Greetings,
Last week we left off in the midst of our discussion on how the angels were able to procreate with human women as described in Genesis 6:1-4. We also realized that although Lucifer had already rebelled, it is unlikely that he was involved in this since he was not locked up like the angels that were involved (2 Peter 2:4). On this note we will resume our discussion as we seek to understand the difference between fallen angels and demons.
I want to make you aware of an ancient text known as 1 Enoch. Although it is not canonized, it is quoted by the Bible and gives information that the Bible is relatively silent on. Note how it is quoted by the Bible:
“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” (Jude 14-15)
“And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones, To execute judgment upon all, and to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” (1 Enoch 1:9)
The following quote is from the book of 1 Enoch and if it is correct, it sheds additional light on the incident of Genesis 6:1-4 and helps us to understand that there were exactly 200 angels involved in the incident. Furthermore, the record in 1 Enoch confirms what I pointed out in the last email. Lucifer had little if anything to do with this rebellion. His name is not listed among the names of the captains.
“And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and beget us children…' Then sware they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders: Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel, Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqlel, Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of tens.” (1 Enoch 6:1-3a, 5b-8)
Thus far everything that we have discussed has been in relation to angels. However, now that we have established what Genesis 6 actually explains we can move on. The word translated as “giants” in the book of Genesis is the Hebrew word nephilim. It was primarily due to nephilim activity that the flood was sent. This activity threatened a pure human seed which would be necessary to bring about the birth of the Messiah. God could not let that happen. Moreover, this activity also played a role in bringing about total lawlessness and evil (Genesis 6:5).
After the flood the nephilim show up again, particularly in the Promised Land (Canaan). When they show up there are different races of them:
Ø Rephaims: a tall ancient people in the land east of the Jordan. The dead ones (Genesis 14:5)
Ø Emims: Fearful ones (Deuteronomy 2:11-12)
Ø Anakims: long necked ones (Deuteronomy 2:11-12)
Ø Zamzummims (Deuteronomy 2:20)
Ø Horims: a race of nephilim conquered by the descendants of Esau (Deuteronomy 2:12)
Ø Avims: Conquered by the Caphtorims (Deuteronomy 2:23)
Ø Caphtorims: giants from the lineage of Mizraim (Egypt) (1 Chronicles 1:11-12)
Etymologically related to the Hebrew word Rephaim (one of the tribes of the giants) is the Hebrew word rapha. They both carry the connotation of being dead—rapha referring to the dead Rephaim. It is no coincidence that rapha actually means ghost or shade according to Strong’s Concordance. This leads us to a particularly interesting passage in the book of Isaiah.
“They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish.” (Isaiah 26:14 NKJV)
This passage is speaking to the resurrection of the dead. How are there some “deceased” that will not rise? I bolded the word deceased because it is translated from the Hebrew word rapha. Remember that while this word means ghost and shade it is etymologically related to the word Rephaim. In essence, Isaiah is actually saying that as ghosts, the spirits of dead nephilim will not have a resurrection. Trying to interpret it as pertaining to humans is straightforwardly impossible; this is the only conclusion that makes sense.
The Bible is clear that all humans will have a resurrection. From the book of Revelation we learn that there are two resurrections. One resurrection is for those that have died in Christ (Revelation 20:5-6) and the other is for everyone else (Revelation 20:12-13). The important point is that every human will experience a resurrection for judgment at some point. It is impossible to be human and not receive a resurrection.
Isaiah’s comment in regards to the word rapha is actually for the purpose of setting up a comparison. Just a few verses later Isaiah continues to speak to the resurrection of the dead. He is intentionally making a distinction between human spirits and nephil spirits.
“Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.” (Isaiah 26:19 NKJV)
Although the Bible doesn’t specifically tell us what happens to the spirits of dead nephilim, the fact that the word rapha means ghosts or shades is enough to draw our conclusion. Demons are not angels, but the disembodied spirits of dead nephilim. Having proven this with the Bible, we can verify it by returning to the account of 1 Enoch.
“And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men and from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.” (1 Enoch 15:8-12)
To be continued…
