Library Home>All Subjects>S Subjects>Sons of God

Sons of God

Concise Bible Dictionary:

This title is susceptible of considerable latitude of meaning and has various applications in scripture.

1. There were “sons of God” who took wives of “the daughters of men” (Gen. 6:4⁴There 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 bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4)). These are believed by some to have been angels, permitted to take human form: (compare Jude 6-7⁶And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. ⁷Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 6‑7)). Others judge the descendants of Seth to be alluded to.

2. The angels who came to present themselves to God in the days of Job, and who shouted for joy when the foundations of the earth were laid, are called “sons of God” (Job 1:6⁶Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. (Job 1:6); Job 2:1¹Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. (Job 2:1); Job 38:7⁷When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:7)).

3. The Gentiles, who had no place at all as God’s people, were to be called “sons of the living God” (Hos. 1:10¹⁰Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. (Hosea 1:10)).

4. Christians, those led of God’s Spirit, in the present dispensation are declared to be “sons of God” (Rom. 8:14,19¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19); Gal. 4:6⁶And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)). It is their calling according to God’s purpose. See SON.