Lessons Six and Seven

1. Usage of “stars" in Revelation as heavenly beings:

· Rev 1:16, 20 (2x);

· Rev 2:28;

· Rev 3:1;

· Rev 6:13;

· Rev 8:10-12;

· Rev 9:1 (2x);

· Rev 12:1, 4

· Rev 22:16

2. Heavenly Council of God in Old Testament (Book: God of War by Boyd)

· Yahweh is the Lord of hosts (holy ones or heavenly council, Ps 89:7)

· Sun, moon, and stars: Deut 4:19-20; Job 38:7; Judge 5:20; Ps 148:1-6; Is 14:13; Hab. 3:11

· Wind and thunder: Ps 104:4; cf Heb 1:7

· Israel following other gods who were never intended to be objects of worship: Deut 29:26; cf 6:13-17: 32:17

· Angels who have fallen: Duet 32:17; cf. Ps 106:37;

· The Lord passes judgment on his divine counsel: Psalms 82 (Ps 103:21; 148:1-6)

· These gods have a mind and will of their own (Gen. 6:2-3)

· Prince of Persia is a divine figure (Dan 10:2, 12-13, 20-21)

· Moabite god Chemosh: 1 Kings 11:35; 2 Kings 23:13; cf. 2 Kings 3:26-27

3. Questions around Genesis chapter 6

a. Who were the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men?"

b. Why did God use water to cast judgment upon the earth?

c. Who were the Nephilim and were they the same as the "men of renown?"

4. "Sons of God" and "daughters of men": There are three dominate interpretations for the Sons of God.

a. One group of scholars believe that the "sons of God" (SOG) are from the line of Seth and the "daughters of men" (DOM) are from the line of Cain. The problem with this view is that a few chapters before, Genesis gives the genealogy list with the men who are apart of that line. So the SOM in Genesis 6 being from the line of Seth seems out of place and redundant. As well, this goes against the view that Seth linage needs to be preserved for the seed of the woman to one day give birth to Christ (Genesis 3:15 and Luke 3:21-38).

b. Another group of scholars believe that the SOG are human royal rulers who came and raped common women at their disposal. As this was common in their time in an overly stimulated Patriarchal society, one of the problem with this view is that SOG is rarely used for kings in OT and when it is used it is not in this specific phrasing. As we discussed last week, SOG in Old Testament is normally associated with the heavenly council of God. Another problem with this view, is that sin doesn't match the punishment for which God would destroy the whole world. Why would he not just destroy the humans involved? There seems to be something more significant at stake.

c. Lastly, scholars believe that the SOG are heavenly beings of some form or a hybrid of heavenly and humanly beings that took advantage of their ruling authority over the earth and raped the beautify women of the earth. The challenge with this interpretation is that is not seen explicitly anywhere in Scripture. However, this view seems to be the strongest of the three for the following reasons:

i. The author shows a sharp distinction in Genesis 6 verses 1 and 2 between who were humans and who where the "sons of God" in relation to the "daughters of men."

ii. The offspring produced was described as nothing that they have never seen before, almost unhuman or superhuman (Nephilim).

iii. The sin would match the punishment of destroying the whole earth. The sin climaxed between both the heavens and the earth to come together against God and produce abominations was what broke God's heart to the core. And these abominations had to be totally destroyed, so as to prevent the infection of the whole creation. It is here we see why God wanted to destroy all the earth. It was not to kill humans but to completely cut out the cancer that was infecting the offspring of humanity and destroying creation.

5. Jude 6: this scripture reads, "And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day." Scholars understand this passage is referring to Genesis. It shows that God did not only cast judgment upon the earth but also in the heavens. The sin of these heavenly beings is that they abandoned their positions of authority.

6. 1 Peter 3:18-20a reads: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built." This too speaks about Genesis 6 in the context that the SOG, where heavenly beings and God has imprisoned them for their disobedience.

7. 2 Peter 2:4-5 reads, "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others..." This passage not only points to Genesis 6, but makes the connection between the great sin of angels back in history during the time of Noah.

8. Next week we will have discussions more on:

a. Who were the Nephilim? What significance do they bring to the rest of the Old Testament?

b. Book(s) of Enoch and other extra-biblical materials

c. The approach to uncovering Biblical Truth through Scripture, Theology, Tradition, and Experience.

d. Why the Flood and the Rainbow Covenant? (The first of five covenant … preserving the bloodline for the fulfillment of Gen 3:15)

e. Significance of all this to the book of Revelation