What is the meaning of Genesis 6:2? The sons of God • Genesis 6:2 introduces “the sons of God,” a phrase also used of heavenly beings in Job 1:6 and Job 38:7, indicating literal angelic creatures who once dwelt in the presence of the LORD. • Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4 describe angels who “did not stay within their own domain” but sinned and were placed in gloomy chains—a clear echo of the events just before the Flood. • 1 Peter 3:19-20 links these same spirits to Noah’s day, reinforcing that supernatural beings, not merely human males from Seth’s line, are in view. Saw that the daughters of men were beautiful • The angelic beings “saw” (Genesis 6:2) in a way that mirrors Eve’s gaze on the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6), highlighting a lustful fixation. • 1 John 2:16 warns of “the lust of the eyes,” and James 1:14-15 shows how unchecked desire conceives sin, paralleling the angels’ deliberate indulgence. • The “daughters of men” points broadly to human women descended from Adam, emphasizing the crossing of a boundary God never authorized (cf. Deuteronomy 7:3-4, where Israel was warned against unlawful unions). They took as wives • The word “took” reveals forceful initiative, suggesting domination rather than covenantal love (contrast with Genesis 2:24, God’s pattern for marriage). • Jesus affirms that angels “in heaven” do not marry (Matthew 22:30), underlining how these fallen beings acted outside their created order. • The result in Genesis 6:4—the birth of the Nephilim—shows that these unions produced violent giants, explaining the drastic increase of wickedness recorded in Genesis 6:5. Whomever they chose • The phrase underscores unrestrained, selective desire driven by self-will, not by God’s guidance (Proverbs 3:5-7). • Such autonomy matches the tragic refrain “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). • This abuse of choice highlights why God’s judgment through the Flood was both righteous and necessary (Genesis 6:7, 13). summary Genesis 6:2 portrays real angelic beings who lustfully crossed God-ordained boundaries, seized human wives, and modeled a rebellious independence that spread corruption across the earth. These illicit unions escalated human depravity, prompting the Flood. The passage warns every generation that disregarding God’s design for marriage and authority invites judgment, while obedience preserves God’s created order. |
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