Fallen
When I was in college, I was in a long-term relationship with someone I thought I would marry. We dreamed of growing old together, having children, and being happy.
Long story short, after a few years of dating, the Holy Spirit spoke directly to me and placed it on my heart to end the relationship.
This happened a few other times with toxic, drama-filled friendships.
I couldn't understand why all of a sudden God did not approve of these connections I made with people I loved and cared about. Looking back on it, I know NOW that they were all bound to end in a destructive fashion.
My long-term relationship, especially, simply would've fallen from God's favor, trying to make something work that ultimately was against God's plans.
That's what comes to mind when I think of the Nephilim. They were the offspring of the daughters of men and the Sons of God.
The union of the line of Cain (daughters of men) with the line of Seth (Sons of God) brought about these mighty men of old, men of renown.
And God just did not approve of this union and their offspring. It went against His incredible plans + promises.
In fact, God so greatly disapproved that the verse immediately following the Nephilim was Genesis 6:5, "The Lord 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."
Nephilim literally means "fallen ones."
Fallen can mean a multitude of things. Fallen from a state of grace. Fallen from purity and chastity. Fallen from God's favor.
We can never take the Word of God literally. But...can we say the Nephilim gave God reason to flood the Earth? So great was their sin that God HAD to wipe them out.
Why? If God was a loving God, He would never have to resort to drowning his beloved children. Right?
Well, I've learned that asking why is the wrong question. But let's think about this for a minute.
Back in Genesis 3:15, we see God's first promise of the Savior. You see, the birth of Jesus Christ had to be of a holy and blameless genealogy. There could be no wickedness or evil thought anywhere down the line.
Jesus could not have descended from Cain who had blood in his hands. God had to keep His genealogy pure.
Jesus had to come from Seth's line, and it couldn't have been through the union with Cain's descendants.
Everything God has ever done in the Bible is ultimately for the coming of our Savior.
From cursing the serpent, to giving Adam and Eve a third son (well in their hundred years of life), to flooding the earth, to choosing a virgin -- God's plans have been perfectly orchestrated from the beginning (Genesis 3:15) in preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ.
We never fully understand the mysteries of God's ways, and we never will in this lifetime.
But we know God is FOR us - not against us.
Maybe you've been in a similar situation where the Holy Spirit is asking you to end a certain relationship, or say good-bye to toxic, drama-filled friendships that, if you continue to pursue, would ultimately lead to a fallen state.
Fallen from purity + chastity. Fallen from His grace and mercy. Fallen from His glory.
Whatever is leading you away from our Savior Jesus Christ -- trust that God only wants to bring you closer to Him and does not want you to fall from His favor.
So, hard as it may be to let go of certain people in your life, press into Jesus instead, so that you, too, can be made blameless + pure in your walk with the Lord.
Peace be with you, my gorgeous faithful sister.