The Nephilim, An Overview- Part 2
This article is a continuation from Part 1.
We now pick up the story of the Nephilim in the book of Numbers chapter 33. Moses sends spies out to assess the people and the land of Canaan. When the spies returned, they said
“We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the sons of Anak there” (Num. 13:27-28).
Anak, the person through which the Anakim people descended, was a descendant of the Nephilim. The Anakim were described as very tall. They were a giant tribe who directly descended from the original Nephilim.
When the spies returned from their scouting of the land of Canaan, among the things they brought back was a bundle of grapes, which took two men to carry on a pole. We can see how the food, as well as the people who lived there, seemed to be very massive.
This is further stated in Num. 13:33, in which the spies state that
“And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
The spies compare themselves as grasshoppers to the Anakim. It is very clear that these people were of very large physical stature.
The Anakim weren‘t the only giant tribes around, though.
During Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land, they ran into numerous other giant tribes. These include the
• Amakelites • Amorites
• Anakims • Ashdothites
• Aviums • Caphtorims
• Ekronites • Emins
• Eshkalonites • Gibeonites
• Giblites • Girgashites
• Hittites • Horims
• Horites • Jebusites
• Kadomites • Kenizzities
• Manassites • Philistines
• Rephaim • Sidonians
• Zamzummins • Zuzims
There were 22 giants identified by name. You have probably heard about a few of them, such as Goliath of the Philistines and Nimrod, under whose authority the Tower of Babel was built.
One of these giants was King Og of Bashan, who is described as the last of the Rephaim. His bed was around 13 x 6 feet.
The Reason For The Conquest
Many atheists frequently pose the question, “Why did God allow/command the genocide of entire people groups in the OT?” Most Christians tend to answer by saying that since God is just, whatever He does is morally correct. However, this answer can be seen as very vague. By studying the Nephilim tribes and their hostility to the Israelites, we can present a better answer— that Israel’s conquest was to rid the Promised Land of the giant tribes, who were in direct conflict with not only the Israelites, but also against the natural order set by God.
Israel’s conquest was the only option. The surrounding nations wanted nothing but the destruction of Israel, and the spiritual forces behind the scenes wanted to destroy the seed of the woman. It was either kill or be killed. And by understanding the role the giants played in all this, we can understand the justification for God’s commands for Israel to go to war.
This example is one of many which show the roles the Nephilim played in affecting Biblical events. Because the Nephilim topic is not taught by most schools and churches, a large part of Christians’ understanding of certain stories is partially incomplete.
Where Are The Nephilim Now?
The giant tribes were eventually wiped or driven out. However, the death of their physical body was not the end of them completely.
Remember that the Nephilim were half-angelic in nature. This means that part of their existence was spiritual, so when their physical body was destroyed, their spirit still lingered.
The Book of Enoch explains that the spirits of the killed Nephilim did not go to heaven or hell immediately. Instead, their spirits were cursed to wander the Earth, harassing people and causing disturbances. The Nephilim then became evil spirits, or more commonly known as demons.
Have you ever wondered why demons took possession of people and animals during Jesus’ time? The most common explanation of demons is that they are simply fallen angels. However, no Bible verse ever makes a connection between the two. It is my belief that demons are Nephilim spirits. The reason they take possession of things is because they miss the giant physical body they once had. In order to make up for this deficiency, they want a physical form, even animals like pigs which Jesus cast some demons into. Regular angels do not need a physical form to interact with humans, only spirits without bodies would desire one.
How many Nephilim spirits are still on Earth is not known. According to Jewish legends 90% of the spirits were removed by God. However, these sources cannot be absolutely authenticated, so your opinion on this is up to you. There are still reports of demonic possession today, so it can be assumed that there still are some spirits still on Earth.
What Role Will The Nephilim Play In The End Times?
The Rephaim are associated with the spirits of Sheol. They‘re also associated with dead warrior kings. In Isaiah 14:9 we read about a prophecy-
“Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come;
it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth;
it raises from their throne all who were kings of the nations.”
The “shades” referred to are the Rephaim spirits. The verse is describing a rising among the spirits in the Underworld who are excited at the entrance of another evil king. This person is none other than Lucifer. More references to these spirits are described in 2 Chron. 16:12, Job 26:5, Ps. 88:10, Isaiah 26:14.
These spirits will play a role during the Antichrist‘s reign too. Revelation 9:1-12 describes locust demons who are mixtures of many animals being released to cause harm.
The Return of the Nephilim
“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Matthew explains how the end days will be similar to the days of Noah soon before the Flood. So then the question becomes, “Will the Nephilim return?” The answer- the spirits of the Rephaim will certainly try.
Isaiah 14:21 describes a prophecy in which the demonic Rephaim king spirits will try to re-establish a Nephilim prescence on Earth:
“Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities.”
These spirits will try to fill the world with cities of new Nephilim and spread corruption in the same way as it happened in the Flood.
The Nephilim who were killed in the Flood survived as demons. The angels who created them were bound by chains and imprisoned in the abyss. Their descendants filled the post-Flood world until they were wiped out by the Israel during its conquest. The Rephaim spirits still remain in Sheol to this day and wait for the opportunity to rise again. However, despite all of this effort, we know that Jesus will prevail.
Thanks for all who took the time to read this article. As always, please share any thoughts you have in the comments section. Also, feel free to ask questions about anything you might be confused about or wish me to elaborate on.