Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 5/26/2009

Question
I have read and I have discussed these passages with others but I have yet to satisfy my mind on the subject.  I am hoping you can help me put it to rest.  The passage says,"the sons of God saw the daughters of men...and they took them as wives".  The Nephilim (giants) appeared on earth after this took place.  I am being told that the sons of God are fallen angels who came down and had relations with the the daughters of men.  Angels are sexless,sinless and they neither marry or are given in marriage. Fallen angels have sinned however it is incomprehensible to me that any angelic being, fallen or otherwise, can assume full maleness and have relations with a human female and get her pregnant.  It goes against God's ordained orders of creation and the laws that govern sex in the human order, as quoted from Unger's commentary.  I just can't wrap my mind around the idea of angelic beings impregnating human beings.  It goes against the grain and I can't grasp it.
If you can explain it to me in an understanding way I would greatly appreciate it.


Answer
Dear David,

Thank you for your question about the sons of God and the Nephilim.

Some have suggested that the "sons of God,” as portrayed in Genesis, were angels. They say that when these celestial beings intermarried with the daughters of men they produced the Nephilim–giants. I agree with you that angels--evil or good--are sexless, and thus would be unable to produce offspring of any kind.

However, the Bible never identifies the sons of God as angels. Instead, Scripture uses the phrase to describe human beings who followed God's instruction and did His will.  

We must remember that the same God inspired both the Old and the New Testaments. This is helpful in finding clues from either testament that will explain problematic passages in the other.

Luke calls Adam "the son of God" (Luke 3:38) in contrast to all others, whom he designates as sons of other men. Adam was the son of God in the special sense that God created Adam with his own hands. God was Adam's only Father.

Jesus Christ bears the title "Son of God" in a different sense, in that He, being God, took upon himself the body of a human being. In this way He became the Son of God at His birth in Bethlehem, and shall remain such throughout eternity. (Phil. 2:5 8; John 3:16)
  
The New Testament reveals that those who believe on Jesus' name also become "sons of God" (John 1:12 KJV); that "those who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God;" (Romans 8:14); and that the one who purifies himself in preparation for Christ's coming is "now" a child of God (1 John 3:2).
  
Thus, it would appear that the "sons of God" before the flood were, like the "sons of God" today, those who worship their Creator. In pre-flood times these people were descendants of Seth. In contrast, the sons of men followed Cain in rebellion against God. When the "sons of God" married the "daughters of men" they soon forgot their righteous heritage, and turned their backs on their Creator. In this way they also became sons of men.

I found this interesting statement in an old magazine–The Signs of the Times, 2/27/1879. I thought you too might find it interesting.

"Those who honored and feared to offend God, at first felt the curse [of sin] but lightly, while those who turned from him and despised his authority felt its effects more heavily, especially in stature and nobleness of form. The descendants of Seth were called the sons of God; the descendants of Cain, the sons of men. As the sons of God mingled with the sons of men, they became corrupt, and by intermarriage with them lost, through the influence of their wives, their peculiar, holy character, and united with the sons of Cain in their idolatry."
  
The Nephilim–giants (KJV)–have not been adequately identified, but there is evidence the word could be translated "terrorists". SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 251.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
pettypress@gmail.com
Check out my website pettypress.com where I've posted 18 books I've written through the years--5 of which are still in print.