On the Fall of the Angels (Nephilim)

I just watched a video that was just made for YouTube by Dr. Gavin Ortlund, a very learned "Reformed Baptist" apologist and pastor. He has made some good videos on bible topics through the years. I do not always agree with him, but I do agree with what he taught in the video I watched today on the correct interpretation of Genesis 6: 1-6 involving the marriage and sexual relations between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men." My view says that the sons of God are fallen angels and that they lusted after human women and took them as their wives, crossing the boundaries God had set for them, and from which a monstrous hybrid of beings were born, called "nephilim" or "giants." The fall of angels mentioned in the new testament (excepting the fall of Satan) is descriptive of what is taking place in Genesis chapter six.

I have written on this some over the years, mostly citing others. For instance, see my citations from the writings of James Montgomery Boice (here). I have also spoken of it when writing upon those passages that speak of Christ going to Hades to preach to the "spirits in prison" (apostle Peter) in my series on the afterlife. (See here and here)

Gavin takes my view, which was also the common view of many ancient Jewish scholars, and of many of the church fathers and the early church. However, he does say that one should not be "super dogmatic" on one of the three main interpretations of Genesis six. I agree; However, I would say that I am dogmatic on my interpretation, because of the reasons Gavin and Boice and others give. The non-angelic view simply is not tenable.

I would like to add one thought in reply to those who say that angels cannot marry or have children. Is not the "man of sin" or "man of lawlessness," who is the same as "the Antichrist" or "the beast" of the Apocalypse, such a hybrid being? Is he not the offspring of Satan and yet also human? Also, even Christ is both human and divine. I showed in my previous writings that Jesus is not saying, in Matthew 22: 30, that the angels who fell and were cast down to Hell cannot marry nor procreate, but is saying that "the angels of heaven," those who are holy and who chose to obey God and to stay within the bounds God set for angels (or who chose to remain holy and loyal to God), cannot therefore marry human women and procreate with them, as did the fallen angels. The "cannot" is not a word of impossibility, but a moral or legal cannot. Holy angels cannot do as the angels did in Genesis six and remain holy, but they "can" do it if they choose and God allows it.

Listen for yourself. I think you will find it interesting. Listen to it (here).