Beth-El Baptist Church

06/14/2009

Greg Tomlinson


Who are the “sons of God” in Genesis 6?


These Sons of God have been called fallen angels, descendants of Seth who have fallen away, or fallen human beings who turned their back on God.


  1. What is the context of the phrase?

Genesis 5:28-6:7


It is Lamech who names Noah (x:nOà meaning “rest”) because he will comfort (WnmeÛx]n:y> meaning to be sorry, suffer grief, repent) us with respect to the hard work that needs to be done. This indicates that Lamech saw great turmoil and difficulty around him. During this time men (mankind) were multiplying then these 'sons of God' saw the beauty of the daughters of men (mankind). The took as many wives (isha) as they desired. The result was that God took an oath of judgment upon mankind. The implication is that a major part of the judgment is the fact that the 'sons of God' were taking many 'daughters of men' as wives. This is followed by the identification of 'giants' (~yliúpiN>h; 'Nephilim' which may come from the root 'nephil' meaning to fall, but also called sons of Anak (Numbers 13:33)) who were in the land during that time and after that time (See Numbers 13:33). The implication is that these Nephilim were the offspring of the 'sons of God' and the 'daughters of men' but that is not required. The offspring are specifically called 'mighty men of old, men of renown (literally 'of a name').


  1. Who else are called 'Sons of God'?

Job 1:5-8; 2:1-3; 38:4-7 John 1:10-13

Romans 8:12-22 Philippians 2:14-16

1 John 3:1-3, 7-10; 5:1-3 Matthew 5:9

Galatians 3:24-26

Daniel 3:23-25 Matthew 4:1-11

Luke 1:32; 3:6-38 Mark 5:6-7

Psalm 82:1-8 Hosea 1:10-11


Outside of Job, the identification of 'sons of God' is always used to identify believers. In Job, the first 2 do not have to be associations with angelic/heavenly type beings but they are beings who 'present themselves before the LORD' (See Leviticus 14:11; 16:7; 1 Samuel 10:19; Jeremiah 42:9). The third reference in Job are clearly angelic beings for they were there at the creation itself. Other than those references, the phrase 'son of God' is used in the New Testament of Jesus and of Adam, the first man. Associated phrases identify the rulers of Israel as 'children of the most high'


  1. What kind of beings are angels, whether or not they have fallen?

Matthew 22:29-30 Luke 20:34-36; 24:37-39

1 Peter 1:11-12 Hebrews 1:7-9; 2:5-10; 14-18

2 Thessalonians 1:7 1 Corinthians 15:39-40


The scriptures indicate that the angels do not have sexual unions and they are of a different 'nature' than are men. Men have flesh and bone, angles do not. While angels may be mighty and in a sense 'above' men, they are completely different from men. While angels can appear as men, they are of a different sort or kind and scripture is clear that reproduction occurs 'after his kind' (Genesis 1:11-26).


Ezekiel 28:12-15 Isaiah 14:12-15


Looking at Satan, the Devil himself. He was created to be a special servant of God. Yet even he is not called a 'son of God'.


Summary:


There is only one reference to something similar to 'sons of God' in which that 'son' is clearly an angelic being. In all other cases, the term is reserved for those who are Godly. No where in the scriptures is a fallen angel referred to as some sort of 'son of God' Adding to this that there is no indication of angelic reproduction, men are of a different nature/kind and that reproduction is done according to kind, this strongly indicates that these were just men who were expected to function in Godly fashion (as believers) but turned their back upon God and pursued their own lust.