Nephilim

If you open up your Bible app and search for the word 'nephilim' you will get two scripture references - Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33. First, a definition . . .

Nephilim were the offspring of fallen angels mating with human women. With that in mind, we read . . .

"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterward - when the sons of God (Bene HaElohim - i.e. angels) went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown." - Genesis 6:4

The other nephilim Bible reference is in the Book of Numbers. Moses sent spies into the land of Canaan to see what was there before they entered in to it. The spies came back with a report.

"We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” - Numbers 13-33

They were giants, and strong.

I watched a video by Chuck Missler recently that seemed interesting. He was teaching on Genesis 6, saying . . .

"Unless you understand Genesis 6 you will not understand much of the Old Testament, much of the New, and certainly have a prophetic blind spot."

Okay, I'm listening.

At the 11:20 mark he says this: "there was a gene pool problem," intimating that the fallen angels producing offspring (nephilim) was part of the reason for the flood. 

God starts talking with Noah about bringing a flood on the earth in Genesis 6:9 - just a few verses after Moses wrote about the nephilim.

My question is this: If the flood wiped out every human on earth, other than Noah and his family, how could there be "descendants of Anak" in Numbers 13?

Aha! An error in the Bible!!

Let's stay calm and think abput this for a minute. Angels are eternal beings, right?Yes. Even fallen ones? Yes. Were the fallen angels, including Satan, alive after the flood? Yes. So, what prevented the fallen angels from coming to earth after the flood and having sons by "the daughters of humans" then. Nothing. End of controversy.

The nephilim are fascinating creatures. Goliath was a giant. Did he have a fallen angel in his lineage? Unknown. But it wouldn't surprise me. What do YOU think?

David & Goliath

We all remember the story of David and Goliath, right? A big guy with a spear.

"A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span (9'-9"). 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels (125 lbs); 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels (15 lbs)." - 1 Samuel 17:4-7

And then there was David. A little guy with a sling and five smooth stones. What were HIS chances against such a powerful opponent?

I stumbled upon a video recently that contained some interesting thoughts about these two men. Here are the highlights.

Of course, David was "a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). But there's more. He was also an Old Testament type of Christ. Let's go back to the very beginning - Genesis.

Adam and Eve, God, and the serpent are the only characters. Adam and Eve have already sinned and God tells this to the serpent (Satan).

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” - Genesis 3:15

Who is the woman? Eve. Who is her offspring. David. Who is the serpent's offspring? Goliath. So, does David crush Goliath's head? Oh yeah.

"Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground." - 1 Samuel 17:49

And the word "will" from Genesis 3 tells us of a future even. This is therefore prophecy. David fulfilled it with a sling and a stone.

But here's something that most people miss. We all missed it in the opening scripture from 1 Samuel 17:5 above. Go look. When Goliath came out to fight each day, what was he wearing?

"He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor."

This is where God and His Word is so amazing! Goliath was dressed like a serpent!

One final thing to remember. You and I are not David, slaying our Goliaths as we go through life. No. JESUS is David. We are the Israelites who were shaking in their boots that day.

"On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified." - 1 Samuel 17:11

Thank God we have a champion in Jesus who fights for us and defeats Satan, the serpent, Goliath, at every turn. Let His name be forever praised! Amen.

David and Goliath - Biblical Frameworks

Tools

My wife's parents recently moved out of their house and into an assisted living facility. A move like that can be difficult, especially when it comes time to get the old house ready to sell. There are lots of memories stored in every room and attached to each piece of furniture.

One of the tasks I was given was to sort through all of my father-in-laws old tools. What an amazingly enjoyable task that was! My wife's father used to restore wood furniture - making old things new again. (This story is almost writing itself)

Old tools are very cool. Perhaps not in everyone's eyes, but as a former carpenter I have a special affinity for them. Each one of the old tools I touched yesterday contained a story. I was sure of it. As a Christian writer, I thought of some OTHER uses for the old tools - a story for you.

Each of tool was created for a specific purpose. The tool's "creator" had something on his mind when they were designed and formed into the finished product. Just like you and me, we were fashioned my OUR Creator to be used in this world for His purpose and for His glory.

Here's a picture of one of the tools I found. Do you know what it is? It's called a plumb bob. Masons use it to let them know if the walls they are building are straight and true. A plumb bob is a constant. It is something, against which, things are measured. And so it is with God's Word, His Holy Scriptures, The Bible.

These are some other tools from my father-in-law's basement. They are called files. Files are used to shape things, to make things smoother than they once were. God uses trials in our everyday lives to accomplish the same thing in us. Just like my wife's father, our heavenly father shapes and molds our character so we can become more like Him.

Have you ever thought of yourself as an instrument, designed for a specific purpose, to be used in God's hands, for HIS purpose? No?

If we are open to being used as tools in God's tool belt, we WILL be used. We were meant to be used.

Here's another example of a tool, designed for a specific purpose. In the hands of it's owner, this instrument delivered the Israelites from the hands of the Philistines. God was glorified and His people were saved from the mighty warrior, Goliath.

"48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him." - 1 Samuel 17:48-50

We all have gifts and talents that can be used to bring God glory. Be open to the Holy Spirit's leading and be willing to answer God's call when you hear it, like David did. Then you will truly know what it feels like to be a tool in the hands of a master craftsman - The Lord, God Almighty.

Use Me Too - Jonny Diaz

Steelie

When you were growing up did you ever play marbles? I'm thinking you have to be about my age, 60, or older to have done that. I had a bag of marbles when I was in grade school. My mom made it for me out of blue corderoy with a couple of shoelace draw strings at the top. I took it to school so I could play marbles during recess.

My marble bag had all of the usual marbles in it - cats eyes, agies, puries, "boulders" (the bigger diameter ones). All came with a varying number of chips taken out of them. Usually these scars came from the heavy-hitters on the marble circuit - steelies.

Steelies were powerful and packed quit a punch in the hands of a skilled shooter. As the name implies, these bad boys were made from steel. They may have been sphere-shaped and looked like marbles but they were really ball bearings, salvaged from some piece of junkyard equipment.

One day at the beginning of recess a large crowd of my marble-playing buddies, which probably number well in excess of four or five, gathered by the back door to the school. The were all talking excitedly and looking down at something one of my friends held in his hand, I hurried to see, shouldering my way through the crowd.

"Look at the size of that thing!!"

"Holy cow!!! That thing's huge!!"

One of my friends had brought in a steelie. A steelie the size of a baseball!! It was massive!!! He began challenging all comers. Some fools agreed and had their once-prized marbles crushed under the weight of something 20 times their marble's size. But not me boy! I wasn't about to lose any of my marbles to that thing!

This guy and his giant "marble" changed to whole atmosphere of the playground. No one felt like playing marbles anymore. There were shattered pieces of glass . . . everywhere!! And shattered lives as well, young men having their marble championship dreams literally shattered before their very eyes. But then, one day, everything changed.

Someone challenged the Mighty Steelie!!

Now in the game we played we basically took turns shooting at one anothers marbles. If you hit it and it moved their marble was yours. Well, this challenger tossed his marble out onto the playground in defiance of Goliath and it's owner.

Smiling, our "former friend" pulled his giant steelie out of his sagging marble bag. He took aim at the poor, trembling marble laying there in the dirt. Pumping his arm once, he let go of his massive weapon. We all watched in slow motion, our mouths hanging open, as this weapon of mass destruction arched its way across the Michigan sky. THUD!!

He missed!!!

Our friend picked up HIS marble now, It was HIS turn. He wound up before he threw just like Bob Gibson and then he let her rip. He struck the big steelie square, shattering his marble into a dozen pieces. But guess what. The big steelie had moved! Ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly, the big, bad Marble of Death had moved! It had been captured by our new hero!!

Our champion however was not happy. He didn't go over to his new prize to pick it up and taunt its former owner. Instead our friend knelt down and picked up the broken pieces of his former marble.

"She was my best shooter."

I learned much about sacrifice and selflessness that day. The act of one selfless friend basically saved recess for us all. Despite the odds our friend had overcome our enemy and won the day for all marble players everywhere - well, at least in Marion, Michigan.

We never saw that gigantic steelie again. The playground returned to normal once more. But our friend, the one who had saved the day by giving up his treasured shooter, never played again. Eventually we all stopped playing. But we never forgot what happened that day - one kids sacrifice saved our playground from millions of shattered dreams . . . and marbles. Well, . . . five or six kids dreams anyway.

When Jesus died on the cross He gave up his life here on earth, once and for all. He knew what had to be done and, even though He knew it would cost Him much, He did so willingly for the benefit of those He loved.

Each of us in this world has one marble - our lives. How are we going to use that marble . . . our lives. We could just waste it, pitting it against the evils of this world, sinning without repentance, not really caring what happens. Or we could live our lives for Jesus, offering our "marble" up to the One who sacrificed His life, His "marble", for ours.

Our "marbles" aren't much to look at. We're all dented and chipped. But in the hands of a hero, even the ugliest of marbles can make a difference. Offer yours to Him today . . . amd win!

"13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit." - 1 Peter 3:13-18