defeated the Repha'im in Ashteroth-karnaim and the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim… (Gen. 14:5, NAS)
On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your offspring, from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River: [the land of] the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Repha'im, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites." (Gen. 15:18-21 , HCSB)
This too used to be regarded as the land of the Repha'im. The Repha'im lived there previously, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummim, a great and numerous people, tall as the Anakim. The Lord destroyed the Repha'im at the advance of the Ammonites, so that they drove them out and settled in their place. (Deut. 2:20-21 , HCSB)
Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Repha'im. His bed was made of iron. Isn't it in Rabbah of the Ammonites? It is 13 feet six inches long and six feet wide by a standard measure. (Deut. 3:11, HCSB)
I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh the rest of Gilead and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og. The entire region of Argob, the whole territory of Bashan, used to be called the land of the Repha'im. (Deut. 3:13, HCSB)
Oga king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Repha'im, lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (Josh. 12:4, HCSB)
the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei; he was one of the remaining Repha'im. Moses struck them down and drove them out (Josh. 13:12, HCSB)
From there the border ascended the Valley of Hinnom to the southern Jebusite slope (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Repha'im. (Josh. 15:8, HCSB)
“If you have so many people,” Joshua replied to them, “go to the forest and clear [an area] for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Repha'im, because Ephraim's hill country is too small for you.” (Josh. 17:15, HCSB)
More references to the Repha'im here.
Emim (אֵמִֽים)
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, came and defeated the Repha'im in Ashteroth-karnaim and the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, (Gen. 14:5, NAS)
The Emim, a great and numerous people as tall as the Anakim, had previously lived there. They were also regarded as Repha'im, like the Anakim, though the Moabites called them Emim. (Deut. 2:10-11, HCSB)
Zamzummim (זַמְזֻמִּֽים)
This too used to be regarded as the land of the Repha'im. The Repha'im lived there previously, though the Ammonites called them Zamzummim, a great and numerous people, tall as the Anakim. The Lord destroyed the Repha'im at the advance of the Ammonites, so that they drove them out and settled in their place. (Deut. 2:20-21, HCSB)
Giants
After this, a war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the giants, and the Philistines were subdued. (1Chron 20:4)
There were no Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod some remained. (Josh. 11:22, NAS)
Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span [nine feet, nine inches]. (1Sam. 17:4, NAS)
As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them. (1Sam. 17:23, NAS)
Instead, he [David] took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd's bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine. (1Sam. 17:40, HCSB) [Goliath had four brothers. David expected that he would have to kill all five of them.]
The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David's men swore to him: “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.” After this, there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giant. Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam. At Gath there was still another battle. A huge man was there with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — 24 in all. He, too, was descended from the giant. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, son of David's brother Shimei, killed him. These four were descended from the giant in Gath and were killed by David and his soldiers. (2Sam. 21:15-22, HCSB; cp. 1Chron. 20:4-8)
Ghosts, Aliens, and UFOs
Some believe that manifestations of ghosts are the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim. They reason that since they are not human, when they die they cannot go to either Paradise (the place where the righteous dead are with Yeshua awaiting their resurrection to the Olam Haba) or Sheol (the place where the unrighteous dead await the resurrection to their judgment), so they wander on the earth causing mischief and disbelief. Those who believe in “ghosts” and other paranormal phenomena believe they are the souls of dead humans, which results in a disbelief in the Scriptures that teach the true fate of the dead. The Scriptures are clear that there must be no attempt at contact between the living and the dead (Deut. 18:10-14). The reason that such activity (necromancy) is prohibited under the death penalty is that it is actually making contact with demons, not dead humans. (See also “Necromancy” on OpenBible.info and my article on “Soul Sleep.”)
I personally have no problem at all accepting the idea that we are not the only intelligent life in our galaxy. If there is no other intelligent life in the cosmos, God is wasting a lot of valuable real estate. But, it is His to waste if He so chooses. The Scriptures do not speak to the possibility of life on other worlds; they are concerned only with how God relates to one single family of mankind — Avraham, his ancestors, and his descendants.
On the other hand, I also have no problem accepting the idea that UFOs and “aliens” are actually the work of Satan and his minions to deceive humanity. Can it be that what humanity perceives as “aliens” are actually fallen benéi Elohim?
For they are spirits of demons performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty. (Rev. 16:14, HCSB)
For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. (Matt. 24:24, Mark 13:22, NAS)
There will be violent earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:11, HCSB)
Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and there will be anguish on the earth among nations bewildered by the roaring sea and waves. (Luke 21:25, HCSB)
The coming [of the lawless one] is based on Satan’s working, with all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders, (2Thess. 2:9, HCSB)
He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth before people. He deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that he is permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who had the sword wound yet lived. (Rev. 13:13-14, HCSB)
1. The word “Torah” is used here in its most inclusive sense to include the entire body of Scripture. [BACK]
2. For example: “… the sons of God saw the daughters of men — By the former is meant the family of Seth, who were professedly religious; by the latter, the descendants of apostate Cain. Mixed marriages between parties of opposite principles and practice were necessarily sources of extensive corruption. The women, religious themselves, would as wives and mothers exert an influence fatal to the existence of religion in their household, and consequently the people of that later age sank to the lowest depravity.” (Robert Jameson, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. This one volume commentary was prepared by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown and published in 1871.) [BACK]
3. Due to the restrictions of Greek vocabulary, after the translation of the Tanakh (plus a few other books that were not part of the “Hebrew canon”) into the Greek Septuagint (LXX), the spirit entities were divided into two groups. The “good guys” (the “white hats”) were all classified as ἀγγέλους (angelous), angels, and the “bad guys” (the “black hats”) were all classified as δαιμονίοις (daimoniois), demons, regardless of their actual “species” or “job description.” Thus, in the version of the Tanakh (the LXX) that was in the possession of the apostolic writers the benéi Elohim who rebelled against God were lumped in with the demons and those benéi Elohim who did not rebel were lumped in with the angels.
It is important to remember that the term “canon” (or any related word) was never used for the Tanakh until it “was first applied by the church fathers (not earlier than 360) to the collection of Holy Scriptures, and primarily to those of the so-called Old Testament (Credner, ‘Zur Gesch. des Canons,’ pp. 58-68). But although the older Jewish literature has no such designation for the Biblical books, and it is doubtful whether the word was ever included in the rabbinical vocabulary, it is quite certain that the idea expressed by the designation ‘canonical writings’ (γραΦαὶ κανονικαί), both as including and as excluding certain books, is of Jewish origin.” jewishencyclopedia.com accessed 05 October 2023. [BACK]
4. The idea of the fallen spirits being “kept bound with eternal chains” does not appear in the Tanakh. It is very likely that KefaPeter got this idea from the Book of Enoch (chapters 13 & 14). Just because the idea comes from what is now considered an extra-biblical source does not mean that it is not true. While there are no direct quotes from the Book of Enoch in the Apostolic Writings, there are some scholars who believe that the Apostolic writers may have been influenced by the Book of Enoch. For example, Y'hudaJude’s letter contains a reference to a prophecy by Enoch (Jude 1:14-15), although this passage is not a direct quote from the Book of Enoch 1, or First Enoch. It is also worth noting that some scholars believe that Yeshua Himself may have been influenced by the Book of Enoch. There is no direct evidence to support this claim, but there is ample evidence that the Book of Enoch was well known in first-century Israel. I personally doubt that Yeshua could have been influenced by any human writing, though it is certainly within reason that he would have discussed popular human authors with his friends. [BACK]
|
|
|
