Who were the Nephilim?

According to Rich Deem, there is somewhat of a controversy in Christianity regarding the identification of the Nephilim mentioned in the Genesis flood account (Genesis 6:2-4). Were the Nephilim a race of giants that existed before and after the flood or is the word just a generic term describing large strong people?

Let's look at the Scripture passage in question, in context:

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." 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. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:1-5)

Since the Bible indicates that angels are asexual beings, it makes sense that they could not be the "sons of God" who produced children with the "daughters of men." The best interpretation is that the "sons of God" were men who were descended from Seth, who followed the Lord for a time (in contrast to the line of Cain, which produced the "daughters of men"). However, right before the flood, even the "sons of God" took wives among the line of Cain, and, therefore, became corrupted themselves through their unbelieving wives. This is one of the reasons God determined to destroy the entire human race, except for the eight people who still followed the Lord (Noah and his extended family).

Genesis 6 also describes the Nephilim, who were the corrupt strongmen of their time, notorious for their violent exploits (Genesis 6:4). These men were probably also descendents of Cain, who were terrorizing the peoples and represented at least part of the group whose thoughts were "only evil continually." The Nephilim that were described after the flood were also evil strongmen, but not related to those pre-flood people, since they were all destroyed in the flood.

(For historical fiction that touches on this topic, see Chapter 1: Lion Cub of The Coming Wrath)

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(extracted from Who Were the Nephilim and Sons of God?, by Rich Deem, GodAndScience.org)

Is an Ice Age Plausible 5-1/2 Centuries After the Flood?

Dr. Larry Vardiman made several climate studies on heavy precipitation in limited locations immediately following the Genesis Flood.

He found that a warm ocean which likely followed the Flood would have moistened and energized the atmosphere (compared to today) and produced heavy snowfalls in polar regions and on mountains. The snowfall rates would have been sufficient to explain the accumulation of ice sheets and glaciers during the Ice Age in less than 500 years.

In addition, simulations using warm ocean conditions in the Mesoscale Meteorology Model (MM5) would have formed hypercanes (extreme hurricanes) and produced severe damage near subtropical coastlines and contributed to the snowfall in northern latitudes.

Vardiman's research was done in 1998 and 2000. For more information, see Cooling of the Ocean After the Flood, by Larry Vardiman, Institute of Creation Research.

For additional info, see Noah's Flood-Birth of the Ice Age, by Robert L. Gielow, Axiom Press Publishers, 2009.

(For historical fiction that touches on this topic, see Chapter 1: Lion Cub of The Coming Wrath)

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Quick Summary of Mystery of Lawlessness

Mystery of Lawlessness is the third and final book of the Lost Worlds trilogy.

It picks up the story of mankind after the Flood. As men replenish the earth, sin once more rears its ugly head and disobedience marks most. Amid the growing evil a faithful few labor to follow God’s commands and to face and defeat evil; first in their own hearts and then in their diverging cultures.

In doing so, they learn of the mystery of lawlessness and the greater mystery of God’s saving love to slaves of sin.

TCW Chapter 1: Lion Cub

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Are you prepared for The Coming Wrath?

Come visit the earth as it was almost five thousand years ago, before the world wide flood destroyed the entire face of the planet. Experience the tsunami nightmare of the beautiful Madrazi, the hammering sounds of ark construction, the slaying of a dinosaur, one-on-one combat, men dying in battle, action on the high seas. Be with Madrazi as she meets the Creator in the depths of her soul.

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Ancient army standing at the walls of a fortress

In Chapter 1, Madrazi remembers back 5-1/2 centuries to when she was young. The ice is still advancing, and her descendants have moved south to live their own truth. With her scroll in front of her she recalls when … the young Nephilim boy Sechiall was captured in battle by the warlord Delonias.

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TCW Chapter 2: Nightmare

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Tsunami

The tsunami waves are coming, will Madrazi survive? Her mother does not. There is no one that will be her refuge. Only her grandfather Methuselah is a true friend to her. He has arranged for her to be married to Shem, Noah’s son. She will abide by her father Pomorolac’s decision in this.

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TCW Chapter 3: Look Back

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Her father Pomorolac is a daring voyager. When she was younger, he taught Madrazi how to be guided by the stars in the heavens. But Madrazi hates the sea and its foreboding doom. Why is he forcing her to travel to Lamech by ship for her marriage?


Ancient ship on a calm sea

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TCW Chapter 4: Voyage

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The open sea

Seasickness is Madrazi’s nemesis. Pomorolac is a master of the winds and currents and the oceans, but even they are acting unpredictably. Her father opens his heart to his daughter, oh how his life and trade will be different without her! Now they see smoke on the horizon….


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TCW Chapter 5: First Victory

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Battle Commander Jared has trained his army to face Lamech’s chief enemy, the Nephilim King of Y’tor. The warlord of Taspar, Delonias, taught Jared that duty, courage, and preparation are the keys to defending one’s homeland. Noah says no, we must be devoted to the Creator!

Putting on ancient armor

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TCW Chapter 6: Battle Plans

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Is there any way for Jared to neutralize the influence of Noah on the city council? Dajus and Subtur, who are also council members, share his vision of military preparedness. Methuselah is very old, perhaps they can tip the balance of power on the council after he dies?

In council chambers

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TCW Chapter 7: Protégé

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Training to be a warrior

Delonias sends a great gift: the very best of the Nephilim boys captured in battle. Jared now sees how he can influence the council. If he brings up the boy as if he were his own son, in the virtues of honor, duty, and courage, then Sechiall could be his voice on the council some day!

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TCW Chapter 8: Lamech

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After a harrowing voyage, Pomorolac’s ship arrives. He takes Madrazi to the magnificent city square, with the 5 council chairs carved out of black stone. Dajus and Subtur welcome her upcoming marriage to Shem. As they then go to the inn of Eldad, Madrazi sees the splendor of the city….


Walls of splendor

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TCW Chapter 9: Jeriah

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A city of beauty

Madrazi meets the daughter of Eldad, Jeriah. Here is someone that she can open her heart to! Jeriah tells her about the city of Lamech, how Methuselah and his son Lamech built it, and Noah’s mysterious settlement built in the Great Forest. But is that a place where Madrazi can be happy?

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TCW Chapter 10: Homecoming

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Into the Great Forest

Noah arrives in the city. Now all five elders can publicly give their blessing to Madrazi’s marriage! Together with Madrazi and Pomorolac’s entire entourage, Noah journeys to the Great Forest settlement. It is so good to see her true friend, Methuselah, again. She needs someone she can rest in….

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TCW Chapter 11: Master Builder

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Noah is building a wooden ship, three hundreds cubits long, in the middle of the forest. Is he mad? Most of his workers think so, but he pays ten pieces of silver a month… Meshur is one of them. A chance of a lifetime to become a master craftsman, apprenticed to Ham, Noah’s son!


Ancient Mesopotamian tools

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TCW Chapter 12: First Step

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The patriarch and his wife.

Pomorolac’s entourage arrives at the Great Forest settlement. What a family! Noah and his wife Wen-Tehrom, his sons Shem, Ham and Japheth, and their wives Debseda and Yaran. Tomorrow they will all watch as Madrazi and Shem are wed outside, under the eyes of God. Will she find true love?


 

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TCW Chapter 13: First Impressions

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Madrazi and Shem share the passion of their wedding night. They are no longer strangers, but Madrazi is not sure that they will share their minds and hearts, too. Shem takes her around the settlement, the rumors were true after all. Why do they keep so many kinds of animals?


Farm buildings and more farm buildings...

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TCW Chapter 14: Uncounted Costs

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Farewell forever

It is time for Pomorolac to leave. Madrazi will never return to the place of her childhood, she is left only with tearful memories. And Shem spends days at a time in the forest. Perhaps she could arrange to go to the city often to visit Jeriah - someone she has a real kinship with….

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TCW Chapter 15: Revelations

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Vision from the Creator

Noah corners Madrazi. He preaches to her about his vision from God one hundred years ago. The Creator will put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. And God then gave Noah exact instructions on how to build an ark, a ship of refuge. How utterly incredulous!

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TCW Chapter 16: Reaction

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Why would a good God
destroy His own creation?

Madrazi cannot believe it - people are not that evil. Could the prophecy be true? No, it is ridiculous to think that a good God would destroy his own creation. Her decision is … to outlive the false prophecy, with her husband beside her. But how to masquerade in this household for the next 20 years?

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TCW Chapter 17: Forest Path

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Shem takes Madrazi deeper into the Great Forest. A vast bowl of grass lays at the foot of a ridge, and in the center an impossibly large mass of dark wood. Her eyes seem to see in its mass the destroying sea of her dreams. This marks a place that will delay her future for 20 years….


An impossibly large mass of dark wood...

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TCW Chapter 18: Strange Shipyard

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60 men work in it. The ark is not a sleek ship, it’s a large box 300 by 50 by 30 cubits. How did they build it with only rudimentary machinery? What of people to be rescued? The sun sets, and the opening of the ark suddenly became a doorway to darkness. A chill assaults Madrazi’s soul….

Ark construction

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TCW Chapter 19: Dark Vessel

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How will the ark get light inside? How could it fit all kinds of animals and birds in the earth? Food supply for a one year voyage? Water? Air? Madrazi feels Shem’s passion…. Shem detects strange animal tracks nearby - tracks of a giant hunting lizard! He must lead a hunt immediately.


Hunting a dinosaur

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TCW Chapter 20: Walking Away

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Shem’s brother Japheth is easygoing– he’s in charge of provisions for all the animals. Preserving food is no problem for him. Even meat can be dried. A trick for feeding birds is insect eggs! Madrazi gently asks if Japheth really believes in the prophecy. “Though my faith is simple, yes I do….”

Ramps helped get animals and heavy loads between decks

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TCW Chapter 21: Uphill Battle

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Jeriah is to be wed!

Shem brings home a gift from the lizard hunt. But her love for him is diluted by her disbelief. She decides to block those ideas out, by immersing herself in a new project: going to the city with Noah’s father Lamech and distributing food to the needy. Her friend Jeriah is to be wed to Jared!

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TCW Chapter 22: Infiltrator

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Tales of war

Meshur’s brother Pashtur has detected a plot among Noah’s workers. A new man named Balech is the ringleader. His brash words, disrespect, tales of wine, women and war are attracting the weaker men. What is he up to? Maybe Pashtur can convince his brawny brother to take care of him….

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TCW Chapter 23: Death Dream

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The nightmare returns. Is this a premonition of evil? Yes! A family member has been killed by bandits! Shem suspects murder, not by bandits, but by a personal enemy. Methuselah is calm, he knows that his loved one has gone to be with the Creator. Madrazi finally tells Shem the nightmare.

Murder by bandits

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