Children of the Angels.

There has been great debate about whether angels can manifest themselves in human form and more importantly have their offspring through human women. People who are opposed to such notions are generally overlooking the obvious truths in the Bible and to some degree are hiding their heads in the sand. We can not disagree with an idea purely based on our own views of what angelic beings should be like.

The Bible is quite clear about the subject and is not open to interpretation if taken at face value. The Bible neither hides the fact nor goes into much detail, showing this to be an event, which happened. But we must not go overboard on this subject to the degradation of scriptures and truths which directly effect our salvation. It is not a primary concern.

It is however one of those secondary subjects which we can look into, using the Bible to educate ourselves into the form and lives of angels, and is useful in getting us round the stories in the old and new testament. So where does it all start.
Genesis 6:4 states.

4. 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.

The word which is translated, giants, in the King James version of the Bible is, in Hebrew, Nephilim, which means, Those who fell, or the fallen ones. Jude, the brother of Jesus describes the angels in Jude verse 6 as follows.

6. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day.

These angels are the ones described in Genesis. No other event in the Bible can relate to this description of angels leaving their home or habitation. It can not be anything other than a move away from the heavenly realm into a physical realm, which is borne up by translation of this verse.

If we look at the verse it tells us that the angels 'kept not their first estate', the word 'estate' is translated -
beginning, origin
that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause
the extremity of a thing
the first place, principality, rule, magistracy
of angels and demons

This is quite obvious in the sense that Angels are heavenly creatures, their makeup is that which can live in heaven. We know from scripture that flesh and blood can not enter heaven, and there are different forms for heaven and earth (2 Cor 5:1-3 & 1 Cor 15:44,49 & 15:50,53-54) which brings us to the next point if they gave up their life in heaven then they must by nature give up their form. If they did not then what would be the point.

In the verse we see 'they left their own habitation', which is not an affirmation of the earlier explanation but the additional condition of their fall to human kind. The word habitation is translated from;
a dwelling place, habitation
of the body as a dwelling place for the spirit

We can see this description used in 2 Corinthians 5:1-3, especially in verse 2 which says

2. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

Some versions say house, some habitation, but clearly, looking in the context it is taken, it is describing the body and not a building. The body in the Bible is often referred to as just a house or temporary dwelling place for the Soul and Spirit. It is a means by which we can exist on earth, which is also a physical place.

It is interesting to note that the angels were not thrown out or expelled from heaven but that they LEFT, the translation of this word has the same meaning as today.
to leave, to leave behind
to desert or forsake

We see then that some angels had made a choice, to join human kind in a physical nature, to live among them as humans. God no doubt did not stop them as He could, but allowed them to do this, after all angels do have a will as do we, they can make decisions, as do we, and they can sin as we see from Lucifer.

As to why, we are only given one reason in Genesis 6:2

2. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Although this seems a very simplified answer it wouldn't take much imagination to realise the attraction of being a human at that time. Angels are spirit and as such can not and do not feel and sense as we do. Although they can appear in physical form, that form is obviously not the same as ours. They do not need to eat or breathe, they do not need to reproduce, they are created beings, with specific tasks set them.

The lure of living as a human must have been very tempting, to sense and taste would have been a tantalising thought, to experience feelings and emotions. But also to be able to reproduce and create a being themselves would have made them feel God like. We must also not forget, even as angels in physical form they would not have lost their intellect, and as such would have been far superior to mankind. Their lives would have been quite good on earth and no doubt Lucifer may have had a hand in talking them into it. What ever the reason the fact that they did want to leave heaven was looked upon as wrong, not probably because they turned their back on God but because of their subsequent actions, in mixing with humanity, creating hybrid children who would fight mankind.

The actual form they took is not given but there are stories handed down through various tribes in the world about angels who came to earth in the 'first age' or the 'golden age'. They were said to be tall and slim, always male and with eyes that burned with fire. The Bible holds no clue to their appearance but we can assume that they were very different. One thing we are not told is who these angels were. The Bible does not tell us if they were Lucifer's angels or angels who were helping mankind at that time. They are described as the NEPHILIM … the fallen ones.

If you take the stance that they were from Lucifer's camp then a possible reason the "fallen ones" sought to merge with the bloodline of Adam, was because of the promise to send a redeemer through Adam's line. In this sense they could become part of that forgiveness and return into God's good books. If they were just ordinary angels who were working on earth at the time then the answer could be just one of jealousy, or a fulfilment of the old saying - the grass is always greener on the other side.

In Genesis 6:4 we are told of the offspring of the Nephilim or angels.

4. 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.

There are a few key features to take from this verse before we move on in some detail.
1. The Nephilim were big in size.
2. Their offspring were big in size.
3. Their offspring are all described as male in gender - as are angels.
4. They all grew up to be mighty men - warriors, oppressors.
5. They were mortal.
6. They existed then and 'after that'.

Their presence on the earth eventually led to the flood and the subsequent destruction of all mankind except the family of Noah. Genesis 6:5-8

5. 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.
6. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7. 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.
8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Their influence on man was devastating and in certain books of the apocrypha we are told that they taught mankind the art of war and astrology, the dark crafts and led mankind - willingly - down the road to destruction. This leads us to think that their intention on earth was not one of redemption in the future but one of selfish desires, probably encouraged by Lucifer.

The offspring are described as MIGHTY MEN, MEN OF RENOWN. The word mighty is from to be mighty, brave, valiant, oppressive in leadership, chief among, strongest. And the word renown describes of a name, reputation, fame, glory, the Name (as designation of God), memorial, monument. These were literally giants among men, who through their stature and leadership brought man to the point of extinction.

It is right to say that every one was killed in the flood including the Nephilim, the angels that gave up heaven. If they had taken on human form which is mortal, they would have died as all mankind only as they are spirit in nature they would have gone straight to their punishment as described in Jude. Their offspring however would have been truly mortal and died also. We are not told if they had a soul as man, but they certainly would have died, we know this from Genesis 6:17 where God speaks to Noah.

17. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

It did not end there though. From the initial verse (Genesis 6:4) we see a very strange statement one which links to another scripture Mathew 24:38-39

4. There were giants in the earth in those days; AND ALSO AFTER THAT,

38. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

It is the 'and also after that , which we must look at compared to the vision of the future time just before the Lord returns. They describe a time the same as that of Noah's, when mankind is so evil that God must intervene. If we then take this time when Nosh was alive and connect it to the verse in Genesis we see that the existence of Giants or the Nephilim is not and will not be confined to that period of time. There is coming a time when history will repeat itself.

Can we back this up with scripture - YES, most definitely. The angels did not waste any time after the flood, they went back to work trying to spoil the line of Adam. God in his wisdom knew this and separated the offspring by their looks and gave them no doubt a warring nature, one which would be their downfall. We know they existed after the flood as before from various scriptures, which we will see shortly.

It would be true to say we have not seen or heard of any recently but that is not to say God has stopped them, it might merely be the plan of Lucifer to bide his time. Who knows though, maybe these alien creatures we are told exist are another form of angelic children.

It is true to say during Biblical times they existed but scripture uses other names to describe these degraded fallen angels and their descendants after the flood, in addition to the word Nephilim, they are

Anakim - race of giants Num. 13:33 descendents of Nephilim. Numbers 13:33

33. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Emim - the proud deserters, terrors, race of giants Gen. 14:5. Deuteronomy 2:11;

11. Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims

Zamzummims - the evil plotters, Deut. 2:20. Deuteronomy 2:20;

20. (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;

Zophim - watchers, angels who descended Num. 23, distinct from "holy watchers" aligned with God
Sepherim - the many. . . .

Zuzim- the evil ones, roaming things Gen. 14:5
Rephaim - from the root rapha = spirits, shades Gen. 14:5

5. And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

The book of the Jubilees remarks that Jared or Yeh-red, an Old Testament patriarch, was so called because in his days the angels descended upon the earth - Yaw-rad "descend". It is interesting to note that "Jordan" comes from that same root word denoting "descent, coming down or falling" - Yar-dane "the place of the descent". Jordan, "place of the descent", is located in the ancient boundary of Israel. Israel is currently a major location for sightings, and the fallen angels in disguise as "aliens".

The Book of Enoch explains that the Sons of God descended first onto the mountain called Hermon, which in Hebrew means desolation, in the land of Jordan the place of the descent. Desolation is exactly what the rebel angels intended to make the earth by destroying the descendants of Adam. Obviously, to make desolate the earth, not only of man but of God's influence has been Satan's goal from the beginning.

One reason I think we don't see them today is probably God's hand over the earth, which may change after the rapture. As to the fate of the giants in Biblical time we have one clue in Deuteronomy 3:11

11. For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.

Og = "long-necked" the Amorite king of Bashan and one of the last representatives of the giants of Rephaim

Here along with the scriptures above are some accounts of battles with the giants, in some cases resulting in their extinction.

Deuteronomy 31:4

And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.

Joshua 2:10

For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

Joshua 13:12

All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.

As we can see they were in abundance but God slowly destroyed them and gave most of their land to Israel. However I am sure they will return when the time is right. Who knows maybe the Anti-Christ will come from the line of the fallen angels.