Genesis 6--Noah Notes
As I mentioned this past weekend in speaking on Noah/Ark, a couple of topics rise to the surface:
1. Who are the "sons of God" who had sex with women on the earth (Genesis 6:2-4)?
2. How could people live hundreds of years of age in the ancient world (Adam lived 930 years, Noah lived 950 years)?
Let me quickly tackle these. The phrase "sons of God" generally refers to angels in the Old Testament. Many scholars believe that what's happening in Gen. 6 is that fallen angels (also known as evil spirits) are either having intercourse with the women of earth themselves; or, they have possessed the bodies of men who are marrying women and having sex. Regardless, these unions are producing a race of strange beings called Nephilim (see Numbers 13:31-33). These Nephilim were a race of gians...the word Nephilim means "fallen ones." For further information, go to www.gotquestions.org/Nephilim.
What about the length of life in the Old Testament? In 4,000 B.C., people like Adam and Methuselah and others lived past 900 years of age! And then by 2,000 B.C., people like Abraham lived to 175 years of age. But by around 1,000 B.C., David only lived to 71 years of age. What's going on? My simple answer--NO McDonalds and NO Krispy Kreme donuts!!
Seriously, this is confusing stuff. I've read a bunch of theories--fewer viruses back then, a pre-flood canopy or vapor covered the earth and filtered out radiation, sin had yet to wreck the planet, etc. I'm pretty clueless. I'd encourage others to blog on this and point you to www.reason.org (go to Facts for Faith, Issue 5, article on "long life span") for further reading.
1. Who are the "sons of God" who had sex with women on the earth (Genesis 6:2-4)?
2. How could people live hundreds of years of age in the ancient world (Adam lived 930 years, Noah lived 950 years)?
Let me quickly tackle these. The phrase "sons of God" generally refers to angels in the Old Testament. Many scholars believe that what's happening in Gen. 6 is that fallen angels (also known as evil spirits) are either having intercourse with the women of earth themselves; or, they have possessed the bodies of men who are marrying women and having sex. Regardless, these unions are producing a race of strange beings called Nephilim (see Numbers 13:31-33). These Nephilim were a race of gians...the word Nephilim means "fallen ones." For further information, go to www.gotquestions.org/Nephilim.
What about the length of life in the Old Testament? In 4,000 B.C., people like Adam and Methuselah and others lived past 900 years of age! And then by 2,000 B.C., people like Abraham lived to 175 years of age. But by around 1,000 B.C., David only lived to 71 years of age. What's going on? My simple answer--NO McDonalds and NO Krispy Kreme donuts!!
Seriously, this is confusing stuff. I've read a bunch of theories--fewer viruses back then, a pre-flood canopy or vapor covered the earth and filtered out radiation, sin had yet to wreck the planet, etc. I'm pretty clueless. I'd encourage others to blog on this and point you to www.reason.org (go to Facts for Faith, Issue 5, article on "long life span") for further reading.
posted by Pastor Phil Print at 11:18 AM
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