Putting the Pieces Together

The church I knew as a child, evolved out of events sometimes known as, “The Great Disappointment.” This so called “disappointment” describes the experience of a group of 19^th century Millerites who came to believe October 22, 1844 was the day when the second coming of Christ would occur and thus they were waiting eagerly for this anticipated event. These folks were so convinced of their interpretation of Bible prophecy (which they believed predicted the timing of this event) that many of them had given away possessions and left crops unharvested in the fields. When Christ did not come as they had predicted, these folks were not only greatly disappointed but they also had to pick up all the loose threads of their lives and get on with life. Many returned to the various churches and denominations out of which they had come – but a smaller remnant stuck together, refusing to admit their error, convinced they had gotten the date right but that it was for a different event.

As this group evolved into a denomination over the next number of years, their theology also evolved. Many of the beliefs and doctrines central to most Christian denominations and certainly the essential core beliefs held by those initial members of this growing movement were retained; but they also developed a number of unique and peculiar distinctives as well. Central to the evolution of this denomination was (and always had been) it’s focus on eschatology and the second Advent. One could say in fact, that the views on the second coming were fixed and firmly in place while their theological beliefs and doctrinal distinctives were subsequent to and formed around the core advent beliefs.

It is my view that one can not understand the points I wish to address next unless they know this bit of history. To the extent we are all shaped to some extent by our history and circumstances, I believe that this process is not unique to the denomination I was raised in; thus we find many Christian denominations today with peculiar distinctives and views which continue to go largely accepted and rarely questioned. Sometimes this process can even result in such views being read into scripture rather than emerging from scripture.

I left my church in my early 20’s. What I did not realize at the time was the unique blend of faulty end-time views, peculiar distinctives and unique doctrines had come to form my overall view of both the church in particular as well as Christianity in general. Indeed, I could not even begin to realize this until many years later when, after having accepted the gospel message, I began to vet each distinctive, each unique doctrine and most of my earlier teachings and suppositions against relevant Biblical teaching and passages.

This vetting process is ongoing and continues to this day - especially with respect to areas I regard as “missing but unavoidable.” By this phrase I mean certain views or doctrinal statements that, while not regarded as “essential” core Christian beliefs, are nevertheless both important and unavoidable. Included within this category are many of those doctrines and distinctives I was raised with that differ from positions taken by most traditional evangelical churches. Where possible, I feel compelled to continue comparing and examining each subject closely and carefully seeking truth and scriptural clarity.

 

Recently I saw the meme on-line, “If you continue to carry the bricks from your past, you will end up building the same house.” This quote really resonated with me and captures the essence of what I’ve been trying to say thus far. Having left the church of my youth, I essentially moved out of the “old” house and was content to “wander the street” for quite a long time. I was neither ready nor willing to move into another house but chose to explore other options instead. But the time did arrive when I was finally ready for a new house and I did not want to simply build a copy of the old uninhabitable house I had left many years earlier. I’m slowly coming to realize however, that there are many features from that old house that are worth preserving and incorporating into the new house.

To take this metaphor even further, some of “the bricks” are important to keep and some definitely need replacing – but which is which and replaced with what. The critical place to start is at the foundation and the only solid foundation would have to consist of Biblical truth. The core, essential Christian beliefs would have to form the footings of that foundation. Those beliefs include: the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension to the Father, His promised return and everything else he taught while He was here on earth. Secondarily to that (but still fully supported and based in Scripture) would be those church teachings and doctrines which emerged over time beginning with His earliest followers. This, then, is the puzzle I’ve found myself working on to a greater or lesser extent since returning to Christianity.

It is on certain of those “missing but unavoidable” areas that I want to focus the rest of this essay.

Broad, unanimous agreement within the Christian church is missing on some of these matters therefore such topics are often overlooked, avoided or viewed as having only secondary importance (because they are regarded as not essential for our salvation). Nevertheless, these views are held as doctrinal and distinctive within some denominations which means they can not be easily set aside with the explanation that they are “non-essential.” Other topics are more the subject of difference among individuals within a denomination – nevertheless they still can be divisive at times. But “secondary” or not, they are not so esoteric as to be unimportant. Frankly, one might even be led to wonder if such matters are indeed so “non-essential” if they could rightly be ignored or avoided altogether or perhaps even handled carelessly without consequence. Personally, I do not believe so. After all, these are all areas on which there is scriptural comment and they are highly relevant to the human experience: they help shape one’s views of both this life as well as anything which is to follow.

So... how is one to proceed with such “non-essential” topics.... It seemed reasonable to me that any new (to me) but firmly held belief, to which I get exposed, should be able to stand up to tough and probing scrutiny. So with regard to these related subjects, I did not want to simply replace one previously held “erroneous” belief with another equally faulty view (based largely on preconceived or long held assumptions heavily influenced by earlier teaching) imposed on or read into the Biblical text. Testing the veracity of the topic under study by comparing it to the actual text and context seems the ideal manner to proceed with any serious study. It seems to me that the truth of any belief system should be consistent with the data and facts as uncovered through Bible study and where beliefs differ from the text and data, the belief system would have to be seriously reconsidered in favour of the facts.

Despite such an approach seeming to be rational enough, I was surprised to find out how frustrating this process would become. Most people I’ve talked with over the years seem in agreement with this approach ... at least, it turns out, until it is their own beliefs that come under scrutiny. Even those who claim an open mind or say they only hold to a view “loosely” can respond with surprising irritation and act as if a nerve has been struck when certain views are held up to in-depth scrutiny ... especially if/when they seem to be contrary to the facts. In fact, it is fairly common to see individuals reject the actual truth when it contradicts their beliefs. Thus this journey is often a very lonely one at times.

 

Heaven, Hell and The Second Coming

One topic that has come under heavy scrutiny in my vetting process that has been both unavoidable and about which there is little or no agreement is: What happens at the end of one’s life here on this earth? Life, death and what (if anything) lies beyond the grave are topics about which most everyone either holds some belief or at least wonders about and are thus unavoidable. One can not abandon any earlier held belief on subjects such as these without replacing it with something because beliefs play such an important role in how one lives their life. The position taken by both individuals and churches on each of these topics will play a large part in how they go on to define their role, mission, use of resources and activities.

It’s been said that nobody gets out of here alive. Is this true? Is there a time coming in which this might not be the case? What about Heaven or Hell – there are a multitude of beliefs on what these places might be all about - as well as when and how one might end up there. Even in many non Christian traditions and cultures there are beliefs which hold that one’s ancestors are still around in existence somewhere.

On the subject of Hell, specifically with respect to the place where the wicked are kept conscious and suffer torment eternally, I have already written much. It is not my intention to repeat here what I’ve already written elsewhere (but I would be happy to provide those thoughts to anyone who wishes to access and read them). Simply put, I reject the traditional concept of Hell completely and believe the Bible more properly teaches what is often referred to as conditional immortality aka annihilation-ism as the final punishment and end for evil and the unrepentant wicked. Such a final end/state is arrived at following the final judgment (as spoken of in Revelation) and after having then been consigned to the lake of fire and thereby consumed – gone for eternity.

Some of the confusing (dare I say dystopian) views of both Heaven and Hell appear to have survived the early churches repeated flirtations with Neoplatonism and Gnosticism and endorsed largely through the teaching of Augustine (though not exclusively). This seems to be particularly the case with regard to the Platonic/Gnostic dualistic understanding of body and soul (believing the soul to be immortal as opposed to the body made up of matter and thus mortal).

In the article, Gnosticism and Plato taken from “The Encyclopedia of Plato,” we find the following:

“The leading figures of Gnosticism fused Eastern mythical imagery and religious symbols with personified philosophical concepts, and composed narratives, exquisitely intricate at times, that satisfied the intellect, and brought satisfaction to the hearts of their devotees. Their Greek-inspired model of the universe, with Earth at its center, the spheres of the seven planets in between and the realm of the fixed stars in its outer fringes, functioned as the stage of an existential drama of cosmic proportions, repeated at the birth of every individual human being. A great number of supernatural beings (Aeons, Angels, Archons, etc.) filled in the space between Heaven and Earth, and exerted their influence, sometimes beneficial, other times harmful, on the descent and ascent of the souls.”

In his article titled, “Gnosticism and the Human Body” David Koyzis writes:

“The Gnostics held that salvation is attained through a higher knowledge (gnosis in Greek) unavailable to most people. Borrowing from the philosopher Plato, they taught that redemption comes from nurturing the intellect and deprecating our corporeal existence. Because the mind was deemed superior to the body, captive as it is to the forces of decay and the messiness of ordinary existence, the Gnostics sought to free the mind from the prison of the body and managed to read this into Christian doctrine. The survival of an immortal soul after death replaced the biblical hope of bodily resurrection and a new heaven and new earth.... (emphasis added)

...Remarkably, the notion that I can do with my body as I please is predicated on the very Gnostic dualism that plagued the early church. The real “me” is a transcendent ego that “uses” its body for its own desired purposes. The opposition between the ego and the body, coupled with the belief in the supremacy of the ego, produces a society in which everyone is thought to have absolute ownership over this biological dwelling he or she just happens to inhabit.”

The following is from the article, “Immortality of the Soul and Gnosis”

“(By Freemason, Gnostic and author, Hank Kraychir) – The term “Immortality of the Soul” should not be a foreign concept to the Enlightened Mason. In fact, Albert Pike, author of Morals and Dogma (1871) wrote about the topic extensively, like on page 622;

“Among all the nations of primitive antiquity, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul was not a mere probable hypothesis, needing laborious researches and diffuse argumentation to produce conviction of its truth. Nor can we hardly give it the name of Faith; for it was a lively certainty, like the feeling of one’s own existence and identity, and of what is actually present; exerting its influence on all sublunary affairs, and the motive of mightier deeds and enterprises than any mere earthly interest could inspire.”

From their work titled, “Care for the soul: exploring the intersection of psychology & theology,” McMinn & Phillips (2001), pp. 107–8:

“A broad consensus emerged among biblical and theological scholars that soul-body dualism is a Platonic, Hellenistic idea that is not found anywhere in the Bible. The Bible, from cover to cover, promotes what they call the "Hebrew concept of the whole person." GC Berkouwer writes that the biblical view is always holistic, that in the Bible the soul is never ascribed any special religious significance. Werner Jaeger writes that soul-body dualism is a bizarre idea that has been read into the Bible by misguided church fathers such as Augustine. Rudolf Bultmann writes that Paul uses the word soma (body) to refer to the whole person, the self, so that there is not a soul and body, but rather the body is the whole thing. This interpretation of Pauline anthropology has been a theme in much subsequent Pauline scholarship.”

Not only has this Gnostic heresy infected what has come to be the “traditional” basis for teachings on Hell and Hell-fire, it has also infected many of the ideas concerning Heaven and what follows our earthly existence in general. But... so much for Hell... that (for me) was the easier piece to come to a conclusion on... what about Heaven? In sorting through a multitude of viewpoints related to Heaven, an intermediate state and/or the second coming of Jesus – all subjects which differ in one way or another from what I learned as a young person – I found myself caught in a tangled-up, confusing, spider-web of ideas.

First, I certainly do believe in Heaven – it is real – so far no confusion. So then, is Heaven a place to which we go (or does it come here) and in either case – when? Is it the place where our disembodied souls go to be with the Lord until the resurrection at the end of time? Is there a “Rapture” in the picture some where and if so, when? Is there something called a “Millennium” and if so when does that happen? Does it happen before the end of time or after? Before Jesus returns or after? I believe Jesus is coming back just as He promised... so when, in the mix of questions I just asked, will that be?

In looking at alternate eschatological belief systems (different from the one I grew up with) and in an effort to address some of those confusing views and questions related to the whole topic, I first became attracted to and accepted the pre-millennial, pre-tribulation rapture theory. For several years this was the subject of a lot of my reading, videos I watched and general study I engaged in. The more I studied and the deeper I dug, the more I became dissatisfied and uncomfortable with this particular belief system. For me it simply fails to stand-up to the text of scripture and it raises questions about assumptions one has to make in order to adopt such a view. The other competing views, all related to the millennium, have their own points of attraction as well but also a set of problems to overcome textually as well. So the question must be asked, “Are we trying to make the text say or read into the text, something it was never meant to say?”

It was not until I came to realize that we do not have to subscribe to any of the afore mentioned systems in order to hold a belief in the second coming of Jesus and a New Heaven and New Earth. In reference to the various popular eschatological systems, Dr Michael Heiser says that after holding to certain assumptions, the only reason people say or write certain things is to prop up their particular system. He states:

“In other words, their system gets in the way of the text. We're not about systems here. We're about the text. If we're going to do biblical theology, by definition it needs to be about the text, not a system that we've constructed and bring to the text and then have to adjust the text to fit the system. That's not what we do here. But you'll see that. Even though this seems like an obvious thing, we have to point it out because this is what certain writers will do.”

In the beginning when God created the Heavens and the Earth, He had a plan in mind. He created us with a purpose in mind as a part of that creation and I believe in the end He will have achieved exactly what He planned for. There is no Plan B. I do not believe there is any plan for a great evacuation i.e. rapture - with the church somehow functioning in a kind of rearguard action for purposes of restraining the Antichrist and the forces of evil. It does seem highly likely however, that as we approach the final days before Jesus returns, that things are (and will continue) getting worse with more and increasing persecution of the followers of Christ. Jesus told us what to expect and what the signs would be concerning those times. He also assured us not to worry and that He will be with us through it all. He has reminded us that He has “overcome the world” and also assured us that His church will prevail against the very “gates of Hell.”

From the beginning when humans were created, the earth has been the home of man. “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Genesis 1:26 We are told that this was the process, “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7

Once we were created, we were given a commission, responsibility and all the necessary authority. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:27-28

Thus it seems pretty clear to me that God (who had created his family within the unseen/spiritual realm) desired, planned for and created his human family within the physical/material realm. Indeed, we were formed from the very substance of this earth which he first created and then he blew into us His breath of life (Genesis 2:7, Ecclesiastes 3:19-21). It seems therefore, that God created the earth for man’s habitation and man, in turn, to populate, care for, civilize and administrate that realm. Further I believe the Bible shows that it has always been God’s plan to bring both Heaven (His dwelling place) and Earth together. As it was in Eden, so it will be again with His whole family once more together (Isaiah 65:17-19, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21).

Here, I would like to quote Dr. J. Richard Middleton a Biblical scholar:

“In the context of the ancient Near East (which is the Bible’s original context), rule of the earth refers most basically to the development of agriculture and animal husbandry, which are the basis of human societal organization, and ultimately includes the development of all aspects of culture, technology and civilization. To put it another way, while various psalms (like 148 and 96) indeed call upon all creatures (humans included) to worship or serve God in the cosmic temple of creation (heaven and earth), the distinctive way humans worship or render service to the Creator is by the development of culture through interaction with our earthly environment (in a manner that glorifies God).”

As a footnote to this quote, the author adds:

“This is not meant to exclude what we call “worship” from the appropriate human response to God. My point is twofold. First, the cultural development of the earth, rather than “worship” narrowly conceived, is explicitly stated to be the human purpose in biblical texts recounting the creation of humanity. “Worship” in the narrow sense may be understood as part of human cultural activity. Second, we should not reduce human worship/service of God to verbal, emotionally charged expressions of praise (which is what we usually mean by the term). Note that Paul in Romans 12:1‐2 borrows language of sacrifice and liturgy from Israel’s cult in order to describe full‐orbed bodily obedience (which, he says, is our true worship). This is the Bible’s typical emphasis.”

In “Journal for Christian Theological Research, and from a paper titled: “A New Heaven and a New Earth: The Case for a Holistic Reading of the Biblical Story of Redemption”

To the above, I would like to add something from Professor N. T. Wright and taken from the article, “The New Testament Doesn’t Say What Most People Think It Does About Heaven:”

“One of the central stories of the Bible, many people believe, is that there is a heaven and an earth and that human souls have been exiled from heaven and are serving out time here on earth until they can return. Indeed, for most modern Christians, the idea of “going to heaven when you die” is not simply one belief among others, but the one that seems to give a point to it all.

But the people who believed in that kind of “heaven” when the New Testament was written were not the early Christians. They were the “Middle Platonists”....

...The followers of the Jesus-movement that grew up in that complex environment saw “heaven” and “earth” — God’s space and ours, if you like — as the twin halves of God’s good creation. Rather than rescuing people from the latter in order to reach the former, the creator God would finally bring heaven and earth together in a great act of new creation, completing the original creative purpose by healing the entire cosmos of its ancient ills. They believed that God would then raise his people from the dead, to share in — and, indeed, to share his stewardship over — this rescued and renewed creation. And they believed all this because of Jesus....

...The point was not for us to “go to heaven,” but for the life of heaven to arrive on earth. Jesus taught his followers to pray: “Thy kingdom come on earth as in heaven.” From as early as the third century, some Christian teachers tried to blend this with types of the Platonic belief, generating the idea of “leaving earth and going to heaven,” which became mainstream by the Middle Ages. But Jesus’ first followers never went that route.”

So... at this point what seems quite clear to me are the following points:

- From Creation to the Eschaton, the entire Bible tells a consistent and coherent story of redemption and restoration.

- God created the Heavens and Earth. He created humanity from the substance of the earth (dirt) and did so as the crowning event of earth’s creation. Mankind were given their assigned role and responsibility along with all necessary authority. They were given almost unlimited freedom; there was one clearly stated limit – one boundary they were told they must not violate and they were clearly told what the consequence would be should they ever violate that boundary.

- Man fell through disobedience (sin) and as a result of this rebellion death entered creation. Not only man, but all creation suffered as a part of that fall - from the curse of sin (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 5:12, Romans 8:18–22).

- This fall had been anticipated by God before He had even begun and He had, already in place, the plan to redeem not only humanity, but ALL of His creation. Humanity would be redeemed and restored with, and not apart from, all of His creation.

I mention these first few points simply because I believe they serve to show where Creation is headed at the end. God never abandoned or gave up on His Creation. In the end He will have the Eden He set out to create at the beginning of the story... along with the Human & Spiritual family He desired.

- When the time was right, Jesus was born into the world with a mission to repair the damage all creation had suffered through the scourge of sin. Through His life, death and resurrection Jesus was fully successful and completed His mission on earth. Before He returned to the Father, He commissioned His followers to spread the Gospel (good news) and make disciples of all nations. This is the mission of His church on earth. All who receive the gospel, repent of their sins as a result of their belief in Jesus will be saved from the consequences of their sins will not perish but will be granted eternal life.

- Jesus promised He was coming back to earth again and this time it will be as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When he comes, John 5:25 – 29 tells us:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

Those who were dead in Christ will be raised and have their new immortal bodies and those believers who are living at the time will be changed instantly and given their immortal bodies. At this time those who have been judged and condemned - along with death and sin - will all be finally, fully and completely delt with. They will perish and be no more. Heaven and earth will be made new and will come together and Jesus will reign forever. Amen

Lousy Predictions, False Prophets and the Church

Not long ago I was reading a short article that made reference to 1 John 4:1-6 in their daily email. This short Biblical passage, along with a brief commentary, really got me thinking along a line somewhat different from that which I imagine was the point of their post. I do, however, think that there is a very solid rationale to this line of reasoning.

The passage in question reads as follows:

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” (NIV)

The author of the post included this statement in their commentary, “...this month we have reflected on submitting to God so that we can discern how to live by his will. And here John helps us remember that we need to test all the words and voices and messages we hear “to see whether they are from God.””

The quotes above served as the seed or spark for what follows.

Please allow me to highlight the phrases that stand out for me:

-  do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God

-  many false prophets have gone out into the world

-  Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God

-  every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God

-  the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world

-  They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them    ...........*(note: The “they” mentioned in this phrase is a reference to false prophets according to my understanding)

- This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”

Finally, there is the comment of the writer of the post:  “here John helps us remember that we need to test all the words and voices and messages we hear “to see whether they are from God.”

Thinking about all these points - the warnings about false prophets, lying spirits and the failure to test those spirits/lies (leading to really bad decisions) - I am struck with just how relevant this message is in today’s world. Throughout history we’ve been exposed to false prophecies and prognostications which have led to terribly unwise or even disastrous decisions on the part of individuals, communities or even whole nations. This has always been the case when the truth is ignored or suppressed in favour of the lie/fantasy or pursuing some dubious (hidden but desired) outcome.

So while false prophets have been amongst us all along, there has been no time in history (that I can think of) where they have had as much impact globally as has been the case over the past few years.

I am especially struck by the large numbers of people, over the last two and a half years, who have been (and still remain) deceived by the proclamations of “false prophets” and evil/lying spirits. These are strong statements and I anticipate they might invoke a high degree of skepticism and ridicule in response. In today’s world, any mention of prophets or evil spirits is likely to be disbelieved and ignored by many folks -  while those willing to allow for such possibilities likely would limit them to a very narrow field or sphere thought of as “religion” or “matters spiritual.” After-all, for day to day matters we’re far too advanced and sophisticated to give ear to prophetic mutterings – we have scientists who proclaim the truth and we “follow the science” (or so we are told)

For many years society (as well as the church unfortunately) gradually changed from largely heeding the warnings given in scripture (such as given by John and quoted in this essay) to replacing, disregarding and/or disbelieving them. First the focus was shifted toward strictly the material world and away from considering the spiritual realm or any matters spiritual. The degree to which people sought to remove and replace God from their daily reality varied from very little to only within the church (and then only at certain specific times), all the way to total rejection. “Science” was thought to be all that was needed in a material world (and any other areas from which God had been removed). Since science is a study of the material world and since the material world follows the natural laws God has created, this approach might seem adequate to get by on a day-to-day basis.

So allow me to take literary license to rewrite the above passage to more clearly illustrate what this emerging “scientific” view might look like or become:

“Dear friends, do not believe every prognostication, but test the hypothesis to see whether it is “following the science” because many false scientists are at work in the world. This is how you can recognize real science: Every prediction that acknowledges rigid adherence to the scientific method and truthful reporting of consistently produced results can be called science, but every prediction that does not adhere strictly to facts and the scientific method can not be called science. This is the spirit of the conspiracy theory, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

You, dear children, are followers of science and have overcome conspiracies, because that which you follow is better informed than the one who is uneducated. They are poorly informed and unsophisticated and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the superstitious and ignorant, and there are many who listen to them. We are educated scientists, and whoever knows the science listens to us; but whoever does not follow the science does not listen to us. This is how we recognize truthful predictions versus conspiracy theories and dangerous, misleading information.”

On the face of it, the idea of using “science” to explain and predict happenings in the material world might seem reasonable – if one also recognizes some obvious limitations. If you eliminate God from the equation, you also eliminate His character and replace it with the hope that only known and provable facts will be reported as truth - despite all other influences and pressures – all while relying on flawed human nature. Science has no morality nor can it address or test anything outside the material realm. It is vulnerable to all kinds of human shortcomings, failings and deception – this is especially true when God and His word are denied or simply relegated to a “religious domain.” What has happened is the personhood of God has been replaced with a concept (science) and the authority, that is God’s alone, has been denied.

Therefore, it did not take very long for the above passage to be revised yet again so as to read:

“Dear friends, do not believe any predictions or warnings which have not been proclaimed by our experts and their computer models. They have “followed the science” and the science is settled. Many fake scientists are at work in the world. This is how you can recognize real science: Every prediction that acknowledges the supreme authority of government and their appointed experts can be called science, but all findings, predictions or warnings that do not adhere strictly to the officially decided upon narrative can not be called science. This is the spirit of the conspiracy theory, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”

In 1 John 4:1-6 (quoted at the start), John warns against false prophets, false promises and predictions and evil spirits. I believe his warning was meant to address the whole of society and not just what is said or happens within the four walls of a church building. Those spoken of as prophets were not limited to “religious proclamations” or just “spiritual matters.” They also addressed heads of state and spoke to every day concerns and matters of governance and state. There are many instances when kings and state leaders ignored the true prophets (choosing to listen to the false instead) and this always resulted in complete disaster. There are also recorded times when the prophets were heeded and the outcome was much better with disaster avoided.

Over the past several decades, and especially the past few years, we have seen one dire prediction after another and all have been claimed to be based on “the science” when in reality they have been based on   flawed models and bad science. Their cataclysmic prophecies were used as tools to instill fear and shape human behaviour toward some desired model of compliance. Now, one can question the motivation of using such obvious flawed models – but only at the risk of being labelled as a conspiracy theory nut - and then ignored. Pointed questions, challenges and debate have always been denied with statements such as the “science has been settled” – until it hasn’t. When the hypothesis is shown to be critically flawed, the proclamation becomes, “the science is evolving as we are learning new things.” So, is it settled or is it evolving? Depends on the agenda I guess.

Let’s look at just four examples of such scientific predictions (I’m going to label them as examples of false prophecies):

#1) The declaration of the C-19 pandemic began with a prediction of 2,200,000 deaths in the USA and 510,000 deaths in the UK. It was declared that extreme (2 week) lock-down measures must be implemented, based on those prophecies, “to flatten the curve.”

#2) It was prophesied the hospitals would be bursting at the seams and undergo a tremendous strain leading to the collapse of the health care system.

Outcome #1: Among other things, the models were exposed to be fatally flawed. This whole prediction was based on faulty modelling done by people like Neil Ferguson with a history of producing faulty models and calamity prediction. Not only were these numbers way overblown, in order to generate the level of fear and alarm that the initial announcements were meant to generate, deaths from numerous other causes were included in the daily media reporting. Not only this... but to spice it up even more, testing was implemented on a massive scale using an inappropriate procedure never intended for diagnostic purposes and known to produce largely false positives – particularly when run for the number of cycles most governments (and not “science”) mandated.

For comparison, here’s a critical scientific analysis of the issue:
“Epidemic forecasting has a dubious track-record, and its failures became more prominent with COVID-19. Poor data input, wrong modelling assumptions, high sensitivity of estimates, lack of incorporation of epidemiological features, poor past evidence on effects of available interventions, lack of transparency, errors, lack of determinacy, consideration of only one or a few dimensions of the problem at hand, lack of expertise in crucial disciplines, groupthink and bandwagon effects, and selective reporting are some of the causes of these failures.”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7447267/

Outcome #2:  As to the measures implemented in response to the prophecies (usually referred to as “the science”) the term disastrous would seem appropriate. Not only did the health care system not collapse, but what we saw was a very poor utilization of medical, therapeutic, diagnostic and personal support care resources. We saw the cancellation of needed surgeries, cancellation of most diagnostic testing for potentially life threatening diseases, a dramatic increase in suicides, the near destruction of the economies of countries and the devastation of many small and medium sized businesses.

The catastrophic burden on hospitals (which was supposedly a prime focus) simply never happened. To be fair, there were some hospitals (generally in large urban areas) that were stretched to their limits and those were the ones to receive the lions share of media attention. They legitimately needed extra help and attention – but because such a broad and general approach was decreed (rather than a very targeted approach) resources were very poorly utilized. Across the board, huge numbers of patients were simply to be discharged prematurely, the system set aside all but dire emergencies, and the focus was narrowed strictly to looking for the prophesied flood of pandemic patients.

It is now largely acknowledged that many, many hospitals were empty throughout the first two years of “the pandemic” and in some instances health care professionals were actually laid-off because their facilities were nearly empty. Mean time huge numbers of important diagnostic tests, surgeries and treatments were cancelled - many with disastrous outcomes for those whose diagnosis was missed or surgery delayed.

#3) Public mandatory masking, “social distancing,” and closing many businesses along with ordering ALL churches be closed was declared/prophesied as necessary in order to prevent the spread.

Outcome: The effects of these measures as well as their impact (with respect to the loss of personal freedom and civil rights) have been another disaster socially, economically, emotionally and spiritually. No scientific evidence has ever been produced (either before such measures or since) to show the effectiveness of such mandates. However many studies and statistics are now available that show the terrible harm caused by such measures not the least of which was the large increase in suicides.  By the way... sound medical practice, based on scientific study, has always held that you isolate the people who are actually sick and not the healthy population.

#4) Proclamations concerning the so called vaccines:  They will be/are necessary, have been adequately tested, and are safe and effective.

Outcome: Depending on how you look at these statements, they can be viewed as either false prophecies or straight up lies. In practical application the government implemented mandates (they insisted were based “on the science”) that were to be lifted only as certain target goals of compliance were reached. They then continually changed those goals and ultimately never fully lifted the mandates (all the while still claiming to “follow the science”). Every single claim made about the “vaccines” has been changed as each of the initial claims has demonstrably failed. People are now on their 4^th and some on their 5^th booster. Deaths and disabilities from the shots have skyrocketed according to numerous peer reviewed reports and studies that I’ve read. (Example) https://www.theepochtimes.com/young-adults-dying-in-record-numbers-but-not-from-covid-19_4716218.html?utm_source=MB_article_free&utm_campaign=mb-2022-09-09-ca&utm_medium=email&est=e5k3jqfjjkhD%2BR4Ogy0t%2F618OAwUUR5tJXWVdh%2F15q93dMFfZ7uv2uxW7F4TUQhUhA%3D%3D&utm_term=newstop&utm_content=1

The lying I made reference to, became very evident after it became apparent that the “vaccines” had no effect in preventing the spread of the disease. When this fact was pointed out and questioned during an EU investigation into the “pandemic” measures, representatives of Pfizer admitted the vaccines had never been tested to see if they stopped the spread and claimed no such assertions had been made. However this is simply untrue. Governments used the assertion that vaccinations would stop the spread (the effective rate being bandied about was 95% effective at preventing catching the disease and stopping the spread). These claims were also used as the basis for implementing various vaccine mandates and imposing restrictions on peoples freedoms. For a period of time public anger was stirred up against the “unvaxxed” with the claims Covid was now a “disease of the unvaxxed.” Subsequently the claim for continuing with the vaccination programs was the insistence that they would lessen the severity of infection and need for hospitalization. Of course these are unprovable claims (how exactly do you prove the statement “if I hadn’t had the shots it would have been a lot worse?”) and so far the statistics do not support the statement with regard to hospitalizations or deaths.

Over the years the spokespeople for this false god aka “science,” have made numerous other false claims and prophecies. A short list of such claims includes topics such as: our origins, the climate, family, sexuality, biology and human nature and needs. Each of those items is a topic worthy of a full and detailed discussion which is beyond the scope of this short essay. However this does beg the question, despite so many failed and failing false prophecies and pronouncements, despite such a terrible track record, why do so many people continue to listen to the voices of these false prophets? Could it be because as John says, “They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.”

While this may explain why, despite such a terrible track record, so many people continue to listen to the voices of these false prophets, it raises an even more puzzling question; “What happened to the church with regard these same issues?” Sadly, it is my conclusion that large segments of “the church” went in lock-step with the world. Some continue to walk in the way of the world and now some have permanently closed. While I believe it is easy to apply worldly reasoning and rationalizations why this would happen, it is important to remember whose church it is and that a spiritual rather than only a material reason needs be sought. It is important to remember that John’s message and warning was written to those identified as believers or “the church.” One might wonder why such a message would even be necessary for believers – it might seem such a message should more properly be directed to the unbelieving world...but the church? It’s a curious fact that much of the New Testament has to do with the birth and growth of the church. Jesus declared the “gates of hell” would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18). He did not say, however, that the church would escape temptation and attack from the forces of evil – nor did He say it would never need confronting or correcting. Many of the letters in the New Testament are letters of both encouragement AND correction. In fact, one could draw a parallel between the need for correction (addressed toward the church) and that directed at Israel in the Old Testament.

This seems a good place to include Paul’s admonition and warning to the church in Ephesus (quoting from Ephesians 6:10-18): 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints...”  (ESV)

Most teaching I’ve encountered, with regard to this passage, has been directed toward the individual – reminding us that the battle is largely spiritual and how we each must put on the whole armour of God. This is true but let us not overlook that it is the church body that is addressed in this letter. It clearly outlines the schemes of the devil, and reminds us: ”...we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places...”

So I’m left to wonder about the times we’re in as I also wonder about the so called church. Are we witnessing the church of Laodicea?  It was said of this church, “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” (Revelation 3:17-18 ESV)  If this is indeed the case, the warning is dire and can be ignored only at one’s own peril.

Further to "The Days of Noah" post

Shortly after posting the, “Days of Noah” blog post, I was challenged on a couple points and clarification was sought. Specifically, I was asked, “Has it been conclusively proven that the “SARS-CoV-2 virus” was manufactured in the laboratory? Secondly, certain questions/concerns arose about the topic of fallen angels and their illegitimate activity with humans.

With respect to the deliberate manufacture of the SARS-CoV-2 virus; this has become much more of a partisan political question than a simple fact-based statement. A point of fact is that a great many intelligence and security experts have concluded the virus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan China. Further, a USA senate committee has been holding a investigation into “gain of function” studies conducted on this and other Corona viruses. This study received at least some of it’s funding from the NIH under Dr Fauchi’s directorship and the development appears to be a multi-national effort. There is evidence that China, the US, France and Canada (possibly more countries as well) all had some part in the study and development of this virus AND it would seem almost certain that the so called “Spike Protein” was synthetically developed and manufactured with patents in place for the “vaccine” even before the “pandemic” began. This statement is by no means fully conclusive because the investigations are ongoing at this point

Let us now move to the topic of the Nephilim and the possibility of them being the result of angels or divine beings having sexual relations with humans. In the post I mentioned 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; Numbers 13:30-33 and Genesis 6:1-4 as examples of passages that make reference to the activity of these fallen beings and the resulting consequences and outcomes. Perhaps now would be a good time to look at these passages as well as any supporting texts in more detail.

Starting with Numbers 13:30-33 which reads:

“But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

The backstory to this passage is the story of the twelve spies sent by Moses to check out the land of Canaan – it is found in Numbers 13:17-29 and reads as follows:

“Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. That place was called the Valley of Eshcol,[a] because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.

At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.””

These passages give rise to several questions and comments with respect to the topic of the Nephilim?:

1. All twelve spies agreed the land was good, produced abundant food, crops and was a land flowing with milk and honey. So what was the “bad” report?

2. Verse 22 clearly states, “the descendants of Anak, were there” (this is stated as a matter of fact and is noted even before any reports were given). Later in verse 33 these descendants of Anak are mentioned again as part of the negative report, “there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim).” These are terms and tribes that seem to be already known of - and not made up words to describe very tall people...so, who was Anak?

3. Who were the Anakim?

With respect to the first question about the “bad report,” I am referencing the following article: https://images.shulcloud.com/618/uploads/PDFs/Divrei_Torah/170617-What-did-the-spies-do-wrong-Shlach-Lecha.pdf

“What did the spies do wrong?”

1. It’s not that they lied, rather their report was given with the intent to scare and demoralized the people.

“39 years later, Moses himself said the same to their children, as they were about to enter the Promised Land:

You will be coming to conquer nations that are greater and more powerful than you, with great cities, fortified to the skies. They are a great nation, as tall as giants... [Deut. 9:1-2]”

2. “They doubted God’s power. Their very mission implied doubt about the value of God’s gift and God's ability to deliver it. -God said "Send for yourself", meaning "I am not commanding you, but if

you wish, you may send." Indeed, the people had come to Moses asking for that. [Deut. 1:22]

-Talmud: God told Moses, "I told them that the land is good. By their lives! Now I will give them the opportunity to fall into error through the words of the spies, so that they will not inherit it.” [Sotah 34b, Midrash Tanchuma, Shlach 5]

-But spying for military preparations is OK. The Torah does not tell us to rely on miracles. It's the spies’ presentation that was not OK. [Ramban]”

3. Their lie was the twisting of facts and how they presented their opinion as a part of those facts. “...They did not report (or did not try to find out) what the inhabitants thought of them. Forty years later, Rahav in Jericho tells the spies sent by Joshua that the inhabitants feared the Jews:

I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that a great fear of you has fallen upon us. All the inhabitants of the land faint because of you... As soon as we heard [of the miracles God performed for you] our hearts melted, no courage remained in any man, because of you. [Joshua 2:9-11].

-And the Jews themselves knew that. Earlier, in their Song at the Sea, they had said:

The people of Canaan will melt away. Terror and dread will fall on them. [Ex. 15:15-16]

-The spies made unwarranted assumptions. They said: “In our eyes, we seemed like grasshoppers, and so were we in their eyes.” In Talmud, Rabbi Mesharsheya asks:

The spies were liars. As regards “In our eyes, we seemed like grasshoppers,” very well; but how could they know that “so were we in their eyes”? [Sotah 35a]

How did the spies know how the inhabitants saw the Jews?

Now to address questions #2 & 3 concerning Anak and Anakim. This page from Bible Hub.com is all about the Anakim complete with definitions descriptions and bible references: https://biblehub.com/topical/a/anakim.htm

In addition, https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/1453-anakim gives a description as well as references to both Rabbinical and Hellenistic Literature: “According to rabbinical tradition (Gen. R. xxvi.), the Anakim are of the same Titanic race as the Rephaim, Nefilim, Gibborim, Zamzummim, and Emim.” Often these terms and descriptions are used in close relationship to each other or sometimes even interchangeably.

The link: https://www.compellingtruth.org/Rephaim.html provides a fairly full description of the Rephaim and where it is believed they came from. Quoting from this article:

“...The Rephaim were similar to the Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:20–21). The Rephaim are mentioned again in Exodus when the Israelites were trying to enter the Promised Land. The Rephaim were living in Canaan, and the Israelites were terrified of them—the Israelites didn't want to go into the Promised Land because it was inhabited with "giants" (Numbers 13:33), the sons of Anak. The spies came back to Israel and told the people that "The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them" (Numbers 13:32–33). The Promised Land, though beautiful (Numbers 13:27) was inhabited with giants—men so big that the Israelites felt like grasshoppers next to them. The Rephaim were of the same type.

Can this be taken literally? Who are the Nephilim? The Bible says that Og, king of Bashan (one of the last Rephaim) had a bed that was thirteen feet long (Deuteronomy 3:11). Was this just the grandiosity of a king, or did Og really need a bed that large? We know the ancient Jews believed them to be giants because the Greek word titanes, from which English derives the word titan, is used to translate the Hebrew word rephaim. Ancient folklore from many cultures features stories of giants. And there is biblical basis for their existence. The Nephilim (the word used synonymously with the Anakites) were the offspring of fallen angels and women (Genesis 6:1–4). How this is biologically possible we don't know, but the story is presented literally. The phrase used in the passage is "sons of God" who took "daughters of man" as their wives and bore children through them. The phrase "sons of God" is used exclusively elsewhere in Scripture to describe angelic beings.”

Looking now at 2 Peter 2:4 it says: “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell[a] and committed them to chains[b] of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.” Keeping this passage in mind, lets look at Jude 1:6 which says: “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—” Both these passages refer to angels bound in gloomy darkness for their sin. These passages also beg the question, what was their sin(s)?

I think in this instance the passage from Jude helps make the reference in Peter much more clear. Looking at the passage in Jude a bit more carefully, verse 6 does not end as a complete sentence or thought but rather it ends with a dash and continues on into verse 7. Thus the thought conveyed here (in speaking of those angles reads, “...left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire...” In other words he is comparing the activity of those angles to the immorality and depravity that occurred in Sodom and Gomorrah.

In speaking of this verse, https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/jude-1-6 I found this supporting quote:

“The angels in this verse, "who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode," is speaking of those who rebelled with Satan and also sinned in Genesis 6, "when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them." Although all angels who chose to rebel with Satan lost their position in the holy, heavenly angelic realm... this group also abandoned their angelic form by taking on a human form in order to have sex with human women, which resulted in a hybrid offspring, described in Genesis as giants or Nephilim. However, the message to us from Jude is a warning to all who have a common faith with the apostle, against falling into apostasy.”

In my original post I made reference to several extra-Biblical texts including the book of Enoch. The passages here in 2 Peter and Jude both are quotes from Enoch. There are no other scriptural references to these angels being committed to chains and bound in gloomy darkness...when these two writers wrote, they were quoting from a know source and would have presumed those to whom they were writing would also have known and understood the reference.

Finally, I want to include excerpts from a Catholic scholar, Dr Taylor Marshall’s article, “Angels having Relations with Humans within Jude and 2 Peter and 1 Enoch” He writes:

“Genesis 6 has a confusing reference to “when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them” and how this occurrence led to Yahweh flooding the earth. What does this mean?

Sometime around the 200s BC a Jewish document called “Book of Enoch” or 1 Enoch was produced. It gives all the details on how angelic beings copulated with human women and created a cosmic mess before the Flood. And here’s the interesting problem we have:

Saint Jude (Jude 1:14-15) directly quotes this non-biblical document known as “Book of Enoch” or 1 Enoch:

 

Jude 14–15

It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying:“Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone of all the deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Compare with:
1 Enoch 1:9

Behold, he comes with ten thousand saints to execute judgment upon all, and he will destroy all the ungodly and convict all flesh of all the deeds of their ungodliness that they have ungodly committed in an ungodly way, and of all the arrogant and hard words which sinners have spoken against him.

It’s not only this direct quotation of 1 Enoch by Jude, but Jude (and 2 Peter) allude to the fantastical events of 1 Enoch, namely the sexual encounters of fallen angels with human women, which gives birth to the nephilim or “giants.” The birth of the giants, according to 1 Enoch, is the reason for the Noah’s Flood.

And this belief is also found in the canonical book of Wisdom:

“And from the beginning also when the proud giants (γιγάντων) perished, the hope of the world fleeing to a vessel, which was governed by thy hand, left to the world seed of generation.” (Wisdom 14:6)

The author of Wisdom clearly associates the flood to a divine genocide of the race of the giants (γιγάντων) to leave the world a “seed of generation.” (Saint Paul quotes from Wisdom about 7 times – so Saint Paul also likely hold this belief.)

In 1 Enoch, Yahweh sends 200 angels to guide and instruct humanity. These 200 angels are called “Irin” in Aramaic and “Egregoroi” in Greek. Both words mean “Watchers.” These Watchers corrupt humanity by teaching them evil arts such as cosmetology (sorry ladies), sorcery, astrology, and the arts of war.

These angels also seduce human women and copulate with them. The women give birth to nephilim or giants. God causes these giants to fight and die. Then the souls of the giants turn into demons that haunt and tempt humans for the rest of time.

So Yahweh binds these 200 evil angelic Watchers into “Tartarus.”

What is Tartarus? In the Homer’s Iliad, Zeus teaches that Tartarus is “as far beneath Hades as heaven is above earth.” Tartarus is the deepest part of the underworld, far below Hades.

It’s noteworthy that the term “tartarus” is used by Enoch and 2 Peter. This signals the blending of Hebrew history with Greek mythology since Greek myth depict Zeus (after 10 years of battle or titanomachy) sending the older primordial deities called Titans into the deep dungeon abyss of “tartarus.”

Notably 2 Peter explicitly uses Enoch’s word “Tartarus” for the condemnation of fallen “angels.” Jude and 2 Peter use almost the same words, but 2 Peter uses “Tartarus”:

Jude 6

And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day.

Compare with:
2 Peter 2:4a

For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into Tartaros and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment;

Compare this with what it says in 1 Enoch 7:2

“And when the angels, the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamored of them, saying to each other, Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children.” (1 Enoch 7:2)

The resulting children are called nephilim in Hebrew or gigantes (giants) in Latin and Greek. In 1 Enoch, the historical Enoch goes to God and seeks to make intercession for the forgiveness of the giants. God refuses and the giants are condemned. This part of the story is referred to in Sirach:

“He was not propitiated for the ancient giants who revolted in their might.” (Sirach 16:7)

The Dead Sea Scrolls contain 10 copies (!) of the Book of Giants – a work that describes in detail the conception of giants in Genesis 6 from the union of women and angelic watchers. The giants were warriors and cannibals. This theology was an important part of the theology of Second Temple Judaism.”

I just want to make it clear as I close; the book of Enoch is not part of the scripture nor do I think it needs to be. I see it as a part of a body of literature containing stories from the past that perhaps were passed down orally before being written out sometime during the second temple period. These were the accounts of history which most of the Jewish historians, scholars, and religious people of the day were aware of. The stories and accounts were broadly enough known of that references to them were often made without need for further explanation.

It is not necessary to accept the ideas here presented, I have only put this together to facilitate further understanding of some of the things I wrote in my earlier essay.