Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Parashah #1: B’resheit (In the beginning) B’resheit (Genesis) 1:1-6:8
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 42:5-21
B’rit Chadashah: Revelation 21:1-5; 22:1-5
The book of Genesis contains the history of the universe, mankind, and G-d’s plan of salvation for all true believers defined in G-d’s Torah in John chapter 14, Romans chapters 1-3, and the seven-fold witness found in the book of Revelation. Messages from the book of Genesis may be based on the generalities of the book, biblical characters, and/or events, each message having a potential to span weeks or months. Because we are living in the end times and the Adversary has accelerated his campaign to deceive true believers using a progressive, socialistic democracy that is evolving within America and other nations, today’s message focuses on the Adversary/Satan/Lucifer/evil, and the Nephilim. A future message which will include extensive detail on this subject will be presented in a future lesson and will also be posted to the website at https://rabdavis.org.
Let’s start with the biblical narrative regarding the fallen angels and their progeny: “In time, when men began to multiply on earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of G-d saw that the daughters of men were attractive; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Adonai said, ‘ my Spirit will not live in human beings forever, for they too are flesh; therefore their lifespan is to be 120 years.’ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterwards, when the sons of G-d came into the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; these were the ancient heroes of renown.”
We are told that the Nephilim were on the earth before the flood and afterwards. The glaring question is how did the Nephilim arrive after the flood when everyone and everything was destroyed?
There was a recent movie about Noach in which “evil” in the form of a human hung on to the side of the Ark and made it through the flood. There are some people who subscribe to this opinion even though it would make the Bible inaccurate and G-d a liar since He is the One who inspired the authors to write the Bible in its original form. So, we must look for another possible explanation.
Using the process of hermeneutics whereby we let the Bible prove itself through multiple scriptures throughout time, we first go to Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-18. These passages refer specifically to the kings of Babylon and Tyre but I submit they also refer to the spiritual power behind those kings; Satan. These passages provide an explanation of why Satan/Lucifer fell, but they do not give us a clue as to when the fall occurred.
Yahshua witnessed Satan’s fall mentioned in Luke 10:18: “I saw Satan created before the earth (Job 38:4-7). This fall also occurred before Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden (Genesis 3:1-14). We may conclude that the fall of Satan and a third if the angels (Rev. 12:4) must have occurred after the angels were created as Lucifer/Satan was the quintessential angel before pride set in and he decided he would usurp G-d’s throne. According to Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Interestingly, Satan has already fallen, his destruction to follow when He is finally cast into the lake of fire and brimstone along with the beast and the false prophet (Rev. 20:10)
Although Satan fell from G-d’s grace and was cast down to earth, he still had access to heaven. This is found in Job 1:6-7. At that time Satan moved freely between heaven and earth, speaking to G-d directly. It is debatable as to whether this relationship continues for now. Some maintain that Satan’s access to heaven ended with the crucifixion of Yahshua and others maintain Satan’s access to heaven will end with the war in heaven (Revelation 12:7-12).
With Satan’s failure to overtake the throne of G-d, he concentrated his efforts on taking as many souls to a final destiny of total destruction, concentrating on humans. How much more efficient can the spread of the cancer of pride and other sin other than deceiving human women with a lust for physically attractive beings and having sex with them? This is exactly what they did.
The appearance of the offspring of such unions resulted in beings that appeared as humans but were taller and stronger than the average man. They were belligerent and evil. In a paper entitled “Were the Nephilim Genetically Psychopathic?” there is a discussion that besides being intimidating, they were psychopathic. This infers that they have different brain structures that foster:
*superficial charm combined with the use of mind games,
* absence of nervousness and little concern for personal safety,
* substance abuse, no regard for law or custom
* continual deception, and cunning, unrelenting threatening behavior
*overly controlling and obsessive, lack of consciousness and refusal to accept any personal responsibility
*rapid mood shifts, twisted view of reality, and total lack of empathy
(https://www.academia.edu/1967404).
The above characteristics typify what Satan and the demons are like including the Nephilim offspring. Understanding that the Nephilim are the offspring of demons and human women, we must ask whether it is possible for their DNA was passed on through one of Noach’s daughters-in-law? A correct understanding of the narrative concerning the conquest of Canaan under Moshe and Aharon in which the report from the spies described very large and belligerent men must be explored for the possibility of genetic perpetuation of the Nephilim through one of the surviving wives, specifically Ham’s wife. The rationale for this supposition will be included in the teaching on this subject to be subsequently posted to the website at http://www.rabdavis.org previously mentioned in this lesson.
Other possibilities include the following:
Somehow the sons of G-d returned after the flood and re-created a race of Nephilim. However, there is no mention of this happening, and the sons of G-d from Genesis 6 were imprisoned for their action (2 Peter 2:4).
The flood was local and some of the Nephilim survived. A growing body of archaeological findings and research is now gravitating toward a global event making this possibility less likely.
An additional point in the context of the 10 spies’ report to Moshe
and Aharon is that the word used for “); false” report is also translated as “evil report (ASV); “bad account” (BBE); “evil words” (Brenton); “bad news” (CEV); “bad report” (ESV); “ill report” (Alter); “discouraging reports (NAB, NJB). These translations present the possibility that what the spies saw were in fact Nephilim and that they were not exaggerating. This speaks to the statement in Genesis 6 that the Nephilim indeed were and are present after the flood.
There is also an opinion of some people that angels cannot interbreed with humans based on a misinterpretation of Matthew 22. However, the Bible is replete with narratives that speak of angels who have been manifest as animals and humans, interacting with humans on a tangible and tactile level. The Nephilim offspring are human hybrids; that is fallen angels with souls. For those who believe this is impossible, I refer them to the manifestation of Yahshua who became a tangible being for a time so that humans could relate to Him and so He could teach His Torah(instructions) by example.
Without going into more detail and theories addressing this subject of Nephilim and their infiltration in humanity, I submit that the question about how the Nephilim were able to continue their destructive and evil mission to gain the souls of those who choose to be seduced by their tactics after the flood has been answered. This brief introduction to the subject of Nephilim will hopefully stimulate further exploration and research on the part of the reader. After all, one of the major tenets of war is to “know your enemy.”
Haftarah: Isaiah 42:5-21
There are two connections between the Parasha and the Haftarah.
First, the Parashah begins with the creation of the world. In the Haftarah, the prophet Isaiah reminds Israel that G-d is the creator of the world, sustaining the creation each day. Creation is not something that was done once; it is a continuing miracle. We are to be reminded of this with each Shabbat observance.
Second, in the Parashah, man is the only creature given the power to choose between right and wrong, In the Haftarah, Yesha’yahu tells the people that G-d created Israel to be a “light for the nations.” It is our responsibility to show the nations what is right, so that they too, can come closer to G-d. How do we accomplish this? The Chassidim have a great definition of what we are supposed to be if we are to identify ourselves with Israel and as servants of YHVH/Yahshua. We are to be constantly moving from what we are to what we can be, and from what we have made of ourselves to a deeper truth of what we really are. We are to be engaged in perpetual quest to improve ourselves and G-d’s world; to transcend the world and transcend our “selves”. We are to be engaged in a lifelong conversation with G-d: to present our questions, needs, grievances and aspirations to Him; and then listen carefully for His responses. We are to do good because G-d commands it and because we love Him. G-d told Abraham to: Lech lecha me’artzecha, me’moladetcha, ume’beit avicha, el ha’aretz asher areka… which is translated in English “Go, you, from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.” In Kabbalistic interpretation the phrase means: “Go to your innermost self: move away from your will, from your feelings, and from your intellect, to the desire that I will reveal to you.” To be a light unto the nations, we must learn to imitate the Light of the world. Make sense?
B’rit Chadashah: Revelation 21:1-5
The first passage describes the sinless condition of Eden that will be restored after thousands of years of groaning with the pains of childbirth to be finally set free from its bondage to decay, to enjoy the freedom accompanying the glory that G-d’s children will have (Rom. 8:19-23). It describes the restoration spoken of in Acts 3:21 in which Yahshua “has to remain in heaven until the time comes for restoring everything, as G-d said long ago, when he spoke through the holy prophets.” It is also the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Is. 65:17-19; 66:22-24).
The Bible depicts creation as in a constant struggle. For example, light conquers darkness. The sea is allied with darkness. It has to be contained and limited- this is done on the second day of creation (Gen. 1:6-10). The sea is active in bringing destruction and death through the Flood of Noach. But the sea is under G-d’s control as seen in the episode of the red Sea, and Yahshua’s calming the sea. Psalms 148 attests to the subservience of the sea to His command. The sea will never be used again as a means of universal destruction. Our internal battle between our Esau and Jacob is also a constant struggle. However, we can emerge victorious at the finish line through trusting in the faithfulness of Yahshua and following the commands of G-d.
The Holy City of Jerusalem mentioned in Verse 2 is considered feminine (Ga. 4:26) Could this resemble the verse on our Parashah that describes a man leaving his father and mother in the context of Yahshua leaving His Father and “mother” and cleaving to His wife (Israel in the future?) This is food for thought. Jerusalem is seen coming down out of heaven from G-d (as a bride is brought to the altar by her father), prepared like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. The bride is Israel (all true believers defined by Yahshua in the book of Revelation and NOT the church!
Verse 4 speaks of the restoration of the relationship between Israel (all true believers) and G-d as was the relationship between Adam, Eve, and G-d in the beginning. G-d (YHVH/Yahshua) will dwell with His own, never to be separated again.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart