"The Fallen Angels"
The story of a rebel force that defies a Deity has been a topic of great fascination for authors and poets for millennia. There are para-biblical stories about how angels defied God to sleep with mortal women and bear children. John Milton creates a vivid mythos around Satan as a tragic character. Greek poets speak of Prometheus who defied Zeus and was condemned to eternal torment in a similar fashion.
"Origin of the Fallen Angels Story" The question most people seem to have is where did the story of thewatchers come from? I’ve mentioned the three passages under the descriptions of Watchers and Lucifer on the demon page, but just to put everything together, I thought I’d put the two stories together. Before doing so, let me briefly say that the question of evil has plagued theologians and philosophers for millennia. In Judeo-Christian thought, the problem was more pronounced – if God is an omnipotent being that is entirely good, how can evil exist? Why would God create a world that was not entirely ‘good’ in the first place, and even if he did create evil, why would he allow it to continue to exist?
Put another way, why do the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper – issues addressed by Jeremiah and Job. The fallen angels accounts attempt to offer a mythological explanation – part of God’s subordinates sinned against him and corrupted humanity in the process.
"2 Accounts of the Fall." Generally, there are 2 flavors of the fallen angels myth. The first describes a group of angels who, lead by Azazel, lusted after the women of earth. They defiled themselves by mating with humans and their consorts gave birth to mean-spirited giants. God was not pleased with the rebellion and punished them for their misdeeds, but not before humanity was corrupted in the process. This tale is introduced in Genesis 6:1-4 and elaborated on in the Book of Enoch, part of the Jewish Pseudepigrapha which is a collection of works not found in the bible.
The other story involves the mightiest angel who, out of pride, rebelled against God during the time of Creation. This mighty angel (Lucifer) sought to overthrow God, but he failed and was cast out of heaven to become Satan, the adversary. Then, out of contempt for mankind, he lead Adam and Eve to sin.
In addition to these accounts, there is another account of the Satan who directly opposed God, but was never fully explained.
As mentioned in the Watchers description, there are two potential biblical passages that refer to the first account of the fallen angel myth – Genesis 6:1-4 and Psalm 82:1, 5-7. To summarize, Gen 6 explains that the angels married women, but does not explicitly condemn this while Psalm 82 mentions that the angels sinned, but does not mention that the cause of their sin was that they married mortal women. There is no biblical evidence to support any connection between the two passages. There is only one potential passage referring to the second myth – Isaiah 14:12-15. Most scholars conjecture that this myth was derived from a lost Canaanite myth about a rebellion to overthrow El and Elyon.
The story of a rebel force that defies a Deity has been a topic of great fascination for authors and poets for millennia. There are para-biblical stories about how angels defied God to sleep with mortal women and bear children. John Milton creates a vivid mythos around Satan as a tragic character. Greek poets speak of Prometheus who defied Zeus and was condemned to eternal torment in a similar fashion.
"Origin of the Fallen Angels Story" The question most people seem to have is where did the story of thewatchers come from? I’ve mentioned the three passages under the descriptions of Watchers and Lucifer on the demon page, but just to put everything together, I thought I’d put the two stories together. Before doing so, let me briefly say that the question of evil has plagued theologians and philosophers for millennia. In Judeo-Christian thought, the problem was more pronounced – if God is an omnipotent being that is entirely good, how can evil exist? Why would God create a world that was not entirely ‘good’ in the first place, and even if he did create evil, why would he allow it to continue to exist?
Put another way, why do the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper – issues addressed by Jeremiah and Job. The fallen angels accounts attempt to offer a mythological explanation – part of God’s subordinates sinned against him and corrupted humanity in the process.
"2 Accounts of the Fall." Generally, there are 2 flavors of the fallen angels myth. The first describes a group of angels who, lead by Azazel, lusted after the women of earth. They defiled themselves by mating with humans and their consorts gave birth to mean-spirited giants. God was not pleased with the rebellion and punished them for their misdeeds, but not before humanity was corrupted in the process. This tale is introduced in Genesis 6:1-4 and elaborated on in the Book of Enoch, part of the Jewish Pseudepigrapha which is a collection of works not found in the bible.
The other story involves the mightiest angel who, out of pride, rebelled against God during the time of Creation. This mighty angel (Lucifer) sought to overthrow God, but he failed and was cast out of heaven to become Satan, the adversary. Then, out of contempt for mankind, he lead Adam and Eve to sin.
In addition to these accounts, there is another account of the Satan who directly opposed God, but was never fully explained.
As mentioned in the Watchers description, there are two potential biblical passages that refer to the first account of the fallen angel myth – Genesis 6:1-4 and Psalm 82:1, 5-7. To summarize, Gen 6 explains that the angels married women, but does not explicitly condemn this while Psalm 82 mentions that the angels sinned, but does not mention that the cause of their sin was that they married mortal women. There is no biblical evidence to support any connection between the two passages. There is only one potential passage referring to the second myth – Isaiah 14:12-15. Most scholars conjecture that this myth was derived from a lost Canaanite myth about a rebellion to overthrow El and Elyon.
There are two basic versions of the fallen angels story: the fall of the Watchers, discussed here, and the fall of Lucifer. The Watchers were the “sons of God” who took human wives, and had children. Their children were known as the Nephilim.
The angels descended on Mount Hermon during the days of Jared. There were 19 leaders mentioned in 1 Enoch, who were also called ‘the chiefs of ten.’ Once they reached the earth:
“they took wives unto themselves, and everyone (respectively) chose one woman for himself, and they began to go unto them. And they taught them magical medicine, incantations, the cutting of roots, and taught them (about) plants. And the women became pregnant and gave birth to great giants whose heights were three hundred cubits. These (giants) consumed the produce of all the people until the people detested feeding them. So the giants turned against (the people) in order to eat them.” – 1 Enoch 7:1-5
The Angels then taught women charms, enchantments, the cutting of roots, and the knowledge of plants. They taught men how to make various weapons and armor, and also arts and sciences. These acts led to an increase in lawlessness and warfare. The men of earth then cried out to heaven, and the 4 archangels (Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel) cried out to God. In response, God sent Uriel to warn Noah that there would soon be a flood that would destroy the wickedness on earth.
Raphael was commanded to bind Azazel hand and foot, and to cast him into the a hole in the desert (Duda’el) that the Lord had made. Raphael threw rugged and sharp rocks and covered Azazel’s face so that he would not see light. Michael was commanded to bound Semyaza and his associates in the valleys of the earth. They will remain there until the day of judgment when he will be cast into the fire.
The race of giants produced from this union gave way to a brood of evil spirits. The evil spirits most likely are the departed spirits of the giants, themselves. These spirits are not material or corporeal beings, but they torment mankind because they have proceeded from them. According to 1 Enoch, these spirits will not be punished until the day of judgment, in contrast to the Watchers, who are punished both before and on the day of judgment.
“But now the giants who are born from the (union of) the spirits and the flesh shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, because their dwelling shall be upon the earth and inside the earth. Evil spirits have come out of their bodies. Because from the day that they were created from the holy ones they became the Watchers; their first origin is the spiritual foundation. They will become evil upon the earth and shall be called evil spirits. The dwelling of the spiritual beings of heaven is heaven; but the dwelling of the spirits of the earth, which are born upon the earth, is in the earth. The spirits of the giants oppress each other, they will corrupt, fall, be excited, and fall upon the earth, and cause sorrow. They eat no food, nor become thirsty, nor find obstacles. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of the people and against the women, because they have proceeded forth (from them). – 1 Enoch 15
1 Enoch 19 also gives a variation to the origin of demons. It implies that demons were already in existence during the time of the fall of the angels. According to 1 Enoch 10-16, the demons are the spirits which go forth from these angels.
“Here shall stand in many different appearances the spirits of the angels which have united themselves with women. They have defiled the people and will lead them into error so that they will offer sacrifices to the demons as unto gods, until the great day of judgment in which they shall be judged till they are finished.” – 1 Enoch 19:1
1 Enoch 85-90 gives a similar account of the fall of the angels. In these passages, a star (either Semjaza or Azazel) fell from heaven and began to pasture among the oxen (mankind). A number of stars then fell and were transformed into bulls. They began to cover the cows (the angels married mortal women), who then gave birth to elephants, camels, and asses (the giants). The oxen then became restless and began to fight, but they became prey to the wild beasts. The archangels then appear in the disguise of men. One seizes the first of the fallen stars and casts it into the abyss. A second gives the elephants, camels, and asses a sword so that they will slay each other. A third archangel stones the other fallen stars and casts them into the gulf. The story then goes on to describe the Maccabean revolt, which leads to a description of the final struggle between good and evil.
It seems that there is a threefold aspect to the sin of the Watchers in these accounts. First, it was a defilement of the essence of the angels to marry and engage in sexual acts with human women. Second, these unions between the angels and mortal women were considered evil, themselves. Because of the Nephilim and and evil created by these unions, God caused the great Flood of Noah’s time. Finally, the angels sinned because they taught humanity and revealing the secrets of the natural universe which God did not intend for man to know.
"Watchers in the Old Testament“ When men began to increase on earth and daughters were born to them, the divine beings saw how beautiful the daughters of men were and took wives from among those that pleased them. The LORD said, ‘My breath shall not abide in man forever, since he too is flesh; let the days allowed him be one hundred and twenty years.’ It was then, and later too, that the Nephilim appeared on earth – when the divine beings cohabited with the daughters of men, who bore them offspring. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown.” – Genesis 6:1-4
This is the only account of the watchers in the Bible. Isaiah 14:12-15 talks of the fall of the “day-star, son of morning,” which implies that there was a revolt, and the “day-star” was cast into the abyss, but this may be a reference to early Canaanite or Phoenician myths. One other possible reference is Psalm 82.
God standeth in the Congregation of God (El)
In the midst of gods (elohim) He judgeth
All the foundations of the earth are moved.
I said: Ye are gods,
And all of you sons of the Most High (Elyon)
Nevertheles ye shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes (sarim)
Psalm 82:1, 5-7
The parts of the Psalm I have left out are the parts that refer to wicked earthly rulers, but it is agreed upon by many scholars that this part of the Psalm refers to the fallen angels. While Genesis 6 tells that angels married women, it does not condemn this as a sin. Psalm 82 tells that the elohim sinned, but does not tell how (i.e. it does not mention that they married women).
Some rabbis have speculated that the angels’ sin was to reproduce. Certainpassages in Jewish Midrash talk of how angels are immortal and do not need to reproduce. Since humans are not, they must reproduce in order to achieve immortality in their descendents.
Watchers in Jewish MidrashThis is a passage from Jewish midrash in which Hannah is praying for a child at Shiloh:
“Lord of the Universe! The celestials never die, and they do not reproduce their kind. Terrestrial beings die, but they are fruitful and multiply. Therefore I pray: Either make me immortal, or give me a son!”
The angels descended on Mount Hermon during the days of Jared. There were 19 leaders mentioned in 1 Enoch, who were also called ‘the chiefs of ten.’ Once they reached the earth:
“they took wives unto themselves, and everyone (respectively) chose one woman for himself, and they began to go unto them. And they taught them magical medicine, incantations, the cutting of roots, and taught them (about) plants. And the women became pregnant and gave birth to great giants whose heights were three hundred cubits. These (giants) consumed the produce of all the people until the people detested feeding them. So the giants turned against (the people) in order to eat them.” – 1 Enoch 7:1-5
The Angels then taught women charms, enchantments, the cutting of roots, and the knowledge of plants. They taught men how to make various weapons and armor, and also arts and sciences. These acts led to an increase in lawlessness and warfare. The men of earth then cried out to heaven, and the 4 archangels (Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel) cried out to God. In response, God sent Uriel to warn Noah that there would soon be a flood that would destroy the wickedness on earth.
Raphael was commanded to bind Azazel hand and foot, and to cast him into the a hole in the desert (Duda’el) that the Lord had made. Raphael threw rugged and sharp rocks and covered Azazel’s face so that he would not see light. Michael was commanded to bound Semyaza and his associates in the valleys of the earth. They will remain there until the day of judgment when he will be cast into the fire.
The race of giants produced from this union gave way to a brood of evil spirits. The evil spirits most likely are the departed spirits of the giants, themselves. These spirits are not material or corporeal beings, but they torment mankind because they have proceeded from them. According to 1 Enoch, these spirits will not be punished until the day of judgment, in contrast to the Watchers, who are punished both before and on the day of judgment.
“But now the giants who are born from the (union of) the spirits and the flesh shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, because their dwelling shall be upon the earth and inside the earth. Evil spirits have come out of their bodies. Because from the day that they were created from the holy ones they became the Watchers; their first origin is the spiritual foundation. They will become evil upon the earth and shall be called evil spirits. The dwelling of the spiritual beings of heaven is heaven; but the dwelling of the spirits of the earth, which are born upon the earth, is in the earth. The spirits of the giants oppress each other, they will corrupt, fall, be excited, and fall upon the earth, and cause sorrow. They eat no food, nor become thirsty, nor find obstacles. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of the people and against the women, because they have proceeded forth (from them). – 1 Enoch 15
1 Enoch 19 also gives a variation to the origin of demons. It implies that demons were already in existence during the time of the fall of the angels. According to 1 Enoch 10-16, the demons are the spirits which go forth from these angels.
“Here shall stand in many different appearances the spirits of the angels which have united themselves with women. They have defiled the people and will lead them into error so that they will offer sacrifices to the demons as unto gods, until the great day of judgment in which they shall be judged till they are finished.” – 1 Enoch 19:1
1 Enoch 85-90 gives a similar account of the fall of the angels. In these passages, a star (either Semjaza or Azazel) fell from heaven and began to pasture among the oxen (mankind). A number of stars then fell and were transformed into bulls. They began to cover the cows (the angels married mortal women), who then gave birth to elephants, camels, and asses (the giants). The oxen then became restless and began to fight, but they became prey to the wild beasts. The archangels then appear in the disguise of men. One seizes the first of the fallen stars and casts it into the abyss. A second gives the elephants, camels, and asses a sword so that they will slay each other. A third archangel stones the other fallen stars and casts them into the gulf. The story then goes on to describe the Maccabean revolt, which leads to a description of the final struggle between good and evil.
It seems that there is a threefold aspect to the sin of the Watchers in these accounts. First, it was a defilement of the essence of the angels to marry and engage in sexual acts with human women. Second, these unions between the angels and mortal women were considered evil, themselves. Because of the Nephilim and and evil created by these unions, God caused the great Flood of Noah’s time. Finally, the angels sinned because they taught humanity and revealing the secrets of the natural universe which God did not intend for man to know.
"Watchers in the Old Testament“ When men began to increase on earth and daughters were born to them, the divine beings saw how beautiful the daughters of men were and took wives from among those that pleased them. The LORD said, ‘My breath shall not abide in man forever, since he too is flesh; let the days allowed him be one hundred and twenty years.’ It was then, and later too, that the Nephilim appeared on earth – when the divine beings cohabited with the daughters of men, who bore them offspring. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown.” – Genesis 6:1-4
This is the only account of the watchers in the Bible. Isaiah 14:12-15 talks of the fall of the “day-star, son of morning,” which implies that there was a revolt, and the “day-star” was cast into the abyss, but this may be a reference to early Canaanite or Phoenician myths. One other possible reference is Psalm 82.
God standeth in the Congregation of God (El)
In the midst of gods (elohim) He judgeth
All the foundations of the earth are moved.
I said: Ye are gods,
And all of you sons of the Most High (Elyon)
Nevertheles ye shall die like men,
And fall like one of the princes (sarim)
Psalm 82:1, 5-7
The parts of the Psalm I have left out are the parts that refer to wicked earthly rulers, but it is agreed upon by many scholars that this part of the Psalm refers to the fallen angels. While Genesis 6 tells that angels married women, it does not condemn this as a sin. Psalm 82 tells that the elohim sinned, but does not tell how (i.e. it does not mention that they married women).
Some rabbis have speculated that the angels’ sin was to reproduce. Certainpassages in Jewish Midrash talk of how angels are immortal and do not need to reproduce. Since humans are not, they must reproduce in order to achieve immortality in their descendents.
Watchers in Jewish MidrashThis is a passage from Jewish midrash in which Hannah is praying for a child at Shiloh:
“Lord of the Universe! The celestials never die, and they do not reproduce their kind. Terrestrial beings die, but they are fruitful and multiply. Therefore I pray: Either make me immortal, or give me a son!”