GIANTS IN THE LAND?
REAL or FAKE?
Giants . . . real or fake? For a number of years now, photos of huge human skeletons have been circulated on the internet. The skeptics first response is “I doubt it” . . . or “Impossible!”
Some people, however, look at such photos and are reminded of Biblical claims of giants. We read in Genesis 6:4, that before Noah’s Flood “there were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men, who were of old, men of renown.”
Many Bible scholars believe that there was a time when angelic (demonic) beings somehow indwelt human bodies and became sexually involved with earthly women . . . the result being giant creatures . . . half human and half demon (often referred to as “nephilim” or “rephaim”). See Genesis 6:2, 4
The New Testament Epistle of Jude (verses 6 and 7) refers to fallen angels “who kept not their first estate”. 2 Peter 2:4 even tells us ” . . . God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” I like to think of these demonic creatures, like dogs in heat that are chained up to keep them away from other dogs . . . so these demonic beings are apparently chained in darkness and restricted from human intervention . . . at least for now.
Scripture seems to indicate that they are kept in chains for a future day of judgment . . . that is, they are today restricted from human intermarriage so that they cannot multiply offspring that would be half human and half devil. But they may once again be released during a future time of terrible judgment on earth that is called the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21).
Revelation 9:1-12 describes the hideous monster-like demons when the bottomless pit will be opened during the Tribulation - "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth; and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace . . . and there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth, and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth . . . and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when he strikes a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them . . ." (verses from Revelation 9:1-6)
Whatever these creatures are, they will torment mankind . . . and I can assure you that you don't want to be left behind during the days of terrible tribulation.
PHOTOS . . . REAL OR FAKE?
The purpose of this article is not just to project future days of human calamity but to consider the photographs that seem to depict huge giant skeletons from creatures that walked on earth long ago. Some of the photos on the internet appear to be tampered with and fake.
Answers In Genesis has done the Christian community a great service in investigating and reporting on two of the photographs:
If you look closely, you will notice that the man is holding a shovel handle with no shovel on it. It would be very difficult to dig in that fashion.
Now examine the photograph on the right. This is from a University of Chicago dig site in Africa (photo credit: Paul C. Sereno/University of Chicago):
Original photo and a fake! Note the mysterious absence of the giant skull in this image. The photo has been tampered with so it is obviously a fraud has been exposed. Was this an attempt to ridicule the giants spoken of in the Bible . . . or perhaps just a joke. Who knows . . . it is just important that we be discerning and not taken in my every photo on the internet. Obviously, the pictures above represent an argument the Christian should not use.
Research on the legitimacy of the two photographs was performed by Answers in Genesis scientist Dr. Tommy Mitchell and reported on July 27, 2010. He further stated: “Why would we advise against using some arguments that appear to support creation? Simply put, some arguments are wrong, even if what they are arguing for is ultimately right. We would do a disservice to our witness for Christ by knowingly using bad argumentation— effectively bearing false witness—even if those arguments are used to support the truth of the Bible.”
We that hold to the accuracy of the Biblical record must be diligent in our reporting of the facts. I believe there were once giants on the earth, NOT BECAUSE OF A PHOTOGRAPH, BUT BECAUSE OF THE BIBLICAL RECORD ITSELF.
There were giants in those days of Noah.
The Bible plainly tells us as much. We need not rely upon fables and fabrications to make our case in this regard. I do not need fragments from Noah's Ark to believe in the Genesis Flood . . . I believe in the accuracy of Scripture. On the other hand, evidence abounds all over the earth that there was a catastrophic event that points to a massive, world-wide flood . . . but we that hold to Biblical accuracy must be discerning on what we report.
We at Discovery News are committed to truth and we pray that God would help us to discern between fact and fable. Our thanks to Answers in Genesis for their factual research and reporting.
EDITORS ADDITIONAL NOTE: Within 24 hours after posting this article on the web site, I have received numerous emails . . . one from a family that is providing lodging for a young man who recently moved to the U.S. from Africa. Apparently, in his homeland of Chad, it is common knowledge amongst the people that many huge human skeletons have been found and reported . . .
Another email claimed that giant bones given to the Smithsonian have never been put on display and are “lost” . . . apparently the finding of such creatures causes problems with those supporting the claims of evolution . . .
SO . . . the search for the truth about these interesting creatures is just beginning . . . In the future I will report what I discover . . . Chuck Anderson