Lesson Nine

In this bible study we closed of the session on Genesis 6 with a look at the Nephilim in the Old Testament.

Deut 32:7-8. Speaks of the "sons of God" allotments that were made since the Tower of Babel separation. "Sons of God" translation is according to the more accurate manuscripts of the Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls and Masoretic Text. The tower of Babel stories show that even after great judgment of the flood due to unholy union between heavenly beings and human beings, that humans were still looking to disobey God, trying to do that unholy union through the tower. God had to step in again to bring confusion to the work.

Numbers 13:31-33. Shows the name "Nephilim" here in the passage when 12 spies when to spy out the land of Canaan. They come from the Anakites. Ten spies came back and said that they are like grasshoppers to these giant men who were like trees. This is no exaggeration. Nephilim were as tall as trees and had great strength. Can come to appreciate the fear of the spies.

Deut 2:10-21. This speaks more about these giants that other names for them in other locations: "Emites, Rephates, Horites, Fighting men, Zamzummites, and Anakites." It shows how God helped other nations overcome these giants like Israel needed to overcome them. "Rephates" are mention in other parts of scripture as giants along with the "Nephilim." Read 2 Samuel 21:15-22. These are the two names that don't describes ethnic groups but different kind of people.

Amos 2:9-10. The giants were also called Amorites. They were described as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks. It's important to note that the land of the Amorites is the land of Canaan.

Deut 9:1-6. This shows that the Anakites are the Canaan people. God has Israel take over the land from them not because of Israel's righteousness, but because of the Anakites' unrighteousness. Begs the question, "Why was God against Canaan?"

Genesis 9:25. Why God cursed the land of Canaan is because the inhabitants come from the linage of Ham. The three sons of Noah were: Japheth, Ham and Shem. There were very no giants (Nephilim or Raphates) that came from Japheth and Shem line. But through Ham's line there were plenty of giant descendants. Ham had 4 sons: Canaan, Mitziam, Put, and Cush. Canaan had the most of the giants in his linage than the other brothers. It is his lineage where the Amorites came from as spoken about in Josh 13:33. The curse of Canaan came from Ham sexual sin against his father (seeing his nakedness). Whatever this means it speaks about uncovering what God covered for Noah's family through the flood. It is very likely that Ham opened up something through this sexual sin. And the curse went to his sons, especially Canaan. In some way, it is possible to believe that a small amount of the Nephilim came through the post-flood period through this sin. This would explain why God helped not only Israel exterminate them but other nations too as read in Deut 2. Also read Joshua 11:21-22.

Was not the flood to get rid of all the giants from Gen 6? Yes, but something opened up the door to have them somewhat survive post flood. We don't know for sure how. Some say they came through the water. Others say through genetics. But this is not conclusive. At the same time is no different in how the cross of Christ dealt with sin, death and heal. The flood points to the same thing the cross did to the works of darkness. After the cross event it did not completely abolish sin and evil in the world, but it cut the root of sin and evil out of the world. The Cross Event cut the root of sin out of the believers' life (while they have sin within its members - Rom 6 and 7). And the Cross cut the root (power) of darkness from having a bullying force in this world (yet it is still present, and the church must still wrestle against it - Ephesians 6). The Cross complete work against sin and evil will be complete on the Day of the Lord. We can read that there is no more Nephilim around today because of the work of the Cross. Also read Isaiah 26.