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Did Angels Marry Women Before the Flood?
Did Fallen Angels Have Sex with Earthly Women?
Did Angels Marry Women?
Did Angels Marry Women? (2)
Could angels easily get casual sex with women
Angels Marry Women?
Angels and Women
Who are the Earth Island Angels?
Angels and Demons
Did Angel’s have sex with the daughters of Men?
Did Angels Marry Women Before the
Flood?
John D. Keyser
Few texts in the history of Bible interpretation have aroused more
curiosity and divergence of opinion than Genesis 6:1-4.
We read of the “sons of God,” the "daughters of men" and “giants”
who perished in the flood -- who were they?
Were the "sons of God" angels who cohabited with the women of the
land?
Did they have offspring called nephilim who were giants in the land?
How does the Book of Enoch figure in all of this?
Is this nothing but pagan mythology, or is the Bible account really
historical?
I agree with the mighty Bible teacher, J. Vernon McGee on this matter,
who states...
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face
of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the
sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and
they took them wives of all which they chose [Gen. 6:1–2].
This matter of "the sons of God" and "the daughters of men" is
something that has caused no end of discussion. There are a great
many good men who take the position that "the sons of God" were
angels. I personally cannot accept that at all. Most of my teachers
taught that the sons of God were angels, and I recognize that a great
many of the present-day expositors take that position. However, I
cannot accept that view, because, if these were good angels, they
would not commit this sin, and evil angels could never be designated
as "sons of God." Also, the offspring here were men; they were not
monstrosities. I do not know why it is assumed by so many that the
offspring were giants. We will look at this more closely when we come
to verse 4.
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 [Gen. 6:3].
We believe that Noah preached for 120 years, and during that time the
Spirit of God was striving with men. Peter makes it very clear that it
was back in the days of Noah that the Spirit of God was striving with
men in order that He might bring them to God—but they would not
turn. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the
spirits in prison" (1 Pet. 3:18–19). These spirits were in prison when
Peter wrote, but they were preached to in the days of Noah. How do we
know that? Verse 20 reads: "Which sometime were disobedient, when
once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the
ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by
water." When were they disobedient? During the long-suffering of God
in the days of Noah—during those 120 years.
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 [Gen. 6:4].
It says, "There were giants in the earth in those days," but it does not
say they are the offspring of the sons of God and the daughters of
men. It does say this about the offspring: "the same became mighty
men which were of old, men of renown." These were not monstrosities;
they were men. The record here makes it very clear that the giants
were in the earth before this took place, and it simply means that
these offspring were outstanding individuals...
Then what do we have here in verse 4? As I see it, Genesis is a book of
genealogies—it is a book of the families. The sons of God are the godly
line who have come down from Adam through Seth, and the daughters
of men belong to the line of Cain. What you have here now is an
intermingling and intermarriage of these two lines, until finally the
entire line is totally corrupted (well, not totally; there is one exception).
That is the picture that is presented to us here.
I recognize, and I want to insist upon it, that many fine expositors take
the opposite view that the sons of God are actually angels. If you
accept that view, you will be in good company, but I am sure that most
of you want to be right and will want to go along with me. Regardless
of which view you take, I hope all of us will be friends, because this is
merely a matter of interpretation. It does not have anything to do with
whether or not you believe the Bible but concerns only the
interpretation of the facts of Scripture.
SOURCE: McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee,
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 2000, c1981.
I agree with Dr. McGee 100% here. I cannot accept the popular view
that fallen angels (i.e. demons) had sexual relations with earthly
women, because, if these were good angels, they would not commit
this sin, and evil angels could never be designated as "sons of God."
Also, as we learned, the Bible never specifies that the "giants" were
the offspring of such extraterrestrial relations.
This Scripture passage plainly states that men are men, animals are
animals, fish are fish, birds are birds, and angels are angels. There is
not one Scriptural reference which would even remotely lead us to
believe that angels and humans ever had sex. Jesus plainly stated in
Mark 12:25 concerning the departed saints... "For when they shall rise
from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are
as the angels which are in heaven." I think this Scripture verse is self-
explanatory. Carefully notice that Genesis 6:2 states... "and they took
them wives of all which they chose." Mark 12:25 says that angels
cannot marry; but Genesis 6:2 says that the sons of God married the
daughters of men. Clearly there would be a serious contradiction in
the Scriptures here IF the sons of God were angels.
The idea that angels had sexual relations with earthly women is
preposterous. As one can imagine, such speculation in the Scriptures
provides ample opportunity for the heathen world to exploit the
Scriptures. Countless books, movies, documentaries, and false
religions have exploited such misinterpretations of Genesis 6:1-6. One
such exploit is the alleged lost Biblical BOOK OF ENOCH, which teaches
that fallen angels had physical intimacy with earthly women that
produced offspring 450-feet tall? I don't think so! Without a doubt, the
primary claim of the Book of Enoch is that fallen angels had sex with
human women and produced 450-feet tall giants upon the earth. This
teaching is ridiculous, unscriptural, and has no solid evidence to
support it (Biblically or scientifically). This is another good reason why
the Book of Enoch should continue to be rejected. It is nonsense.
Further Evidences that Angels and Women DIDN'T Marry
If, as some theologians believe (including the mighty Bible teacher Dr.
M.R. DeHaan), angels did have sex with earthly women, then why has
it not occurred since Genesis 6:1-6? The Scriptures are not silent on
this matter, as we have read in Mark 12:25, for "they neither marry,
nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."
The demonic succubus (a female demon) and the incubus (a male
demon) are believed by Satanists to have sex with sleeping humans.
Of course, this is not a Scriptural teaching. Angels cannot marry, nor
be given in marriage.
Also, why didn't God mention any punishment for the angels in
Genesis? Genesis 6:7 states... "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." "Angels" are NOT mentioned.
Surely God would have been very angry with a group of angels that
defiled his creation, bringing it to ruin.
In addition, the entire suggestion that God allowed angels, which would
have possessed FULL knowledge of divine realities, to tempt mankind
is against the plainest teachings of the Scriptures. 1st Corinthians
10:13 states... "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." It would have
been extremely UNCOMMON for women to be tempted by angels into
marriage, not to mention the fact that the temptation would have been
ABOVE THAT YE ARE ABLE.
We do know that there were giants in the Old Testament, as Goliath
himself was 9' 6" tall (1st Samuel 17:4); however, as mentioned
earlier, Genesis 6:1-6 fails to state directly that the "giants" of those
days were the offspring monsters of bizarre extraterrestrial marriages.
Carefully notice Genesis 6:4 again... "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." "Also" means
in addition to. "After that" means later. Clearly, even from reading the
Bible at a childlike level, it is obvious that the "giants" were not the
same people as the "mighty men which were of old, men of renown."
In the various churches around the world, there are some bizarre
teachings, and some strange interpretations of the Scripture. It is true
that some passages require more research and explanation than
others. God, however, seems to have designed His written Word to be
that way:
But the word of the Lord was to them, "Precept upon precept, precept
upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little,"
that they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and
caught. (Isaiah 28:13)
We call the verses that require further research and explanation
"difficult scriptures." Although what might be a difficult scripture for
one Christian may not be difficult for another, some passages tend to
trip up most new Bible students. In addition, although most adults in
the church of God today cannot be considered to be new Bible
students, humans are forgetful creatures, and we all tend to need
reminders every once in a while. Is this not why God has us repeat the
observance of His holy days every year?
In the days and years ahead of us, some will come against God's
people and attack us with charges that we do not understand the
Scriptures properly. Many of us have already suffered through one
round of this fight. There will also be those who claim that the Bible is
worthless and unreliable because certain passages seem to contradict
one another.
But we know that the Bible is God's Word! Despite some
mistranslations and spurious additions and deletions, it is true and
infallible. Herbert Armstrong used to say that the Holy Bible is God's
instruction manual for man, His masterpiece of creation. God wants His
children to be familiar with His Word and always to be ready to give an
answer—when asked, of course! This is the primary purpose of this
monthly column.
The day may come when an enemy of God's church will try to trip you
up by confronting you with one of these "difficult scriptures." You will
make a good witness for God if you already know the answer and can
give an immediate, thorough explanation.
Kind After Kind
Here is our "difficult scripture":
Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the
earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the
daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for
themselves of all whom they chose. And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall
not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be
one hundred and twenty years." There were giants on the earth in
those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the
daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the
mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:1-4)
Some maintain that these verses assert that angels married women
before the Flood and engendered a race of giants. This idea sounds like
the sub-plot of a science fiction story! But can it be the truth?
It is true that verse 2 states that the "sons of God . . . took wives for
themselves of all whom they chose." These "sons of God," however,
were not angels. The fact is that angels do not marry. Jesus tells us this
clearly: "For in the resurrection they [humans] neither marry nor are
given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven" (Matthew
22:30; see Mark 12:25).
Angels cannot cohabit nor reproduce with women. Angels are spirit
beings:
But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, till I
make Your enemies Your footstool"? Are they not all ministering spirits
sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews
1:13-14)
Women are human beings. Angels and women, then, are two different
kinds of being. Kind reproduces after kind, and different species cannot
breed.
In his modern, perverted science—"falsely called knowledge" (I
Timothy 6:20)—Satan encourages men to experiment with the crossing
and mixing of the most unlikely creatures. For example, goats have
been genetically altered by the insertion of a spider gene to produce
silk products that God never intended in His original design. Also, in
recent years a sickening photograph of a mouse with a human ear
growing out of its back has made the rounds. Right from the beginning,
at the re-creation of the world (Psalm 104:30), God says that this is not
to be. He establishes a strict law that each kind must reproduce only
after its own kind:
Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields
seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose
seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. And the earth brought
forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree
that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God
saw that it was good. . . . So God created great sea creatures and
every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded,
according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good. . . . Then God said, "Let the earth bring
forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing
and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. And
God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according
to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its
kind. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:11-12, 21, 24-25)
This rule is also backed up and made clear by the context of our
difficult scripture. In Genesis 6:3, God says, "My Spirit shall not strive
with man forever, for he is indeed flesh." He is speaking of fleshly
mankind here, not angels. Although it is true that the children of these
couples were "mighty," like their parents, they were still only human.
Different Meanings
It is true that angels are sometimes called "sons of God":
» Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. (Job
1:6)
» When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God
shouted for joy? (Job 38:7)
Remember, though, that angels "neither marry, nor are given in
marriage." Secondly, the phrase "sons of God" sometimes refers to
Christians, regenerated by God's Spirit but still human:
» But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children [sons, KJV] of God, even to those who believe in His name.
(John 1:12)
» For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of
God. . . . For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for
the revealing of the sons of God. (Romans 8:14, 19)
» . . . that you may become blameless and harmless, children [sons,
KJV] of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse
generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world . . .
(Philippians 2:15)
» Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we
should be called children [sons, KJV] of God! Therefore the world does
not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are
children [sons, KJV] of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we
shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him,
for we shall see Him as He is. (I John 3:1-2)
A third meaning refers to mankind in general, because all men are
sons of God by creation: "I said, 'You are gods, and all of you are
children of the Most High. But you shall die like men . . .'" (Psalms 82:6-
7). Although the King James and New King James versions have
"children of the Most High," many other translations have "sons of the
Most High." Additional verses use similar terminology to refer to
humans:
» Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we
deal treacherously with one another by profaning the covenant of the
fathers? (Malachi 2:10)
» . . . the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
(Luke 3:38)
Through Adam, then, every human being is a child of God.
Since these "sons of God"—those who are the subjects of our difficult
scripture—were obviously not regenerated Christians, and could not
have been angels, it is evident that they were simply human members
of mankind in general: Men who had forsaken God and were
intermarrying in defiance of His law.
Other Giants
We should note one final point. Genesis 6:4 reads, "There were giants
on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God
came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them.
Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown."
This verse shows that giants and extraordinarily mighty men existed
after the sons of God married the daughters of men and implies that
they existed beforehand as well. It does not state that such huge and
powerful men were the result only of these marriages. Giants have
existed throughout recorded history, before and after the Flood and
down to modern times.
In his discussion of the well-known biblical giant, Goliath (I Samuel
17:4), Baptist commentator John Gill (1697-1771) writes in his
Exposition of the Entire Bible:
. . . taking a cubit after the calculation of Bishop Cumber-land to be
twenty one inches, and more, and a span to be half a cubit, the height
of this man was eleven feet four inches, and somewhat more; which
need not seem incredible, since the coffin of Orestea, the son of
Agamemnon, is said to be seven cubits long; and Eleazar, a Jew, who
because of his size was called the giant, and was presented by
Artabanus, king of the Parthians, to Tiberius Caesar, is said by
Josephus to be seven cubits high; and one Gabbara of Arabia, in the
times of Claudius Caesar, measured nine feet nine inches, as Pliny
relates, and who elsewhere speaks of a people in Ethiopia, called
Syrbotae, who were eight cubits high; the Septuagint version makes
Goliath to be only four cubits and a span high, and so Josephus; that is,
about eight feet.
John Middleton (1578-1613), who lived near Liverpool, England, was
said to have been 9 feet 3 inches tall. Middleton was known as "the
Childe of Hale," and his huge grave can still be seen in the Hale village
churchyard. Giants still walk among us today. Measuring in at almost 7
feet 9 inches, Radhouane Charbib of Tunisia is reputed to be the tallest
man alive.
God's holy Word interprets itself. We do not have to believe bizarre,
man-made interpretations of these scriptures, even though their
meanings may not be initially clear.
© 2003 Church of the Great God
PO Box 471846
Charlotte, NC 28247-1846
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John Plunkett
Victoria, BC, Canada
Did Angels Marry Women? (2)
Posted November 18, 2010
Hi Mike,
Gen 6:1 And it came to pass when men (here is The eth- Ha adam)
began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born
unto them. (The eth- Ha adam) 2 That the sons of God (Elohiym) saw
the daughters of men (The eth- Ha adam) that they were fair; and they
took them wives of all they chose. 3 And the LORD (Yhovah) said, My
spirit shall not always strive with man, (The eth- Ha adam) 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 (Elohiym) came in unto the daughters of men, (The
eth- Ha adam) and they bare children to them, (the Elohiym) the
same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Here is the same Elohiym that was in Gen 1:26. In there image we
were made. We look like them. If we were made in there likeness then
they have sex organs also. This was not Cain’s line for Cain was an
(ish).
Thank you in advance, and keep the home fires burning there in
Flowery Branch.
YBIC,
L____
Hi L____,
Thank you for your question about angels marrying "the daughters of
men".
But there is one very important Biblical distinction between these two
types of "sons of God", and it comes to us via the preeminent Son of
God Himself. Here is what He reveals to us concerning the 'sons of
God' or the spirit realm:
Mar 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err
because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
Mar 12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither
marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which
are in heaven.
"Ye know not the scriptures" refers to the Old Testament scriptures. If
Gen 6:2 is referring to angels as "sons of God", then it would have
been Christ who "knew not the scriptures". Here is Gen 6:2.
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they
were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Now if these "sons of God" are the sons of Seth, as God's sons in the
same sense as Israel is called God's son after the flood, and since
Seth's genealogy is given us as separated from Cain's genealogy in
chapters 4 and 5 of Genesis, then this statement concerning Noah's
genealogy makes perfect sense:
Gen 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and
perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Hos 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son
out of Egypt.
Apparently Noah's family was the only family left whose generations
had not married into the "sons of men", the sons of Cain's generations.
All the rest of Seth's descendants "saw the daughters of men
[daughters of Cain's descendants] that they were fair; and they took
them wives of all which they chose" just as Israel's descendants did at
a later date.
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they
were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
God had placed within Adam the genes for producing every race of
mankind and every size of mankind. To this day we have an incredible
range of sizes, shapes, characteristics and colors of men and women.
Here is a statement in his e-mail:
"28 And God (Elohiym) blessed them. (Adam, mankind) and God
(Elohiym) said unto them,.(Adam, mankind) “Be fruitful, and multiply,
and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over fowl of the air, and over every living thing that
moveth upon the earth.”
This tells me the following. 1. Man was made in the image of the
Elohiym. 2. After the likeness of the (Elohiym). 3. With this I have come
to see that Man which has a penis was made in the image of God
(Elohiym). 4. So the sons of God as in Job 1:6 have to have one as
well."
Here this brother points out that "Adam' is mankind", both male and
female.
Gen 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and
called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
This being so, females are also Adam, and Adam having a penis is only
half of Adam. God did not use a penis with Mary to conceive Christ. He
supernaturally impregnated Mary so that she was still a physical virgin.
Angels "neither marry nor are given in marriage" (Mat 12:25).
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had
the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me,
saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Just as a woman must be impregnated from something outside of
herself in order to bring forth a child, so must the church, you and I,
the bride and wife of Christ, receive the impregnation of the holy spirit,
the words of Christ, from outside of our flesh, before a spiritual son of
God can be conceived.
The entire spirit world is referred to as "the sons of God" because we
are plainly told that God is "the father of spirits"
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which
corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather
be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
So when Job refers to "the sons of God... shouting for joy", he is
referring to the angels who had been created on the fifth day, as
symbolized by "the fowls of heaven". Just as mankind is created on the
sixth day, and is symbolized by the beasts which were created on the
sixth day, so too, is the spirit world created on the fifth day, and it is
symbolized by "the fowls of the air":
Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men,
that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they
themselves are beasts.
It is by God's own design that we are all born with the mark of being
created on the sixth day. Three sixes are simply the process of the
maturing and the judging of the beast mankind has always been "by
nature" (Eph 2:3).
Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the
hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed
good to the potter to make it.
Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.
So when were the things in the heavens and on the earth created? We
need not guess:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore
the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
This is a long and no doubt sincere effort on the part of this brother. I
have pointed out the Biblical principles and the verses of scripture
which this brother has overlooked. I hope this is of some edification to
both you and him.
Mike
Since the woman was created FROM the man, the man must have
been originally better-looking than now, so after Adam sinned, women
would then find men not as good-looking as they would have found
them if Adam never ate that fruit, so Eve's curse was periods and
painful childbirth while God let her keep her sex appeal. Afterall, isn't it
said that Lucifer was one of God's most beautiful angels BEFORE the
rebellion? It's said that after the rebellion, God transformed him and
MADE HIM UGLY, similar to Adam and all his male descendants, only
with Adam and all other human males, the curse not being quite as
strong, unattractive to women yes, but not completely hideous.
But since angels weren't the ones who sinned and are not descendants
of Adam, that must mean that physically, they would be VERY
BEAUTIFUL to women and therefore could arouse women and get them
to want to have sex with them easier than mortal men can even before
saying a word, just from their appearance alone.
And don't say angels can't have sex because I think they can and do.
Think about this, if YOU were this awesome being whose existed for at
least milleniums or eons and you've seen EVERYTHING, including
humans having sex, yet you yourself never experienced sex
personally, you'd eventually want to know what it's like and ultimately
want to try it. We have our favorite foods but we always eventually
want to try a new food just to see what it's like, same with angels
eventually wanting to experience sex. You can't know if you dislike
something unless you try it, you can't totally disapprove of sex in
Heaven unless you've personally tried it there. And if God's presence in
Heaven was enough to make all beings in Heaven NOT care about sex,
then we wouldn't care about food, furniture, or anything else in Heaven
either. In Heaven, if we and all those angels DO care about food and
other things other than just God's presence, then we're also going to
care about sex to some extent to as well, we'll remember it from out
mortal lives, we'll SEE mortal people on Earth experiencing it.
First off, angels cannot have sexual intercourse. You want to know
why? Because angels are spirits. They do not have a physical body,
therefore they cannot have sexual intercourse. Having sex with an
angel would be like having sex with the wind: its not possible! You
need a physical body. Even if angels wanted to, they couldn't.
Fallen angels (demons) can give you the illusion that you are having
sex, but they are not having sex with you.
God did not curse men to be less attractive. The reason why it is hard
for men to get women, is because men don't know what women want.
A woman likes a man who is sensitive, understanding, kind, and
generous. A man holding a bunny he rescued swoons a woman much
more a man with extra muscles. Scientists did an experiment on this,
and found out that very few women look at abs and arms of a man.
The only physicaly body part they look at is a mans butt. Therefore
many men waste time trying to gain muscles to impress the ladies,
when the only part a woman truly looks at is his backend.
Sex has a very different meaning to women than it does to men.
Women want it to have an emotional meaning attached to it, not just
some random physical act that is loveless, and empty. Angels do not
have sex. There is a scripture, cant remember where, that says when
people are resurrected they are as the angels and don't marry. Sex is
only allowed between married couples; additionally, angels are only
spoken of in male terms - ergo, they cannot mate. The Bible clearly
says same sex relations are wrong and he wouldn't have double
standards
Also, when angels materialised human form in Noah's time, they were
forbidden from doing so again. They had committed an unnatural act
when they had sex with females
Introduction
Scripture records the creation of Adam and Eve and their fall into sin
(Gen. 2-3). Subsequently, the pre-Flood world saw complete
degeneration of morals and constant rebellion against the Creator. In
the words of Genesis 6:1-5:
"When men began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters
were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man
were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the
LORD said, 'My Spirit will not abide in man forever, for he is flesh; his
days shall be 120 years.'
"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward,
when the sons of God came into the daughters of man and they bore
children to them. They were the mighty men who were of old, the men
of renown. The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the
earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only
evil continually."
Who were the mysterious "Nephilim" on the earth and what was their
relationship to the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men"? There
are two basic and contrasting lines of thought on that question.
The "Sons of God" Seen as Fallen Angels
First, one view commonly held today that teaches:
To some, these reasons are an "open and shut case." Those who
believe otherwise commit, in the words of one writer, "a rape of the
biblical text."
Many more tentacles of this belief reach out and affect numerous other
fields of understanding. However, this article will limit the issue to the
items discussed above.
The Alternate View
Now let's examine the second view. The numbering will coincide with
the points given in view one.
#1: How does the Bible interpret the phrase "sons of God"?
The first and most basic rule of biblical interpretation is letting the
Bible explain itself by looking at all the scriptures on the subject.
Picking and choosing and overlooking the biblical thread of the verses
can lead to some very flawed conclusions.
The phrase "sons of God" is, indeed, used to describe the angels of
God (Job 2:1, etc.). Even in these supposed "proof" texts of Job 1 and
elsewhere where angels are called "sons of God," it is important to
notice that only the righteous angels are the "sons of God."
For example, in Job 1, the devil is not included among their count.
Rather he shows up suddenly without an invitation. Thus, the Lord's
question to Satan of where he came from. (Interestingly, Satan's
response was like that of a teenager who has been out all night and
when his parents ask where he has been gives an evasive answer:
"Just hangin' out.")
Righteous angels are the "sons of God" by creation – God is their
Father in that limited sense. Scripture says that those who follow Satan
have him as their father (John 8:44). It does not necessarily follow that
the phrase "sons of God" always refers just to the righteous angels.
Instead, the phrase and overall concept is overwhelmingly applied in
Scripture – not to angels – but to believers!
First, let's look at some Old Testament examples where God's people
are reckoned as His children, His sons and daughters. In the world after
the Deluge, God called forth His people and saved them from Egyptian
slavery. He gave them strict laws to obey. Notice how God addressed
them:
"You are the sons of the LORD your God. [For this reason] you shall not
cut yourselves or make any baldness on your forehead for the dead.
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has
chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the
people who are on the face of the earth." (Deuteronomy 14:1-2)
Even after the Lord dispersed Israel because of their sins, He promised
to gather them from the four winds of the earth. And, God once again
calls them His sons and daughters:
"Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and
to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my
daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my
name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made" (Isaiah
43:5-7).
Such phrases are also used by the prophet Hosea in two places. In one
a general term is used and in the second the specific word "son" is
used:
"And in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people, it
shall be said to them, 'Children of the living God'" (Hosea 1:10).
"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son"
(Hosea 11:1).
This latter verse is dual in meaning, referring to both Israel as God's
"firstborn son" (Exodus 4:22-23) and the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ,
the Father's only begotten Son. In all cases, we see a consistent usage
referring to believers which agrees with a human – not angelic --
interpretation of Genesis 6:2.
And in the New Testament there are many examples of believers
reckoned as God's children, His sons. For example:
"You [both the Jews and Gentile believers] are all sons of God through
faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have
clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek….If you
belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise" (Galatians 3:26, 29).
The story thread of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is God's
redemption offered to man through the works of the Messiah. A
community of believers (sons of God) developed during the pre-Flood
times of those who looked forward to the coming of the promised seed,
the Messiah.
"To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that
time people began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:26).
Calling upon the name of the Lord is another way of saying they
became believers in the true God. They prayed to and worshipped their
Creator. It's the story of the pre-Flood Church.
The promise of an "offspring" (Genesis 3:15) who would crush the
serpent's head was given to Eve soon after she sinned. That initial
Gospel message of deliverance from sin was passed onto succeeding
generations. Christ is the promised offspring whose perfect life, death,
and resurrection delivers us from sin and the power of the devil
(Hebrews 2:14-18).
But, something obviously went wrong in that pre-Flood world to kill out
that belief. Scripture here in Genesis 6 is trying to tell us what
happened.
In the context of Genesis 6, the emphasis is on rejection of God's Spirit
by humans. God kept reaching out to them, but they hardened their
hearts and quenched the work of the Spirit within and among them.
This continues to happen today and has been accelerating for some
time as we near the end of this age and the time of Christ's return.
Truly we live in times like those before the Flood when unbelief was
rampant and the thoughts of humanity were only evil continually. We
live in an age that glorifies violence, self and strength, the trademark
of the pre-Flood world as well.
#2: Can All Angels Assume Human Form and Marry?
It's true that righteous angels can, at times, assume a human, male
shape and appear on earth. The interesting and overlooked point is
that this is only recorded in all the Scriptures of the righteous angels.
There is not one example in the Bible of an evil or fallen angel taking
on the shape of a male human. Rather, the Bible often portrays evil
angels as unclean animals!
For example, Revelation 16:13:
"And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the
mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three
unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing
signs…."
Of course, righteous angels, when God desires, can appear as male
humans. However, it would be absurd to say they would (even if they
could) have sexual relations with women. The Bible makes it clear that
the righteous angels based in Heaven do not marry. Jesus explicitly
said:
"You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the
power of God. For in the resurrection they [resurrected humans]
neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven"
(Matthew 22:30).
Here is a clear statement from Christ that angels do not marry, directly
contradicting the belief of some that angels marry. While Christ is not
directly referring to Genesis 6 here, nevertheless, His response is clear:
angels don't marry. It takes no leap of the imagination to see what
Christ would have said if He had been directly asked if the "sons of
God" referred to angels marrying women before the Flood!
They don't need to. They are not mortal. Reproduction is only
necessary in the human and animal spheres because of death and the
need to continually repopulate the earth. So the ability of righteous
angels to sometimes appear as male humans is really no proof for
interpreting the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 as evil angels.
#3: II Peter 2:4 and Jude 6
Next, II Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 do not mention sexual relations between
evil angels and women. Notice first II Peter 2:4:
"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into
hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until
the judgment…."
Here the only clue we are given is that some of the angels "sinned"
and for that reason God "cast them into hell and committed them to
chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment…."
To conclude that this is speaking of an event other than the original
angelic rebellion against God is unwarranted. The assumption is that
being cast into hell and committed to chains of darkness is only for
certain of the evil angels. This misconception is similar to that held by
some Christians today that the binding of Satan at the start of the
1,000 years in Revelation 20 restricts his work on Earth in tempting
mankind. (For a fuller explanation of the 1,000 years,
Rather, this casting and committing of the wicked angels until the Day
of Judgment speaks of their original offense against God. They were
thrust out of Heaven as their dwelling place (Rev. 12:4). They only re-
visit Heaven upon occasion, as shown in Job 1 and other scriptures.
Jesus said He had seen Satan fall out of Heaven "like lightning" (Luke
10:18). Since their initial sin, Satan and his host are awaiting their
ultimate doom. This does not completely restrict their evil deeds on
the Earth where God sets strict bounds on their activity (see I Kings
22:19-23 for a vivid example).
The nature of that original sin of some of the angels is mentioned in
Jude 6. Let's look at Jude 6 in context, beginning verse 5:
"Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus,
who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed
those who did not believe. 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—just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which
likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire,
serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Yet in
like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh,
reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones."
Again, we must read the Bible for the specific things it says about a
matter. The ancient Israelites whom God had saved out of slavery in
Egypt were later destroyed in the desert – they did not enter the
Promised Land because of unbelief.
"For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those
who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty
years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the
wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his
rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were
unable to enter because of unbelief" (Hebrews 3:16-19).
The Israelites ultimately failed to trust the One who had delivered them
from Pharaoh and harsh slavery. They fell into complaining, gross sin,
and rejection of their God-given leader, Moses.
The sin of the angels is characterized as not staying "within their own
position of authority" and leaving "their proper dwelling." What was the
charge given to the angels at the creation of man? What is their
responsibility towards us?
"For He [God] will command his angels concerning you to guard you in
all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your
foot against a stone" (Psalm 91:11-12).
And, further in Hebrews 1:13-14:
"And to which of the angels has He [God] ever said, 'Sit at my right
hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet'? Are they not
all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to
inherit salvation?"
Scripture informs us the evil angels have exactly the opposite desire!
Their whole desire is to disrupt the salvation message and belief in any
way that God allows and to inflict harm upon mankind!
And thus the fallen angels have by their actions rebelled against
helping mankind toward salvation. Instead, they use every device God
allows to entice man into their own image of rebellion and hatred of
the Creator. To say that this includes evil angels having sexual
relations with women is not explicitly stated here or elsewhere unless
one forces it into the Genesis 6 verses without other scriptural support.
Heaven was meant to be the home of all the angels as they served
their Creator's overall purpose of redeeming fallen mankind. The devil
and his host have been thrust out. They know that they will soon face
their eternal fate in the lake of fire (hell) which God has prepared for
them (Matthew 25:41).
Thus, the clear implication from the rest of Scripture is that the evil
angels rebelled at the thought of serving mankind. And that this
happened very early after man's creation is shown by the fact that the
devil appears in the Garden of Eden before the first sin of mankind.
Here, already, Satan and his host are working against God's original
purpose for their creation. They were already against the order
( "position of authority") given to them by their Creator in Heaven.
Rather, they had become man's foe. They sought to hinder man's
salvation in any way they were allowed. Man's fallen nature with
enmity towards God makes that an easier task.
#4: Who Were the Nephilim?
The idea of a part angel and part human creature is a strange concept.
It violates one of the most basic rules that these same creationists
firmly uphold. Genesis One makes it clear 10 times that created things
only can reproduce after their own min (Hebrew) translated as "kind."
Humans and angels are two entirely different kinds. Angels are created
spirit beings of great power. Adam came directly from the dust of the
Earth and Eve from Adam's rib. And, as previously shown, evil angels
only appear as unclean animals or birds, but never as men.
Thus, the result of the marriages between the" sons of God" and the
daughters of men, the Nephilim, were 100% human beings. They were
unique in that God said they were the "heroes of old, men of renown."
That is, they were looked up to as shining examples for others in a
negative way. They brought the culture of the pre-Flood world down to
its lowest level. This degenerative power is still true today of those
anti-God people who hold sway over millions – nay, even billions – of
people.
Some see evidence from Numbers 13:32-33 that the Nephilim were of
giant size. Here we read that the Israelite spies checking out the
Promised Land said they saw the Nephilim who made them appear in
their "own eyes as grasshoppers and so we were in their eyes."
However, no encounter was noted with the Nephilim once the land was
entered. Those of giant size who were later seen are called Rephaim
(Deuteronomy 1:28; 2:11, 20; and 9:2). It appears the spies were
incorrect in their description. Their report was rejected by Moses and
later they died in a plague (Numbers 14:1-38).
The name Nephilim comes from a Hebrew verb root naphal meaning
"the fallen ones." This further makes sense if we are dealing with
intermarriage between believers and unbelievers. The offspring were
the result of believers ("sons of God") who fell from the faith by
marrying unbelieving, sensual woman. The children were reared in a
hostile, anti-God atmosphere. They epitomize the pre-Flood rebellion
against the Creator. As has been true for some time in the modern
world, some of the worse enemies of Christianity were reared in
Christian homes or environments. They have forsaken the faith of their
fathers. Like the ancient heroes of the world before the Deluge, they
have often become powerful instruments in anti-God establishments
and views.
The first sin brought a curse upon the Earth (Genesis 3:17). As sins in
the pre-Flood world increased, so did the effects of the curse. God uses
"natural" means to try to bring about repentance in mankind
(Revelation 16:10). But, then, as now, men just shrugged their
shoulders and went on sinning.
This is more fully explained in the CCC geologic model. The great
Reformer Martin Luther 500 years ago also saw God's hand in the
progressive punishments of the pre-Flood world. Luther wrote:
"Here mention is made only of thorns, thistles, and hard work. But now
we learn from experience that countless others have been added…
Much harm is done to the vegetables by harmful insects! Furthermore,
frosts, lightning bolts, injurious dews, storms, overflowing rivers,
settling of the ground, earthquakes – all do damage….Therefore I am
fully of the opinion that because of the increase of sins the
punishments were also increased and that these troubles were added
to the curse of the earth" (see his commentary on Genesis 3 in
Luther's Works).
For the same reasons God brought about a world-wide Flood in Noah's
time, God will once again intervene dramatically in Earth's history. This
time it will be by universal fire, destroying the present Earth and
creating a New Heavens and a New Earth "wherein dwells
righteousness" (II Peter 3:13).
Christ said the world would become in the days before His Return "like
in the days of Noah" (Matthew 24:37). Those days were characterized
by the children of God marrying outside their faith with unbelievers.
The result was violent, anti-God rebellion, by the heroes of society.
Over time, the whole Earth became corrupt. How similar to the world
today! Even though there may be a form of godliness, in reality many
deny the power of God by their actions.
#5: The Question of Early Church Belief
Various early Jewish leaders and some New Testament Church Fathers
believed the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 referred to angels. For
example, the early Jewish historian Josephus wrote:
"Some, born of angels who had consorted with women, resembled the
audacious giants of Greek mythology" (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 1,
Chapter 3, section 1).
However, this in itself does not give it absolute credence. Rather, we
must look at why, for example, the translators of the Hebrew text into
the Greek language translated what is plainly in the Hebrew as "sons
of God" into "angels of God" (Gen. 6:2, LXX version). The LXX or
Septuagint version of what we commonly call the Old Testament was
translated in Alexandria, Egypt, during the third century B.C. This
version was widely used during the time of the apostles and was often
quoted in the New Testament.
About the same time as the LXX was being translated, the
pseudepigraphical book of Enoch was also written, at least its earlier
portion. It is in this earlier section of the Book of Enoch that it is
written:
"It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days, that
daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful. 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" (7:1-2).
This is very similar to what is believed today among some Christians.
And, together with the LXX translation, the fact that certain early
Church fathers also believed it is seen as great evidence of its validity.
But, as is true of all translations, it is only as good as the translators.
Greek and other Near Eastern mythology has parallels with the mixing
of the gods and humans. And, as we have seen, its use by the Book of
Enoch has never been recognized as inspired Scripture. Quotes from it
in the New Testament (Jude 9; 14-15) don't make it canonical anymore
than St. Paul's quotes from the Greek poets Aratus, Menander, and
Epimenides give their works Scriptural authority.
So the fact that some of the early Church Fathers believed the "sons of
God" in Genesis 6 to be fallen angels shows only how far this
misconception had travelled. Later Church Fathers soundly rejected
the idea.
A book on Eastern Orthodox traditions (GENESIS, CREATION and EARLY
MAN -- The Orthodox Christian Vision) rejects the idea that angels
married women before the Flood by saying:
"Some have speculated that the 'sons of God' were heavenly beings or
angels. The Holy Fathers were aware of this interpretation and they
refuted it, saying that angels cannot beget men." [Here a footnote
adds the following: "The identification of the 'sons of God' as angels or
heavenly beings was based in part on the apocryphal book of
Enoch....Some of the early Christian writers mistakenly accepted this
interpretation....The first extant Christian reference to the 'sons of God'
as descendants of Seth is in the Five Books of Chronology by the early
Christian writer Julius Africanus (A.D. 200-245) (Ante-Nicene Fathers,
vol. 6, p. 131). This interpretation became the consistent teaching of
the Church, being set forth on theological grounds by St. John
Chrysostom (Commentary on Genesis 22:6-7), St. Ephraim the Syrian
(Commentary on Genesis 6:3, Hymns on the Nativity 1:48, Hymns on
Faith 46:9, Hymns against Heresies 19:1-8, and Hymns on Paradise
1:11), St. John Cassian (Conferences 8:20-21), Blessed Augustine (City
of God 15:23), St. Gregory Palamas ('Topics of Natural and Theological
Science' 62), St. Athanasius (Four Discourses against the Arians 4:22),
St. Cyril of Alexandria, and others."] (page 244).
The New Testament warns against believing fables (see Titus 1:14, I
Timothy 1:4; 4:7 and II Timothy 4:4). Unfortunately, at times, the early
Church Fathers -- as is still true today among various Church leaders --
did err. The guiding principle must always remain sola scriptura.
#6: "Perfect/Blameless in His Generations"
And, lastly, what about Genesis 6:9 and the statement that Noah was
found to be "blameless in his generation" (ESV), "blameless among his
fellow man" (Modern Language)? If this is not concerning his genetic
make-up, what could it mean?
Notice how the Bible uses the term "blameless".
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that
man was blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away
from evil" (Job 1:1).
"In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named
Zechariah…and he had a wife…and her name was Elizabeth. And they
were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:5-6).
Noah was unique in that just before the Flood commenced, only he was
found among all the earth to be blameless. What set him apart was his
faith (a living one, validated by his works).
"By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear
built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world
and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith" (Hebrews
11:7).
It had nothing to do with his genetics, but rather a faith-based
relationship with his Creator that translated into good works and a
godly fear. Nowhere in the entire Bible is there any mention of
human/angel marriages. Time and time again the warning has to do
with believers not diluting their faith by inter-marriage with
unbelievers.
Summation
The early verses of Genesis 6, when viewed with the rest of the Bible,
speak of the faith degeneration of the believing community in the pre-
Flood world. Men of God lusted after worldly, unconverted women and
fell from the faith – a problem still very much with us today.
Throughout the Bible, God warns his people not to allow unbelievers to
lead them into carnal pursuits and ungodly living. This was also the
major problem of ancient Israel. They continually mixed with the pagan
religions of the nations around them until God had to expel them from
the Land of Promise. That's why the New Testament continues to
teach:
"But if her husband dies, she [the believer] is free to be married to
whom she wishes, only in the Lord [that is, a fellow believer]" (I
Corinthians 7:39 and see also II Corinthians 6:14-18).
Before the Flood, godly men chose to marry whosoever they willed,
even unbelievers. This apostasy from the faith was catastrophic in the
morals of the day and eventually led to a society so corrupt that every
thought of their hearts was only evil continually. Thus, the world
became a place filled with violence and hatred and exactly opposite
the will of the Creator. God's only solution was total destruction of all
humanity except Noah and his immediate family.
To try to paint another picture into these verses in Genesis 6 overlooks
basic story flow and biblical concepts. It plays into the devices of those
evil angels who seek to derail man from the thoughts of God. Demons
love to have people think about themselves rather than God and His
thoughts. The understanding that the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 are
pre-Flood believers who fell away from the faith due to their lust for
ungodly women is a theme that still has great meaning for Christians
today. All godly men need to remember it so as to not make this same
drastic mistake just before our Lord returns.
Bibliography
The revisor of this book is of the opinion that the original manuscript
was dictated to the woman who wrote it by one of the fallen angels
who desired to return to divine favor.
God's Curse on all these things The Scriptures group all these forms of
deviltry in two verses, in Deuteronomy 18:10, 11.... Reviewing this
passage we see that one who uses divination is one who receives
information from the fallen angels by means of omens or oracles. The
manner is immaterial.... A witch is a medium or mouthpiece of the
fallen angels...
Why then did the Society endorse this book since they have
condemned reading books "dictated" to authors by fallen angels or
demons as being spiritism? The Society at the time believed that some
demons or fallen angels were honest and could be saved and return to
God's organization. Angels and Women, they believed, was channeled
or "dictated" to the author by one such fallen angel who was honest
and told the truth about pre-flood conditions on earth. They endorsed
the book and said it shed some "light" on the subject since it came
from an 'honest' fallen angel who was there at the time. They therefore
claimed to receive new "light" from a demon according to their own
statements.
The Foreword
The theology, words, and phrases used in the Foreword can be found in
Rutherford's writings. Whoever wrote it was at least familiar with the
Society's writings on the book's topic.
TRITE but true is the saying, "Truth is stranger than fiction." Fiction
sometimes illumines the truth.
The greatest Bible scholar of modern times read this book shortly
before his death. To a close personal friend he said: "This book, if
revised according to the facts we know about spiritism, would be
instructive and helpful." Long prior thereto this noted Bible scholar had
written and published the first clear presentation of the Bible teaching
on spiritism. He advised his personal friend to revise the novel Seola
and to publish it if opportunity afforded at some future time.
This book deals with the events transpiring between the date of the
creation of man and the great deluge. The principal characters figuring
in the novel are Satan, fallen angels and women. Angels are heavenly
messengers. There was a time when all angels were good. The time
came when many of them allied themselves with Satan and became
evil, hence called "fallen angels.".... Evil angels and bad women have
made countless millions mourn.
The Bible story of fallen angels or evil spirits is briefly told as follows:
Lucifer, once a good spirit being,... deceived Eve, the first woman,
causing her to sin. Adam, the first man, joined her in the transgression.
The sentence of death and expulsion from Eden resulted.... there was
born to Adam and Eve a number of children. Sixteen hundred years
later, among these descendants of Adam and Eve, were Noah and his
family.
Lucifer, now degraded, was named by Jehovah the Dragon, that old
Serpent, Satan the Devil. God had permitted the angels, prior to the
flood, to have supervision of the peoples of the earth. (Hebrews 2:3.)
These angels had power to materialize in human form and mingle
amongst the human race. Satan seduced many of these angels and
caused them to become wicked or fallen ones. They in turn debauched
the women descendants of Adam. The materialized angels, called
"sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they
took them wives of all which they chose." (Genesis 6:2) A mongrel race
resulted from these fallen angels with the offspring of Adam. These
filled the earth with wickedness and violence. Their wickedness
became so great that the Lord Jehovah brought upon the world the
great deluge that destroyed all of this mongrel race.
The sons of God who succumbed to the temptations and thus became
the fallen angels are alluded to as "Devas" in this book; their offspring
as "Darvands."
The fallen angels or evil spirits were not destroyed in the flood, but
imprisoned in the darkness of the atmosphere near the earth. Upon
this point the inspired words of holy writ are: "For God spared not the
angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." (2 Peter 2:4.)
"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." (Jude 6.)
Since the flood these evil angels have had no power to materialize, yet
they have had the power and exercised it, of communicating with
human beings through willing dupes known as spirit mediums. Thus
have been deceived hundreds of thousands of honest people into
believing that their dead friends are alive and that the living can talk
with the dead.
All students, familiar with the Bible teaching concerning spiritism, will
read this book with the keenest interest because it shows the method
employed by Satan and the wicked angels to debauch and overthrow
the human race. The reviser of this book is of the opinion that the
original manuscript was dictated to the woman who wrote it by one of
the fallen angels who desired to return to divine favor. It is believed
that reverential persons now examining the revised edition of this book
will have a better understanding of the evil influence about us and be
better fortified in the Lord's word and grace to shield and protect
themselves from these evil influences.
Truth is stranger than fiction indeed! Here the Bible Student who
wrote this Foreword says that reading this book will help one avoid
spiritism!
How?
Why did they believe that reading a book "dictated to the woman who
wrote it by one of the fallen angels" or "evil spirits" could help one be
"forewarned" about spiritism and be "forearmed" against it? Did they
believe it clearly showed the dangers of being under such demonic
control and deceived as the author J. G. Smith supposedly was here?
Did it show how "spirit mediums" like J. G. Smith were "willing dupes"
of fallen angels or demons? Did it clearly demonstrate how a person
could become a channel for the fallen angels and thus become a
"witch"?
Angels and Women opens in the "NORTH SYRIAN MTS., May 23, 19--"
where a group of people on their way to "Jahrada" take a rest "along
the steeps of the Anti-Libanus" mountains. (p. 7) There, one in the
group, "Edmund," finds by accident a triangular rock with a figure on it
that covers an entrance to a cave about ten feet square which had
been cut out of the mountainside. (pp. 8, 9)
After sending for help in the valley to remove this rock they find inside
a cylindrical object made of pure amethyst. (pp. 9, 10) Engraved on it
on one side was "the representation of a terrible flood" and on the
other a man, woman and children. (p. 10)
In removing the dust from the crystal a spring was touched, and the
cylinder opened, disclosing a linen roll like those of Egypt (though
incomparably finer), covered with minute characters which, under the
rays of the sun, became intensely blue. (p. 10)
After comparing this with the tenth chapter of Genesis, they find that
the names of the men and women correspond with the Genesis
account:
Thus:
Aloma's Journal:
Child of the Hermitage
Aloma's diary or journal starts out with her life on the west bank of the
Euphrates. Aloma's father Allimades (Noah's brother) is the one who
suggested to Aloma that she keep a journal of her life. (pp. 13, 14)
Aloma is a happy, contented person who is puzzled by her parent's
melancholia. (pp. 15, 16)
Allimades' Story
The next chapter is mainly a record of Allimades' response to Aloma
after she questions him about his remarks concerning her beauty. (p.
20)
Adam and Eve were "driven from their happy home" because they
"admitted the Deceiver to their counsels." Since then sin and death
have attended mankind. The Tempter "enticed other "Star-spirits" from
their allegiance to the Almighty, promising to establish them as great
princes in the world." These Star-spirits [angels] materialized as men
on earth and took women as wives. (pp. 21, 22)
It was near the City of Balonia that Allimades was raised. He had a
single brother named Noah and was unsure if he was still alive. Noah,
he said, "denounced the foul living of the Evil Ones, and called upon
God for deliverance." (p. 23) He must have had a charmed life he said
for all attempts by the Devas at assassinating him failed. (p. 24) After
their parents died Allimades said that:
... we, with our few servants, were left in the world sole worshipers of
the true God. (p. 24)
During this time some Darvands (offspring of the angels and women)
see Samoula's beauty and decide to try and capture her to give to
Satanas and receive a reward from him. Noah warns them again to flee
saying they only have a few hours to escape as Satanas has been told
of Samoula's beauty and has sent out a search party for her. (pp. 30-
32) They flee and this is how they arrived at the Hermitage. (p. 33)
Allimades gives Aloma the writings from a "purer age" to read and
study which tells of all these things and more about the history of man,
Satanas' kingdom, etc.. (pp. 33, 34)
After escaping from the Devas Allimades decides that they should
make a pilgrimage to Eden. He said "It has been considered a sacred
duty that every human being, once during life, make a pilgrimage to
the site of ancient Eden" and offer sacrifices and to pray. "I fear I have
incurred the displeasure of the Almighty by deferring this rite" he says.
(pp. 36, 37)
Hesperus
The next chapter ('Change,' pp. 39-74) deals with their journey to Eden
and its consequences. It also introduces an important individual in
Angels and Women, Hesperus, a fallen angel.
They journey to Eden by boat down the Euphrates river and offer a
sacrifice that God accepts by consuming it with fire. (pp. 46-47)
On their way back from Eden while sleeping in the boat, Aloma is
awakened by a flash of light. (p. 49) Behind her are two beings in the
form of men. These turn out to be Satanas and Hesperus a fallen angel
who are after Samoula. (pp. 49-51) Satanas tells Hesperus to kill
Allimades which he does by sending "a slender shaft of light" from his
finger which "quivered" over Allimades' heart. He next tells Hesperus
to kill Aloma as well. (p. 51) Hesperus, however, admires her beauty
and asks Satanas that she be spared and given to him.
Aloma lay in the boat in a "swoon" until the morning when she was
awakened by her mother Samoula shrieking at seeing that her
husband was dead. Two 'men' appear on the shore and offer
assistance. Samoula lets them help and they tell her Allimades died of
a rare disease peculiar to the region. They accompany them on their
journey back to the Hermitage. Aloma however, recognizes the two as
the ones who were responsible for her fathers' death. This is discerned
by her and not her mother because she recently acquired the "gift of
prophecy." (p. 52)
After arriving at the Hermitage Satanas and Hesperus stay a few days
and then leave. (p. 56) Aldeth (one of their servants) comes to the
conclusion that these 'men' are actually Devas. (pp. 57, 58) She tells
Aloma they are no longer safe. One day after this Aldeth's husband
Cheros (their other servant) is killed by a flash of light from the sky.
(pp. 58, 59)
On a day soon after this the two 'men' (Satanas and Hesperus) are
seen coming down the river on a boat. They just so happen to be
passing by and decide to see how they are doing. Samoula tells
Satanas about Cheros' death. Satanas comforts Samoula while
Hesperus makes a "move" for Aloma saying:
Aloma refuses this advance and "The Devas soon left us." (p. 63)
Next, "various afflictions assailed" them. Cattle die, trees are set on
fire, floods - you name it. (p. 164) Of course this was the work of
Satanas and Hesperus. Next thing you know they both show up again
as 'men' after this with some Darvands who bring them baskets of
fruits, meats, etc., and packages of fabrics and jewels. Aloma's
admiration for the help of their new friends is tempered when she
notices that all of the packages and also the headbands and upon the
tunics the Darvands wore had an emblem on them -- a winged serpent!
The "winged-sun-disc" symbol that appeared on Bible Student
literature from about 1911 to 1920.
Aloma tells Samoula that God has enlightened her about the identity of
their two new friends and that she doesn't want anything to do with
them. (pp. 67, 68) Samoula does not listen to Aloma and leaves with
Satanas after he offers her a jeweled bracelet. (p. 70)
Hesperus, not even the safety of my mother shall tempt me. Sin is
more dreadful than death, holiness is more to be desired than glory....
so far you may be restored. If I yield to your persuasion, we shall sink
into everlasting perdition. (pp. 73, 74)
With this, in the melodramatic style of the book, Aloma pulls out a
small dagger and says:
... I love you not, O Hesperus, yet would I plunge this weapon into my
own heart to save you from the sin of my embrace. (p. 74)
Greater Change
The next chapter is the longest one in the book. (pp. 75-191)
Before going with them she goes with Aldeth and gets the
"manuscripts and writing materials of Allimades, and the amethyst
cylinder" presented to her at her last birthday. (p. 78) She then leaves
with them together with a fleet of Darvands mounted on white
elephants [!] headed for --
... O Aloma, beautiful, beloved, look forth into the western sky! Seest
thou the brightest of yon celestial group, a star radiant and tender as
thine own eyes? There once I dwelt, happy and pure. I would return
unto mine ancient realm. I have seen thy soul,... and I tire of earth, its
baseness and sin.... Have pity, Aloma!
This is interesting and important to me for two reasons. First, when this
book was revised and published by a Bible Student and recommended
by the Watchtower Society as shedding new light they believed and
taught that Jehovah was a being who eternally existed in the time and
space of this universe. This place was the Pleiades star system. From
there Jehovah sent his angels to earth.
This view of God and the angels by the Society and the demon behind
Angels and Women sounds more like the gods from outer space in
Erich Von Daniken's "ancient astronaut" theory. (See the article
Jehovah Ancient Astronaut From the Pleiades?)
Aloma asks Minerva how she came to be in Balonia and why she is
unhappy. Minerva relates how she was a daughter of a prince who
governed a happy people who followed God. Devas attacked her
father's kingdom. (pp. 102-3) Unlike the rest from this kingdom,
Minerva's life was spared because of her beauty. She married the Deva
Uronion, apparently as the price for having her life saved. (p. 104)
They both entered the service of Satanas at Balonia were she has lived
unhappily ever since. She says she briefly retained her former faith in
God until hearing of other similar cases of conquest by the Devas.
Satanas now rules the world, she says, and God, if there be one, does
not care about this sorry state of affairs. (p. 105)
In accord with the Society's belief at this time, Minerva states that
Satanas "seduced" Hesperus and the other Devas (fallen angels) from
their place in heaven.
The Priests of Satanas
On the heads of one the "giants" are some feathers. He looks to have
some winged design on his breastplate. This is apparently one of the
nephilim that were the so-called "Priests of Satanas" described in
Angels and Women (But not mentioned in the Bible). He does not have
a scimitar in his hand as the "priests of Satanas" are said to have had
in Angels and Women. (Unless it is in his left hand which is
nondescript) Instead he and the other giants (except one) have a
round object in their right hands. Perhaps this is a rock to throw at
Noah. Perhaps it is a talisman. (See below)
It appears to me that the artist here could have received his ideas or
"inspiration" on what the nephilim, fallen angels and their offspring
wore from the description of them in Angels and Women. If this is not
simply a coincidence, the book had effects on their views of this issue
years later.
Japheth
Japheth implores Aloma to stay with him in his father's house for safety
and that only a miracle will save her from the "sins and crime" of
Balonia.
Aloma reports:
Again my mind was suddenly illuminated, and the purpose of the Most
High revealed. The gift of prophecy was bestowed for my own salvation
and that of others; and I answered confidently-- "The miracle has been
performed. I am possessed of a talisman more potent than the wiles
and violence of Deva or Darvand. We shall meet again. (pp. 118, 119)
I love you because you are what I once was, and I abhor myself for
what I have now become. (p. 124)
She decides to pursue pleasure and to blot out her troubles with
sorcery (drugs). [8] She throws a few crystals down which fill the air
with an intoxicating odor and she tries to persuade Aloma to take a
drink of an intoxicating and perhaps hallucinatory concoction. She
refuses and tells Minerva that God is forgiving.
The next day Aloma joins Noah's family in offering sacrifices to God
(pp. 137, 138) and agrees to marry Japheth and join them on the
Tebah or Ark. (pp. 138, 139) She says she must return to Balonia and
participate in Samoula's wedding first. (p. 139)
She returns to the Palace in Balonia and finds Uronion (Minerva's Deva
husband) waiting for her with a note from Minerva. The note states
that she is about to be put to death at the hands of the "demons" for
her faith in God. (pp. 140, 141)
Aloma decides to rescue Minerva from her fate, possibly with the help
of Hesperus. (pp. 142, 143) She comes to a place where, hiding, she
overhears Uronion pleading with Hesperus for Minerva's life. (p. 144,
145)
After Uronion mentions that Aloma was also with Minerva to hear Noah
preach, (pp. 145, 146) Hesperus gives Uronion a key to "liberate"
Minerva. (p. 146)
As Uronion departs with the key Aloma is unable to flee from her hiding
spot as a group of Devas approach. (pp. 146, 147) A 'council of the
Devas' takes place that Aloma listens to. Satanas presides over this
council. What follows (pp. 148-151) is apparently another section in the
book that the revisor thought was "exceedingly interesting" and
perhaps "thrilling" due to its "correct" interpretation of certain
scriptures.
... the aerial voice of Prince Owadu is heard. In his realm there is a
great planet uninhabited, cracked and fissured, deep-seamed and rent
by volcanic fire. Deep, jarring, splitting sounds now issue from the
center of this desolate orb, it is about to fall to pieces. Its disruption
will endanger the earth. [Perhaps this refers to a planet that
disintegrated and became the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.]
The footnote that was put in the text here by the reviser refers the
reader to note 20 in the Appendix that was added to explain the book's
"correct" theology.
In the footnote they explain their belief in the 'Vail' or 'canopy' theory
which held that the flood was caused by the collapse of a ring of water
vapor that surrounded the early earth. The note in the Appendix
states:
Isaac Vail, author and scientist, corroborates the Biblical account of the
Flood in his theory of creation, which is briefly but thoroughly and
convincingly reviewed in STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, Vol. VI, chapter
1.... The earth at this period must have resembled Saturn with its
"rings." The breaking down of these rings, long periods apart, furnished
numerous deluges. The water, strongly mineralized, covered the entire
surface of the earth, just as described in Genesis. (p. 259)
Early earth with vallian rings.
"The Truth Shall Make You Free," 1943 p. 60.
There are scientists who claim that the earth still has one ring about it,
an electrical ring, which, falling, will in a few years destroy
fermentation, microbes and parasites, and greatly assist plant and
animal life.
This last ring would fall during the Millennium, I guess, which would
reverse the negative effects of the water vapor ring collapsing that
created the flood. It would end the fermenting of grapes for example
(discussed below). It would help in the transforming of earth back to
Paradise conditions as plant and animals would be "greatly assisted" as
this would destroy microbes and parasites. This would reduce disease
and eliminate decomposition.
[After the Rutherford period the Society still relied on the "canopy"
theory of Vail.] [9]
Hesperus Repents
On page 156 of Angels and Women Aloma prays for her mother's
restoration to righteousness. She also prays for Hesperus, the fallen
angel, to be saved. While thus praying Hesperus appears at her
balcony, hears her praying, groans, and leaves. (pp. 156, 157) Aloma
goes to the balcony where she hears below Hesperus saying to
Satanas that he no longer wants to be in his service. (p. 157)
"I can serve you no longer.... The Almighty Law is eternal fitness: it
cannot be broken. We are not revolutionists, but rebels, who conspire
against a beneficent ruler. I repent, I shall resist no more.... I
remember that I have sinned; and I will sin no more. This for myself,
the rest with God." 1
Will those "spirits in prison," the angels which kept not their first estate
and became fallen ones, ever have an opportunity to repent of their sin
and return to the service of God?.... they, as well as mankind, will have
a trial under the reign of Christ and the church. "Know ye not that we
shall judge angels?" (1 Corinthians 6:3)
The Pageant
Retribution
Satanas calls his Devas to arms against these angels. (p. 176)
Hesperus refuses to take up arms against them. Satanas draws a
sword above his head:
Meanwhile Aloma and Aldeth her servant hear a scream and rush to
the bridal chamber. (pp. 179, 180) They find Samoula on the floor a
victim of a steel sword's wound in the bosom. Samoula whispers,
"Saved, O my daughter!" and dies. (p. 180) Aloma runs outside and
finds Hesperus:
And above all was the Great Center, which binds the sweet influences
of the stars. (p. 183)
This sounds like the Society's doctrine that heaven was in the Pleiades
star system which was the center of the universe and had "sweet
influences" on the rest of the universe.
The vision continues and reveals the battle between the angels and
the demons in the atmosphere of the earth. When Satanas and his
demons appeared to be winning the battle, "from the northern sky"
[the Pleiades apparently] a "Shadow of a Hand" fell upon the demons.
(p. 185) This "Hand" of God restrains the "angels that sinned" to the
atmosphere of earth, again in accordance with the Society's doctrine at
the time.
When Aloma 'comes to' she is greeted by Japheth and they enter the
Tebah. (pp. 187, 188)
The next chapter of the book (pp. 192-239) deals with the Ark and the
flood.
The bodies of these, my loved ones, now lie beneath the mighty
waves. In death they will sleep their long sleep--perchance many
cycles until the awakening time and Paradise is restored on earth. All
except the Deva, Hesperus. Ah, Hesperus! --though now chained with
other fallen angels, in the distant future, when thy Day of final
judgment come, thou wilt come forth purified, restored, forgiven!
Noah's Intoxication
I guess they believed that when the final electrical ring falls to earth
during the Millennium this fermentation will cease. This description and
explanation of Noah's intoxication is in accord with the Society's views.
Again, the footnote to this passage refers the reader to note 29 in the
Appendix which explains the book's "correct" theology on this.
Here the manuscript abruptly ended, but on the back of the linen roll
was an inscription in bolder characters, which after careful study we
found to be--
The events in the last chapter in Angels and Women occur five
hundred years after the flood. This was written by Aloma's seven sons
after her death. (p. 240) It records her last words about God-given
visions of the future Golden Age.
Aloma tells how Satanas and his "cohorts" (Yes, the same term used by
Rutherford later-- is this where he picked it up?) were "restrained in
darkness at the time of the Deluge, that they might no longer appear
in human form." (pp. 240, 241) She tells also of a future "Paradise" on
Earth when she would be resurrected with Japheth. (p. 241) Both of
these statements merited footnotes that explained this "correct"
theology. (Notes 30, 31 on page 263)
... he was the chief son of Jehovah, next to him in the universe.
The following statements taken from the last chapter about the future
"New" or "Golden" Age sound as if they could have come from the
Society's own Golden Age magazine:
"At last the mighty Prince appears again. Now he comes in power and
great glory... to overthrow and destroy the power of Satanas the
usurper. There is great commotion on the earth and all the nations are
in distress and perplexity. Wars, pestilences and famines afflict the
peoples of all lands.... a terrible time of trouble... and the hearts of
men are melted because of the trouble. The world reels to and fro and
staggers like one who is drunk, and men are at their wits' end.... then
stands forth the Prince of Peace..., and sweet peace settles down upon
the earth. 1
"With the mighty Prince I see a glorious company, the most beautiful
creatures I have ever looked upon.... from all nations and kindreds.... I
see these become the judges, not only of men, but of the Devas,
whose judgment must come in the great Day of the Almighty. 1
"I see poor, depraved humanity, so long benighted and fettered by the
power of Satanas and the fallen angels, being gradually lifted up out of
their degradation by these chosen ones of Jehovah....
"I see the beauty and glory of Eden restored. The deserts are
blossoming as the rose; the whole earth yields its increase and is made
as the Garden of Eden. There follows a government that satisfies the
desires of honest men.... Wars are forgotten, sickness is no more....
Sorrow has passed away. There is no more death.... The vision of
Aloma is ended!" (pp. 244-248)
Angels and Women then ends with a few words by Javan. (p. 293)
In his lecture, Angels of the New Light, Duane Magnani says the book
was written by "a close associate of Charles Taze Russell." I don't know
if he meant J. G. Smith or the Society's revisor of the original Seola. I
assume it was the latter. I have no information on the author. Readers
who do are encouraged to write.
The Publisher
Perhaps the Bible Student who revised the book had a company in
Indiana print the book and sold it through a P.O. box in New York city.
In this case it could have been a book published in a similar way to
What Pastor Russell Said by Leslie Jones.
The above documents what I know of Angels and Women and the
Society's endorsement of it. It contains what I believe is the most
important and interesting quotes and information on this subject.
There is more I would like to know on this issue. For example, I do not
have, as stated above, a copy of the original 1878 Seola. I would like to
compare the original Seola with the revised edition to see exactly what
was "revised."
I would also like more information on who "Mrs. J. G. Smith" was and
her relationship with Russell. Who was the reviser? Exactly what was
the new "light" presented in this book? Who was the A.B. Abac
company? [12]
6. Angels and Women, p. 22. The footnote in this quote after the word
Darvands refers the reader to Note 6 in the Appendix on page 254.
This explains the Darvands as being the offspring of the fallen angels
or "Devas".
8. Sorcery refers to the use of magic potions (or drugs) for occult
purposes. "Potions include poisons, but there has always been a
magical tradition of herbs gathered and prepared for spells, and also
for encouraging the presence of spirits." (Theological Dictionary of New
Testament Theology, Vol. 2, p. 558.) The Greek word for sorcery used
in the New Testament (Gal. 5:20; Rev. 9:21, 18:23) is
farmakeia&endash; pharmakeia, which is where we get our words
pharmacy, pharmaceuticals, etc..
11. Angels and Women, title page, The Golden Age, Dec. 3, 1924 p.
151.
12. A JW who I have purchased old JW literature from in the past has
told me he learned who the revisor of Seola was. He claimed he spoke
with Ray Setiquist (a JW who recently died) about old JW literature in a
Kingdom Hall. Ray brought up the subject of the Angels and Women
book. He said it was written (revised) by Ed Brenisen (Brenneisen).
Brenisen was one of the five individuals named by Russell in his will as
suggested members of the Editorial Committee that would be
responsible for determining the contents of Zion's Watch Tower upon
his death. (See Watch Tower Reprints, p. 5999; Proclaimers, 1993 p.
64) Brenisen was, therefore, close to Russell and could have been the
revisor. This person also told me that the A.B. Abac Co. was Brenisen's
company. The W. B. Conkey company he said was a publishing firm
that printed much of the Society's early books. I have no way of
verifying this.
Welcome
Some of us have been listening to the Great Goddess Gaia - our Earth -
and she is telling us things. She is telling us to remember the Angels of
Earth Island. Earth Island is our planet, our home in the sea of space.
It's the only place we have every lived and it may be the only place we
ever will live.
Left above: The brazen serpent that healed the followers of Moses may
have represented the Seraphim. Right above: Lucifer, a fallen angel
known as the bringer of light, was one of the Seraphim.
Cherubim
The Cherubim are the guardian angels. They wield the flaming,
whirling sword. They are beasts with wings and four faces: Lion, Eagle,
Ox and Man. Their wings cover the ark of the covenant, folded about it
like a perfect yoni. The cherubim guard the east gate of Eden, the one
where Adam and Eve were expelled.
The Cherubim are of air and breath. Their role is to touch the fetus
while it is still in the womb and give it the breath of life. The mark on a
newborn's upper lip is the sign of that touch. Since the Renaissance,
cherubs have been portrayed in art as baby angels. This reflects their
role in guarding the gates of Paradise, the Womb. Once we have left
the Womb we cannot return. The Cherubim represent then, those
children who died prematurely through miscarriage, abortion or infant
neglect. Their souls have not been tried on earth and so they can
return to Paradise to wait for another chance.
The chief Cherub is called Metatron. His female aspect is the Shekina,
the Hebrew Goddess. Metatron is called "the small face of Yahweh"
and "the Rod of Moses." From one side of the Rod comes life and the
other death. He is the teacher of prematurely dead children in paradise
while they await a more auspicious time for birth.
Pictures from the Charles Kingsley children's book, The Water Babies.
Certain small sculptures of the ancient Olmec people of Mexico appear
to resemble fetuses. Archeologist Carolyn Tate has studied these
sculptures and says: "Among the Mixe, contemporary descendants of
the Olmecs, the female supernatural power that controls bodies of
water also controls human childbirth and fishing. It is as if one "fishes"
for children, or as if fish were placed in the womb in order to be
"cooked" into human infants, as the Mixe say."
Two Olmec fetus sculptures from "Olmec Sculptures of the Human
Fetus" by Carolyn Tate and Gordon Bendersky.
Abortion was openly practiced in the harem of the Aztec ruler
Montezuma. The Aztecs and their precursors occupied deserts and
jungles that provided very little in the way of protein. Their only
domesticated animals were the turkey and the dog. With so little meat
to go around, population limitation was desirable.
Representations of the fetus may be more common than we know.
Marija Gimbutas identifies fetal twists of clay found in archeological
sites in old Europe. Figurines of frogs, fish, salamanders and other such
creatures may have actually represented fetuses in the minds of those
who made them.
Above left: A fish-fetus sculpture from neolithic Europe. Above right: A
silver frog with a human face from the Alps, 19th century. From "The
Language of the Goddess" by Marija Gimbutas.
The Fall
Adam's first wife Lilith was something like a goddess of abortion. She
wanted to be his equal and when he refused to let her change their
sexual position so she could be on top, she left him. Yahweh sent three
angels after her, but she escaped and went to live in a cave. Yahweh
punished her by decreeing that all her children would die, but since
she knew the secret name of Yahweh, she retained power over all
newborn children and could cause any of them to die. The daughters of
Eve must protect their children from Lilith by using amulets to ward
her off.
The story of Lilith and of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the
Garden of Eden represents the change of human social organization
from matrilineal to patriarchal. In former times, all children belonged to
their mothers and mother's brothers. But the fathers wanted their own
children to honor them and care for them in their old age and slowly
they subverted the ancient system. The knowledge Eve gave to Adam
was the knowledge of his exclusive paternity (previously it was thought
that a woman had to lie with more than one man to conceive). This
knowledge knocked the old world off its foundations and began an era
of pain and strife.
Above left: Lilith tempting Eve with the fruit of knowledge. Above right:
A representation of Lucifer after the fall. Note that he/she causes birth
as well as death.
One consequence of the change was the loss of old methods of
population regulation. Fathers wanted more sons to increase their
power in commerce and war. The first written law codes, those of
Assyria and Hammurabi, where primarily concerned with the regulation
of women and their fertility. The law required that a woman who
aborted should be impaled on a stake and refused sacred burial.
Infanticide however, remained perfectly legal, if exercised by the
father, as it was now his right to chose which children to keep and
which to kill. Fathers were more likely to keep sons and to kill
daughters.
Still, throughout much of the ancient world, women continued to
practice abortion. Ancient medical texts show that a variety of
effective herbal abortifacients were known. Mostly these were taken
within the first month of pregnancy. An herb called silphium, a variety
of giant fennel, was so effective that during Greek and Roman times it
was harvested to extinction. It could not be cultivated and grew only in
the deserts of Libya.
Toward the end of the Roman empire, rulers became increasing
concerned about the slowing of population growth. More and more
their subjects were refusing to birth large families. The custom was to
sell unwanted infants as slaves, but fewer families were willing to do
that. At its height, about twenty percent of the Empire's subjects were
slaves. Imperial Rome imposed new laws against abortion.
A similar situation took hold with the rise of mercantilism during the
Renaissance. In the aftermath of the bubonic plague and the
depopulation of Europe, a general prosperity took hold as the survivors
inherited the wealth of the land. Laborers and artisans commanded
high wages. The wealthy merchants, however, wanted lower wages
and so increased pressure was brought upon women to bear large
families again. The period of the Renaissance coincides with the peak
of the witch persecutions in which an estimated half million women
were executed. Most of these women were either midwives with
knowledge of contraception and abortion or single women who had
aborted. As a result, most of the ancient knowledge of herbal
abortifacients was lost to ordinary women.
Women healers murdered by the witch hunters.
Abortion and Democracy
The witch was called a baby killer because she took the regulation of
population into her own hands against the interests of the merchant
rulers who based their power on growth and war. This struggle
continues. The interests of women, labor and the small democratic
society are opposed to the interests of those who value the
accumulation of obscene wealth and concentrated power above all
else.
As human population continues to grow exponentially, it is now
doubling at a rate of every 30 years. The stresses on the environment
and systems of food production, water and energy are enormous and
growing. The stresses on human society are equally great. Outbreaks
of violence, substance abuse, disease and insanity are increasing.
Poverty is on the rise as labor is oversupplied and wages fall. Since the
globalization of economic systems, America is no longer immune to
these forces.
One consequence we rarely think about is the impact of mass society
on democracy. The Jeffersonian ideal of democracy is based on a small
society where problems can be solved by participation of all citizens in
town hall meetings. In 1800 it was quite possible that your
representative to Congress would know you or your family by name.
Now it is unthinkable unless you are a wealthy contributor, a lobbyist
or a political activist. The number of constituents per representative
has grown from 25,000 to 640,000 and is still growing. In the words of
science fiction writer Isaac Asimov: "Democracy will not survive
overpopulation."
The masses of men are easier to manipulate than thoughtful small
groups and the mass media is the perfect instrument of control. Adolf
Hitler said in Mein Kampf: "the great mass of people will more easily
fall victim to a big lie than to a small one." Thus George W. Bush can
claim to be "pro-life" while he sends young people off to die in an
unprovoked war.
Fascist rulers have learned that the easiest way to control people is by
controlling their sexuality. Women in particular are made to feel that
their natural sexuality is "dirty" and the only noble function of sex is to
produce children. A Nazi newspaper in 1931 published the following:
"The family with many children must be preserved.... because it is a
highly valuable, indispensable part of the German nation .... not only
because it alone guarantees the maintainence of the population in the
future but because it is the strongest basis of national morality and
national culture.... the legalization of abortion is at variance with the
function of the family, which is to produce children, and would lead to
the definite destruction of the family with many children."
A large part of the success of the extreme right wing in American
politics derives from its appeal to abortion opponents. Like the Nazis,
the right wing has tied abortion to the stability of the family and
ultimately the security of the nation. But this is a big lie. In fact the
opposite is true. Abortion, family planning and comprehensive health
care for women can halt exponential population growth. If we don't
accept the necessity of population limitation, we will have it imposed
upon us anyway as the burden of growing population continues to
destroy our environment. As the environment deteriorates, we lose our
health, our livelihood and our security.
Abortion is an emotional issue. It is never anyone's first choice and
should not be used as a contraceptive. But the fact is that even
modern contraceptives are hard to use, can harm women's health and
can fail. Abortion is still necessary as a backup. Instead of fighting
against abortion, let us honor the souls of the tiny beings we must
send back to heaven and concentrate our energies and passions on
creating a better world for the people who are already here. In the
process we will also create a sustainable future so that those souls
may have a chance to return to Earth some day.
Earth Island Angels
Earth Island Angels are the modern version of the Tiki god or the
Cherub. Like the Buddhist Jizo dolls, we can use these icons to focus
our thoughts and prayers.
Earth Island Angels can be anything. Angels and fairies are very
popular today and lovely images of them can be found everywhere.
Put an angel or a fairy on your personal altar or sacred space and use
it to remind you of the sad but sometimes necessary sacrifice of
abortion. Use it to give thanks that we have much better
contraceptives today than our ancestors did. Give thanks that we
rarely have to resort to abortion and never to infanticide. Give thanks
also for the lives of millions of women that have been saved by access
to safe, legal abortion.
The Pew Global Attitudes Project survey of more than 38,000 people in
44 countries taken from July to October 2002 showed that in the USA,
the percentage of the population believing religion is very important
was 59%. In the past few years, some of the most popular television
shows and movies depict either benevolent angels (Touched by an
Angel and City of Angels) or demonic creatures (Death Angel, Buffy the
Vampire Killer and Charmed). All are depicted as normal and imply that
supernatural beings are all around us and are a part of our
multidimensional existence in the universe. In fact, they are all around
us, even though they are not here as they are depicted in Hollywood
productions.
Angels cannot call God Father, as men are able to do. They can assist
the Church in her role to preach the Gospel, but they do not preach or
share the Gospel because they cannot speak of what they have not
experienced. On the other hand, angels worship God continually (Rev.
5:11-12).
Angels possess knowledge, but unlike God, they are not omniscient
(Mk. 13:32). They are more powerful than men (II Thes. 1:7; II Peter
2:11; Ps. 103:20) and can mete out God's judgment (Hebrews 1:7; II
Kings 19:35; I Chr. 21:16; Acts 12:22-23). Remember how the Angel of
Death passed through Egypt and killed the firstborn of man and beast
(Ex. 11) or destroyed 185,000 of Sennacherib's soldiers on the hills
surrounding Jerusalem (II Kings 19:34-36).
Angels are on the next level. The best-known angel is Gabriel (God's
hero), who is a messenger of Adonai (one of the names of God in
Hebrew). He has a ministry of mercy and promise, appearing to men to
proclaim God's purposes. For example, Gabriel gives a vision of the
end times (Dan. 8:16) culminating with Yeshua (Jesus), the "Prince of
princes" (Dan. 8:25; 9:21). He gave the message to Zecharias in the
Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 1:19) and was the messenger of the
Annunciation to Mary (Luke 1:26). Other angels also bring messages
for God and act to protect men on God's behalf. Not all angels have
wings, as is commonly thought; only the seraphim and cherubim have
them. Let's look at both.
The third ranking after the angels, described as authorities and powers
in I Peter 3:22, are seraphim. In Hebrew, this means "burning ones" or
nobles. They are positioned above the throne of God and have six
wings. Their ministry is to praise the name and character of God by
constantly glorifying God. God uses them to cleanse and purify His
servants (Isaiah 6:1-6).
On this level are also the cherubim. They reside beside and below the
throne of God (Psalms 80:1). They are very powerful and have wings,
feet, and hands (Ezekiel 10). They guarded the Tree of Life in the
Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24) and also "the Most Holy Place," the Holy of
Holies, in the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Along with the angels, they
give glory to God. Their likeness was found on the mercy seat in the
wilderness tabernacle (Ex. 25:18) and also in Solomon's Temple.
In the Scriptures, there are over fifty references to the Angel of the
Lord, as distinct from "an angel of the Lord." Many of these definite
references are references not of mere angelic beings, but to the Lord
Himself. After all, God is God, so why can't He audibly and directly
speak to someone or appear when and where He wants to?
At this point, Lucifer decided to "exalt his throne." He kept not his first
estate (Jude 6) and sinned (rebelled), taking other angels with him. All
who followed him were judged: "For if God did not spare angels when
they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons
to be held for judgment" (II Peter 2:4). When did this occur? It
happened after Creation because on the seventh day of creation, God
pronounced everything as "good." On the other hand, it must have
occurred before the Temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of
Eden because Lucifer was the Serpent who was cursed.
Lucifer is also known in the Bible as Satan and the Devil. He rebelled
against God when He wanted to be worshipped as God, instead of
leading the worship of God. He coveted what did not belong to him,
which is also the way he tempts man. This desire is within all of us,
which is why God tells us in the Decalogue (Ten Commandments), "You
shall not covet" (Ex. 20:17a). In Isaiah 14:12-14, we hear the five "I
wills" of Lucifer's rebellion: "How you have fallen from heaven, O
morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend
to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit
enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the
sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make
myself like the Most High.'" His arrogance is judged by God when He
says to Lucifer, "But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths
of the pit" (Isaiah 14:15).
Lucifer/Satan brought down one-third of the angels of heaven (Rev.
12:4), whose sin was their rebellion. Demons are controlled by Lucifer,
who is known as the "prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2). He
controls the world forces of darkness (demons) (Ephesians 6:12) who
always choose the opposite way to God's way and work to foil God's
plans and purposes, including tormenting men. He and his demons
especially target the "elect of God," trying to lead them astray. He is
the "accuser of the brethren" (Job 1:6-9) and comes around "like a
stalking lion seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8).
The Bible tells us there will be a final battle in the heavenlies between
Lucifer and Michael (Revelation 12:7, 9), as he is dedicated to the
destruction of God and His plans. Lucifer/Satan and his demons are
reserved for judgment (II Peter 2:4), and Matthew tells us that there is
an everlasting fire prepared for the devil and the fallen angels
(Matthew 25:41). There is a set time for this in God's plans. Remember
in Matthew 8: 29, when Yeshua was going to cast demons out, they
shouted, "Have you come to torment us before the appointed time?"
They knew there was an appointed time for their torment. In the Mark
account, the demon even had the audacity to call upon God to protect
him! "What do you want with me, Yeshua, Son of the Most High God?
Swear to God that You won't torture me!" (Mark 5:7).
The Book of Revelation teaches that Jesus will return to earth to rule
and reign from Jerusalem. At this time, a one-thousand-year period
called the Great Millennium by Bible scholars, Satan and his demonic
forces will be neutralized. "And I saw an angel come down from
heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his
hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, who is the Devil
and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he
should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be
fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season" (Rev. 20:1-3).
After being loosed from the pit, Satan will again deceive the nations to
rise up against God (Rev. 20:7-9). At this point, God will judge Satan
and his demons, removing them from the scene forever unto torment:
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be
tormented day and night forever and ever" (Rev. 20:10).
Then, God will create a new heaven and a new earth, where He will
dwell with those who have chosen by their own free will to follow God's
plan of salvation, rejecting Satan's rebellion, to live in the Kingdom of
God (Rev. 21:1-7).
Both angels and demons figure into a Judaic view of the spiritual world.
Of course, the references above from the Hebrew Scriptures (the Older
Testament) all figure into the Jewish understanding of these beings.
The Hebrew word translated as angel is malakh, which literally means
messenger. In the Greek Septuagint, it was translated angelos, from
which we get angels. Another Hebrew word translated as "angels" is
kedoshim, translated "divine beings," "hosts," or "holy beings" (Ps.
89:8; Job 5:1).
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and they were
spared from injury or death (Dan. 3:25). Finally, Zechariah was given
messages from the Lord by an angel in his visions (Zech. 2:3; 3:1-2;
4:1).
Other religions were replete with "foreign gods," many with demonic
traits and manifestations. The pagan world, then and now, worships
their gods out of fear and appeases them to avoid retribution from
them. Israel, on the other hand, worshipped the One God, Who created
all things and was able to overcome these gods and the demons.
Israel was warned often not to consider these "foreign gods" for
obvious reasons, e.g. "If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods,
He will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after
He has been good to you" (Jos. 24:20). In Judaism, demons were not
just ethereal evil forces, but are seen as having specific assignments.
Certain ones had names that reflected their particular evil purpose
against God and man, e.g. Lilith, a child-stealing demon; Mavet and
Mot, death; Pahad, the demon of terror by night; Resheph, the demon
of plague; Dever, demon of pestilence; Hez, attacking with spiritual
"fiery darts of the bow;" Shabriri, the demon of blindness; Ketev, the
demon who strikes one down with an overpowering noon day heat;
Azazel, the demon who lives in the wilderness.
We all know and love Psalm 91 as a psalm of divine protection. But, did
you know that it is also a psalm of spiritual warfare, calling on God's
protection from demonic forces! "He who dwells in the shelter of the
Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord,
'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' Surely He
will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find
refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not
fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the
pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at
midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right
hand, but it will not come near you" (Ps. 91:1-7).
Christians are taught that the Holy Spirit of God dwells within us (I Cor.
3:16). He is our Comforter, Teacher, Guide, and Protector (John 14:26;
16:13). Angels do not indwell us, but we are told they are here to
minister to us (Hebrews 1:14). They can and will act as we have seen
before in Scripture. However, realize that appearances of angels, even
to the Patriarchs, were not everyday or even annual occurrences. We
can't just call for an angel to appear when we want one. That is God's
choice.
The Holy Spirit is our Teacher and Guide, not angels. Never pray to an
angel, but only to God, Who may use an angel to minister to and for
us. Angels are messengers of God, work in the natural realm, and can
move circumstances in our favor. David thanked God for the help of
angels: "Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His
bidding, who obey His Word. Praise the Lord, all His heavenly hosts,
you His servants who do His will" (Psalms 103:20-21).
Our guardian angel can listen to our prayers and act on our words:
"Therefore, the angels take man's word as being man's will" (Prov.
16:1). We can also call upon God to send an angel to act on our behalf.
We see in Scripture where Abraham released an angel to perform
God's will in his life (Gen. 24:1,4-7). In II Kings 6, Elisha released angels
to war against the king of Syria, and they did. Daniel prayed for help
and an angel came to him and said, "Your words were heard, and I
have come in response to them" (Daniel 10:12).
Nevertheless, be careful what you say, and be sure what you pray is in
accordance with God's Word. We can also cause the angels to work
against us: "Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest
to the angels, 'My vow was a mistake.' Why should God be angry at
what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and
many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God" (Ecc.
5:6-7).
John tells us, "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" (I John 4:1-2). That which is from the Lord will
proclaim Him as Lord, bring peace, be in accordance with the Bible,
and lead us into paths of righteousness to bring glory to His name.
Angels of God do not give their names. We only know the names of
four angels in Scripture. They only bring glory to God, not themselves.
Paul says, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a
gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally
condemned!" (Gal. 1:8). Demons will reveal their name, which is
usually their character or behavior, as we have seen in Psalm 91:5-6.
They never bring glory to God, but seek to destroy the works of God.
Some false religions and cults claim to have gotten direction from God
for their movement from an angel. Yet, their teachings are contrary to
Scripture. It may have been an angel, but it was really a fallen angel, a
demon who deceived. The Mormons received their Scripture from the
angel Moroni. Mohammad got his messages for the Koran from an
angel claiming to be Gabriel. Were they from God? No, the Book of
Mormon and the Koran contain teaching that is contrary to the Bible.
All through time, there has been a war in heaven and on earth
between God and His angels and Satan and his fallen angels and
demons. In what we call "The Lord's Prayer" or "The Disciple's Prayer"
in Matthew 6:9-13, the English translation is not accurate to the
Hebrew when it says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth
AS IT IS in heaven." In Hebrew, it says, "on earth AND in heaven,"
indicating that both heaven and earth are presently influenced by the
wiles of the devil and his demons and need to come under God's divine
order.
Currently, Satan is Prince of the Power of the Air (Eph. 2:2). The prayer
declares that God will one day judge Lucifer/Satan and his demonic
forces and all the sin and rebellion that came into the Universe, which
keeps us all out of sync with God's divine, perfect plan and relationship
with Him.
Demons have three main purposes: to torment and afflict us, to keep
us from knowing Yeshua as Savior, and failing that, to keep us from
serving Messiah effectively.
The pagan world that worships idols is subject to these demonic forces,
and their religion is often focused on appeasing these "gods" to keep
them at bay. The believer in the God of the Bible can call upon His
power to overcome these forces and not be subject to them. Christians
face strongholds of demonic power (II Cor. 10:4). Spiritual warfare is a
battle against sin (Romans 7:17-18, 22-23), against spiritual
wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12), against the adversary the devil
who seeks to devour and destroy us (I Peter 5:8), against vain
imaginations and high things that place themselves above the
knowledge of God (II Cor. 10:5), and against demonic forces that seek
the corruption of our minds (II Cor. 11:3).
There are godly weapons with which to fight the battle found in the
Bible. We need to be familiar with them. Spend time focusing on God
and His righteousness (Mt. 6:33). We are commanded to "put on the
whole armor of God" for our protection (Eph. 6:11-18). We must not be
consumed by "looking for demons under every bush." Yes, there are
demons, and demons do possess and oppress people at times.
However, Yeshua did not make a big deal out of them, but simply
confronted them and cast them out. The Bible says He cast them out
with His Word. When you know the Word of God and understand the
power and authority that comes with the name of Yeshua, you can just
cast them out.
The phrase "but deliver us from evil" explains the source of the
temptation. The concept of "evil" should more correctly be expressed
as the "evil one" or Satan. Prayers of late Jewish antiquity display an
awareness of the awesome power of evil, which can overcome an
individual and control him. The Psalm Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls
discovered in Cave 11 contains this urgent request: "Let not Satan nor
an unclean spirit rule over me." The Testament of Levi has a similar
plea: "And do not let Satan rule over me to lead me astray."
Psalms 119:133 stresses, "Let no iniquity get dominion over me."
These passages express more than merely asking to overcome a
desire to sin. We must defeat a power and concrete evil force that
seeks to influence our lives. Nevertheless, Paul understood that God
was aware of the problem of temptation and sin. "No temptation has
overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful,
Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but
with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be
able to bear it" (I Cor. 10:13). The Psalmist recognizes our human
frailty and asks not to be led into the face of evil that would be more
that we could withstand and would dominate us. Paul determines that
only God can deliver us from temptation, and He will provide a means
of escape.
Many have claimed them to be the sons of Cain who married the
daughters of Seth, Cain and Seth were brothers. But this theory
doesn’t cohere with Scripture nor does it sensibly fit with human
genetics. Scripture tells us that the offspring of the “Sons of God” and
daughters of men produced giants, called Nephilim. Procreating with
your brother’s daughter doesn’t produce giants.
“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward,
when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore
children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of
renown” Gen 6:4.
It means after the flood the “Sons of God” took wives from the
daughters of men once again. These Nephilim where also of the
descendants of Anak who were after the flood. Israel, prior to their
conquest of the promised land sent spies over to spy out the land but
became discouraged because of the Nephilim saying, “We saw the
Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim);
and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight and so we were in
their sight” Num 13:33. Since Cain’s descendants died in the flood and
only one of Seth’s descendants Noah along with his son’s made it
through the flood, proves that the son’s of Cain could not have had sex
with the daughters of Seth after the flood. This explanation therefore
holds no theological cohesiveness nor does it explain the Nephilims
existence after the flood if only Seth’s sons survived but Cain’s
perished.
Can angels have sex? The people in Sodom had no suspicion that the
angels whom they thought were men visiting Lot were not capable of
having sex for they went to Lots house and demand that Lot send out
his visitors so they could have sexual relations with them, Genesis
19:1-11. They didn’t get their chance because the angels blinded them
but as far as the men of Sodom were concerned these visitors had all
the features and appearance of being able to have sexual encounters.
Now let’s take another look at Jude’s epistle. He desires to write to the
brethren about their common salvation but instead he feels the
necessity to give a warning. He says, “Now I desire to remind you,
though you know all things once for all that the Lord, after saving a
people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did
not believe. And angels, who did not keep their own domain, but
abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under
darkness for the judgment of the great day. Just as Sodom and
Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as
these indulged in gross immortality and went after strange flesh, are
exhibited as an example, in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire”
Jude 5-7.
What is common among the three examples? First let’s look at the last
verse above where it says, “Since they in the same way as these
indulged in gross immortality and went after strange flesh”. The word
“these”, is referring to the first two examples. In Israel’s case, they fell
into great immorality and went after strange flesh in the wilderness.
We read in Numbers 25:1 “While Israel remained at Shittim; the people
began to play the harlot with daughters of Moab”. Paul gives the
account in 1 Corinthians 10:8, “Nor let us act immorally, as some of
them did and twenty-three thousand fell in one day”. The second
example are the angels who procreated with the daughters of men,
Genesis 6:1, with the summation of all having acted immorally as did
Sodom and Gomorrah by going after strange flesh.
You may ask “why does it really matter”? If it is in the word of God it
has significance and spiritual subtenants. What is the one warning that
Paul stresses in his epistles… to flee immorality? “Flee immorality.
Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the
immoral man sins against his own body” 1 Cor 6:18-19 NASU.
Immorality translated in the verse comes from the Greek word
“porneia” were we get the English word “porn”. It means to illicit
sexual intercourse. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that
is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know
how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in
lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;” 1 Thess 4:3-5
NASU. Sanctification has to do with the Jewish marriage and comes
from a Hebrew root word that also translates in the English as
“betrothal”.
Notice how close our sexuality is to our spirituality for they are one in
the same. Paul compares them in his epistle to the Church at Corinth.
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then
take away the members of Christ and make them members of a
harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins
himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “The two will
become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one
spirit with Him” 1 Corinthians 6:15-17. This puts a substantial
significance on what Paul conveys to the Church at Ephesus. “For this
cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his
wife and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I
am speaking with reference to Christ and His Church” Ephesians 5:31-
33. Paul says this verse in Genesis 2:24 pertains to God and man it can
only be understood between the union of a man and woman. In other
words God is declaring you as His bride. Don’t be immoral with any
created thing.
But this is not my point in the article but I wanted to stir you up by way
of Scripture to consider why God is jealous for you even as a husband
is over his wife! If angels can have sex with humans as is evident in
these few Scriptures then what is the significance of Genesis 3:14-15,
“And the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the
fields; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of
your life; and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and
between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you no the head and
you shall bruise him on the heel”. This is not an argument that Satan
had sex with Eve and Cain is his offspring. Since I’ve gone here, I best
explain how Cain is not Satan’s Son. Without going into another
contingent and for the sake of time let this be the nail in the coffin so
that this subject can be put to rest. In Genesis 4:1 it says, “Now the
man (not Satan) had relations (sexual intercourse) with his wife Eve,
and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten
a man-child with the help of the Lord”. The Scripture needs no
explanation but to help those who have problems reading into what’s
not there I’ll translate. The Scripture identifies the babes’ daddy as
Adam, for when he had sexual relations with his wife she conceived
and gave birth to Cain. Next Eve credits God for the birth of Cain, she
doesn’t credit Satan.
This seed from God in Genesis 3:14-15 was to come through the
woman and her offspring would defeat the works of Satan. We know
this seed to be Jesus Christ born of the virgin Mary, Luke 1:26-55. “He
became flesh and tabernacled among us” John 1:14. If this seed of God
became literal and walked among us how much more the fulfillment of
the seed of Satan! Consider how Satan has tried to thwart the seed of
God. He tried to annihilate the Jews through pharaoh by declaring to
the midwives to kill all the male children born to any Jewish women.
Satan has worked through countless leaders in the same way, because
he knows what God’s plan is. The only ones who don’t is mankind
except God’s church. Satan has sent angles to taint the blood of men
and teach them sorcery and incantations. He has also instrumented
pagan worship. The sacrifice offered to these pagan gods such as
Molech was the worshipper’s first born seed, Leviticus 20:2. The
picture is clear that Satan has not been successful; however, he will
plant his own seed, the anti-christ into this world in a last ditch effort to
overthrow God. He want succeed. How has your life been instrumental
to Satan’ plan? Will his seed be literal or will we spiritualize it. I’ll leave
that up for you to decide.
Angels have been sensed, and seen, and known to interact on many
levels. They have been known to heal, and perform many other
astounding miracles. The term has come to refer to all heavenly
employees of God; whereas, the original angels were fundamentally a
messengers.
An Angels
Aba An angelic luminary concerned with human sexuality and who may
be invoked in cabalistic magickal rites. Aba serves as a ministering
angel to Sarabotes (who is Friday ruler of the angels of the air). See
Abalidoth.
Abaddon The "destroyer". The Hebrew name for the Greek Apollyon,
"angel of the bottomless pit," and the angel (or star) that binds Satan
for 1,000 years. The Thanksgiving Hymns (a copy was also found in the
Dead Sea Scrolls) tells of "the Sheol of Abaddon" and of the "torrents of
Belial [that] burst into Abaddon." The 1st-century apocryphon. The
Biblical Antiquities of Philo mentions Abaddon as a place (sheol, hell),
not as a spirit or demon or angel. In Paradise Regained, Milton also
uses Abaddon as a place-the pit. It appears to have been St. John who
first personified the term to stand for an angel. In the 3rd-century Acts
of Thomas, Abaddon is the name of a demon, or the devil himself.
According to The Greater Key of Solomon, Abaddon is a name for God
that Moses invoked to bring down the blighting rain over Egypt. The
cabalist Gikatilla denotes Abaddon as the 6th lodge of the seven
lodges of Hell (arka), under the presidency of the angel Pasiel. In The
Messiah, Klopstock calls Abaddon "death's dark angel." A reference to
Abaddon' "hooked wings" is found in Francis Thompson's poem "To the
English Martyrs." {See Apollyon] Abaddon has also been identified as
the angel of death and destruction, demon of the abyss, and chief of
demons of the underworld hierarchy, where he is equated with Samael
or Satan. In Magic and Alchemy, Abaddon is the "Destroying Angel of
the Apocalypse." In Barrett's The Magus, Abaddon is pictured, in color,
as one of the "evil demons." As a Demon.Abaddon In medieval myth
the synonym for Hell and/or the ruler thereof, and in Revelations 9:7-
11 it is the Christian angel of Hell. The Hebrew word abaddon means
"place of destruction" (Job 26:8 and Psalm 88:11). Prior to its
corruption by the Judeo-Christian tradition, "Abaddon" referred to the
pit or cave that was used in mystery religions and schools as a rite of
passage into the greater mysteries. Often, the experience would entail
the use of ritual substances that put the aspirant into an altered state
in which he or she could receive divine revelation. Because the
experience was sometimes unpleasant, this rite came to be viewed as
being "hellish." However, it was considered absolutely necessary so
that the seeker may become pure enough to encounter the "mind of
God."
Abagtha [Abachta]
Abaros [Armaros]
Abbadon [Abaddon]
Abdia "Servant" The angel that appears on the external circle of the
pentagram of Solomon. The Lemegeton lists Abdia in Figure 156. The
listing does not mean necessarily that he is evil. Many good and great
angels are listed thusly, just as there are many good and great angels
in Hell, stationed there to serve a purpose-just as there are evil angels
in some quarters of Heaven, such as the grigori.
Ablati From Solomonic magickal tracts, and angel invoked in the Uriel
conjurations. He is one of the four words God spoke to Moses. The
others were Josta, Agla, and Caila.
Abracadabra "I bless the dead". One of the three holy names invoked
in the conjuration of the Sword. The word is one of the most ancient in
magick; it derives from the Hebrew "ha brachah daharah" ("speak the
blessing"). As an amulet or charm, inscribed on parchment, it is hung
around the neck to ward off disease. The invocant, when chanting the
word, reduces it letter by letter until only the final "A" is left.
This may be from the Hebrew Ab (Father), ben (Son), and ruach
acadsch (Holy Spirit). Another possibility is that is from the first few
letters of the Phoenician alphabet (A-Bra-Ca-Dabra) or from the name
of an old disease demon. It could also be derived from the Aramaic
avada kedavra, meaning, "may the thing be destroyed." The term is
still used by modern-day conjurers. [See Abraxas]
Abrael [Abru-El]
Abramus [Abrimas]
Abrasiel An angel of the seventh hour of the day, operating under the
ruler ship of Barginiel.
Abtelmoluchos [Temeluch]
Achaiah "Trouble" From the cabala, one of the eight seraphim; the
angel of patience and discoverer of the secrets of nature. His
corresponding angel is Chous. Achaiah was a Roman province in the
New Testament visited by Paul (Acts 18:12, 27).
Achtariel [Akatriel]
Aclahaye Genius of gambling; also one of the genii of the 4th hour.
Acrabiel One of the angels governing the signs of the zodiac.
Adam "Man" In The Book of Adam and Eve", Adam is called "the bright
angel". In Enoch II, he is "second angel". When he was created, Adam
reached from "the earth to the firmament." according to the midrash
Bereshith Rabba. In the cabala, he is the 6th sephira Tiphareth
("beauty"), according to Pistorius. Rabbi Meier states, that Adam's dust
was gathered from all parts of the earth. The Talmud records that
Adam was originally androgynous and the exact image of God (Who
was likewise considered androgynous). The Apocalypse of Moses has
Adam whisked off to Heaven by Michael in a fiery chariot. Another
legend has that he was fetched from Hell by Jesus and transported to
Heaven along with the other "saints in chains." Yet another legend
from the Revelation of Moses has Adam buried by four angels-Uriel,
Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael. According to The Kabbaloah Unveiled,
the ten sefiroth, in totality, represent the archetypal man, Adam
Kadmon.
Adernahael, Adnachiel The angel that was given the magick formula,
found on an Ethiopian amulet, to cure colic and stomach ailments.
Adhar One of the more than 100 names of the angel Metatron.
Adirir(i)on, Adir, Adriron Angelic chief of "the might of God" and a name
for God. Adiririon is invoked as an amulet against the evil eye. He is
said to be a guard stationed at one of the halls or palaces of the 1st
Heaven. Adiririon may be equated with Adiriel. In Sefer Raziel, Adirion
or Adiririon is a "trusty healing-God, in whose hands are the Heavenly
and earthly households."
Adjuchas Genius of the rocks. Also one of the genii of the 11th hour.
Admael One of the seven archangels with dominion over the earth.
Admael is stationed in the 2nd Heaven.
Adnarel "My lord is God" In Enoch writings one of the angelic rulers of
winter.
Adonael One of the seven archangels and the only angel who is able to
defeat the demons of disease, Bobel (Bothothel) and Metathiax.
Adonaeth By invoking this angel, the demon Ichthion can be defeated.
Adoniel A chief officer angel of the 12th hour of the night, serving
under Sarindiel. His name is on the 4th pentacle of Jupiter, along with
the angel Bariel.
Adrael "My help is God" An angel that serves in the 1st Heaven.
Adrapen A chief angel of the 9th hour of the night, serving under
Nacoriel.
Adriel "My help is God" One of the twenty-eight angels ruling the
twenty-eight mansions of the moon. He is one of the angelic guards of
the gates of the South Wind and of the East Wind. Adriel may also be
an angel of death: he will"in the last days slay all souls then living."
Aduachiel [Adnachiel]
Advachiel [Adnachiel]
Aebel One of the three ministering angels who were appointed to serve
Adam. The other two are Shetel and Anush.
Aeglum Genius of lightning and one of the genii of the 11th hour.
Afarof [Afriel]
Af Bri An angel who favors the Israelites and who controls the rain.
Affafniel A wrathful angel, the prince of sixteen faces, four on each side
of his head, that constantly change their aspect.
Agreas [Agares]
Ahadiss The angel that has control over the month of Heschwan
(October-November).
Ahura [Asuras]
Aiavel One of the seventy-two angels that govern the signs of the
zodiac.
Aiel An angels who is one of the "fiery triplicities" and resides in the
4th Heaven. He is summoned from the North. An angel of the air, ruler
on the `Lord's Day' (Sunday) and governor of the sign of Aries.
Ailoaios Ruler of the 2nd gate "leading to the aeon of the archons."
Aisthesis, Thelesis "Freewill" A great luminary emanated from the
divine will.
Aker One of the nine angels that will rule/judge "at the end of the
world."
Alazaion "A most holy angel of God" Invoked for magickal rites,
especially the invocations for the rites of the Reed.
Alfatha An angel who has dominion over the north. Two others that
also have dominion are Gabriel and Chairoum.
Alimiel One of the five chora or intelligences of the first altitude along
with Gabriel, Barachiel, Ledes, and Helison. He is also one of the seven
guards of the veil of the 7th Heaven. Equated with Dumahel.
Alimon A great angel prince who, when invoked protects the invocant
from gunshot wounds and from sharp instruments. Reivtip and Tafthi
assist him.
Al Moakkibat [Moakkibat]
Amaros [Armaros]
Amazaroc [Amezyarak]
Amber The term amber, is taken to mean "by the ancient Hebrews, the
fire-speaking being, belonging to an angelic genus, just as cherubim,
seraphim, etc., denotes a distinct class of angels."
Amiziras [Amezyarak]
Ammiel "People of God." The angel of the 4th hour serving under
Vachmiel. According to The Lemegeton", he is also the angel of the 7th
hour of the night, serving under Mendrion.
Amnixiel One of the twenty-eight angels that rule over the twenty-
eight mansions of the moon. He is also mentioned as an extra in the
list of the seven Electors of Hell, thus making him a fallen angel at the
very least.
Amnodiel One of the twenty-eight angels that rule over the twenty-
eight mansions of the moon. Like Amnixiel, he is also mentioned as an
extra in the list of the seven Electors of Hell.
Amriel [Ambriel]
Anael, Haniel, Hamiel, Onoel, Ariel, etc. One of the seven angels of
Creation, chief of principalities, prince of archangels, and ruler of
Friday. He has dominion over Venus. He is one of the luminaries
concerned with human sexuality. Governor of the second Heaven,
hence he is in charge of prayer ascending from the first Heaven. Angel
of Romantic Love Anael influences love, passion and romance. Also
traditionally considered to hold dominion over the element of air and
an angel of health and life.
Anahel A prince of angels of the 3rd Heaven, but served in the 4th
Heaven and a guard of the gate of the West Wind.
Anaphiel [Anafiel]
Anapion An angel of the 7th hour of the night, serving under Mendrion.
Anas "and God sent two angels, Sihail and Anas, and the four
Evangelist to take hold of the fever-demons, twelve of them and all
female, and beat them with fiery rods." [Rf. 12th-century manuscript in
the British Museum.] Sihail may be another form of Mihail (Michael)
and Anas a form for St. Anne, mother of Mary, turned into an angel.
Anazimur One of the 7 throne angels of the 1st Heaven. They "execute
the commands of the potestates."
Anfiel, Anafiel "Branch of God" A guard of the 4th Heaven. See also
Margouliath. Anfiel's crown "branches out to cover the Heaven with
divine majesty." He is head and chief of the porters and seal-bearers of
the seven Heavens.
Aniel, Haniel One of the guards of the gate of the West Wind.
Aniyel [Anafiel]
Anpiel, See Anfiel An angel in charge of the birds. He resides in the 6th
Heaven, where he supervises the seventy gates. With seventy crown,
he crowns all prayers the ascends to heaven then transmits the
prayers to the 7th Heaven for further sanctification.
Antiquelis [Aniquel]
Anunna In Akkadian theology, they are "angels who are almost always
terrestrial spirits."
Anush One of the three ministering angels (along with Aebel and
Shetel) appointed to serve Adam.
Apar or Aparsiel An angel in the service of Sadqiel, ruler of the 5th day.
Apharoph, Apholph, Afarof An angel identified with Raphael and
believed to be "the only true name of God."
Aphiriza [Alphariza]
Apollion, Appolyon, Apollyon, also Appoloin, The Greek form for the
Hebrew Abaddon, meaning "destroyer." In Revelation 9:11 Apollion is
the angel of the bottomless pit. In Revelation 20:1 he "laid hold of the
dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him
a thousand years." According to this, Apollion is a holy (good) angel.
The servant and messenger of God; but in the occult and noncanonical
writings, he is evil-as in Biblical Antiquities of Philo and the 3rd-century
The Acts of Thomas. The term also applies to Hell. In Pilgrim's Progress
Apollion is the devil, described thusly; "clothed with scales like a fish
and wings like a dragon, feet like a bear, and out of his belly came fire
and smoke." The exegete Volter identifies Apollion with Ahriman (the
Persian devil). Angel of DestructionThis angel is considered a heavenly
and fallen angel. His name means 'destroyer'. He said to be the angel
who watches over the opening of hell's pit, waiting for Satan, so he
may seize, bind and throw him into the bottomless pit. He was
overthrown by Uriel and Raphael in combat.
Apsinthus [Wormwood]
Arael, Ariel "One of the spirits which the rabbis of the Talmud made
prince over the people of the birds." Angel of Nature Meaning 'lion of
God', he is among the seven angels who rule the waters and is called
"Earth's great Lord." He assists Raphael in the cure of disease. In
Gnostic lore, he is an angel of the winds.
Aralim [Erelim]
Araphiel "Neck of God" One the guardians of the second hall of the 7th
Heaven. "When Araphiel H', the prince, sees Asrulyu, the prince, he
removes the crown of glory from his head and falls on his face," in
obeisance.
Arariel, Azareel, Uzziel(?) Curer of stupidity and one of the seven with
dominion over the earth, specifically the waters. Fishermen for luck in
their catch invoke him.
Arathiel A chief angel of the 1st hour of the night, serving under
Gamiel.
Arcan King of the angels of the air, ruler of Monday. His ministers are
Bilet, Missabu and Abuhaza.
Archan An angel with dominion over the lower rays of the moon.
Arel An angel of fire that is invoke for magickal rites. He is of the 7th
pentacle of the sun. Arel(l)im [Erelim]
Arfiel An angel guard of the 2nd Heaven. Also another name for
Raphael.
Arhum Hii, Rhum In Mandaean lore one of the malki (uthri, angels) of
the North Star.
Arias An angel who rules over sweet smelling herbs. In the occult, he is
regarded as a demon and is one of the twelve marquises of Hell.
Arkhas From the invisible depths God summoned Arkhas "firm and
heavy and very red" and commands this primordial spirit to be divided.
When Arkhas divided himself, "the world came forth, very dark and
great, bringing the creation of all things below." This account of the
formation (not the creation) of the earth is found in Enoch II.
Armesi An angel of the 10th hour of the day, serving under Oriel.
Armesiel An angel of the 4th hour of the night, serving under Jefischa.
Armiel An angel of the 11th hour of the night, serving under Dardariel.
Armogen [Harmozey]
Arzal, Arzel One of the four angels of the east who are invoked for the
secret wisdom of the Creator.
Asaph, Asaf The nighttime leader of the hosts of angels that chant the
hymns to God-just as the angel Heman leads them in the morning, and
Jeduthun leads in the evening. Psalms 50 and 73-83 are ascribed to
Asaph.
Asariel "Whom God has bound" (oath). One of the twenty-eight angels
governing the twenty-eight mansion of the moon.
Ashriel, Azrael, Azriel, Azariel "Vow of God" One of the seven that have
dominion over the earth. He separates the soul from the body at death,
and is invoked to cure stupidity.
Ashu [Sirushi]
Asiyah [Assiah]
Astrgna [Astagna]
Astrocon Angel of the 8th hour of the night, serving under Narcoriel.
Astroniel Angel of the 9th hour of the night, serving under Vadriel.
Atar "Fire" in Zend and Sanskrit. A Zoroastrian angel of fire and leader
of the celestial beings called Yazatas.
Atarniel [Atrugiel]
Atel An angel of the 4th Heaven and of the air ruling on Sunday and
invoked from the east.
Athamas An angel invoked in during the magick of the Ink and Color.
Atliel [Ataliel]
Attarib, Attaris One of the four angels of winter and head of the sign of
winter.
At-Taum "The twin" The angel that Mani received revelations from in
Manicheanism; the Holy Ghost in Christian doctrine.
Aub An angel of the third pentacle of the Moon. When invoked verse 13
from Psalm 40 should be recited: "Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me."
Auel, Amet An angel of the Sun invoked during magickal operations.
Aufniel [Ofniel]
Auphanim [Ofanim]
Aupiel, Anafiel A variant spelling, usually considered the right one, for
Anafiel, the great angel who transported Enoch to Heaven. Aupiel is
the tallest angel, exceeding Metatron by many hundred parasangs.
Auriel, Oriel Hebrew for Uriel, "Light of God" One of the seventy-two
angels of the seventy-two quandaries of the degrees of the zodiac.
Invoke in the procedure of the Sword.
Avzhia [Auzhaya]
Azaf [Asaph]
Azariah or Azarias The assumed name that Raphael took in The Book of
Tobit.
Azariel The angel governing the waters of the earth. Also one of the
twenty-eight angels governing the twenty-eight mansion of the moon.
Azbuga YHWH "Strength" One of the great eight angel princes of the
throne of judgment and of a higher rank than Metatron. His chief duty
is to clothe with righteousness the new arrivals in Heaven. His name is
also used on charms for the "healing of all illness and all hurt and all
evil spirit."
Azrael, Azrail, Ashriel, Azriel, Azaril, Gabriel "Whom God helps" The
angel of death, stationed din the 3rd Heaven. To the Moslems, he is
another aspect of Raphael. In their tradition, he has "70,000 feet and
4,000 wings, while his body is provided with as many eyes and tongues
as there are men in the world." In Arabic tradition, he is "forever
writing in a large book and forever erasing what he writes; what hw
writes is the birth of a man, and what he erases is the name of the
man at death." When Michael, Gabriel, and Israfel failed to provide
seven handfuls of earth for the creation of Adam, Azreal succeeded.
For this he was appointed to separate the body and soul at death.
Mudad, the angelus mortis in ancient Persian tradition.) Oriental legend
has him accomplishing this (bringing death first then separating the
soul) by holding an apple from the Tree of Life to the nostril of the
dying person. In Jewish mysticism he is the embodiment of evil. He is
also one of the three holy angels invoked in Syrian charms.
Azur [Azar]
Azzael While Azza and Azzael are referred to as two distinct, separate
angels, they seem to be one and the same in other sources. Variant
spellings are Assiel, Azazel, and Azzazel. His punishment for
cohabitating with mortal women was having his nose pierced. He
taught witchcraft, by the art of which man caused the sun, moon, and
stars to descend from the sky in order to make them closer objects to
worship. Azzael is represented as one of three ministering angels (Uzza
and Azza the other two) who inhabit the 7th Heaven, before his fall.
B Angels
Babhne'a A mighty angel who is invoked for protection. His name has
been found inscribed, in Hebrew, on Babylonian terracotta devil traps.
Bachiel, Baciel An angel of the air that is invoked from the east. Also
one of the intelligences of Saturn. He resides in the 4th Heaven and is
one of the 316 guards of the West Wind.
Bagnael One of the angelic guards of the gates of the East Wind.
Bahaliel One of the angelic guards of the gates of the East Wind.
Bahman [Barman]
Bahram [Barman]
Bainkhookh [Ba-En-Kekon]
Baktamael One of the angelic guards of the gates of the West Wind.
Balhiel [Baliel]
Balthial, Balthiel One of the seven planetary angels and the only one
that can overcome the demon of jealousy. Angel of Forgiveness This
angel grants unconditional forgiveness and help to overcomejealously
and resentment.
Barael One of the seven exalted throne angels who resides in the 1st
Heaven. He assists in executing the "commands of the potentates."
Barbelo A great female archon "perfect in glory and next in rank to the
Father-of-All." Consort to Cosmocrator. The daughter of Pistis Sophia,
procreator of the superior angels. Angel of Goodness who inspires
prosperity and integrity.
Barbiel, Barbuel, Baruel Once a prince of the order of virtues and one
of the archangels. He is the angel for the month of October. One of the
twenty-eight angels of the twenty-eight mansions of the Moon. He is
sometimes equated with Barakiel which would make him ruler of
February also. In Hell, he serves as one of the seven Electors, under
Zaphiel.
Bariel An angel of the 11th hour of the day and of the 4th pentacle of
Jupiter.
Barkiel, Barakiel One of the angelic guards of the gates of the East
Wind.
Barman, Bahman, Bahram A great mihr (angel) placed over all the
animals except man in ancient Persian cosmology. He was also the
principle of thirty angels appointed to preside over the days of the
month. He is one of the Amesha Spentas, "the first intelligence, the
first angel.from whom other spirits or angels proceed." He is "the
mightiest of the angels whom the Mohammedans call Jabreil" (Gabriel).
He was also the angel of January and governor of the second day of the
month. Usually pictured in an image of red stone, a human form, and
on his head a red crown. Omar Khayyam dubs him "the great hunter."
Baruchiachel One of the seven great planetary rulers and the only
angel capable of defeating the female demon, Strife.
Bat(h) Qol, Bath Kol "Heavenly voice" or "Daughter of the voice" A holy
guardian angel that supposedly visited 2nd century sage, Simeon ben
Yohai, in his cell. She is symbolized as a dove and may compared to
the Holy Ghost in this manifestation. In a Syrian invocation she is
referred to as "the Voice which called out to Cain the murderer,
`Where is thy brother Abel?'" Angel of Prophecy Her name means
"heavenly voice", she inspires the gift of clairvoyance and encourages
truthful communication.
Beduros One of the nine angels that will rule at the end of the world.
Bedrimulael [Abedumabal]
Beli One of the angelic guards of the gates of the North Wind.
Beliael One of the angelic guards of the gates of the North Wind.
Ben Nez "Hawk" The angel Rubiel or Ruhiel. He has dominion over the
wind and is referred to as a mountain as well as an angel.
Bethor One of the seven supreme angels ruling the 196 provinces of
Heaven. He rules forty-two Olympic regions and commands kings,
princes, dukes, etc., and "governs all things that are ascribed to
Jupiter." He also commands 29,000 legions of angels.
Bigtha, Biztha One of the seven angels of confusion and one of the two
pressers of the winepress. Considered an angel of destruction in the
house of Ahasuerus.
Biqa "Good person" The original name of the angel Kasbeel before he
fell, by turning away from God the moment he was created. After he
fell his name became Kazbeel, "he who lies to God".
Bizbul "in Zebul" One of the more than 100 names of Metatron.
Blaef An angel of Friday and of the air serving Sarabotes and subject to
the West Wind.
Boamiel One of six angels over the four parts of Heaven. The other five
are: Scamijm, Gabriel, Adrael, Dohel, Madiel.
Bodiel The ruling prince of the 6th Heaven. The ruling princes are
usually Sabath, Sandalphon, Zachiel, and Zebul.
Boel, Boul, Booel, Bohel, Dohel An exalted throne angel of the 1st or
7th Heaven. He holds four keys to the four corners of the earth, which
allow entry of the Heavenly Hosts into the Garden of Eden, when the
two guarding cherubim will allow entry. He also governs Saturn.
Brieus The only angel who is able to overcome the demon Rabdos.
Buhair One of the ten angels that accompany the sun on its daily
course according to Mandaean lore.
Bull The source of all light, and created by Ormazd and destroyed by
Ahriman. Out of Bull's sacred seed sprang the first man and woman,
according to Zoroastrian legend.
Burc(h)at An angel of the air serving in the 4th Heaven who governs on
Sunday and is invoked from the west. He is also a messenger of the
Sun.
C Angels
Cabiel One of the twenty-eight angels ruling the twenty-eight mansions
of the moon.
Cabriel, Cabrael, Kabriel One of the six angels with dominion over the
four pats of Heaven. He also has dominion over Aquarius.
Cadulech A most holy angel invoked for the conjuration of the Sword.
Caliel [Calliel]
Calliel, Caliel One of the throne angels of the 2nd Heaven. Invoke him
to bring prompt help against adversity. He is also one of the seventy-
two angels bearing the name of God Shemhamphorae. He is the
corresponding angel to Terssatosoa.
Camal "to desire God" One of the archangels of the cabala. Hebrew.
Cambiel The ruler of the zodiacal sign of Aquarius, and an angel for the
9th hour, according to Trithemius.
Cambill An angel of the 8th hour of the night serving under Narcorial.
Cameron Angel of the 12th hour of the day serving under Beratiel. Also
regarded as a demon; as such he serves in the conjuration of
Beelzebuth, as well as in the conjuration of Astaroth.
Caphriel In occultism, "a strong and powerful angel," chief ruler of the
7th day. He is invoked in the conjuration of Saturn.
Capitiel One of the angels of the 4th chora invoked in magical prayer
as outlined in The Almadel of Solomon.
Caracasa In occult lore, an angel of the Spring along with the angels
Core, Amatiel, and Comissoros.
Caraniel In Mosaic mystic lore, an angel serving in the 3rd Heaven.
Cassiel, Casiel, Casziel, Kafziel The angel of solitudes and tears who
"shews forth the unity of the eternal kingdom." Cassiel is one of the
rulers of the planet Saturn, also a ruling prince of the 7th Heaven and
one of the sarim (princes) of the order of powers. Sometimes he
appears as the angel of temperance. The Magus speaks of him as one
of the three angels of Saturday along with Machatan and Uriel. He is
sometimes depicted as being astride a dragon. Angel of Temperance
Cassiel is one of the princes of the order of Powers. He is one of the
rulers of the planet, Saturn, and associated with Saturday. He is also
known as the angel of solitude and tears.
Chabril An angel of the 2nd hour of the night serving under Farris.
Chamuel, Kamuel, Haniel, Simiel "he who seeks God" One of the seven
archangels and chief of the order of dominations; also with Nisroc and
others, chief of the order of powers.
Chamyel One of the fifteen throne angels noted in The Sixth and
Seventh Books of Moses.
Chaniel One of the seventy child birth angels. Also one of the guards of
the gates of the East Wind.
Chardros An angel of the 11th hour of the day serving under Bariel.
Charman An angel of the 1st hour of the day, serving under Samael.
Charpon A ruling angel of the 1st hour of the day, serving under
Samael.
Chasan An angel of the air who's name is inscribed on the 7th pentacle
of the sun.
Chasmodai The spirit of the moon, of which "planet" it is said that the
governing intelligence is Malach Be.
Chebo In the cabala one of the seventy-two angels ruling the seventy-
two quinaries of the degrees of the zodiac.
Chedustaniel, Chedusitanick A Friday angel who resides in the 3rd
Heaven and invoked from the east. He is also one of the angelic spirits
of Jupiter.
Chermes An angel of the 9th hour of the night, serving under Nacoriel.
Chermiel A Friday angel of the 3rd Heaven invoked from the south.
Cherub One of the angels of the air. As Kerub he is the angel "who was
made the Guardian of the Terrestrial Paradise, with a Sword of Flame."
"The 1st angel who sinned is called, not a seraph, but a cherub,' says
Aquinas in his Summa, vol. 1, 7th art., reply objection 1. In The Zohar,
Cherub is chief of the order of cherubim. In Ezekiel (28:14-15) God
recalls to the Prince of Tyre that he was the "anointed cherub" and was
perfect in his ways "till iniquity was found" in him.
Choesed [Hoesediel]
Choriel Angel of the 8th hour of the day, serving under Oscaebial.
Chorob Angel of the 10th hour of the day, serving under Oriel.
Chushiel One of the numerous angelic guards of the gates of the South
Wind.
Chutriel Presiding angel of the Mire of Clay, which is 5th of the seven
lodges of Hell.
Colopatiron A genius (spirit) who sets prisons open and one of the genii
of the 9th hour. Angel of Liberation He inspires us to rely upon our own
intuition. Guides us through struggles of freedom of all kinds: spiritual,
creative, psychological and economic.
Comadiel An angel of the 3rd hour of the day, serving under Veguaniel.
Comary An angel of the 9th hour of the night, serving under Nacoriel.
Coniel A Friday angel residing in the 3rd Heaven and invoked from the
west. He is also sometimes sited as a messenger of Jupiter.
Corabael A Monday angel residing in the 1st Heaven and invoked from
the west.
Corat A Friday angel of the air residing in the 3rd Heaven and invoked
from the east.
Coriel An angel of the 7th hour of the night, serving under Mendrion.
Corobael [Corabael]
Cosel An angel of the 1st hour of the night, serving under Gamiel.
Crociel An angel of the 7th hour of the day, serving under Barginiel.
Cuniali The genius of association and one of the governing genii of the
8th hour.
D Angels
Dabria One of the five angels who transcribed the 204 (or 94) books
dictated by Ezra. The other 4 scribes were Ecanus, Sarea, Selemiah
(Seleucia), and Asiel.
Daghiel, Dagiel, Dail An angel with dominion over fish and invoked in
Friday conjuration rites. He is addressed as "great angel, strong and
powerful prince," and is supplicated in the name of Venus.
Dagon To the ancient Phoenicians he was a national god, represented
with the face and hands of a man and the body of a fish.
Dahavauron Prince of the face and one of the guards of the 3rd
Heaven.
Dahnay One of the "holy angels of God" who may be invoked in black-
magick conjurations.
Dai, Dey According to The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses an angel
of the order of powers. In ancient Persian legend, He was the angel of
December.
Dalquiel In the cabala one of the three princes of the 3rd Heaven. The
other two are Jabniel and Rabacyal. All three rule over fire and under
the ethnarchy of Anahel. His special aide is the angel Oul.
Dameal A Tuesday angel who resides in the 5th Heaven, and invoked
from the east.
Darbiel, Dardael An angel of the 10th hour of the day serving under
Oriel.
Dardiel One of the three angels of Sunday. The other two are Michael
and Hurtapel.
Daresiel An angel of the 1st hour of the day serving under Samael.
Darkiel One of the many guards of the gates of the South Wind.
Didnaor An angel named in The Book of the Angel Raziel (Serif Raziel).
Donel One of the many guards of the gates of the South Wind.
Dormiel One of the many guards of the gates of the East Wind.
Douth One of the nine that "run together throughout the heavenly and
earthly places," recorded in the Gospel of Bartholomew, where all nine
names were revealed by Beliar.
Dracon An angel of the 6th hour of the night serving under Zaazonash.
Dramozin An angel of the 8th hour of the night serving under Narcoriel.
Drelmeth An angel of the 3rd hour of the day serving under Vaguaniel.