Origin of the Neophilim:  When men began to multiply on earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of heaven saw how beautiful the daughters of man were and so they look for their wives as many of them as they chose. The  Lord said: My sprit shall not remain in man forever, since he is flesh. His days shall comprise one hundred and twenty years.

At that time the Nephilim appeared on earth (as well as later) after the sons of heaven had intercourse with the daughters of man who bore them sons. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown. (Gen 6, 1-4)

Okie dokie. Well, a lot of questions posed in this little clip from our Sacred Tome. But as it happens, I had a chance to watch Prophesy II last night, and since there was no one around to share my insights, I get to do it here.

Christopher Walkin is one of my real heroes. Except for the fact that he insists on using the same hair dresser as Donald Trump, he can add zest to any part, any time. He started out as a dancer and it is fun just to see him move. Watch Walkin walk sometimes. He struts. He exudes a confidence. And I see such moves and confidence in My President.

It seems that Angel Gabriel has gotten into some disagreement with the powers that be. He despises the monkeys. Not because he favors the Beatles, but because Gabriel despises all mankind. How this happened I am not sure, not even after watching all three movies several times. I mean he kind of liked Mary who might be said to be carrying an infant somehow related to the Neophilim.

Well, in Prophesy I, Walkin was defeated and ends up with Viggo Mortenson who happens to play the devil and Chris is sent straight to hell and all seems better upon the earth.

Well, PII has the devil (for some reason they could not get Viggo on this one so they only show his back) throwing Walkin out of hell. I MEAN NOBODY CAN SEEM TO GET ALONG WITH THIS GABRIEL. Even hell cannot stand him.

Gabriel has certain qualities. He is on earth and can affect matter (Gabriel can put humans to sleep by touching their foreheads and saying shhhhhhhhhh. And he can get in great fights with other angels. And he can throw people about the room and stuff.)  Matter can affect him. That is Angels can fight with him. People can push him onto the ground.)

But Gabriel cannot deal with monkey machinery. He cannot drive a car. He cannot shoot a gun. He cannot work a computer. But for some reason, he can play a church organ.

You see, from a structural standpoint, angels are part of the earth when they are here. And yet not part of the earth. I always think about angels inviting themselves into Abrahams abode for dinner.

So Gabriel has problems maneuvering as it were among the monkeys. So he finds a zombie monkey. If he can get to someone who has just died and is somehow still in on piece, he 'wakes them up' and makes them act as his slave. The first slave in the first movie was just superb Adam Goldberg, you can see him now as a main character in the 'Unusuals' a truly great show. The second slave zombie is a female and she really is good.

The monkey zombie fires guns for Gabriel. She drives Gabriel around. She knows DOS. But she whines all the time and it drives Gabriel batty, although he certainly never reaches a point of real sanity until the final episode.

Gabriel is mad because God loves the monkeys and wont talk to him anymore. So he heads a band of angels who go to war against another band of angels who are attempting to do God's bidding. The Archangel Michael tries to remain neutral in all of this.

So we have a situation where there is more than good and evil, heaven and hell. I mean there are evil angels who reside in hell with Satan but somehow get along anyway. And yet there are good angels and bad angels who are not in hell but have a hell of a time fighting each other. And, St. Michael, well, how can you remain neutral when one 'side' is supposed to be doing God's being. Maybe we should ask Maurice Chevalier, but I digress.

At any rate, this fight will have consequences upon us 'mortals". By the way, I always thought mortal meant finite. But angels can die if you perform the old Aztec rite of reaching into their 'chests' and pulling out the beating heart. The Angel will thus become, mortally wounded so to speak.So angels are likened to Norse Gods who can die. But does that not make them 'mortal'. Oh philosophy can be so troublesome at times.

If the bad angels win, we are all screwed. If the good angels win, well the Twins might end up in trouble, but I digress again.

The solution seems to be to make another neophilim. So one of the good angels plants his seed into a pretty mortal who teaches young children or something and does not have a lot of sexual relations but if I remember correctly, she had a pretty good time in the opening episode.  This neophilim will somehow save humanity. Which seems to be consistent with Genesis 6, 1-4).  I mean we are told that these neophilim appeared, as well as later. Whatever the hell that means.

Now because Walkin is playing Gabriel, the character kind of opens up, so to speak. Here is the character who approaches Mary with such reverence informing her of her neophilim pregnancy.

Yet when he approaches the lead character of this movie, he describes her as carrying a mere rug rat. She is a monkey carrying a rug rat.

His attempt to deal with the angelic father of the neophilim is hilarious. Come on Danyal, let us just for get the entire matter like it never happened. I mean lets go back to the way it was before the monkeys.

He does a similar negotiation with the neutral Michael.

I will not give away the plot here but Gabriel is given a fate worse that when he was sent to hell in the first episode. He is turned into a mortal as a bum begging on the street with his horn.  And I think we are meant to assume that he is without medical insurance.

Now back to our biblical studies.

First, I think this little story in Bereshit kind of throws all of Bishop Usher's arguments into chaos. I mean when was the Age of the Giants?

Well maybe Hesiod has a thing or two to say about this or should I say sing about:

ll. 109-120) First of all the deathless gods who dwell on Olympus made a golden race of mortal men who lived in the time of Cronos when he was reigning in heaven. And they lived like gods without sorrow of heart, remote and free from toil and grief: miserable age rested not on them; but with legs and arms never failing they made merry with feasting beyond the reach of all evils. When they died, it was as though they were overcome with sleep, and they had all good things; for the fruitful earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly and without stint. They dwelt in ease and peace upon their lands with many good things, rich in flocks and loved by the blessed gods.

(ll. 121-139) But after earth had covered this generation -- they are called pure spirits dwelling on the earth, and are kindly, delivering from harm, and guardians of mortal men; for they roam everywhere over the earth, clothed in mist and keep watch on judgements and cruel deeds, givers of wealth; for this royal right also they received; -- then they who dwell on Olympus made a second generation which was of silver and less noble by far. It was like the golden race neither in body nor in spirit. A child was brought up at his good mother's side an hundred years, an utter simpleton, playing childishly in his own home. But when they were full grown and were come to the full measure of their prime, they lived only a little time in sorrow because of their foolishness, for they could not keep from sinning and from wronging one another, nor would they serve the immortals, nor sacrifice on the holy altars of the blessed ones as it is right for men to do wherever they dwell. Then Zeus the son of Cronos was angry and put them away, because they would not give honour to the blessed gods who live on Olympus.

(ll. 140-155) But when earth had covered this generation also -- they are called blessed spirits of the underworld by men, and, though they are of second order, yet honour attends them also -- Zeus the Father made a third generation of mortal men, a brazen race, sprung from ash-trees (4); and it was in no way equal to the silver age, but was terrible and strong. They loved the lamentable works of Ares and deeds of violence; they ate no bread, but were hard of heart like adamant, fearful men. Great was their strength and unconquerable the arms which grew from their shoulders on their strong limbs. Their armour was of bronze, and their houses of bronze, and of bronze were their implements: there was no black iron. These were destroyed by their own hands and passed to the dank house of chill Hades, and left no name: terrible though they were, black Death seized them, and they left the bright light of the sun.

(ll. 156-169b) But when earth had covered this generation also, Zeus the son of Cronos made yet another, the fourth, upon the fruitful earth, which was nobler and more righteous, a god-like race of hero-men who are called demi-gods, the race before our own, throughout the boundless earth. Grim war and dread battle destroyed a part of them, some in the land of Cadmus at seven- gated Thebe when they fought for the flocks of Oedipus, and some, when it had brought them in ships over the great sea gulf to Troy for rich-haired Helen's sake: there death's end enshrouded a part of them. But to the others father Zeus the son of Cronos gave a living and an abode apart from men, and made them dwell at the ends of earth. And they live untouched by sorrow in the islands of the blessed along the shore of deep swirling Ocean, happy heroes for whom the grain-giving earth bears honey-sweet fruit flourishing thrice a year, far from the deathless gods, and Cronos rules over them (5); for the father of men and gods released him from his bonds. And these last equally have honour and glory.

(ll. 169c-169d) And again far-seeing Zeus made yet another generation, the fifth, of men who are upon the bounteous earth. Works& Days, http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/hesiod/works.htm

Five ages of man on the earth according to Hesiod. Ages including giants and angels and other fanciful creatures.

What is my conclusion to all of this?

Well people do not live to be 900 years of age.  Now in this short verse, we are told that God has had enough of that crap so now men can only live to be 120. By the way, for the Egyptians, 120 years was the length of the perfect life. And besides, anything longer than that would just destroy Social Security.

HEY FRANK YOU'VE BEEN SITTIN ON THAT DUFF FOR TWO HUNDRED YEARS, AND I'VE HAD IT. YOU HEAR ME.

Bereshit is not any more scientific than the songs of Hesiod. And there are parallels between these origin myths.

Oh and anyone who wishes to read Bereshit and become a literalist, well he is obviously a monkey.

And we should pay no attention to monkeys.

Oh and if you happen to see a bum on the street with a horn of some sort, give him some coin. He needs it.