“And after that men began to be multiplied upon the earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God seeing the daughters of men, that they were fair, took them to themselves wives of all which they chose. And God said: ‘My spirit shall not remain in man for ever, because he is flesh, and his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.’ Now giants were upon the earth in those days. For after the sons of God went in to the daughters of men, and they brought forth children, these are the mighty men of old, men of renown.”
Those of the line of Seth, the sons of God due to their attentiveness to God’s ways, began to decline into the ways of Cain’s line, here indicated by the daughters of God. There was a rampant practice of polygamy, here said, “wives of all they chose.” This shows that in a departure from the imparted word of God, it is easy for the mind to decline back to the world and the delights thereof: “Behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will send forth a famine into the land… of hearing the word of the Lord… they shall go about seeking the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day the fair virgins, and the young men shall faint for thirst” (Amos 8:11-13). This is a thirst for love and wisdom, both of which are abundant in the words of Jesus: “His throat most sweet, and he is all lovely” (Song 5:16). Thus, in the people leaving the paths of God and looking to earthly pleasures, they mingle with the ways of their wives and fall away from pure love: “her feet go down into death, and her steps go in as far as hell. They walk not by the path of life, her steps are wandering, and unaccountable” (Proverbs 5:5-6). God then puts His limit on human life, which has two timeframes: The first is that He would give the people on earth one hundred and twenty years to cease their ways, as well as shortening the lifespan of mankind. In the first, His merciful patience is exhibited, for “The Lord… dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that nay should parish, but that all should return to penance” (2 Peter 3:9). He longs for those lost to sin to notice His movements, that they may be brought to Him and receive His love. As for the human lifespan, this is done by degrees, for the limitation does not fully set in place until the end of the Pentateuch: “Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died” (Deuteronomy 34:7). This shows the gradual way that God acts, letting things come into their own in the same way that a tree grows: “By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, till thou be increased, and dost possess the land” (Exodus 23:30). As human life slowly shortened, so does love slowly grow, with the lifespan you are given being sufficient to reach a place where love abounds and sanctifies you: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The giants, those of great worldly renown and stature, reigned in this time, with their extraordinary bodies allowing them to rule the earth. This is a precursor to those who, investing entirely in bodily things and rewards of this life seem to rule and run the earth: “And the devil led him into a high mountain, and shewed him all the kindgoms of the world in a moment of time; and he said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them” (Luke 4:5-6). However, love is not conquered by such people: “All things are delivered to me by my Father” (Matthew 11:27); “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it” (Song 8:7) and those that are small in the eyes of the world but mighty in love are the ones that are truly strong: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land” (Matthew 5:4); “But I would have you to be wise in good, and simple in evil” (Romans 16:19). Therefore, no matter what beast arises, it will always fall before the mighty, unmovable love of God: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet, who wrought signs before him, wherewith he seduced them who received the character of the beast, and who adored his image. These two were cast alive into the pool of fire, burning with brimstone” (Apocalypse 19:20). Be mighty in love, o loved by Love, be weak in all else, for love supplies the strength for what is necessary for love, and it is the one thing necessary: “He said to me: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity.’ Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9); “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).