OT Jewish espionage meant to “search the land of Canaan, which I [Jehovah] give unto the children of Israel” (Numbers 13:2 KJV). It was a spying out, reconnaissance, or probing of the Promised Land of Canaan to determine how best to take possession of it. Moses sent twelve to “spy out [Hebrew, tûr, explore] the land of Canaan” (13:17). They returned after 40 days to verify, “The land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this [grapes, pomegranates, and figs, they brought back] is the fruit of it” (13:27). 

Before we condemn the Majority Report of the spies — and, it should be condemned — take note, they accurately described the enemy. Only their cowardice to face God’s enemies was to be condemned. “31 But the men who had gone up with him said, We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are! 32 Then they presented the Israelites with a discouraging report of the land they had investigated, saying, The land that we passed through to investigate is a land that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there are of great stature. 33 We even saw the Nephilim [Hebrew, nephîyl, giants] there (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim), and we seemed like grasshoppers both to ourselves and to them”  (Numbers 13:31-33 NET). 

Nephilim? Exactly who are the Nephilim? 

You will find God defining His terms coherently by such as the Law of First Mention in Scripture. “There were giants [Hebrew, nephîyl, Nephilim] in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God [Hebrew, ben ělôhîym, only used to describe angels in OT, e.g., Job 2:1; 38:7] came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them [Jesus described the lack of necessity and forbiddeness of angels procreating with human females, i.e, Matthew 22:30, not the impossibility of angels doing so, rebelling against God’s command, who ‘kept not their first estate,’ Jude 1:6], the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4).  “Also after that” (Genesis 6:4) means there will be Nephilim in the earth at future times, i.e., Goliath of Gath, the giant whom David killed (1Samuel 17). And, yet again, “there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant” (2Samuel 21:20). 

On face value of the text, it appears the disobedient Fallen Angels were simply attracted to the physical beauty of the human females, i.e., “That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose” (6:2). But, Yahweh’s Declaration of War upon Lucifer, following the sin of Adam and Eve, indicated a Seed War, where the physical fruit of Eve’s body would produce Christ (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). But, the Adversary would also respond with Fallen Angels cohabiting with human females to eventually produce the physical seed of the Antichrist — a Nephilim. The Protoevangeleum:  “[Jehovah addressing the Serpent] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed [to produce the Antichrist] and her seed [to produce the Lord Jesus Christ]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). 

Where were we?

The Promised Land of Canaan was just in reach of the Children of Israel, but ten out of twelve of the spies discouraged their brethren from obeying God to enter in and conquer the Promised Land. We may not be physically conquering a land; but, we must face our own Nephilim to bring the Gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19-20). If Scripture teaches us, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2 ), then we may have unwittingly encountered God’s angels. But, we may also have unknowingly come across the Adversary’s Nephilim. Just as we know to turn away from evil, we need to turn away from evil companions, whether or not they are unknown-to-us-Nephilim. “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character” (1Corinthians 15:33 NIV). And, even if we were suspicious of our bad companions, we should treat the Nephilim like we would the Wicked One. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Father, give us grace to help in our time of need that we might have the certain victory over our Adversary the Devil — and, even the Nephilim. May You receive the credit for the victory. Lord, preserve Your people. In Jesus’ conquering name, we pray. Amen.