Chapter 6:1-4

Eventually, if you are going to go through Genesis, you must talk about the beginning of Chapter 6. There are so many disagreements over what is going on in this chapter, that one must tread lightly, and allow the text to humble you.

Verse one starts off very simply saying that there are daughters being born, then comes the difficult phrase dealing with the “Sons of God.” Who are these “sons of God?” Three common possibilities arise. 1) They are angels. 2) They are kings or rulers. 3) They are men from the line of Seth. The third option seems to me the weakest of all the arguments. The second argument has support, and is easiest on the modern readers mind. However, the first argument may actually be correct. (They all could be correct, I just seem to favor the first option, as crazy as you may call me for saying so!)

Yes, I know angels may not have physical bodies. Yes, I know many argue that angels do not marry (Matthew 22). Yes, I know that it sounds strange. But, Jude makes us believe that some angels left there natural place and were punished for it. It also makes it seem that their “crime” was sexual in nature. We also know from the gospels that angels (demons) can possess a human body and make them do things. Therefore, without spending a lot of ink (or screen space) on this verse, I believe that the Sons of God are angels.

The next headache deals with the Nephilim. We do not know. They might be giants. They might be great warriors. They are mention pre and post flood. It seems that they were the children of the previously mentioned “sons of God” but the obscure grammar makes even that thought questionable. I imagine them to be large warriors, and no positive thing is ever said about them.

Next. What about the 120 years? Does this mean that man will not live more than 120 years? If you think this is the case, then you must say that God gives some believers extra grace, as we will see that they will live longer than 120 years of age. It seems to be easier to argue that the 120 years is how long before God will destroy the world.

However you answer all these questions, the main point remains the same. Things are going poorly and God does not like the state of a sinful world. The 120 years, whether age of man, or a countdown until judgment shows that when God looks upon the sin of the world, He means to bring an end to it. Therefore, we look with hope to a time when God acts against sin, and brings redemption.