What are sons of God and nephelim in Genesis 6?
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Asked October 23 2022
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ainsley chalmers
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Shirley H
In Eastern Judiasm ecclesiastical writers identify the sons of God as fallen angels. The sons of God were thought to be descendants of Seth. The daughters of God were thought to be descendants of Cain. The nephilim, neflheim is a Hebrew word for a union between gods and mortals. Along this line of thought is tartarus. This is a place for fallen angels, an abyss, a prison for angels, the netherworld, Hades, sheol. In short, a place of punishment. The titans of the east, was a legend about the wickedness of men. This provoked the flood. My conclusion is, that the sons and the daughters were once children of God. But, they believed "the lie" and no longer had faith. They became powerful (giants in their time), God in His mercy gave them about 120 years to turn to Him before He sent the flood and Noah.
Jack Gutknecht
Good question, Ainsley! From my days at Arizona Bible College in Phoenix, Arizona where I think we debated this question, I believe that the sons of God were the godly line of Seth, and that the daughters of men were the daughters of the line of Cain. They intermarried and gave birth to the nephilim. I think this view was also presented at Scottsdale Bible Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, where I grew up. R.C. Sproul presents a good argument for my view with good support: Who Were the “Sons of God” and the Nephilim? (Genesis 6:1-4) The immediate context of Genesis 6 supports this conclusion. Following the narrative of the fall in Genesis 3, the Bible traces the lines of two families, the descendents of Cain and of Seth. Cain’s line is recounted in Genesis 4, and this line displays proliferating wickedness, capped by Lamech, who was the first polygamist (v. 19) and who rejoiced in murderous, vengeful use of the sword (vv. 23–24). By contrast, the line of Seth, which is traced in Genesis 5, displays righteousness. This line includes Enoch, who "walked with God, and... was not, for God took him" (v. 24). In the line of Seth was born Noah, who was "a righteous man, blameless in his generation" (6:9). Thus, we see two lines, one obeying God and the other willfully disobeying Him.
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