In our excursion, we have witnessed the Bible identify the stars as angels and angels as messengers and the army of heaven. In that, we also took the time to examine another way angels are identified by their appointed service. These are some of the sons of God. The Bible also tells us that they failed to be faithful in their assigned duties. Surprisingly, the Bible also reveals how God intends to fix that failure forever.

As circular as it may sound, the Bible proves the Bible. What I mean to say is that each of the doctrines one holds from the Bible is proven true by other doctrines. And each of these doctrines proves others to be true. Paul opens his epistle to the Romans with some interesting language that demonstrates this

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Romans 1:1–4

As we’ve focused on angels and their identification in the Tanakh as sons of God, we also see the expansion of what it means to be a son of God. Sons of God are creations of God.

There are sticking points, and one of them is going to be Jesus. Jesus taking on the physical form of humanity shows that something happened that God is God and God is man. That is a work of God defined by how Mary became with child. I don’t know the workings of that, but know that God did it. I’m not saying God created Jesus as a person. Or that God the Son came to be at conception. The Bible describes Jesus as unique. Some translations use the words only begotten Son. I think in the biblical usage of the phrase son of God, Jesus especially fits being born of the seed of David. Only God could do that.

It’s that last phrase I want to examine. Jesus is, “declared to be the Son of God with power … by the resurrection from the dead.”

Paul is saying that the resurrection proves one a son of God. The Tanakh showed us who the sons of God were, what they were tasked to accomplish, and their abject failure.

Our Enemies Are Real

The hybrid progeny of these sons of God spoken of in Genesis 6 decimated the creation. The problem was so bad that only eight humans escaped the judgment. They rode it out above the flood waters with animals personally selected by God. All living things left on the earth were wiped out.

Imagine the scenario from the perspective of the fallen sons of God. They had to watch their own progeny drown in the flood waters. Perhaps that is fanciful speculation. But then, maybe it is not.

Suppose that the souls of those hybrid humans that perished in the flood are the disembodied demons that attack and beset humanity today. This is not my imagination, but it is the work of many scholars, one in particular. (See this article in Christianity Today.)

Those that brought death to humans now watch as their progeny die. Their spirits become disembodied, and without a proper place have no home. Just as Jesus said:

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through dry places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation.”

Matthew 12:43–45

These spirits have no place. They seek places… Bodies… Whether human or not, just to have a place. Remember Legion who asked permission to go into a herd of pigs. Those were unclean animals… And what happened to the herd of pigs?

We don’t mess with these or give them a foothold. These have no hope and tremble.

Really, It’s Resurrection!

It is the resurrection that reunites the body and soul. Paul writes extensively on the resurrection. He cites it as of the utmost importance to a Christian in 1 Corinthians 15. He makes his case plainly and succinctly. It’s the resurrection.

When Paul writes to the Colossians, resurrection is part of a major theme. He likens our life in physical bodies as dead to our old selves and made alive in Christ… As if we are resurrected already. We are dead to the elementary principles; meaning these enemies of ours have no real claim to any believer.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has resurrected together with Him, having forgiven you all sins. He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:13–15

That is the freedom every believer now has. The authorities and powers are disarmed. They’ve got nothing.

Do Not Give a Place

They trick us all by deception. And not thinking clearly or knowing any better, we entertain and eventually embrace that deception. In so doing we extend rights and privileges to those enemies of ours. Paul told us how to live.

Do not give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:27

It’s emphatic. If the Spirit is witnessing to you now of any foothold or right you may have extended to the devil… Renounce it and revoke it. Do it out loud and in Jesus’ name. The enemy has no business with any believer at all. That is the freedom given to humanity at the cross.

Put your focus on Jesus instead of what (or who) besets us.

If you then were raised with Christ, desire those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then you also shall appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 3:1–4

Peter offers us help in like manner that would put us all in the same mind. One that ought to change our behavior.

Finally, be all of one mind, be loving toward one another, be gracious, and be kind. Do not repay evil for evil, or curse for curse, but on the contrary, bless, knowing that to this you are called, so that you may receive a blessing. For “He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Who is he who will harm you if you follow that which is good?

1 Peter 3:8–13

Just like Paul, we are given instructions for how to live. It is a likemindedness in the family of God. It is not good enough just to turn away from evil, but with it to pursue doing good. Look closely, Peter says to whom it is God watches and listens. Conversely, God opposes those who do evil things. If you are doing the right things, who will harm you?

Nobody. The enemies have no rights, and God has nothing against those doing right.

But even if you suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. “Do not be afraid of their terror, do not be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and fear.

1 Peter 3:14–15

Even when we do the right things and suffer, the enemy still has no rights. And we do not need to fear them. Peter is speaking about those same principalities and powers of whom Paul spoke. These are fallen angels and demons which our own testimonies expose as powerless.

Have a good conscience so that evildoers who speak evil of you and falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, that you suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit,

1 Peter 3:16–18

You are in great company!

by whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison, who in times past were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

1 Peter 3:19–20

Woah! What?

Jesus went to preach to the spirits in prison, what is that?

Remember Genesis 6… Angels left their domain.

Likewise, the angels who did not keep to their first domain, but forsook their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

Jude 6

The Greek word is oiketerion, Paul used the word in one other place to describe our bodies. It’s in 2 Corinthians 5:2. The lesson is God will destroy the unfaithful. (This is not annihilation.)

But how is it we know that this is speaking of the fallen sons of God and that they are locked away?

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities in like manner, gave themselves to immorality and went after different flesh, they serve as an example by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

Jude 7

The sin of those sons of God who are chained away is carnally sensual in nature,l; they sought strange or different flesh. It compares to the sin of those infamous cities who sought different forbidden sexual satisfaction.

Saved Through Water

The apostle Peter unites all of these ideas together. He has laid out an apologetic of significance that may confuse some. That is the idea of being saved through water.

Noah and his family were safely saved through the waters of the flood in the Ark. they floated above; while the giants of old perished in the waters. Those giants never came out of the waters alive.

An Important Aspect of Baptism

Figuratively this is like baptism, which also saves us now. It is not washing off the dirt from the body, but a response to God from a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him.

1 Peter 3:21–22

The word figuratively tells us Peter is going to give us a type or analog. He is not telling us that baptism saves us. He is using it as an example. It is not cleansing sins, per se. But is a response of a good conscience. That response is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Baptism is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection. The antitype is the progeny of watchers that perished in the waters never to be brought out. Baptism says, “Here is another one appointed to resurrection!” It’s a pledge of belief done publicly.

On a deeper level, the ones chained in gloomy darkness watched their children die in the water, helpless to do anything. Now, they watch God’s children come alive out of that very same water, fully noting these are appointed to resurrection!

Not only do the fallen sons of God watch, but the disembodied spirits of their children also watch. When a believer is baptized, it’s like saying aloud, “Here is another one to be raised!”

It’s Proclaiming Resurrection.

Baptism points to resurrection. Resurrection validates the children of God. Baptism points directly to that validation.

Baptism is the portrayal of the epic triumph of the children of God!

In Conclusion

I don’t want to place guilt or shame on anyone, but I have an encouragement. What stops you from getting baptized?

Seriously, if you’ve not yet been baptized in water, I encourage you to get it done. You don’t need it to be saved, but it certainly celebrates Jesus in more ways than we can ever understand. It is certainly active spiritual warfare proclaiming a believer’s triumph through the resurrection of Jesus. Resurrection proves the children of God.

The old Divine Council is powerless to affect the affairs of men. They try through deception, yet God’s ultimate plans will succeed. Their efforts are futile.

The members of the new Divine Council are being identified daily by baptism… Wherever in the world it happens.

Be ready for the next post.