Reversing Hermon

1. Genesis 6:1-4 is a Supernatural Polemic Against Mesopotamian Beliefs

The reason Genesis 6:1–4 is in the Bible is because the writer sought to target the deeply held religious beliefs of Mesopotamia and, most pointedly, the myth of Babylonian superiority.

Refuting Mesopotamian narratives. Genesis 6:1-4 isn't a simple historical account; it's a deliberate theological counter-narrative. It challenges the Mesopotamian belief that divine-human interactions, specifically those involving the Apkallu (divine sages), brought civilization and enlightenment. Instead, Genesis 6:1-4 presents such unions as a source of corruption and chaos, leading to the Flood.

Rejecting Babylonian superiority. The passage directly confronts the idea that the greatness of Babylon stemmed from divine knowledge passed down through hybrid beings. By framing the "sons of God" as rebellious and their offspring as monstrous, Genesis 6:1-4 inverts the Mesopotamian narrative, asserting that true wisdom and divine favor come only from Yahweh.

Supernatural interpretation. Understanding this polemical context demands a supernatural reading of Genesis 6:1-4. The "sons of God" are not merely human leaders or the line of Seth, but divine beings who defy God's order. The Nephilim are not just mighty men, but the monstrous offspring of this forbidden union, further emphasizing the corruption and perversion of the natural order.

2. 1 Enoch Expands Genesis 6, Preserving Mesopotamian Context

Details in certain New Testament passages with links to the Genesis 6:1–4 episode can only be traced to 1 Enoch, and those elements in turn are quite consistent with the original Mesopotamian context of Genesis 6:1–4.

Filling in the gaps. 1 Enoch provides a detailed expansion of the Genesis 6:1-4 narrative, offering insights into the motivations and actions of the Watchers. It names the Watchers, describes their oath on Mount Hermon, and details the forbidden knowledge they imparted to humanity. These details, absent from the Old Testament, are crucial for understanding the full scope of the transgression.

Maintaining Mesopotamian connections. 1 Enoch preserves the original Mesopotamian context of Genesis 6:1-4, linking the Watchers' story to the Apkallu saga. This connection is evident in the shared themes of divine-human interaction, the transmission of knowledge, and the resulting corruption of humanity.

Informing New Testament writers. The New Testament writers, familiar with 1 Enoch, drew upon its expanded narrative and Mesopotamian context to articulate their theology. Passages in Peter and Jude, for example, echo the Enochian account of the Watchers' sin and their subsequent imprisonment.

3. The Apkallu Saga Mirrors the Watchers' Tale

The story of the sons of God and the Nephilim in Genesis 6:1–4 is framed by the Mesopotamian story of the seven pre-Flood wise, divine sages—the apkallu.

Divine sages and forbidden knowledge. The Apkallu, like the Watchers, were divine beings who bestowed knowledge upon humanity. However, in the Mesopotamian narrative, this knowledge was seen as a positive force, bringing civilization and progress. In contrast, the Watchers' knowledge led to wickedness and depravity.

Hybrid offspring and corrupted order. The Apkallu saga includes the concept of post-Flood Apkallu who were "of human descent," resulting from unions with human women. This mirrors the Watchers' story and the birth of the Nephilim, highlighting the transgression of boundaries between the divine and human realms.

Judgment and imprisonment. The Mesopotamian texts imply that the Apkallu were judged for their actions, banished to the Abyss, and deprived of their former status. This parallels the Enochian account of the Watchers' imprisonment, further solidifying the connection between the two narratives.

4. Jesus' Birth Reverses the Watchers' Transgression

A messiah born on Tishri 1 would inevitably have created mental and theological associations between Noah and Jesus.

Astral theology and messianic signs. The birth of Jesus, according to astronomical interpretations of Revelation 12, occurred on September 11, 3 B.C., coinciding with the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah). This date, laden with symbolism, would have signaled to first-century Jews that the Messiah's arrival would reverse the sin of the Watchers.

Noah's birthday and the Flood. Jewish tradition held that Noah's birthday was also on Tishri 1, the same day as Jesus' birth. This association would have linked Jesus to Noah, the one who survived the judgment on the Nephilim, and to the promise of a new beginning for humanity.

Pleiades-Orion and the shepherd-king. The astronomical alignment of the Pleiades and Orion, constellations associated with giants and divine kingship, further reinforced the messianic significance of Jesus' birth. These signs telegraphed the arrival of Yahweh's shepherd-king, who would ultimately defeat the forces of darkness and restore the divine order.

5. Jesus' Genealogy Undoes the Watchers' Corruption

The women of the Hebrew Bible named by Matthew in his genealogy of Jesus foreshadow the reversal of the watchers’ transgression.

Unlikely women in Jesus' lineage. Matthew's genealogy includes four women—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba—whose stories are marked by sexual transgression, deception, and warfare. Their inclusion, seemingly out of place, is a deliberate strategy to foreshadow the reversal of the Watchers' corruption.

Illicit arts and righteous outcomes. Each woman, in her own way, uses the "illicit arts" associated with the Watchers—seduction, beautification, warfare—but their actions ultimately lead to righteousness and the furtherance of God's plan. Their stories demonstrate that even in the midst of human frailty, God can bring about redemption.

Reversing the Watchers' legacy. By including these women in Jesus' genealogy, Matthew highlights the Messiah's power to overcome the legacy of the Watchers' transgression. Jesus, the descendant of these unlikely heroines, is the one who will ultimately restore the divine order and cleanse humanity from corruption.

6. Jesus' Ministry Confronts Watcher Influence

Jesus goes to ground zero in biblical demonic geography to announce that Bashan will be defeated.

Mount Hermon and the gates of hell. Jesus' ministry in the region of Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, was a direct confrontation with the powers of darkness. This location, associated with the Watchers' oath and the domain of Baal, symbolized the gates of hell.

Peter's confession and the church's victory. Jesus' declaration that the "gates of hell" would not prevail against the church was a bold assertion of His authority over the demonic realm. It signaled that the kingdom of God was advancing, and the forces of darkness would be unable to withstand its power.

The Transfiguration and claiming territory. The Transfiguration on Mount Hermon was a symbolic act of claiming the mountain for the kingdom of God. By revealing His divine glory in this location, Jesus demonstrated His power to overcome the influence of the Watchers and establish His rule over all creation.

7. Human Depravity Stems from Both Adam and the Watchers

The Watchers, then, are clearly celestial (nonhuman) beings whose actions are regarded not only as morally evil, but spiritually destructive.

Two sources of sin. Contrary to popular Christian tradition, the New Testament writers recognized two primary sources of human depravity: Adam's Fall and the transgression of the Watchers. While Adam's sin brought death and separation from God, the Watchers' actions introduced a spiritual contagion that further corrupted humanity.

The Watchers' influence after the Flood. The demonic spirits of the dead Nephilim, released upon the earth, continued to lead humanity astray, perpetuating the wickedness that began with the Watchers' transgression. This demonic influence, coupled with humanity's inherent sinfulness, created a potent force of evil in the world.

Paul's understanding of the Law. Paul's statement that the Law "was added because of transgressions" (Galatians 3:19) can be interpreted in light of the Watchers' story. The Law, in this view, was given to restrain the evil unleashed by the Watchers, not merely to expose human sinfulness.

8. Head Coverings in Corinth Addressed Angelic Concerns

Paul’s reference to the angels betrays a subtle warning that more than just social relationships between men and women are at stake; ultimately, wearing veils is a matter of maintaining the cosmic order.

Sexual modesty and propriety. Paul's instructions regarding head coverings in 1 Corinthians 11 were not simply about social customs or cultural norms. They were rooted in a concern for sexual modesty and propriety in worship.

Hair as a sexual symbol. Drawing upon Greco-Roman medical knowledge, Paul viewed a woman's hair as a symbol of her sexuality and reproductive capacity. Covering the hair, therefore, was a way of signaling her commitment to sexual fidelity and marital boundaries.

Protecting cosmic order. Paul's concern extended beyond social order to the cosmic realm. By instructing women to cover their heads, he sought to prevent a recurrence of the Watchers' transgression, where divine beings were enticed by human women, disrupting the divinely ordained order of creation.

9. Baptism Symbolizes Victory Over Fallen Spirits

Baptism does not produce salvation in this text. Rather, it corresponds to something that does—the death of Jesus and the resurrection.

Spirits in prison and the second Enoch. Peter's reference to Jesus proclaiming to "the spirits in prison" (1 Peter 3:19) echoes the Enochian tradition of Enoch visiting the imprisoned Watchers. Jesus, like Enoch, descends to the spiritual realm to declare victory over the forces of darkness.

Typology and the Flood. Peter uses the Flood as a type, or foreshadowing, of baptism. Just as Noah and his family were saved through water, believers are saved through the waters of baptism, which symbolize their identification with Christ's death and resurrection.

Loyalty oath and spiritual warfare. Baptism, in this view, is not merely a symbolic act, but a pledge of allegiance to Christ and a renunciation of the powers of darkness. It is a declaration of war against the Watchers and their demonic forces, signifying the believer's commitment to the kingdom of God.

10. The Antichrist Echoes Ancient Rebellion

By identifying certain traditional archenemies as descendants of Watchers, the Jewish authors once again gave a polemical thrust to the Mesopotamian concept of the ruler as “seed preserved from before the flood.”

Pre-Christian Antichrist theology. Second Temple Jews had a well-developed profile of the great eschatological enemy of the Messiah, a figure that Christians would later identify as the Antichrist. This profile, rooted in Old Testament passages and Jewish tradition, emphasized the enemy's role as a military tyrant and oppressor of God's people.

The Watchers' influence on the Antichrist profile. While there is no direct claim that the Antichrist would be a descendant of the Nephilim, the ancient sources associate him with the demonic forces unleashed by the Watchers' transgression. This connection suggests that the Antichrist would be an agent of spiritual corruption and cosmic rebellion.

Typhon and the war against heaven. The figure of Typhon, a monstrous giant from Greek mythology, provides a compelling parallel to the Antichrist. Typhon's rebellion against Zeus and his association with the Titans and giants echo the Watchers' transgression and the resulting chaos in the world.

11. Revelation's Apocalypse Reflects Enochian Themes

The lake of fire was seemingly intended or created for the devil and his angels has no apparent precedent in either the Old or New Testament.

The release of the Watchers from the Abyss. Revelation 9 describes the opening of the Abyss and the release of demonic forces, an event that aligns with the Enochian tradition of the Watchers' imprisonment and eventual judgment. These demonic forces, unleashed upon the earth, represent the culmination of the Watchers' corrupting influence.

The 144,000 as a counterpoint to the Watchers. The 144,000, presented as male virgins who have not defiled themselves with women, stand in stark contrast to the Watchers, who transgressed by engaging in illicit sexual unions. Their purity and devotion to God symbolize the restoration of the divine order and the triumph over the Watchers' corruption.

The lake of fire and the final judgment. The lake of fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, represents the ultimate fate of the Watchers and their demonic forces. This image, drawn from Enochian tradition, signifies the final and complete reversal of the Watchers' transgression and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom.

Last updated: March 14, 2025