ANGELS WHICH KEPT NOT THEIR FIRST ESTATE
Jude 6 (KJV), “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”
This verse has some interesting connections. Two “related” scripture passages will aid in the exploration of this verse to understand what the verse is referring to.
1 Peter 3:18-20 (KJV), “18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”
2 Peter 2:4-5 (KJV), “4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.
Both passages refer to “Noah.” They both refer to “angels.” To make the connection these passages should be exegeted.
1 Peter 3:18-20. Verse 18 is not difficult because it makes an application of the death and resurrection of Christ and His payment for the sins of the world. Verse 19 has some things that the commentators struggle with. There is a comment by John Phillips about the nature of this passage. He says,
“We have now come to one of the most difficult and controversial passages in the New Testament. No matter where we take our stand, we shall be assailed from all sides!”
With this said, we can proceed with the goal of understanding what Peter is referring to.
The first phrase “By which also” should be understood to refer to the “resurrection” of Christ, which would be the three days while His body was in the grave. Paul gives some meaning to what is taking place when he says in Ephesians 4:9 (KJV), “(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” This verse connects Jesus’ descension into the “lower parts of the earth” and for what reason? The verse before this gives some information that explains Christ descending into the lower parts of the earth. It says in Ephesians 4:8 (KJV), “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” We understand that “Paradise” was in the heart of the earth since the parable of the “Rich man and Lazarus” in Luke 16 indicates this. Lazarus, the beggar, went into “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22) which most consider to be Paradise (Luke 23:43). The “rich man,” the Bible says, died as well, and “in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:23). Since we know hell is in the heart of the earth or “beneath” the earth (Isa. 14:9, 15) the place called Paradise would be there as well (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7). It is worth noting that Paradise is in heaven when Paul was “caught up” there (2 Cor. 12:4). The assumption is that Paradise was moved by Jesus when He “ascended up on high, and led captivity captive” (“Eph. 4:8). The people in Paradise could not enter heaven until Jesus paid the “penalty” for sin and removed the guilt of the Old Testament saints since they could only get their sins forgiven by the animal sacrifices (Lev. 4:35; 19:22 et al), but their “guilt” was not removed (Exo. 34:7; Num. 14:18). When Jesus died on the cross, he paid the penalty for sin and guilt. Jesus accomplished that for those who lived in the Old Testament and did not have the “blood of Christ” to cover their sins as we do. Look at Hebrews 9:14-15 (KJV), “14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” [Emphasis added.] Note the statement about the “first testament.” That is the believers in the Old Testament. That is why He “led captivity captive” into heaven. Jesus descended into hell to set the captives free. Yet, this does not explain 1 Peter 3:19-20 which says, “19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah. . .” The activity described in 1 Peter 3:18-20 is linked with the “days of Noah” (vs. 20). The difficulty here though is what is meant by the phrase “spirits in prison.” The context demonstrates these are the “angels.” The KJV translators were careful about capital letters and did not use them indiscriminately. These “spirits” are those angels who rebelled as will be seen in the next passage explored.
2 Peter 2:4-5
This passage has some differences but also some similarities. Verse 4 states that “God spared not the angels that sinned. . .” This places the angels in the category of free moral agents who can decide to be what they were created for or choose another path. These chose the route of rebellion (sin) and coupled with 1 Peter 3:18-20 the identity of the angels is presented. One commentator calls them “fallen angels.” These are the angels that “sinned” and could be called “fallen” in the sense that Adam’s sin is considered a “fall.” The Bible considers that one who sins or commits iniquity “falls” (Hos. 5:5), or a person who “transgresses” against the “ways of the Lord” (Hos. 14:9), or a person can “fall” and not enter into God’s rest by following an example of unbelief (Heb. 4:11). Thus these angels could be called “fallen angels.” These angels sinned and fell from their position as angels and became “devils.” Some consider these angels who fell did so at the rebellion of Satan (Ezek. 28:15-17). Peter then connects them with the “old world” and the “flood” that destroyed all creatures with the “breath of life” in them (Gen. 7:22) and was on the “dry land.” It should be noted that these two passages in 1 Peter and 2 Peter connects the angels that rebelled are connected with the days of Noah. This leads us to the next passage to be explored.
Genesis 6:1-8
This passage has been (and still is to some degree) a controversial part of the Bible. There are interpretations of this section of Genesis that have drawn a lot of criticism and finger-pointing. Many are called heretics for one interpretation and others claim to be the best at understanding the Bible. We must approach this passage as we have the ones already explored, 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 2 Peter 2:4-5. No expositor of the scripture can claim accuracy until they have explored all the verses and passages that address a subject and allow the Bible to be the interpreter. The passage under consideration here, Genesis 6:1-8, is no different.
Genesis 6:1-2 (KJV), “1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” Some teach that the “daughters of men” (Gen. 6:2), were descendants of Cain, “Cainites” and the “sons of God” (Gen. 6:1) were descendants of Seth, or “Sethites.” This “private interpretation” (2 Pet. 1:20) makes a mistake in understanding humans and God. If the “Sethites” were the godly strain of humans and the “Cainites” were the ungodly strain of humans, this would mean that there was a “godly” race of people and an “ungodly” race of people. There is no such thing. All are sinners (Rom. 3:23; 5:12). A second point is that the marriage of godly people of Seth and ungodly women of Cain does not produce “giants” (Gen. 6:4). This is one of the points that have people misapplying the scripture and coming up with interpretations that do not fit the context or the entire Bible for that matter.
- Looking at Genesis 6 there are other questions to answer. Who are the “daughters of men” (vs. 1)? Genesis 6:1 (KJV), “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them.” When you consider Gen. 6:2 it says “daughters of men” refers to all mankind because of Genesis 6:1. How do we know this is referring to all of mankind? Look at Genesis 6:1 (KJV), “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them.” [Emphasis added.] The “daughters” here are the offspring of mankind. This makes them normal women, not a category of “wicked” women. The “wickedness” of Genesis 6:5 was affecting everyone because the word “man” in this verse is a generic term referencing all humans. There were no “good” sons of Seth and “wicked” women, daughters of Cain. They all had a propensity to wickedness since all humanity has a “sin nature” (Rom. 3:23; 5:12). Romans 5:12 traces “sin” back to the “first man” which would be Adam.
- Who are the “sons of God” (vs. 2, 4)? The interpretation of this phrase will drive the meaning of the passage. The phrase “sons of God” is found five times in the Old Testament. They are Genesis 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7. When the context of the three verses found in Job it is evident that they are in heaven. Satan came before God and the “sons of God” had already presented themselves before the Lord (Job 1:6). The same is stated in Job 2:1. The statement in Job 38:7 is in the period where Job was being informed by God about creation. God asked Job in Job 38:4 (KJV), “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” The “sons of God” were there with the “morning stars” singing and the “sons of God shouted with joy.” According to this verse the “sons of God” existed before the “heavens and earth” were created (Gen. 1:1). Most expositors concur that the “sons of God” were “angels” Note the writers who indicate this position:
- Dr. Henry Morris. He was the author of many books about “creation” and was the man who rescued the “doctrine of Creation” from the Theistic Evolutionists. He authored a study Bible as well. He said, “The identity of these ‘sons of God’ has been a matter of much discussion, but the obvious meaning is that they were angelic beings. This was the uniform interpretation of the ancient Jews. . .”
- Derek Kidner. Kidner, not known as a strong conservative, clarifies his understanding of this passage. He says: “The sons of God are identified by some interpreters as the sons of Seth, over against those of Cain. By others, including early Jewish writers, they are taken to mean angels. If the second view defies the normality of experience, the first defy those of language (and our task is to find the author’s meaning); for while the Old Testament can declare God’s people to be his sons, the normal meaning of the actual term ‘sons of God’ is ‘angels’, and nothing has prepared the reader to assume that ‘men’ now means Cainites only.”
- Dr. Charles Ryrie. Dr. Ryrie gives something for discussion. He says, “The phrase ‘sons of God’ is used in the OT almost exclusively of angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). they took wives for themselves. Angels do not procreate after their kind (Mark 12:25), but if these were angels, they did on this unique occasion cohabit with human women to produce human offspring.” More names could be added to this list which follow the interpretation demonstrated above.
This of course opens a “can of worms” that many think is absurd. How can angels produce humans when they appear to be different although they can appear as men as in Genesis 18-19 and other places? We must deal with the text and leave the explanation to God. If you can come up with a better explanation, I am open for discussion.
NEW TESTAMENT “SONS OF GOD.”
The presence of “sons of God” in the Old Testament causes some confusion as to why the “sons of God” in the Old Testament are not “sons of God” in the New Testament. Believers in Jesus Christ are “sons of God.”. We presented a study some weeks earlier and determined that angels were “created” beings although the Bible does not state when this happened. We know that the angels were present when God “laid the foundations of the earth” (Job 38:4-7). One of the functions of the angels toward believers indicates they are “ministering spirits” to those who inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14), thus they were created before Adam and Eve were created. The question comes up, “Why are believers called ‘sons of God?’” Christians today are “spiritual offspring” of God by the regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemus that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). He also said “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). Our “second birth” is a spiritual birth and our first birth is a physical birth. Look at John 1:12 (KJV), “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Again, look at 1 John 3:2-3 (KJV), “2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” It also says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
NEXT THE “GIANTS” IN THE LAND
GIANTS, MIGHTY MEN, AND NEPHILIM
Jude 6 (KJV), And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. In prior studies this verse was compared with 1 Peter 3:19 and 2 Peter 2:4. Look briefly at these two passages which connect the angels with the flood of Noah. This lends credibility to seeing the “angels which kept not their first estate” with Noah and the flood. These passages led us to what is stated in Genesis 6:4 (KJV), “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” The conclusion was, and still is, that the “sons of God” were the “angels which kept not their first estate” of Jude 6.
Genesis 6:4 contains two of the names mentioned in the title of this study, “giants” and “mighty men.” The word “Nephilim” is the Hebrew word for “giants” and is found one other time in Numbers 13:33 and two times in this reference. One source suggests the following explanation. It says, “The word may be of unknown origin and mean ‘heroes’ or ‘fierce warriors’ etc.” They continue with an explanation and say the word is best transliterated from the Hebrew (Nephilim) as some of the “new” translations which would be “of unknown origin and mean ‘heroes’ or ‘fierce warriors’ etc.” The “giants” are not found only in Genesis 6. A logical conclusion would be that if God destroyed these “giants” then they would not be able to reappear, especially if these were cast “down to hell” (2 Pet. 2:4). One woud think this was the end of these giants, but it was not. Not the following.
- GIANTS IN THE LAND. It is interesting to read what is stated in Numbers 13:33 (KJV), and says, “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” The two times the word “giants” occurs in this verse is also the Hebrew word “Nephilim.” This is the description given when the twelve spies returned from exploring the land of Canaan which was to be the home of the nation of Israel. This description was forceful enough to deter the people and voting not to go into the land which brought about the judgment of God where everyone 20 years of age or older would not be permitted to enter the land (Num. 14:29, see the story in Num. 14:1-38). One problem associated with understanding the “sons of God” being angels is the result of the offspring is that they were “giants” or “mighty men” (Gen. 6:4). The thesis of the passage in Genesis 6 is that the “sons of God” (angels that sinned) and the offspring being “giants” were the major cause of the flood. These angels (“sons of God”) are the ones who “. . .kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation” describes these “sons of God.” The consensus conclusion is that these are “angels” and the offspring had corrupted the human race to the point of total rebellion described in Genesis 6:5 (KJV). “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This does not explain the existence of “giants” after the flood. The response of the twelve spies sent to survey the land Israel was about to occupy brought a negative report by ten of the spies and the nation voted to not go into the land. This brought the judgment of God on the nation and those who rebelled against the two spies, Joshua and Caleb, who reported that God would help them take the land. That would be a large portion of the people in the nation of Israel and God brought judgment on them as stated in Numbers 14:27-30 (KJV), “27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, 30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.” What is interesting, the giants that deterred the nation from obeying God are described in Numbers 13:33 as seen earlier.
The origin of “giants” in the Bible, especially after the flood, is difficult to ascertain. The Genesis 6 narrative is clear as to the origin of the “giants” and “mighty men” is evident. Yet after the flood, they still exist and there is no documentary guide to the origin of “giants” after the flood. The passage in Numbers 13:33 gives a clue to their progeny which is “Anak.” The people who descended from Anak became known as the Anakims (Num. 13:33; Deut. 2:10). They have an interesting history. They were settled in an important part of the land God gave to Israel, Hebron. Abraham moved from “Bethel” (meaning “house of God”) to Hebron which means “association” and can mean “fellowship” (Gen. 13:18). Abraham settled there, and then Isaac did as well Jacob (Gen. 35:27). After the nation moved to Egypt because of the famine, the next resident of Hebron was Caleb. He was 80 years old when Israel finally returned to the land of promise after the sojourn in Egypt. He and Joshua were permitted to select the land they wanted when they resettled Canaan. With Israel out of the land, it was taken over by some people called the “Anakim” (Josh. 14:9-15). There were three sons of Anak dwelling in Hebron and Caleb “expelled” the three sons, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai (Josh. 15:13-14; Judg. 1:20). These sons of Anak knew how important the place called Hebron was and wanted to keep Israel from renewing their relationship with God spiritually. The descendants of Caleb stayed in the land taken by their father (1 Chron. 2:42-55). It is stated in Joshua 14:14-15 (KJV), “14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. 15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.” Note that “Hebron” before was Kirjath-arba, meaning “city of Arba” and Arba was the founder of the city. The giants wanted to keep God’s people from being what they should be for the Lord. There is a devotional application from this study which is very important. The enemy, Satan, the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2)
- MIGHTY MEN & NEPHILIM. The reason for this brief excursion was to show how giants were active and the enemy of God’s people after the flood. If we go back to Genesis 6 it might be helpful to explore something of the text that might enable us to understand what God was doing when He brought the flood to destroy every human on the earth except eight people and also every animal except those which were safely in the ark. Look once again at Genesis 6:1-5 (KJV), “1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” When you read Genesis 6:1 it sounds like the narrative is talking about the beginning of when men began to multiply on the earth. That would take one back to Genesis 4. Look at Genesis 4:17 (KJV), “And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.” That is the first time the word “wife” is mentioned as being with someone else besides Adam. “Wife” is used three times before this and each time it is talking about Adam’s wife (Gen. 2:24, 25; 3:8). When you explore Genesis 6:1-2 they represent a complete sentence with a comma after “them” at the end of vs. 1. The next verse (vs. 3) explains God’s response to what was taking place in vss. 1-2. In addition, we are told in vs. 3 that the period between what takes place in vss. 1-2, and the flood is 120 years. God’s judgment will come at the end of the 120 years. The time period from Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 6:1 according to Ussher’s Chronology is about 1,536 years. If you go back to Genesis 2:4 an interesting statement is made following the seven days of creation (Gen. 1:1-2:4). It says in Genesis 2:4 (KJV), “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” What follows in Genesis 2 is a description of the enhancements God made in the creation such as: (1) a mist was provided to water the entire groundmass (vs. 6); God created a man (vs. 7); God planted a garden “eastward in Eden” and placed the man there (vs. 8); then God caused the ground to produce “every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food” (vs. 9); the “tree of life” was placed garden as well as the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (vs. 9; God placed a “river” which “went out of Eden to water the garden” and this river became four “heads” and named (vss. 10-14); next, God placed the man in the garden to “dress and keep it” (vs. 15); God gave “the man” instructions about the garden and the trees with one exception, the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” (vss. 16-17). At this point, vs. 18, God instructed Adam to name the animals and God would “make a help meet for him” (vs. 18), but Adam would look for a “help meet” for himself (vs. 20) while naming the animals; finally, God put Adam to sleep and took a rib out his side and made a woman (vss. 21-23). The next section of the saga of Adam and Eve is Genesis 3 which chronicles the fall and its consequences. Genesis 4 gives an account of the birth of the first two children, Cain and Able. This chapter gives the saga of the murder of Able and the birth of Seth. Genesis 5 gives a “book of generations of Adam” ending with Noah (Gen. 5:32). The point being made is that Genesis 6 fits into Genesis 4 which states in verse 1 that “. . .when began to multiply on the face of the earth. . .” That event began with Adam and Eve procreating two sons. The critic would say well did they have daughters? The text does not engage in a statement about women being born to Adam and Eve but it does state in Genesis 6:1 that took place. God wanted the reader of the Bible to know that women were being born as well as men. Most overlook Genesis 5:4 (KJV), “And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters.” Adam and Eve gave birth to sons and daughters. The phrase “sons and daughters” occurs nine times in Genesis 5. The first one is Adam begetting sons and daughters. Then Seth (Gen. 5:7) begat “sons and daughters” as did Enos (Gen. 5:10), Cainan (Gen. 5:13), Mahalaleel (Gen. 5:16), Jared (Gen. 5:19), Enoch (Gen. 5:22), Methuselah (Gen. 5:26), and Lamech (Gen. 5:30). Now notice Genesis 5:32 (KJV), “And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” It says nothing about daughters, which seems unusual since all the other descendants of Adam in Genesis 5 begat daughters. Genesis 6:1 begins with the beginning of men having children and “. . .daughters were born unto them.” It is my conviction that Genesis 6:1 fits here and extends the statements of the population of the earth with people. The problem is that the people became contaminated and the “sin nature” produced by Adam was passed to every human born on the earth. It says in Romans 5:12-14 (KJV), “12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. The nature of man was contaminated by Adam’s sin yet the “sons of God” brought another level of contamination in that the race was unnatural and if left to continue would possibly give Satan an edge with humanity that God did not want him to have. We are not told that and this is pure speculation on my part. It is clear of the battle that was established when God stated to Satan in Genesis 3:15 (KJV), “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. The battle was engaged there and Satan has tried everything he can imagine to stop the plan and purpose of God for man. The “temptation” of Jesus by Satan was not imaginary, it was real. Do you know why Jesus is called the “last Adam?” (1 Cor. 15:45).