Question: Who are the "sons of God" in Genesis chapter 6?"

Answer: Excellent question, and a very surprising answer. They are the fallen angels of Jude verses 6 and 7.

In the English, we would not be very certain, but in the original languages, I believe that the Bible teaches that they are some of Satan's fallen angels, attacking the plan of God, in an attempt to pollute the whole human race and prevent a righteous genealogy from Adam to Jesus Christ.

Genesis 6:1-7 :

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.

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them .

In Gen 6:2 & 4, the phrase "sons of God" is the Hebrew phrase "bene elohim". That phrase again occurs in Job 1:6 and 2:4, where the "sons of God" (bene elohim) reported to God in heaven, and Satan was among them.

It begins to make sense when you read Gen 6:2-7 and notice that the result of the "sons of God" "taking wives all of which they chose" was wickedness, a race of giants on the earth, God placing a limit on how long He would put up with it, and God being "grieved" at what was going on.

Jude verses 6 & 7 are all that we need now to understand who these "sons of God" were:

Jude verses 6 & 7

6 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.

7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Jude verses 6 & 7 refer to the angels which took on human form, and just like Sodom and Gomorrha, they (the fallen angels) gave themselves over to fornication, going after strange FLESH. Because they did this. God has removed them from action and placed them in chains to await their final judgement.

Yes, angels are spoken of in Scripture in a sexless way, but when God allowed them to "leave their first estate", and to take on human form prior to the Great Flood, they gave themselves over to fornication with the daughters of men.

The result of this Satanic attack on God's plan was the Great Flood of Genesis chapter 7 and 8, and only 8 righteous people were spared to begin the earth's population over again. The rest of the human race was swept away by the flood.

This is also a good illustration of how God can protect His righteous people even when He must bring judgment against the world all around them.

Some of the major ways Satan tried to keep Jesus from being the Messiah:

--- Unrighteous Cain killing righteous Abel.

--- Attempting repeatedly to destroy all the Jews.

--- Herod attempting to kill Jesus when He was a child, by killing all the male Jewish children two years old and under.

--- Tempting Christ himself in, Matt 4:1-11, to bypass the Cross and go ahead and take the kingdoms of the world.

--- The many attempts to kill Jesus as He spoke to the people during the last three years of His life.

--- Having Jesus betrayed and put to death on the Cross.

God outsmarted Satan though, and raised Jesus from the dead, and brought in the "Church age" that we are now in, which was a mystery hidden from Satan and his emissaries. (Eph 3:1-11 and 1 Cor 2: 7&8)

1 Cor 2:8 Says that they would not have crucified our Lord if they had known what was going to happen!

God is good, isn't He?

Bob Jones