We, at The Iconoclast have been challenged by the thinking of such men as Dr. Michael Heiser, Bob Vincent and David Flynn.

Dr. Heiser is a scholar in ancient languages. Our understanding is that the he believes that the B'nei Elohim (Sons of God — most often understood as "Angels" in Elohim's hierarchy) comprise a Divine Council — with יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah], the Supreme El reigning over all of the B'nei Elohim. Please note: accordingly, the B'nei Elohim are all created beings!

Citing the Bible, along with corroborating ancient texts, it is our understanding that Dr. Heiser believes that there are "good" B'nei Elohim and "bad" B'nei Elohim; and that the bad B'nei Elohim left their first "estate"* and mated with human women; their offspring being the giants of renown.

* "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." (Jude 1:6 KJV)

This following quote is from the Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 6:1-7:1):

"And when the sons of men had multiplied, in those days, beautiful and comely daughters were born to them. And the Watchers, sons of heaven, saw them and desired them. And they said to one another, 'Come, let us choose for ourselves wives from the daughters of men, and let us beget for ourselves children.'"

"... And they descended onto the peak of Mount Hermon ..."

These "giants" were so evil they polluted the entire human race except for the family of Noah. Thus, the "flood" was a judgment by יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] on the bad B'nei Elohim, their offspring conceived with human women and the people they defiled.

What about this occurring after the Flood? —> The Hebrew Scriptures and ancient writings all attest to other bad B'nei Elohim mating with human women after the flood!.

... As the rebellion of the peoples of the nations grew, they moved further and further away from YHVH. Because of this rebellion, YHVH gave over the rule of the nations to His B'nei Elohim (Dr. Heiser terms this the Romans 1 event of the "Old Testament").

From Dr. Heiser's google video AoD 2005 The Sons of God" (Ancient of Days Conference 2005):

Again, יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] turned over the rule of each of the nations to the B'nei Elohim.

Thus, the peoples of the nations gave all of their "worship" — their devotion, to their "national" B'nei Elohim instead of to the true worship of יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah]. In essence, the B'nei Elohim became the "gods" of the peoples of the nations, except for the nation of Israel, which יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] set apart for Himself!

Knowing this, you should also begin to understand why יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] forbade the Jewish people from marrying people from nations. If, among the nations, the bad B'nei Elohim mated with their women, creating hybrids doomed to destruction, then you can see how a jealous God, the Elohim of Israel, was to keep His nation, Israel, from falling into the same destructive ways.

Nevertheless, the Hebrew Scriptures record time and time again how the nation of Israel strayed from their King, preferring the worship of deities from the nations surrounding them, building altars and worshipping any god (elohim) but יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah].

In lieu of this, you might find it interesting to read Exodus 23:13 (New King James version):

"And in all that I have said to you, be circumspect and make no mention of the name of other gods, nor let it be heard from your mouth."

Nevertheless, from the earliest recordings of Scripture, יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] was preparing a way that His people (and those of the nations) could be "redeemed" and made "clean". Remember that the hybridization of the human race, according to Dr. Heiser, was THE REASON FOR THE FLOOD and that it is also the reason that — MANKIND IS DOOMED TO THE UPCOMING FINAL JUDGMENT!

יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] sent prophets to Israel, who wrote about a coming Messiah — who would essentially "purify" His people so that they could come near to HIM.

Remember that the entire human race IS NOW polluted with the blood of the "bad" B'nei Elohim and their offspring, and THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO HOPE for them who remain as they are.

To quote David Flynn from his website (before his death in January 2012) "http://www.mt.net/~7Ewatcher/new.html":

Jesus did not come to save the apes & dolphins, He did not come to save the puppies & kitties, and He certainly did not come to save the Zeta Reticulans & the Alien Grays. Jesus Christ is called the KINSMAN REDEEMER.

The atonement work of Jesus was only to save His kinsman, the sons of Adam. If a being is not a descendant of Adam, this being — no matter how intelligent — will not take part in the promise of Jesus Christ. Watcher's research confirms that there are beings genetically similar to the race of Adams, but have been genetically tampered with by rebel angels, or engineered to be superior humans in some illuminated laboratory. These hybrids are not capable of "being saved" by the grace of the Kinsman Redeemer, for they are not His kinsmen. This increase in humans who aren't genetically sons of Adam is a symptom of the end times, just as in the days of Noah when Nephilim walked the earth among humans.

On our RESOURCES page at The-Iconoclast.org (this web-site), you can find information in the way of video and audio downloads which can provide a greater depth of understanding for the topic regarding "Sons of God".

We suggest that you listen to the three messages from pastor Bob Vincent (bottom of Resources page in the audio section) and then follow that up by watching the videos by Dr. Michael Heiser and then those of David Flynn.

A Word of Caution!

We would like to caution you to always check and verify all references and to pray that יְהֹוָה  [Yehovah] (God) gives you discernment, including what we say as well as those others that we might link you to!

To that end, one of the tenets held by the many who hold a world-view as Dr. Heiser and David Flynn regarding the "nephilim" (offspring of b'nei Elohim and human women) is based upon the original context of that event juxtaposed against words of Yeshua (aka Jesus) in the Christian Scriptures (i.e. New Testament) regarding the time of the end.

It takes the phrase, "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,..." and interprets it to mean that the time of the end will be exactly as it was in the days of Noah, meaning that you can expect there to be offspring of the fallen angels with women!

In other words, they look for some sort of hybrid human race to be prevalent at the time just before the end of the age.

The passage most often quoted for this is in Matthew 24:33-42 (NKJV):

³³ So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!
³⁴ Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. No One Knows the Day or Hour
³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
⁴² Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour[f] your Lord is coming.

Please be advised that The Iconoclast agrees that the reason for the flood (of Genesis 6) was that some fallen angels, b'nei Elohim, had intercourse with daughters of men, the defiled offspring of which polluted the entire human race except for the family of Noah.

However, most of the people who hold to that view also carry with them an eschatological (e.g. End-Times) view which follows the pre-millenial view (similar to that expressed in the "Left Behind" book series written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins).

At The Iconoclast, we do not believe that viewpoint to be discernibly sound!

We contend that "scriptural" references must be compared with "scriptural" references, and that where the same event is recorded elsewhere it must also be examined so that the natural context can be understood. Where preconceived beliefs are challenged, it is from "scriptural" references that we draw upon to tell us how to think and believe — we must yield ourselves to God-breathed Scripture (Tanakh, the Hebrew Scriptures), and not "lean on our own understanding!"

In our view, the pre-millenial, dispensational viewpoint requires that its adherers take Christian (New Testament) "scriptural" references out of their original context. Thus, the pre-millenial, dispensational viewpoint completely ignores comparative passages in Luke and takes its stand on certain "snippets" from Paul's writings (not corroborated anywhere else in the Christian "Scriptures").

We believe that one must look at all references, in context, and let the "chips fall where they may".

For instance, where Matthew 24 is quoted by pre-millenialists to specify end-time chronology, the the pre-millenial, dispensational "examination" never compares the same event recorded in Luke 21! To wit, the same incident is recorded to initiate the words of Yeshua (aka Jesus) to explain what would happen at the end of the age. However, the Luke 21 passage gives greater detail, and it specifies that Jerusalem would be surrounded by armies — which actually happened in the war the Roman empire waged against Israel that came to a climax in 70 A.D.

As you might expect, pre-millenialists conveniently ignore that possibility (the fulfillment of prophetic references regarding the time of the end with Jerusalem being surrounded by armies) so that they can somehow make their interpretation of New Testament "Scripture" to fit their eschatology!

Luke 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.”

The comparative passage in Luke regarding the "Days of Noah" is found in chapter 17, and it shows a larger context for the wording, making it virtually impossible to come to the same conclusion as those who quote the Matthew passage alone! In addition to using the analogy of the time of Noah, it also does so with the incident of Lot's wife. It is quite clear from that context, that the intent of the passage is not conveying that at the time of the end we would specifically encounter offspring of fallen angels and human women as a sign. That is certainly not its purpose!

Luke 17:20-37 (NKJV):

²⁰ Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
²¹ nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
²² Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
²³ And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them.
²⁴ For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.
²⁵ But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
²⁶ And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
²⁷ They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
²⁸ Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
²⁹ but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
³⁰ Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
³¹ “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.
³² Remember Lot’s wife.
³³ Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
³⁴ I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.
³⁵ Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.
³⁶ Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”
³⁷ And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together"

To reiterate, The Iconoclast agrees that the Genesis 6 passage, along with corroborating ancient writings, tells us that some fallen angels (b'nei Elohim) actually had sexual relations with human women and defiled the entire human race except for the family of Noah! We do not, however, come to the same conclusions of the many of them that reference Matthew 24 exclusively to provide the base of interpretation for the time of the end.

Moreover, as we mention elsewhere on this site, we at The Iconoclast only acknowledge the Hebrew Scriptures, the Tanakh, as authoritative. We do not consider the Christian Scriptures (aka New Testament) as authoritative, but recognize its cultural influence over the last two thousand years.

The Iconoclast website is dedicated to the unadulterated pursuit of truth.