Hugh Ross’s Reasons to Believe posted a video titled 28:19 RTB 101: Who Were the Nephilim? which led to the following discussion.
Jeff Spearman commented
Great explanation. Sons of God in the Old Testament are always angels. The Nephilim were the offspring of the fallen angels, who could take on human form, and human women.
I, Ken Ammi, replied
It’s not accurate to claim that “Sons of God in the Old Testament are always angels”: sometimes they are Angels and sometimes humans. I accept they’re Angels in Gen 6 but there’s no indication anywhere in he Bible that “angels…could take on human form, and human women” rather, they are always described as looking like human males which implies that is how they are ontologically. Yet, Ross’ is not such a great explanation since he teaches post-flood Nephilim but the Bible doesn’t.
Jeff Spearman
Yes they are always males, you’re correct. I said the nephilim were the offspring of fallen angels and human women, as Ross said. In the Old Testament the “sons of God” always refers to Angels, most often in the book of Job. In the New Testament it usually refers to believers in Christ. The book of Numbers refers to nephilim, which of course was post-flood. Goliath is believed to have been the last of these nephilim. When angels appeared to Abraham and accompanied him to Sodom, he initially thought they were men, and so did the homosexuals in Sodom, verifying that they can assume human form.
Ken Ammi
Most interesting.
I had noted that Ross “teaches post-flood Nephilim but the Bible doesn’t.”
Yes, “The book of Numbers refers to nephilim” but “refers to” does not equate that they were actually alive and on the ground at that time: you are basing that on actually believing an “evil report” by guys whom God rebuked.
Rather, you should accept Genesis 7:7, 23; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; and 2 Peter 2:5 which tell us that eight people and some animals made it past the flood.
Yes, “Goliath is believed to have been the last of these nephilim” but “believed” is one issue but the contents of the Bible is another: he is referred to as having been a Repha, not a Nephil.
Those examples don’t “verifying that they can assume human form” since they contain no indication that they were assuming human form. Rather, just take them as they are written: Angels are in human form naturally, that’s just how they look and we were made “a little lower” than then.
A certain Wberry replied
I believe this perspective. Ken Ammi is not looking at it the same way. Hopefully he will get there.
Lee Overthrow chimed in with
Hi you say that there is no were in the Bible that says that Angel can take on Human Form. Please read Genesis 19:1-11 This passage of Scripture speaks of Two Angels taking on Human Form EATING a meal with Lot and his family, the men of Sodom wanted to have Sex with them and Lot offered his Daughters, and the Angels then Blinded the men of Sodom.
Ken Ammi
Can you quote Genesis 19:1-11 where it “speaks of Two Angels taking on Human Form” or at Sodom? See, the issue is you see that in the Bible Angels are described as looking just like human males but rather than accepting that Angels look just like human males you’re inventing un-biblical claims about them.
Lee Overthrow
Explain what you mean the issue is me what issue are you on about. And don’t you believe that Two ANGELS visited Lot at SODOM and took on the appearance of men. Explain what your saying.
Ken Ammi
I’m saying that there’s not one single statement in the whole Bible about any such thing as “ANGELS…took on the appearance of men.” See, you’re reading a physical description of Angels, without any indication that such is not their natural look, but you’re denying that their natural look and are inserting an unbiblical concept about them merely taking on the appearance of men. The logical and theo-logical conclusion is that God created Angels to look like human males—a difference is that they have access to realms/dimension that we currently don’t.
Well, that ended it since no more replies were forthcoming.
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