The First Civilization
Their civilization perished because they turned away from following God's principles. Their society turned to violence and evil rather than obeying God. By the time the Flood occurred, they had long since closed their eyes to truth and justice. A master-race of super-beings ruled their world and probably eliminated a large portion of the human population. No one worshiped God any longer. They sought violence and evil rather than Him. God destroyed their world and saved the only eight people who were obedient to Him: Noah and his family, a total of eight survivors.
Climatic Conditions
The climatic conditions of the antediluvian world may have been very different from our world today. Global climatic conditions may not have varied significantly. Possibly, a water vapor canopy encircled the earth resulting in stable temperatures throughout much of the world. It perhaps acted as a radiation filter, thus filtering out the harmful effects of ultraviolet and cosmic radiation.
Rainfall may have been very rare. Scriptures tell us (Gen 2:5), that rain had not come upon the earth at that time, no rainbow had appeared (Gen 9:13) and it was difficult to grow crops (Gen 3:17). Perhaps the earth was still one major continent (Pangaea).
The barometric pressure may have been much greater than today. The combined results of these conditions could have been one of the reasons the antediluvians lived such long life spans.
The Book of Enoch
In addition to what is presented in the Bible, there are accounts of the antediluvians given in ancient Jewish literature. The most popular, is the "Book of Enoch" (also known as 1 Enoch). It is composed of stories that lead up to the Flood and also contains various revelations given to Enoch, the seventh descendent from Adam ( Gen 5:21-24). The main theme is about a group of angels who descend from heaven and corrupted the earth. The story empathizes God’s judgment upon these angels.
Enoch, who found favor with God and walked so closely with Him that after 365 years he was "Translated". That is Enoch didn't die, but was taken up by God, body and all.
The "Book of Enoch" is divided into 5 separate documents or books that consists of 108 chapters. The first of which is "The Book of Watchers". This comprises the first 36 chapters, devoted to an introduction, the descent of 200 angels from heaven and Enoch's journeys back and forth to visit God. The "Book of Parables" (chapters 37 - 71) is a description of the last days and uncovering the heavenly mysteries. It is also the account of Enoch's "translation" into heaven. The third book "The Astronomical Book" (chapters 72 - 82) describes the revolution of heavenly bodies (angels). The fourth book is the "Book of Dreams" (chapters 83 - 90) which includes the history of the world to the destruction of the earth. Chapters 91 - 98 deal with the Apocalypse of the Ten Weeks in this last book, "The Epistle of Enoch". It also contains the Last Judgment and the creation of the new heavens.
The Book of Enoch can now be traced back before the time of Christ. An Ethiopian version contains the composite works. There is also a Greek version, found in Akhimin in 1886 (actually two extensive fragments of the texts). However, it wasn’t until the late 19th and early 20th century that the "Book of Enoch" was carefully studied by great scholars such as Charles and Fleming. The New Testament books, Jude and 2 Peter, both quote from Enoch, suggesting that it was very popular among the Jews at the time of Christ. It was never canonized in the Bible due to the numerous uncertainties about it. In 1947, a number of Aramaic fragments were discovered with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Books are now traceable to at least the time of Christ and most likely, 200 or 300 BC. It is not surprising that Peter and Jude would have been taught from these books, even from the time of their childhood. Although the Dead Sea Scroll discoveries have broadened knowledge about the Book of Enoch, there are still problems in obtaining an uncorrupted early manuscript. What is currently known has been pieced together by working from all the remaining and various copies. This brings up the issue of finding an uncorrupted manuscript and preferably one in Hebrew. Many of the scholars who have studied the Enoch literature believe that what exists today came from a much earlier manuscript. Perhaps it was this earlier version that Moses used to compose the antediluvian account in the Book of Genesis.
The Nephilim
One of the most fascinating and controversial passages in the Bible is Genesis 6:1-4. We are told that *Angels (bene elohim - translated as angels or angelic beings) came to the earth and took wives from among the humans. These bene elohim were a group of renegade angels who had turned away from God, and decided to make earth their home and live among the humans. The Book of Enoch tells us that there were 200 of them and they had 20 leaders.
The progeny which resulted from the relationship between the sons of God and humans were called the "Nephilim". The Nephilim were genetically superior when compared with humans. They were part human and part angel. The word "Nephilim" means "giant" and they are referred to as giants in the Bible, but we would better interpret it today to mean "super human". In other words, the typical Nephilim was approximately 12 foot tall, very muscular, very strong and obviously made a very good warrior (as told in post flood accounts in the Bible such as David and Goliath). It is entirely possible that the legends of mythical gods such as the Greek and Roman gods, may have included the bene elohim and the Nephilim. Perhaps, the bene elohim and the Nephilim demanded that humans worship them as gods. Moses even makes the comment in Genesis 6:4 that "They were the heroes of old, men of renown". This implies that there were great legends about the Nephilim. According to the Book of Enoch, the Nephilim made war against the humans and intended to completely wipe out the human race so only their race would inherit the earth. It was God's direct intervention that stopped the Nephilim and all of the violence and evil that had come upon the earth, by bringing the Flood.
Angels or Men
It has been debated as to whether the Scriptures describe the sexual relations of humans (sons of Seth and daughters of Cain) or with angels from heaven. There is no doubt that the story in the Book of Watchers is about angels. This book is very consistent with Genesis chapter 6 and as we now know today, it was very popular with the Jews at the time of Christ (even as far back as 200 to 300 BC). The term used for angels in Genesis 6 "bene elohim" (translated as angels) can be verified in other scriptures such as Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7 and also consistent with 1 Pet. 3:18-22, 2 Pet. 2:4-5 and Jude 1:6-7. It is also verified in other ancient Jewish writings including the writings of Josephus, who was a Jewish scholar and historian, during the 1st century AD. Dr. Henry M. Morris provides an excellent discussion in his book "The Genesis Record" pp 164 - 170.
The Watchers
Of particular interest in the Book of Enoch is the Book of Watchers. This document provides us with more information about what went on in this society that led up to the Flood.
Rather than printing out the entire translation of The Watchers, a synopses is presented outlining chapters 6 through 16. Below, is the story of events that led up to the Flood. Chapter references are included. The references at the end, list the source of the Book of Enoch that was used.
"The Book of Enoch" (From Chap 6)
A band of Angels (referred to as "The Watchers") decided to leave heaven and make earth their home. There were 200 of these angels and they had 20 leaders. Their leader’s name was Semhazah. They observed that women of the earth were very beautiful and lusted after them. Their sexual relationship with women produced a genetic offspring, the Nephilim, who were part human and part angelic. The Nephilim considered themselves to be a superior race and turned against the humans, launching a holocaust against mankind. These angels eventually became concerned about what they had done (probably fearing intervention by God) and decided to help the humans build weapons to defend themselves. Therefore, they provided advanced knowledge to the humans permitting them to build weapons powerful enough to kill the Nephilim. When God judged these angels, He singled out that they brought knowledge to the humans that they weren’t suppose to have. Apparently, the humans didn’t just use these weapons against the Nephilim, but also against each other. This plunged the entire world into a state of war with humans fighting the Nephilim, the humans fighting humans and the Nephilim fighting the humans and each other as well. Finally, God directly intervened into this situation by bringing the Flood. Violence and evil had gotten so far out of hand, that as we are told in Chap 10, the Flood was the only option. Apparently, only Noah and his family were the only ones left who sought after God and observed his principles in that day.
Chapters 8 and 9
Asael was one of the 20 leaders of the angels. It was Asael who had given advanced knowledge to the humans. He taught the humans how to make weapons of war. In Chapters 9 and 10 he is accused by God of revealing eternal mysteries that were not to be known by the humans (that is until the appointed time - refer to Daniel 12:4). Chapter 8 list all sorts of knowledge including areas of physics and mathematics. They also taught them astrophysics, earth sciences, electricity as well as astrology and witchcraft.
Chapter 10
It was Asael that God singled out to get even an extra dose of His punishment for what he had done. God says (speaking of what He is going to do) "...announce the healing of the earth, that I shall heal its wounds and that the children of men shall not all together perish on account of the mysteries which the watchers have disclosed and taught to the children of men. The whole earth has been devastated by the works of the teaching of Asael".
Chapter 13
God told Enoch to tell the Angels that He would pronounce judgment upon them. They were afraid and fear and trembling seized them. They asked Enoch to draw up a petition asking that God forgive them. Enoch took the petition before God.
Chapters 14 and 15
God told Enoch to tell them that He has cast judgment upon them. That they shall be bound for eternity (see Jude 1:6 and 2 Peter 2:4-5).
Jude 1:6 - "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"
2 Peter 2:4-5 - For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast [them] down to hell, and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
God told Enoch to tell the angels "It is you who should be petitioning on the behalf of men and not men on your behalf. Why have you left the high heaven and eternal Holy One, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and acted like the children of earth and begotten giants for sons. But you were holy, spirits that live forever, yet you defiled yourselves with the blood of women and have begotten children by the blood of flesh; and you lusted after the daughters of men and have produced flesh and blood, just as they do who die and perish. It was for this reason I gave them females that they might impregnate them and thus produce children by them, that pregnancy should never fail them upon the earth. But as for you, you were formerly spirits that live forever and do not die for all generations forever. And for this reason I did not provide wives for you, because for celestial spirits heaven is their dwelling place."
Chapter 16
Deals with the angels giving knowledge to the humans. God addressing the angels, "You were in heaven, and there was no secret that was not revealed to you; and unspeakable secrets you know, and these you made known to women in your hardness of heart; and by these secrets females and mankind multiplied evils upon the earth."
For further reading - The Book of Enoch
The Antediluvian Population - A Forgotten Society
The story of the antediluvians still rank among the greatest mysteries in the Bible. Unfortunately, we are still at loss when it comes to documented proof of the existence of this lost society. To date, the Bible has proven to be incredibly accurate in its account of history and we continue to learn more from it. With a new generation of 21st century archeological research tools, documented evidence of the antediluvian society may be headlines in tomorrows newspaper. Should artifacts of this society be discovered, it would truly rank among the greatest discoveries ever made and would definitely change the world we live in today. The most obvious candidate would be the discovery of physical remains of Noah's Ark.
Many have asked the question, "how large was the antediluvian population"? Population studies have revealed (mathematically speaking) that populations in the billions were possible (perhaps as large as today's population)! Unfortunately, no one knows how large their population really was. Most likely, with all the of evil in the world of that day, it probably took its toll on the antediluvian population. World Population Since Creation
Who were the Sons of God and Nephilim in Genesis chapter 6?
We see all kinds of weird things throughout our history. Is there a connection between the antediluvian society and UFO's? Who were the Sons of God and the Nephilim? Is there a connection between the ancient mythical gods and the Bible? Why do we see hints of lost technologies such as the Great Pyramid and many other mysteries of our past. If man's knowledge started at the "caveman" level, how were the ancients able to accomplish such great achievements?
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