Their story:
This story is rarely told, most often missed. Tucked between larger (and more well-known) tales, it follows just on the heels of Adam and Eve and right before Noah and the flood. That’s an auspicious placement, yes? It’s also one of the reasons why I find it hard to resist, intriguing and incredibly powerful. They will not be forgotten.
It strikes me, even here at the start, that these same things may just be true about you and me, as well: hard to resist, intriguing, and incredibly powerful. We will not be forgotten. Mmm hmm.
So, here’s a brief paraphrase of the text—just a few very obscure verses found in the book of Genesis, chapter 6:
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose….
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
Their wisdom on your behalf:
What are we to make of this mostly-forgotten and odd story? As you might guess, I have thoughts!
I believe there are (at least) three things they would declare without question:
Just be you; it stops heaven in its tracks.
These women were going about their day-to-day lives - the business of home, relationships, work, health, hearth. Hardly positioning themselves to be seen (especially by angels), they could not help but be noticed—and responded to.
The text tells us that their beauty attracted and lured the divine to their side. Their beauty drew the holy to earth. Their beauty enabled miracles to be created and birthed. Their beauty enabled legend. And their beauty within you is the same. You lure the divine. You draw the holy to earth. You enable miracles to be created and birthed. You enable legend.
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