Sons of God, Mt Hermon and Transfiguration

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

I recently watched a few videos about angels and demons, produced by actual theologians. One video featured interaction with numerous guests like Tom Horn and others. At one point, a pastor from Florida was interviewed. He spoke of how Satan didn’t really know who Jesus was, which I thought was an interesting statement. Turns out what he meant by that is that Satan knew Jesus was a “son of God” (like angels), but may not have been fully aware of the fact that Jesus was the Son of God and that if Jesus succeeded, He would be the One who dealt Satan a fatal blow, predicted way back in Genesis 3.

Paul notes an important fact regarding the death of Jesus.

None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8 ESV)

Paul was speaking of the “hidden wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 2:7), implying that God keeps many things close to His chest only revealing them when He sees fit, if at all. Had Satan understood who Jesus truly was (the GodMan), he never would have incited Jewish leaders to have Jesus crucified because Satan literally signed his own eternal death warrant because of it.

In the first chapter of Job, we learn that the “sons of God” and Satan presented themselves before God in His throne room. Clearly, we are not talking about human beings here, but angelic beings in the spiritual realm.

The first reference found in Genesis 6 notes that certain “sons of God” took daughters of men as their wives. This act caused those sons of God sinned and fell.

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. (Genesis 6:2 KJV)

Some believe these “sons of God” refers to the godly line of Seth, but not angels. The same phrase used of actual angelic beings in Job 1 is the same phrase used in Genesis 6. I wonder if people balk at the idea that these were actual angels because it seems way to “unseemly” that angels could find a way to procreate with human women?

I believe in both instances, the Bible is referring to actual angels where in Genesis 6 angelic beings somehow found a way to impregnate or at least create offspring using the woman’s DNA with their own, giving birth to Nephilim. It’s interesting but in some of the ancient writings uncovered at Qumran, some state that it was the women who went after the angels because they wanted to have “heavenly husbands.”

…every woman who acts deceitfully in these things is destined for everlasting punishment. This is how they seduced the Watchers before the flood; they appeared constantly in their presence this way until the watchers fell for them. They changed their form into that of men and came to women. The ungodly women planned for this to happen because they desired heavenly husbands. Then they gave birth to Nephilim.[1]

Angels are capable of appearing as men. In fact, there is no instance in Scripture where an angel appears as a woman. We do not really know the full capabilities of angelic beings. Can they change into something else? The Scripture records that angels can eat human food as we see in Genesis 19.

When Jesus says that angels are neither married or given in marriage (Matthew 22:30), He seems to mean that in the heavenly realms, marriage simply does not occur (except the marriage of the Church to the Lamb). Marriage was created by God for humans on earth as part of God’s “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” policy.

But if angels were capable of falling as Adam and Eve fell, does it seem so weird to think that they can corrupt things and do the very things that God says they should not do and were not created to do? After all, it’s called rebellion for a reason.

During Jesus’ day, Satan clearly knew that something was up with Jesus, which is why I believe Satan personally tempted Jesus in Matthew 4. In fact, Satan went so far as to fully possess Judas to move him to betray our Lord on the night Jesus was taken into custody (Luke 22:47-52). This is how important it was for Satan to actually succeed in getting Jesus on the cross. He wanted to get rid of Jesus and did not understand what going to the cross actually meant for him (Satan). Whether or not Satan fully understood who Jesus was, Satan was unable to figure out that Jesus’ death on the cross meant complete defeat for Satan.

But even beyond this, it also meant that at some future point, Jesus would retake the title deed to earth that had been stolen by Satan when he caused Eve and Adam to fall in sin (Revelation 5:1-5). By going to the cross, willingly submitting Himself to the horrors that unfolded there – the pain, the curse and even emotional separation from the Father for a time – Jesus fully overcame in victory, sealing Satan’s fate forever. In fact, the writer of Hebrews notes that Jesus looked at the cross, despised its shame and “for the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2), because of what He would accomplish and how He would please and glorify the Father, Jesus fully embraced the cross! (Acts 2:21). Satan simply saw the cross as the end of the line for this “son of God,” Jesus.

One of the other things the pastor from the video pointed out was related to the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36). In the lead up to this Transfiguration, Jesus had traveled with apostles all the way to the north side of the Sea of Galilee. Shortly thereafter, Jesus takes a few apostles and goes to the top of a mountain. The biblical text nowhere tells us which mountain He and the apostles went up. Commentators believe it was either Mt. Tabor or Mt. Hermon. Mt. Tabor is far south of the Sea of Galilee, while Mt. Hermon is way north so it all depends upon where people think Jesus was when he went up to a mountain. Mt. Tabor is much shorter than Mt. Hermon (which is around 10,000 feet tall).

So, why are we noting these facts? Well, according to the Book of Enoch (not God-breathed Scripture), the Watchers (angels who ultimately fell and found a way to procreate with human women), came to earth touching down on Mt. Hermon. If this is true, it has ramifications and provides a reason why Jesus may have chose to transfigure near the top of Mt. Hermon.

When we segue to the New Testament and we read of Jesus being transfigured on a mountain, to me (and yes, I’m speculating), it makes perfect sense that Jesus would be transfigured on top of the very mountain that fallen angels arrived to earth on and began their adulterous and murderous rampage of the ancient world, which ultimately brought about the first of two global judgments: the Great Flood of Noah’s day.

The second global judgment is through the fires of judgment coming during Tribulation period and ending when Jesus physically returns. Eventually, He will destroy this earth and heaven with fire and create new ones (2 Peter 3:10).

The Transfiguration showcased the fact that Jesus was certainly celestial, but even that did not clue Satan into the fact that Jesus was and remains God Almighty because it merely provided a glimpse of Jesus before He took on humanity. Satan was very aware of celestial beings. The Transfiguration was to bolster the faith of His followers.

Again, had Satan understood who he was actually dealing with in the Person of Jesus, Paul tells us that he would not have incited humans to crucify our Lord. This to me, this points to the fact that Satan was likely not aware of just who Jesus actually was and certainly had no true understanding of His mission or the entire process of salvation that would become available to all who came to our Lord in repentance, seeking eternal life. Satan could not fathom it at all.

While Satan knows a great deal and whose intelligence far surpasses ours, there are clearly things he fails to comprehend and can only make his best guess at. As we see regarding the Person of Jesus, Satan’s best guess was woefully short and we can thankfully raise hands of praise to our Lord for that!

I realize that some of what I’ve noted in this article may not be for everyone (sons of God, Mt. Hermon, etc.), and that’s fine. It would have been nice if the Bible had specifically mentioned Mt. Hermon as the place where Jesus was transfigured, but it doesn’t. Even if I’m out on a ledge with respect to fallen angels, where they set foot down on this earth and things related to Jesus’ transfiguration, the truth of the matter is that Satan does not know everything. He is limited, not limitless in knowledge. Beyond this, he can only do what God allows him to do. Aren’t you glad? For me, it’s an interesting topic but certainly not one I can be dogmatic about.

I wonder if during the entire process of putting Jesus to death, if Satan ever stopped and asked, “Why is this so easy now?” He may have, but he kept pushing forward. The Transfiguration of Jesus proved to all Creation including those beings in the spiritual realm who He was/is. It was a literal beacon of perfect Light and Truth that made a huge announcement to Creation. Jesus was literally telling the beings in the spiritual realm “I Am” and there was nothing they could do about it, try as they might.

The Transfiguration was not simply a clarion call to the entire spiritual realm, but it was also done to provide testimony to those who were with Him to the glory He possessed prior to His birth into humanity.

Undoubtedly, the purpose of the transfiguration of Christ into at least a part of His heavenly glory was so that the “inner circle” of His disciples could gain a greater understanding of who Jesus was. Christ underwent a dramatic change in appearance in order that the disciples could behold Him in His glory. The disciples, who had only known Him in His human body, now had a greater realization of the deity of Christ, though they could not fully comprehend it. That gave them the reassurance they needed after hearing the shocking news of His coming death.[2]

But of course, it was not simply Jesus who was there. Those with Him also saw two other people; Moses and Elijah.

Symbolically, the appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets. But God’s voice from heaven – “Listen to Him!” – clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus. The One who is the new and living way is replacing the old – He is the fulfillment of the Law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament. Also, in His glorified form they saw a preview of His coming glorification and enthronement as King of kings and Lord of lords.[3]

The Transfiguration proves Jesus’ worth and that He is not only the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, but that He fully replaces what came before Him. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through the Son (John 14:6).

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

[1] Ancient Testaments of the Patriarchs, Ken Johnson, 2017, pp48-49 (Testament of Reuben)

[2] https://www.gotquestions.org/transfiguration.html

[3] Ibid

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective