Principalities and Powers - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

(The bigger they are...)

Shabbat Shalom Kol Yisrael. It is our great pleasure to present this week's Torah Parsha commentary by Nazarene Yisraelite Rabbi T. (Mordecai) Mitchell, Rabbi and Rosh Zaken of B'nai Yeshurun Nazarene Yisraelite Synagogue, Kittanning, Pa. and board member of the Union of Nazarene Yisraelite Congregations. This week we begin again a new cycle of Torah readings. For the next few months we will go through one of my personal favorites, Bereshith (Genesis). It is my opinion (although not by any means exclusively mine) that in order to understand the remainder of Scripture ( on through Revelation) it is necessary to first gain as much understanding of Bereshith as possible. Our Parsha this week is: Bereshith (Genesis) 1:1 to 6:8. The name of this Parsha is the same as the name of this first book of Torah, Bereshith. Our Haftarah is YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 42:5 to 43:10. Our suggested Brit Chadasha readings are Yochanan (John) 1:1 – 18 and Revelation 22:1 – 5. Please also read Tehillim (Psalms) 113, 117 and 127.

In past commentaries we took rather in-depth looks at some of the more esoteric or SOD Level aspects of Bereshith (the first six chapters). We should understand that there is no discrepancy between the Bible and true science. With that in mind we also need to understand that the creation account given in the first two chapters is not a “story” about the creation of a new world, but rather it is the account of the re-creation of an earth that was suddenly thrown into a state of chaos, confusion and darkness, and all but totally destroyed.

While these teachings are vital to our proper understanding of Bereshith, this week I'd like to take a departure from some of the teachings we have discussed several times in the past years. This week I'd like to examine a controversial and sometimes ignored subject: Who are the “Sons of Elohim?”

We first encounter the term “sons of Elohim” in Bereshith 6:2 The sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men, that they were good (KJV: fair). And they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

The “controversy” regarding this verse arises from two opinions. One opinion says simply that these “sons” could not be angels. The proponents of this view contend that angels are purely spiritual (non-corporeal) beings and therefore cannot have or manifest corporeal (human – flesh and blood) attributes. A differing opinion, owever, is that these “sons” were indeed angels. Not only were they mere angels, but the same angelic beings who rebelled against Yahweh and were cast down to the earth.

According to the opinion expressed by many notable Jewish scholars, these angels (entities) in Bereshith 6:2 were one of 10 races of angels. They were capable of manifesting human characteristics and therefore capable of procreation with humans.

View point two is borne out in the Zohar and also Sefer Chanoch, (The Book of Enoch).

It is noteworthy that in the Sefer Chanoch (Translation/version by James Trim) calls the sons “angels.”

Chanoch 6:2 And the angels, the children of the heaven, saws and lusted after them (the daughters of men as mentioned in 6:1) and said to one another: 'Come, let us choose us wives from among the children of men and begat us children.' (Chanoch Chapter 6:7, 8 lists the names of 20 of these angels. Chapters 7 and 8 outline some of the details of the angels relationship with mankind).

After a long and careful study of this subject, it is our opinion that the sons of Elohim mentioned in Bereshith 6:2 were indeed the very same angelic beings thrown out of the heavens and cast down to the earth in the immediate aftermath of haSatan's rebellion.

Additional support for the idea that angels played (and continue to play) an important role in the lives or men is found in Bereshith 1:26 And Elohim said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock. And over all the earth and over all creeping creatures that creep on the earth.”

We must note here that this is the first instance where Yahweh involves “others” (faithful angels) in His acts of creation. All that was created during the first five days of creation did not involve any entity but “Elohim.” Certainly it could be debated that the “Us” in Verse 26 could well be a reference to the pre-existent Yahshua (Yahweh Himself, later manifested in the flesh as Yahshua). Keep in mind that “Elohim” is a unique uni-plural noun. However, from the sense of the reading, we may correctly assume that more than “two”, or a dual entity, were involved in the creation of man – Adam Kadmon.

Another Scripture tied to this, and worthy of additional consideration, is found in Iyob (Job) 1:6 And the day came to be that the sons of Elohim came to present themselves before YHWH, and haSatan also came among them.

Note, that the Satan was “among” the sons of Elohim. According to rabbinical teachings, that day was Rosh HaShannah – a commanded convocation. Why would fallen angels, accompanied by their chief, haSatan, “present themselves before YHWH on a High Holy Day? One answer is found in Iyob 1:9 And Satan answered YHWH, and said, “Is Iyob fearing Elohim for naught?...” Satan and his demon hoards often choose the most sacred times to accuse and attack those loyal to Yahweh. We must also consider that throughout the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) we read of demonic activity. Yahshua, and later His disciples, cast demons out of a number of people.

Are these sons of Elohim in Bereshith 6:2 fallen angels capable of manifesting some very human traits and capabilities? It is my personal belief that the sons of Elohim mentioned here were indeed a race of angelic beings who previously opposed the will of Yahweh and rebelled against Him in many ways, including pro-creating with humans.

The offspring of these illicit relationships produced a race of “giants,” called Nephilim in the ISR version. Bereshith 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of Elohim came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, the men of name.

The term Nephilim (plural of Nephal, rendered as 'giants' in the KJV) is 5307 in Strong's Concordance. The word is “naphal” meaning “to fall,” “divide,” “fugitive” “overthrow,” and “present,” among other meanings.

In the Companion Bible, Appendix 25, Bullinger offers some interesting insights to this subject.

Bullinger draws from Scripture to support his opinion. He points out that the “fallen ones” were evidentially “...great in size, as well as great in wickedness. They were superhuman, abnormal beings, and their destruction was necessary for the preservation of the human race and for the faithfulness of (Yahweh's) word.”

Bullinger further contends that the Nephilim were mostly confined to the area of Canaan, and became known as (or closely associated with) “The nations of Canaan.” It is apparent that this “giant” violent and warlike race of peoples was never completely destroyed. While all human life was destroyed in the Great Flood, we can safely assume that some of the superhuman beings were not.

We now consider the survivability of the Nephilim in the account of David and Goliath, in 1 Shemu'el 17:4 – 7 where Goliath is described.

1 Shemu'el 17:4 Then a champion* came out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath** from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span***.

5 And a bronze helmet was on his head and he was armed with a scaled armour, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze,

6 and bronze shin guards on his legs and a bronze spear between his shoulders.

7 And the wood of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his iron spearhead weighted six hundred shekels, and a shield bearer went before him.

* Champion is “ish-habbenayim” in Hebrew and means “...the man between the two hosts,” or a duelist. I must wonder if this could also be a hint that Goliath was two distinct natures, human and angelic (fallen ones) or that he was half-human and half demon.

** The name Goliath is 1540 in the Strong's and means “to denude” and “shamelessly reveal.”

*** Span: The exact measurement cannot be determined precisely, however, there is little doubt that Goliath was more than 10-feet tall.

There are other references to Nephilim found in such passages as Bemidbar (Numbers) 13: 32 – 33

13:32 (An evil report of the ten spies) “...The land through which we have gone as spies is a land eating up its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size.

33 “And we saw there the Nephilim, sons of Anaq, of the Nephilim. And we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, as so we were in their eyes.”

Of all the spies, 12 in all, only Yehoshua and Calev gave a glowing report and attempted to encourage the people with their words, confident that “size” or seemingly overwhelming odds, isn't a consideration when Yahweh is on our side. We may have noticed the phrase, “And we were like grasshoppers in our own eyes...” We are as we see ourselves and as we think of ourselves. In Revelation 1:6 and 5:10, we read that Almighty Yahweh made us to be kings and priests in His soon coming Kingdom. These verses are based on Shemoth (Exodus) 19:5 and 6. Also, read 1 Kepha (1 Peter) 2:9. True kings and priests are not fearful cowards.

Goliath had armour, but Yahweh has also given us armour. Please read Ephesians 6:13 –18. In verse 18, our greatest weapon is prayer – deep, heartfelt, personal prayer.

Today we may see no evidence of physically manifested Nephilim. However, the enemy is there, nonetheless. Ephesians 6:12 Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies.

A vital part of our calling is to rise to the occasion of spiritual warfare. This is why we have been chosen. Therefore we must learn to work together in unity and truth. We must learn to have and cultivate strength and courage.

May Almighty Yahweh bless us all, through Yashshua our Messiah, the most courageous one, as we seek to learn more of His ways and go deeper into his Word.

...

A realization that helped us was to understand that despair and fear are among the worst sins. The Nephilim were large on the outside, but Almighty Abba Yahweh make us large on the inside. While evil angels seek to assail us in many ways, Yahweh sends us his faithful angels to put a hedge or shield about us. The spirit world is indeed quite real, believe it! Do not ever scoff at or underestimate the power of the spiritual side.

On a final note, remember that if we remain “attached” to Yahweh, then everything that happens, even seemingly “bad” things, are for the best. The Rabbis say “Gam zu l'tovah” to the suffering. You may have guessed, “Gam zu l'tovah,” means “Everything is for the best.”

We hope and pray these words have served to encourage, strengthen and enlighten all. We thank you for your prayers and letters and e-mails of support during our difficult time, but as we just said, “Gam zu l'tovah.”

Questions or comments about this commentary may be addressed to Rav Mordecai by e-mail at: yoel@arm-tek.net

B'nai Yeshurun (formerly Yahshua Ohr HaOlam) may undergo some changes (for the better) in it's organizational structure. More details will be posted in the near future, Yahweh willing.

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Not all the views expressed in this article are necessarily those of MLT. We believe the nefilim are physical as well as non-corporeal and that they are here today in both forms.

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