Treehouse
Extra Podcast #209 with Jeff, Ezra, Greg, Kyle, Andy and Darcy topics include:
- Treehouses
- Organic dirt
- When did David meet Saul?
- 1 Samuel 28:15 – Saul and Samuel’s ghost
- Nephilim
- Authorship of Revelation
- Northview sermons
Extra Podcast #209 with Jeff, Ezra, Greg, Kyle, Andy and Darcy topics include:
There is no doubt that the question regarding the Nephilim and also the identity of “the sons of God” is enigmatic and thorny for Bible scholars. However, as I understand it, the traditional Jewish interpretation of the Genesis 6:1-4 passage and that of much of Christianity through the ages is to view the identity of “the sons of God” as fallen angelic beings who somehow cohabited with human women whose offspring were some kind of half-breeds known as Nephilim. This understanding of the text provides part of the rationale for God to wipe out humankind who had become totally depraved (Genesis 6:12). The whole world was so full of violence to that God’s only solution was bring the Flood and then to start again with Noah and a clean slate.
Other OT passages do identify “sons of God” with angelic or heavenly beings (see Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Daniel 3:25; Psalm 29:1; 89:6). The words of Jesus that may militate against this view is Matthew 22:30 in which Jesus argues that there is no marriage in the afterlife by hinting that angels are not sexual beings. But perhaps this does not preclude the argument that fallen angelic beings had so invaded the post-fall world as to produce a hybrid offspring with human women. This mythic worldview was common in the ancient Near East. On the other hand, what is also true is that the author of Genesis takes pains to demythologize the creation story in a number of ways. Nevertheless, when it comes to the Flood account, the author seems to reintroduce the possibility that the two spheres of material and immaterial did intersect and produce an offspring (Nephilim?) which God eventually was compelled to destroy in order to set forth the plan of redemption.
1 Peter 3:19-20 does present a connection to Genesis 6:1-4 passage. 1 Peter explicitly makes reference to the days of Noah (1 Peter 3:20). Now admittedly, this text is another example of an enigmatic passage. But looking at it might bring some clarity to the Genesis 6:1-4 text. In 1 Peter, Jesus is held up as the one who secured the victory through his resurrection, and then went and declared that victory to the disobedient spirits from Noah’s day who were temporarily housed in a stronghold or refuge until the final judgment. Jesus’ invasion of that stronghold was the indication that the doom and final judgment of those disobedient spirits was assured and final. The word spirits always refers to angelic or heavenly beings except for Hebrews 12:23 where it collectively refers to departed believers. Elsewhere in the NT it always refers to demons or unclean spirits. So in 1 Peter, Jesus is the Victor who has won a cosmic victory over all of creation both material and immaterial, thus setting in motion an inexorable transformation of the universe!
Where is this gorgeous tree house? Do they offer photoshoot rentals?