Angels - The Wicked and the Good (1934)
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Angels
A Bible Treatise by J. F. RUTHERFORD
COPYRIGHTED 1934 AND PUBLISHED BY
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY
International Bible Students Association Brooklyn, N. Y., U. S. A. Made in the United States of America
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FOREWORD
MANY sincere persons have greatly desired to have a correct understanding of the Scriptures concerning the angels. These are among the questions often asked:
Are the angels good or bad?
Who are the "sons of God", the nephilim, and the "men of renown" mentioned in the sixth chapter of Genesis?
What became of the angels that sinned in Noah's day?
If the angels that sinned in Noah's day were destroyed by the flood, to what angels did Jesus preach following his crucifixion, and how did he preach to them?
Can men and women now on earth communicate with the angels?
What is the explanation concerning those who claim to be able to talk with their friends who have died?
This booklet gives the Scriptural and therefore the true and satisfying answer to the foregoing and related questions. You should read it carefully together with the Bible texts cited therein.
ANGELS
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."—Ephesians 6:12.
JEHOVAH GOD, the Creator of heaven and earth, is the Creator of all things good. He has never created a wicked thing, because he is holy and all his works are perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4) The wicked are those who willfully violate God's law. When a creature becomes wicked, the responsibility for so doing cannot be laid to Jehovah. If the creature yields to sinful temptation or influence and turns to wickedness, that cannot be charged to God, for the reason, it is written, that God tempts no man. (James 1:13) All the ways of Jehovah God are right and righteous. God hates wickedness, and he has definitely fixed the destiny of the wicked. "The transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off." (Psalm 37:38) There are wicked spirit creatures and wicked human creatures, and the end of all such is destruction. (Psalm 145:20) Angels are spirit creatures, whom Jehovah God created perfect, pure and holy, and all such as have willfully followed the Devil have become wicked. While the judgment of Jehovah plainly shows that the wicked shall suffer destruction, that does not mean that the creature is destroyed as soon as or even within a short time after he becomes wicked. Satan is a wicked spirit long ago adjudged guilty and sentenced to death, but God has permitted him to remain for a certain purpose. The Scriptures also show that there are other spirit creatures long ago condemned by the judgment of Jehovah God for destruction but who are permitted to live until God's due time to execute them. Such wicked angels have exercised power and influence over man and continue to do so. Following the birth of the "man child" there was a great war in heaven in which Satan and other wicked angels fought on one side against the Lord Jesus Christ, and all such wicked ones were cast down to the earth. In this connection it is written: "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."—Revela tion 12:5-12.
That Satan and his wicked angels at the present time do exercise great influence over the rulers of the earth and bring much woe upon the people there cannot be the slightest doubt, since the evidence is abundant on every hand. Many persons consult these wicked spirit creatures, being entirely ignorant of their origin, what is their purpose, and what will be their end. The men and women who do consult them through mediums are induced by the seductive influence to indulge in many wrongful practices to the reproach of Jehovah's name. Heretofore much has been said and written about wicked angels and their power over men, but now, in the day when the Lord has gathered his faithful ones unto himself, and inaugurated toward them the new covenant, and brought them into the covenant for the kingdom, it should be expected the Lord in his loving-kindness would give to his faithful ones greater light concerning the wicked angels, opening to these faithful ones a better understanding of the Scriptures. We must keep in mind the fact that the apostle authoritatively wrote: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4) Therefore it must follow that a proper understanding of these scriptures concerning the wicked angels would be helpful to the remnant at the present time. They must understand, if they are to aid the Jonadab company to have a better understanding. In addition thereto God by his apostle makes it clear to the faithful remnant that they are continually assaulted by this horde or host of wicked ones and that they must put on and keep on the armor of protection which Jehovah in his loving-kindness provided for them.
EPITOME
Both Jude and Peter tell of angels that became wicked and are reserved for destruction. Peter also speaks of certain "spirits in prison", to which Jesus preached. Who are these wicked angels? When and how did they become wicked? Who are the ones to whom Jesus preached? and are the ones in prison the same as the ones who are reserved for the judgment of destruction?
What is the present state of habitation of these wicked ones? It seems that it would be profitable in the consideration of these questions to first set out a brief epitome or abstract of what follows and then try to set forth the Scriptural argument in support of the same; hence the following:
There are two separate and distinct classes of angels or spirits mentioned in the sixth chapter of Genesis. One of these classes is designated in the Authorized Version as "giants"; in the Revised Version as nephilim (verse 4). Nephilim means "fellers", bullies or tyrants. Those wicked ones joined Satan in his rebellion and have operated with him since in his wicked endeavors to reproach Jehovah God and to turn all creation away from God. They are the ones mentioned at 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. They have fought since the days of Eden against those who have tried to be righteous. They are alive and are the mortal enemies of the saints. They will fight on Satan's side in the battle of Armageddon and suffer complete defeat.
In the second verse of the sixth chapter of Genesis are mentioned "the sons of God". These are angels that were once holy and in the service of Jehovah God but did not join Satan in his rebellion, but afterwards yielded to his subtle and wicked influence, became disobedient, resulting in their losing the privilege and opportunity of serving Jehovah, and have since been imprisoned; they are alive and are the ones mentioned in 1 Peter 3:19, 20; and there is some hope of their recovery.
In considering the scriptures hereinafter discussed it will be well and profitable to keep in mind the two separate and distinct classes of angels above mentioned and their relation to each other and to the human race. The remnant and the Jonadab class will both find this matter of peculiar interest at the present time. It is undoubtedly the will of God that a witness concerning these unseen powers and the influence that they exercise over the human race must now be given, and that all who love the Lord must put forth their best endeavors to have a part in this witness work.
THE REBELLION
Lucifer, at the time of the creation of man, was a member of God's organization, appointed and anointed to office. It was his privilege and duty to serve, support and praise Jehovah and render complete obedience to him, and he was fully equipped for that purpose. It is written that Jehovah said of Lucifer: "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God." (Ezekiel 28:14) This is proof that Lucifer was a part of Jehovah's organization and appointed and anointed to perform certain duties. It seems quite clear from the Scriptures that Lucifer was the chief officer over a certain division of God's organization, having under him other spirit creatures or angels, and that his organization particularly related to man on the earth. Lucifer rebelled against God and corrupted his sanctuaries "by the multitude of thine iniquities, in the unrighteousness of thy traffic, thou hast profaned thy sanctuaries". (Ezekiel 28:18, American Revised Version) That would mean that at the beginning of his official term his organization or dwelling-place was devoted to God and righteousness, but that he willfully became wicked. This would also mean that others joined him in his treasonable course, thus corrupting the dwelling-place of Satan and those in his immediate organization. That Satan has a company of angels that operate with him other scriptures quite clearly prove. That company of wicked angels fought with Satan at the time Christ Jesus cast Satan and his host out of heaven and down to the earth, and their operations are now confined to things pertaining to the earth. (Revelation 12:9-12) At the beginning they were creatures of God, but they rebelled and became the 'seed of the Serpent', Satan. The Lord Jesus Christ announces Jehovah's judgment concerning this wicked company led by Satan. (Matthew 25:41) Satan is tyrannical in the extreme, and those spirits operating with him are wicked tyrants. From the time of Eden Satan was a murderer, and those who joined him in his rebellion against God doubtless participated in the murder of Abel, and they are also murderers and have continued to commit murder since.—John 8:44.
God by his prophet Daniel describes Satan's wicked organization under the symbol of a terrible image. The head of that image was of gold, picturing Satan himself and showing that he originally received his authority from Jehovah.
The breast and arms of that image were silver, picturing the princes or assistant rulers under Satan and who form a part of his invisible organization that is wicked; and as it is written that there is "another third kingdom", of copper, "which shall bear rule over all the earth" (Daniel 2:31-39), this statement of Daniel, and which is corroborated by other scriptures, proves conclusively that the wicked angels under Satan have had dominion or rule over the governments of the earth from the beginning and have exercised the same in a tyrannical manner. The Scriptures make it clear that Satan is the god or invisible ruler of this world; which means that he is the most powerful among all the wicked spirit creatures and that the other wicked ones operate under him, and that the entire organization fights against every one who is on the side of Jehovah.—2 Corinthians 4:3, 4; Ephesians 6:12.
Among those of his wicked organization is the one termed by the Scriptures "Gog", Satan's chief officer, whom doubtless he appointed to correspond to Christ Jesus as the chief officer of Jehovah. This host of wicked ones occupied a place known in the Scriptures as Magog. (Ezekiel 38:2-6) (See Vindication, Book Two, page 311.) Jesus referred to Satan as the "prince [or invisible ruler] of this world". (John 14:30) Since Satan is called Beelzebub, which means prince or chief one of devils, it follows that there are many other like ones, that is to say, wicked angels or spirits.—Matthew 10:25; 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15, 18, 19.
These texts here cited, together with the words of Ephesians 6:10-12, prove beyond all doubt that there is a host of wicked angels or spirit creatures; that Satan the Devil is the chief one of that wicked company; and that all of such are the enemies of God and the mortal enemies of every one who seeks to do God's will.
From the very time of Eden God pronounced his judgment of destruction against Satan and his host or "seed". (Genesis 3:15) Later through his prophet Moses God tells why he did not immediately execute that judgment and destroy Satan and all of his wicked host. His purpose is to permit Satan and his host to go the very limit in opposition to God and in their effort to turn all creation from Jehovah and to prove Jehovah to be a liar; and then in his own due time God will completely destroy such wicked ones and thus demonstrate his own supreme power. Before their destruction, however, Jehovah will have his faithful and loyal witnesses give testimony to his own great name and to be witnesses before both men and angels. In proof of God's purpose it is written concerning Satan: "But for this cause have I allowed thee to remain, in order to show thee my power; and in order that they [my witnesses] may proclaim my name throughout all the earth." (Exodus 9:16, Leeser) It is Satan and his wicked host, invisible to human eyes, that have wrongfully influenced and corrupted the visible rulers of the earth and made the ruling powers of the earth a part of the wicked organization that oppresses the human race. This visible part of Satan's organization is pictured by the prophet Daniel as the "legs of iron" and the 'feet of iron and clay'. (Daniel 2:33) The entire organization under Satan is pitted against Jehovah God; and in due time "the stone", meaning Christ Jesus, who is made the head of Jehovah's capital organization and his chief executive officer, will completely destroy that wicked organization of Satan, both visible and invisible.—Daniel 2:44, 45.
From the day of the rebellion in Eden until now it has been the Devil and his host that have opposed God and all who have become a part of God's organization; and the time for a final show-down between the hosts of wickedness and God's righteous organization is now at hand, and hence it is to be expected that Jehovah would give his faithful saints on earth a clearer vision of the matter than they have had at any previous time. It is certain that Satan and his host would long ago have destroyed all who have put themselves on the side of Jehovah, had not God exercised his power in behalf of those who love him; and thus he has held back the wicked ones, restraining them and preventing the destruction of his faithful witnesses. It was that same wicked crowd that persecuted Jesus when on earth and brought about his death, which Jehovah permitted; but at the same time he completely thwarted the purpose of the enemy by raising Jesus out of the death and giving him the highest place in his own great organization. —Philippians 2:9-11.
In Jehovah's universal organization there were many holy angels devoted to his service and who were never a part of Lucifer's company, and who did not participate with Lucifer in his rebellion. All of such faithful angels are the "sons of God", because they received their life from Jehovah. (Job 38:7) Approximately 1,500 years had passed since the rebellion in Eden. Adam and Eve in that time had children and grandchildren, and the human race was continuously on the increase; and here begins the account concerning the debauchery of the human race. "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose." (Genesis 6:1, 2) It will be observed that the second verse above quoted says nothing about wickedness of the angels, the "sons of God", nor that such "sons of God" were wicked at the time they materialized as men. It could not be said that the ones here called "the sons of God" were any part of Satan's organization at that time, if ever. All who had allied themselves with Satan the Devil were then, and are, 'the seed of Satan the Serpent,' and hence the sons of Satan. This is proof that the ones here called the "sons of God" are entirely a different class or company from the ones that joined Satan in his rebellion. The fact that 1,500 years after the rebellion angels were called the "sons of God" shows that they had been all of that time serving Jehovah God. They were spirit creatures or angels having life from Jehovah God, and, continuing in his service, they are designated as "the sons of God".
The chief objective of Satan from and after his rebellion was and has been and still is to turn all creation against Jehovah. There is nothing said in the record about the ones mentioned above as "the sons of God" as making any attempt to turn others away from Jehovah God. The Scriptures show that Satan is a sly, wily and seductive foe. His name Serpent discloses that he is the arch deceiver amongst all creatures, and his name Satan clearly means that he uses deception in his work of opposing Jehovah. We know that the Devil uses deception and fraud to entrap the human creatures who become negligent of their duty toward God, and it is entirely reasonable that Satan employed a like manner of fraud and deceit in turning the spirit "sons of God" away from the Creator. It was a part of his wicked scheme to defraud angels as well as men and to induce them to go contrary to God's law. 'The daughters of men were fair,' and the "sons of God" saw these and observed that they were attractive. By fraud and deceit Satan first entrapped the beautiful Eve, which furnished Adam an excuse to join the Devil; and now 1,500 years thereafter he uses the beautiful daughters or granddaughters of Eve to entrap others, even the "sons of God". Those angelic "sons of God" had power to materialize in a human organism, and doubtless did materialize. There is no evidence that by materializing they violated God's law, because the Scriptures show that long after this, in the days of Abraham, angels materialized and appeared as men. (Genesis 19:1, 15; 18:1-15) While they did not materialize at the command of Jehovah, nor were they sent as his messengers, yet their sin does not appear to be that of materialization. Appearing in human form they woul' necessarily be handsome and attractive men that would be pleasing to the women of that time. The Scriptures do not say that they were giants, and it would not be at all reasonable to conclude that they materialized as giants, but that they materialized as attractive men. "The sons of God ... took them wives of all which they chose." The result of this marital relationship between the "sons of God" and the daughters of men resulted in greatly increased wickedness amongst the human race, and this of itself is conclusive proof that Satan was the prime mover in bringing about this condition.
WICKEDNESS
Adam became a wicked man, and at the end of 1,500 years almost all of the offspring of Adam had become wicked and brought reproach upon Jehovah's name and vexed him. Abel, Enoch and Noah are the only ones mentioned up to this time as having maintained their integrity toward God. It appears that probably all mankind had turned away from God at the time here mentioned, except Noah and the immediate members of his household. Noah had been on the earth for several hundred years; hence the account here in Genesis was "in the days of Noah". The inference must be drawn that wickedness had continued to increase amongst men. "And Jehovah said, My Spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years." (Genesis 6:3, A.R.V.) The words here used, "My Spirit," mean Jehovah himself, that being another way of saying "I the Spirit". If, however, the pronoun "I" had been used it would not have set off so forcefully the tremendous contrast between "Spirit" the Creator and "flesh", that is, human creatures. Jehovah is The Spirit, the Almighty; and man, being flesh, is vastly weaker and inferior to Jehovah. Since Adam had become a sinner, Jehovah had been striving with humankind, and very few of them had maintained their integrity toward God. It appeared that Satan was succeeding admirably in turning the human race away from Jehovah.
The Hebrew for the English word "strive" is doon and is a primitive root meaning "to rule", and, by implication, "to judge" (as an umpire); also "to strive" or do as adversaries do at law or in litigation. During all those fifteen centuries Jehovah had been judging men as to their integrity. From Adam to Noah inclusive was ten generations of men, symbolic of earthly completeness; and in all that time, as the divine record discloses, Noah was the third man to prove his integrity toward God, Abel and Enoch being the two other men. There was no need for Jehovah to prolong the controversy for ever as though man could continue to strive with his Creator and Judge in the same manner that he strives against an adversary at law. Since the time of Enos men had been 'calling themselves by the name of the Lord', but manifestly that was done for the purpose of bringing reproach upon God's name, in the same manner as many men today call themselves Christians but openly bring reproach upon the name of God and Christ. It is quite evident that, since the marriage of the "sons of God" with the daughters of men, wickedness had increased, and hence the statement by the great Spirit, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh." Flesh, or human creatures, was not holding integrity toward God. God's announcement is, in effect, that flesh is not to forever insult the name of Jehovah. In contrast between Jehovah and creatures it is written: "Now the Egyptians are men, and not God," and they also are "flesh, and not spirit". "All flesh is grass." (Isaiah 31:3; 40:6) Man could not therefore go on for ever mocking God the great Spirit. Provoking God shows that man did not have the correct appreciation of what man is as compared with the great Creator.
The presumption is that the fathers of the daughters consented to their daughters' marrying the materialized spirit creatures, reasoning that such a course would make the human race great as compared with God and give them a better standing with the Almighty. It would be the Devil that would instill just such a thought into the minds of men, his purpose being to mock God and bring reproach upon his name. Such a course of action was abominable in the sight of Jehovah, because it was gross wickedness.
Sons of God Took Wives
--Says Jehovah through his prophet: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." — Isaiah 40:7,8.
Why should Jehovah God, the Spirit, always strive with man and permit man to reproach his name? In substance God here says: 'I am Spirit, and man is flesh; and I can instantly blot him out of existence; yet his days [of grace, Leeser] shall be one hundred and twenty years.' This seems clearly to say, in substance, that for fifteen centuries man had been out of harmony with his Creator, yet now God would suffer or permit man to go on another one hundred and twenty years before he would bring about the destruction of the human race. That statement concerning the hundred and twenty years referred to wicked men, and not to Noah, because Noah, who was then alive and walking with God, continued to live on earth for 350 years after the flood. Why, then, should God suffer sinful man with no integrity toward Jehovah to continue 120 years longer? Manifestly for the same reason that Jehovah permitted Pharaoh, as a special representative of the Devil himself, to remain for a time, and for the same reason that God has permitted the Devil to continue until now; that is to say, that 'Jehovah might exhibit his power and cause a witness to be given in the earth to his name'. (Exodus 9:16, Leeser) It was during that 120 years that Jehovah did cause a great witness to be given to his name, and at the end of that 120 years he brought about the complete destruction of the world, which destruction foreshadows the destruction of the world at Armageddon. In this manner Jehovah shows that he had timed the destruction of the world by the flood of waters and that he would allow ample time before that destruction to serve notice on men and on their superhuman sons-in-law, the incarnated "sons of God". In that day before the flood men lived for many years, and 120 years could easily be allowed by the Lord before bringing upon the world the execution of his judgment and still include the generation then living at the time of this expression of his determination to destroy the world. The 120 years here mentioned in no way whatsoever fixes the age limit of man, nor did the matter have anything to do with the length of time Moses lived; but rather the 120 years here mentioned definitely fixed the time when God would bring the flood upon the earth. It appears from the record that the declaration of Jehovah concerning the 120 years of further grace was made before Noah was 500 years old and before he begat his three sons.—Genesis 6:9, 10.
It has been said that the nephilim in the earth were the same as the "mighty men" and that these were destroyed in the flood. There is no Scriptural support for such a conclusion. The scripture is definite that it was "the sons of God" that took them wives from the daughters of men, and this statement is conclusive proof that the nephilim were not the ones who married the daughters of men. The nephilim, being giants, would have been entirely out of proportion in size to have human creatures for wives. That the nephilim did materialize as human creatures there is no doubt, because the Scriptures say they were in the earth. Doubtless the nephilim were the very ones who, together with Satan, induced the "sons of God" to leave their proper place in the service of Jehovah and seek pleasure with the daughters of men, and this they did to turn those "sons of God" away from Jehovah that they might receive the disapproval of Jehovah and at the same time bring greater reproach upon his name. These "giants" or nephilim materialized and were on the earth, but "the sons of God" married the daughters of men, and this the record clearly shows, to wit: "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6:4) It was after those giants first appeared on earth that the "sons of God" and the daughters of men had children, as shown by this text. These "giants" or nephilim were probably called "fallen ones" or 'fallen angels' because they had fallen entirely away from God, and for the further reason that they were "fellers" or ones who fell upon others and treated them in a tyrannical manner. According to a recognized authority, "nephilim" means those who fall (upon others), that is, "fellers." (Strong) Without a doubt Gog was among that crowd of wicked spirits or nephilim, and this lends support to the conclusion that Gog may yet materialize in human form and lead the visible forces of the Devil in an assault upon God's organization. (Vindication, Book Two, page 311) It is certain that the nephilim are not the same as the "sons of God" mentioned in the Genesis account, for at least two reasons: (1) they were on the earth before the materialization of the "sons of God"; and (2) these nephilim or giants were not the sons of God, but the seed or sons of the Devil. Other scriptures hereinafter considered fully support this conclusion. By the marriage of the "sons of God" with the daughters of men, children were born, and "the same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown". Those "men of renown", the offspring of the "sons of God", were not called nephilim, but are termed, according to the Hebrew text, gibborim. In the great deluge that came upon the earth the gibborim or "mighty men" were destroyed, but there is no Scriptural evidence that either the "sons of God" or the nephilim, described in the Genesis account, were destroyed. On the contrary, the evidence shows that they are yet alive.
It may be suggested that there were nephilim on the earth after the flood, because the spies returning from Canaan reported that they saw giants (nephilim) : "And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:33, A.R.V.) But the answer to that is this: The word nephilim means "giants" or "tyrants", and it is expressly stated in this scripture that the giants who were there seen were the sons of Anak (meaning "long-necked"; hence a giant). Anak was a human creature; but this could not refer to the same class of giants or nephilim as mentioned in the Genesis account. The nephilim who materialized on the earth before the flood are not said to be sons of any man, which, of course, they could not have been, since they were materialized spirits. The giants seen in Canaan were human creatures, and Caleb drove them out of Hebron.—Joshua 15:13, 14.
The nephilim mentioned in the Genesis account were a part of the Devil's organization that had operated with him since the rebellion. By materializing as human creatures they would induce the "sons of God", mentioned in Genesis 6:2, who had up to that time been loyal to Jehovah, to materialize and to indulge in marital relationship with the daughters of men. These spirit creatures, "the sons of God," having previously been in Jehovah's service, now by taking human wives and having children by them thus left their proper service of Jehovah in heaven, probably at the time not willfully intending to be disloyal to God, but being induced to believe that they could render a service to man and help him up and at the same time do this to the glory of God. While the Genesis record is silent as to whether or not God prohibited them from marrying human wives, yet God's law later on given to the Israelites shows that such a course was contrary to his will.—Leviticus 19:19; 20:15, 16.
In Jude it is written: "The angels which kept not their first estate [principality, margin], but left their own habitation [their proper dwelling (place), Roth.], he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 6) This scripture has heretofore been applied to the conduct of the "sons of God" mentioned in Genesis 6:2; yet other scriptures relating thereto show that such a conclusion is not supported. The words of Jude clearly apply to the nephilim, and not to the "sons of God", that is to say, to those giants that materialized on earth and who are a part of Satan's organization from the time of the rebellion. It is the nephilim that are included in the judgment of Jehovah for destruction, together with Satan, because they are Satan's angels and are a part of his organization.
The mere fact that the "sons of God", after they had materialized, intermarried with human women would not mean that they were directly a part of Satan's organization or that they were even in sympathy with Satan's organization. Satan and his allies, the nephilim, would cause these "sons of God" to indulge in false reasoning which led them into an unwise course, bringing them into difficulties like unto that mentioned by the apostle Paul concerning men who leave the service of God and take wives: "But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. So then, he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better." (1 Corinthians 7:33, 35, 38) "The sons of God" would not be at liberty to marry human wives, because that would take them away from God's service, but falling to the subtle influence and false reasoning of Satan they doubtless adopted a line of reasoning like that of the "great multitude" (Revelation 7:9-17) or "prisoner" class (Isaiah 42:6, 7; 49:9; 61:1), who reason that they can mix with the world and at the same time serve God. Many men and women have consecrated their lives to God and have, contrary to his will, mixed up with the world, reasoning that they could do so and at the same time serve God and uplift the world; but such a course does not result in uplifting the world and does no honor to Jehovah, and this same class he has designated as "prisoners" because they are held in restraint by having mixed up with the world. (Psalms 79:11; 142:7) Doubtless the "sons of God" were induced by Satan to reason along the same line; thus they were entrapped. In the days of Noah the human race was very wicked, even as there is now great wickedness upon the earth. The "prisoner" or "great multitude" class now reason that they can disregard God's Word of truth and stay in the religious systems, which are a part of the Devil's organization, and thus serve God and man. These are described by the Lord in Psalm 107:10-20. Satan, working through his earthly agents, is the one who gets the "great multitude" into this trap; and this supports the conclusion that it was Satan and his materialized allies or agents, the nephilim, that induced the "sons of God" to take the wrong course and fall into Satan's trap.
The children born to the human women and the "sons of God" are called in the Scriptures "mighty men" in the time of the old world before the flood. The same word is used to describe Nimrod, who was said to be a "mighty" (gibbor, Hebrew; powerful) man before the Lord. (Genesis 10:8, 9) These offspring of the union of the daughters of men with the "sons of God" became "men of renown" amongst men, but clearly not before the Lord, for the reason that the Bible account has not preserved the names of any of these men of renown; hence they were not renowned before Jehovah. They had no integrity toward God, but were abominable in his sight, being both mongrels and monstrosities, who made names for themselves because of their wickedness. In like manner Nimrod became famous amongst men. That mongrel race, called "men of renown", were not nephilim, as the record clearly shows, and, being mongrels and monstrosities, they could not produce their kind.
The Genesis record does not definitely mention the wickedness of the nephilim, for the manifest reason they were desperately wicked from the time of the rebellion at Eden and were under judgment from that time forward. Be it also noted that the divine record does not mention the wickedness of the "sons of God" but does emphasize the wickedness of man. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5) Satan, following his fixed policy, had turned man away from God and had used men and their daughters to corrupt the "sons of God", who for a long time had been loyal, and the 'wickedness on the earth' mentioned is specifically applied to man, and it was concerning man that the Lord said he would not longer strive with him. Jehovah cites this wickedness as a reason for his change of course of action toward men. It was the human race that the Devil had turned away from Jehovah, and now Satan executes his wicked scheme by using human creatures to entrap spirit creatures and turn them away from Jehovah and get them out of his organization.
Because of this great wickedness amongst flesh creatures it is written: "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." (Genesis 6:6) The Hebrew word here for "repent" is also translated as follows: "Be comforted, receive comfort, comfort, ease (oneself)." For example, note the following scriptures: "Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies." (Isaiah 1:24) "Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them."—Ezekiel 5:13.
This does not mean that God regretted that he had made the earth and made man upon it. There would have been no necessity for regrets, because he could have destroyed Satan and Adam at the very moment of the rebellion. Jehovah himself being wholly devoted to righteousness, it grieved him at heart that man had taken the wicked course; hence God's heart needed to be eased or comforted and would receive it, not from what some creature might do, but from his own course of action toward those who had brought reproach upon his name. His decision was to avenge or vindicate his name, and this he would do by the destruction of those who had united with Satan's organization and had willfully reproached his name.
Satan and his wicked allies had misused and perverted the lower animals of the earth, instilling in them the devilish spirit, and God declared his purpose to destroy both man and beast. "And the Lord said, I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them."—Genesis 6:7.
The words "destroy" and "created" here used are in complete contrast and disclose the meaning of God's repentance, that is to say, that God the Creator, who had extended his loving-kindness toward his creatures, now turned to Destroyer of both man and beast that had been turned by the Devil into wickedness. Thus God changed his course, or repented, the word "repented" meaning "to change his course of action". Be it noted that no mention is here made of the nephilim or of the "sons of God", which shows that their case is to be dealt with by Jehovah elsewhere. That which is here said with reference to destruction applies to the things on the earth, and Noah was the exception. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Genesis 6:8) If the word "repented", as here used, means that God had made a mistake in making man, then why preserve Noah? Jehovah here shows that his purpose is ultimately to destroy all the willfully wicked, and shows that his favor is given only to those who are obedient to him. "Surely he scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly." (Proverbs 3:34) "Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."—1 Peter 5:5.
God having decreed according to the Genesis account that 120 years should elapse before he would destroy the creation on earth, and Noah having obtained favor in God's sight, God then gave to Noah a good woman for a wife, and during the last 100 years before the flood she bore Noah three sons. "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth."—Genesis 6:8-12.
Men on earth, with the exception of Noah and his household, were extremely wicked, corrupt, and filled the earth with violence, which condition was hateful to God. "Him that loveth violence, his soul hateth." (Psalm 11:5; Ezekiel 7: 10,11;8:17) Note that the text says: "All flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." This does not say, nor does it mean, that man had corrupted his nature, but his way.
The time having come for God to execute his vengeance upon the wicked ones, he made Noah his witness and directed him to bear testimony to others, and this foreshadowed how God at the present time sends forth his anointed to bear witness to his name and his purpose before he brings destruction upon Satan's organization. The fact that God did not even mention the nephilim and the "sons of God" in this decree of destruction, but confined it to "all flesh", shows that man himself is responsible for his wicked course willfully taken. "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them: and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." (Genesis 6:13) This would bring an end to the long period of Jehovah's striving with humankind. Jehovah then instructed Noah to build the ark, and, as it is written, "by faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet [such as rain, waterspouts, or storms], moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." (Hebrews 11: 7, A.R.V.) The building of the ark displayed Noah's faith, and hence condemned the world. The construction of the ark was a powerful form of preaching or bearing testimony; but Noah would also explain to those people about him why he was building the ark, and thus he would bear testimony by word of mouth. Therefore the human family and the "sons of God", as well as their offering, would thus be the recipients of Noah's testimony, and by this means Noah was made a 'theater for both men and angels', even as Jehovah's witnesses now on earth are witnesses both to the unseen and to the seen ones concerning God's purpose to destroy the world at Armageddon. (1 Corinthians 4:9, margin) The carrying of Noah over the flood, and his delivery thereafter, was like the resurrection from the dead, and that was a forceful sermon to the angels concerning Jehovah's power. Thus by the ark and by Noah and the flood Jehovah displayed his power before creation and caused his name to be made known throughout the world. Even so now God has commanded his faithful witnesses to bear testimony to his name and that God will by and through his kingdom completely vindicate his name in the destruction of everything and every creature that opposes his purpose and reproaches his holy name.
The Scriptural proof therefore clearly shows a distinction between the "nephilim" and the "sons of God" which later married human wives. Also that the "men of renown", the offspring of this union of materialized spirits with daughters of men, are clearly distinct from both nephilim and "sons of God". There would be no reason to keep alive these monstrosities, and they were destroyed in the flood.
The question, then, is, What became of these "sons of God" at the time of the flood, and what is their present condition? And what relationship, if any, do they bear to the violence now on the earth? The clear statement of the apostle in Ephesians 6:12 is that the ones making war upon the saints consist of a host of spiritual wicked ones. Is it the nephilim or these "sons of God" mentioned in Genesis, one or both classes, that are associated with Satan in their opposition to Jehovah's anointed?
Jehovah's great name having been reproached both by angels and by men, he sent Jesus to earth for the purpose of vindicating his name and to bear witness to the truth. In doing this Jesus must preach and did preach both by word of mouth and by his consistent course of action. Whatsoever preaching Jesus did, that preaching was done in the performance of his commission. The apostle Peter under inspiration wrote: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water."—1 Peter 3:18-20.
Having now learned that the primary purpose of Jehovah in sending Jesus to earth, and the primary purpose of the work of Jesus, is the vindication of Jehovah's name, the remnant may now expect to obtain through Christ Jesus at the temple a clear understanding of the words of the apostle concerning the "spirits in prison". Who are those spirits in prison? Who imprisoned them? and in what manner did Jesus preach to them? According to the Scriptures those "spirits in prison" were prior to the flood the ones designated in Genesis six as the "sons of God", and their wrongdoing consisted in their leaving their assigned duties in God's organization and marrying the daughters of men and thus devoting themselves to that which was in disobedience to God's law concerning them. The Scriptures do not say that their disobedience extended over the entire 600 years that Noah lived. Probably they were disobedient during all that time and the preaching of righteous Noah brought home to them notice that they were doing wrong. It is the wickedness of man that is emphasized by the Scriptural record. (Genesis 6:5) It was then that God declared that "yet his [man's] days shall be an hundred and twenty years". It was during the latter part of these 120 years that Jehovah gave Noah instruction concerning the ark, because at that time of receiving such instruction Noah had sons and his sons were married. The disobedience of the sons of God continued during that period of time. This is definitely fixed by 1 Peter 3:20, above quoted: 'Which sometime [aforetime, R.V.] were disobedient, when the ark was being prepared.' When the ark was completed and the flood came, there the "old world" ended. That means the change in spirit conditions as well as earthly conditions; hence at that time apply the words of the apostle, to wit: "The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." (2 Peter 3:6) It was at that time that the spirits were imprisoned, and which shows that they were not destroyed. It was to those imprisoned spirits that Jesus preached. Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," preached to them prior to the flood and they had not heeded his preaching, and for that reason they did not escape imprisonment. Those spirits could not have been killed at that time, because they were alive in Jesus' day; otherwise Jesus could not have preached to them. It is quite certain that those disobedient spirits, "the sons of God," are still alive, but under restraint or imprisoned.
Who imprisoned them? There is no reason to conclude that God imprisoned them. Since they were disobedient to God, would he not be the one to imprison them? Not necessarily so. There is no evidence in the Scriptures that God did imprison them. Those angels once in God's organization and in his service had fallen to the wiles of the Devil, and God would deliver such up to his enemy Satan and permit the enemy Satan to imprison them. Such is the course followed by Jehovah under like circumstances. This is supported by the fact that the Israelites were once in the organization and service of Jehovah, and that they fell away to the wily influence of the Devil, and God gave them over to his enemy and their enemy, Satan, and permitted many of them to be held in captivity and in prison. (Hosea 11: 8; Jeremiah 12:7; Isaiah 47:6) Also those who go to make up the "great multitude" class were begotten of the spirit, being brought forth as the sons of God, and had opportunity to devote themselves wholly to God's service and had an invitation to run for the prize of the Kingdom, and yet they have fallen to the wily influence of the Devil and his allies, have attempted to serve God and the Devil's organization at the same time, have fallen into Satan's trap, and are held in Satan's organization or prison house, and are designated as "prisoners". (See The Watchtower, 1926, page 339.) The disobedient "sons of God" in the days of Noah likewise did not heed the preaching of Noah, and when the flood came they found there was no protection for them regardless of whether or not they desired to return to God's organization at that time. They had been disobedient and walked into Satan's trap. Had God imprisoned those disobedient spirits the manifest purpose would have been to restrain them from further disobedience, and this supports the conclusion that God did not restrain them. If Satan is the one who put them in prison his purpose would be to keep them under his control and thus prevent them from returning to God, just as he holds now the "great multitude" in prison. After the flood came, and which taught these disobedient spirits the supreme power of Jehovah, and showed the vindication of his word and his name, such spirit creatures would be restrained by Satan and his wicked allies to prevent them from breaking away. Babylon is the name of Satan's organization; and as God's once chosen people, the Israelites, were held in Babylon, it is evidently in Babylon, that is to say, the Devil's invisible organization, where the disobedient spirits are held in prison and which, in the Scriptures, is called "the land of Magog".—Ezekiel 38:2;39:6.
Since those "sons of God" who became disobedient in Noah's day did not take advantage of God's long-suffering during the 120 years, and did not hearken unto the preaching of righteous Noah, God's representative and witness, Jehovah would let them go and would give them no protection and did give them no protection in the flood. This finds a strong parallel at the present time, as will hereinafter be seen. Their disobedience in disregarding God's organization and his service would separate them from Jehovah, and their fear would bring them into Satan's snare, just as fear brings the "tribulation" company into the snare of Satan. (Proverbs 29:25) Thus Satan and his nephilim bullies would hold these "sons of God" in restraint or in prison, not permitting them again to return to the Lord Jehovah and his service. When the "sons of God", in harmony with Jehovah's will, came to present themselves and Satan would come also in their midst there to show off himself, those whom Satan had restrained would not appear. (Job 2:1) The disobedient "sons" of Noah's day would not be there, but would be held in restraint, even as Satan and his agents now hold the "great multitude" in restraint and away from the assembly of God's witnesses, and this Satan does by using the clergy to restrain them. But as the message of truth now preached by the consistent lives of the faithful witnesses, as well as by radio and in printed form, reaches the "prisoners", the "great multitude", even so God has arranged that the message of truth shall reach the spirit prisoners held by Satan, that they in due time might seek him.
To those disobedient spirits Jesus preached, as stated by the apostle Peter. Since the purpose of preaching is reformation, if possible, of those who hear, that must have been the purpose of Jesus in preaching to them. (Romans 10:14, 15) By maintaining his integrity toward God under the most trying conditions, even suffering an ignominious death, Jesus preached a powerful sermon to all who observed. Then being raised up out of death by the power of Jehovah and given the most exalted place in God's organization, and that because of his faithfulness to God, would be a most powerful witness to those spirits held in prison and who were there because they had failed to be faithful to God and remain in his organization. The fact that it is stated that Jesus did preach to them strongly supports the conclusion that they will have an opportunity to be recovered in God's due time. If that is the correct conclusion, then they will have to take a positive stand against Satan and Gog and then at the cost of great suffering firmly show their allegiance to Jehovah and his organization. If those prisoners are now held by Satan they are not necessarily the 'seed of Satan' any more than the "great multitude" constitutes a part of the seed of the wicked one. They followed their own course of reasoning, disregarded the word of God, and fell into a trap, just as the "great multitude" has done.—Psalm 107:9-13.
How did Jesus preach to those spirits in prison? Not necessarily by word of mouth, but by his consistent conduct and unyielding devotion to Jehovah under the most severe test. The words of the apostle just preceding his statement concerning Jesus' preaching to the spirits throws light upon the matter under consideration. Peter was there stating to the Christians how they were once going astray, and how they were brought back to the Lord Jesus Christ. Then he says: "In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives; beholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear. As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror."—1 Peter 3:1, 2, 6, A.R.V.
The argument of the apostle is that one professing to follow Christ Jesus must also follow a course of action in conformity to his profession, that observers may note the consistent action in the deportment and the testimony delivered by word of mouth. Mere behavior or conduct, however, such as is called "character development", without testimony by word of mouth will not glorify God, but there must be both an oral testimony and a consistent course of action on the part of the professed Christian. Says the apostle: "Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord" because he was God's chosen servant. She was not honoring the man, but she was honoring the servant of God.
Noah by building the ark showed to observers his faith in God and his devotion to Jehovah. His words and his course of action were consistent. Continuing, says the apostle: "But sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear."—1 Peter 3:15, A.R.V.
Such a question could not be propounded unless the verbal testimony is given causing men to ask questions, and this shows that one must preach both by word of mouth and by the course of action to those with whom he comes in contact. A good conscience is kept by so doing, regardless of being misunderstood by others. Hence the apostle adds: "Having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ." (1 Peter 3:16, A.R.V.) Jehovah's witnesses must go contrary to the world, showing forth the praises of Jehovah, and thus doing they are looked upon and called evildoers. They must be preachers by word of mouth and by their consistent course of action. The proof comes to others that they are not evil-doers when God takes occasion to prove to false accusers that those whom they have accused have been and are his faithful witnesses.
Then the apostle's argument shows that the faithful servants of God will be brought into conditions causing suffering, and that such is the will of God in order to afford an opportunity for them to maintain their integrity toward him. God does not send the suffering, but the faithful ones, suffering for righteousness and for doing right, prove their integrity. Therefore says the apostle: "For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing." (1 Peter 3:17, A.R.V.) Likewise did Christ Jesus suffer, the just for the unjust. "Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." (1 Peter 3:18, A.R.V.) Suffering was not required of Christ Jesus in order to provide the ransom price. Christ Jesus in maintaining his integrity toward God suffered injustice to be heaped upon him. He suffered and remained faithful to God, and thus proved himself entirely faithful; and because of his faithfulness Jehovah raised him up out of death and exalted him to the highest place in his organization.
At the time of his consecration at the Jordan Jesus was counted as dead, and there began his quickening in the spirit. For three and one-half years he was preaching the truth by word of mouth and by his consistent and constant devotion to Jehovah God. Likewise the followers of Jesus are quickened of the spirit to become preachers of God's Word. (Romans 8:11;1 Corinthians 4:9) Jesus, always in Jehovah's organization and in his favor, refused to yield to the temptations presented to him by Satan, and amidst all the persecutions that were heaped upon him by Satan he remained faithful and true to Jehovah. This, together with his continued course of consistent action unto death, and his being raised out of death, was the manner in which he preached to the spirits in prison, as is stated by Peter: "In which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." (1 Peter 3:19, A.R.V.) These imprisoned spirits found themselves there because they had failed to be faithful in their service to God while in his organization, and now they saw the result that comes for unfaithfulness and also the result to those who are faithful. The preaching of Jesus, therefore, was the delivering of a message in a roundabout or indirect way. He was sent to preach by word of mouth to the Jews, which he did. (Matthew 15:24) His preaching to the spirits was by their observing his faithful devotion and consistent holding to God's organization, which would in effect say to them: 'If you had remained true and faithful to God's organization where he placed you, at this present time you would not be in prison and away from God's favor.' In this manner Jesus would preach to the spirits in prison, just as the behavior or conduct of the women whom Peter admonishes in this connection, and which Peter uses to illustrate the point of his argument. The conduct of Jesus preached in favor of God's side of the great controversy and against the side of Satan, that wicked one who had entrapped these disobedient spirits. The resurrection of Jesus and his exaltation because of his faithfulness to God added great strength to that preaching. Satan, knowing this, desperately put forth every effort in his power to prevent the resurrection of Jesus.
Many have insisted that Jesus went somewhere and preached to the spirits in prison, because both the Authorized and the American Revised Version say that he "went" and preached to the spirits. It is entirely consistent with the foregoing explanation of his preaching by his faithful course of action, and also in complete harmony with all other scriptures, for us to conclude that Jesus did go somewhere and preach to the spirits in prison. During the three days that Jesus was dead, to be sure, he did not go anywhere. After his resurrection to life as a spirit creature divine, and between that time and the time of his ascension into heaven, a period of forty days elapsed. Within that period of time he appeared in a human organism several times to his brethren, but these appearances were only for a few minutes on each occasion. The Scriptures are silent as to where Jesus was during the other part of that forty days. There appears from the prophecy of Ezekiel that the "land of Magog" is the place where the angels who sinned in Noah's day are imprisoned. Since it appears that they were imprisoned by Satan, this supports the conclusion that they are in the "land of Magog". (Ezekiel 38:1, 2; Vindication, Book Two, page 311) When Jesus was resurrected he was a spirit divine, clothed with all power and authority and ability to go and come at will. There seems to be no reason why he might not have gone to the "land of Magog" and there addressed a message directly to the spirit creatures restrained in prison that had sinned in Noah's day, and which spirits have since been held in prison by the Devil. We know that the Lord has provided means whereby the "great multitude" "prisoners" now on earth have the gospel preached to them by radio at the present time. Why could not Jesus have preached to the spirits in prison by something similar to our radio in his time or speak to them directly? He certainly had the power to do whatsoever he might choose to do in harmony with the will of God. He was certainly able to go, and there was surely ample time for him to do so between the time of his resurrection and his ascension into heaven. (Matthew 28:18; Acts 1:3,4) Certainly these imprisoned spirits must be reminded that because they were once in God's organization and left it they had fallen into Satan's hands and been imprisoned, that Jesus, by remaining faithful and true to Jehovah and resisting the Devil's wiles, even unto an ignominious death, had been raised from death and exalted to the highest position, and that if these spirits in prison had remained faithful they would have been entirely at liberty. What Jesus told them in words, we do not know, but we do know that his course of action fully supports the conclusion that he might have used words similar to those above.
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