How does one identify a giant? Professional basketball players are tall, very tall, but they aren't giants by Webster's definition as "one of extraordinary size". Goliath was a giant. He came out of the Philistine camp and was said to be easily nine feet tall. Considering that under-the-counter supplemental aids were not available to him, you have to wonder how he got that way. He may have been a descendent of the Nephilim. The what? These big guys are referred to in Scripture in several places and implied in others. Satan wasn't the only one to fall out of favor, there were these other angels, and apparently not just a few, who saw that the human women were desirable, so they came to earth to breed with them. Call it a hunch, but it appears that they weren't getting any in heaven, but it's interesting to know they were capable. The direction of this isn't to draw comparisons, but I don't think they have the market cornered as the only ones to give up eternal life for sexual pleasure. There are scores of theories about the Nephilim. One take on them is that they were strictly antediluvian, meaning pre-flood, and that they were one of the primary reasons for God's implementing the flood because they were so deceptively evil. Perhaps deliciously evil. Obviously if they were so huge, and being angels they had to be gorgeous, their offspring were likely irresistibly alluring also. Long after the flood and centuries later however, when Moses sent his spies out to assess the land of Canaan, they returned with a report of giants in the land and structures built for the huge beings. Whoops, guess the Nephilim were still with us. One would have to give them credit after all, being the super beings that they were, for having acquired some survival skills. They're referred to in Scripture as the sons of God and it's also said that they took as their own any women they desired. Now if one of the last handful of the line was Goliath (some say he was one of five left), and he had been bred down over many generations, the original Nephilim must have been an outrageous sight to see. No wonder they went where they wanted and took who they wanted. Goliath had no people skills. He was overpowering and crude, definitely accustomed to bullying his way. The link sounds genealogically plausible. If there are any from the Nephilim living among us today, we are apparently unaware. When the anti-Christ appears on the scene, there may be a fallen angel or two coming out of the woodwork. I'm not anxious to hang around to find out. |
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