Hello, thank you for your website.
I have a question regarding Noah and the Flood. I've read various articles which indicate that during the time of Noah there were demons having children with human women which created the giants called Nephilim. I've also read that that's why God destroyed everyone, to create a pure DNA line to make way for Jesus' birth. How can this be? Are angels created male and female?
Also, when angels are in battles, for example when Daniel was praying for help, what happens to angels that loose the battle. Do angels die? Or are they bound for a time?
Thank you
Debbie.
Hi Debbie,
Merry Christmas! Regarding your first question, Angels are spirits (Heb 1:14) but are always presented in the Bible as being male. There are no female angels mentioned in the Bible and the Greek word for angel is masculine. Also see here: https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-male-female.html
And while being spirits in their natural form, they certainly can be seen with a physical body. One striking example is when the Lord came down to Abraham and with Him were two angels. These angels went to Sodom to rescue Lot where the men of Sodom sexually desired them.
Gen 19:1-5 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. (2) And he said, "Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way." They said however, "No, but we shall spend the night in the square." (3) Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. (4) Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; (5) and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them."
In terms of Gen 6:2-4, I know it can sound strange that fallen angels, in a physical form, could mate with women, and certainly there are sections of the church that do not believe it. But it is both the teaching of scripture and the ancient belief of the Jews and early church. People who disagree often quote the following verse to dismiss it:
Mat 22:29-30 But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. (30) "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
So it is clear that there is no marriage with the angels in heaven. But we need to remember that Jesus was speaking of the holy angels that are in heaven. Not the fallen ones. Jude says that certain fallen angels left their domain and likens their activity to the wicked sexual sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. This group of fallen angels were chained in darkness awaiting their final judgement.
Jud 1:6-7 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, (7) just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
In his series on Jude, my brother recently wrote a study on the fallen angels from the days of Noah if you want to read more:
https://jesusplusnothing.com/series/post/bible-study-jude-vs-6-angels-left-their-abode
Angelic warfare
In terms of angelic warfare, angels cannot die (which humans will be like after the resurrection):
Luk 20:36 ...for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
But yes, there are several examples of fallen angels being bound or placed in the Abyss. Jude 1:6 I have mentioned above. But also see 2 Pet 2:4, Luke 8:28-31, Rev 9:1-4 and the banishment and imprisonment during the Messianic Kingdom in Rev 20:1-3.
In terms of how they battle, there are many mysteries here. We know that warfare amongst the angels does exist and Revelation clearly tells us that Michael and his angels will fight against the dragon and his angels in the future (Rev 12:7). 'How' this happens is something that I have pondered but we don't know exactly. Daniel shows that fallen angelic forces can prevent holy angels in their ministry. For example, when Gabriel came to Daniel, he said:
Dan 10:12-13 Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. (13) "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
But the Bible doesn't go into 'the how' of this fight. Again, in Daniel we see that fallen angels opposed Gabriel and prevented him from getting to Daniel until Michael, the archangel with superior authority and power, came to help Gabriel. It truly is fascinating and one day will we see and understand this invisible realm fully. But that is not until we are with the Lord. Currently, the Lord has only given glimpses of it in His word... So while fascinating, and some like to say all sorts of things about it from other sources, we should just stick to what the Bible does, and doesn't, reveal.
There is more here: https://www.gotquestions.org/angels-demons-battle.html
Hope this helps, Blessings!
Iain.
Readers Reply
Iain, Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate it very much!