Greg Chandler
The Bible is not composed of fairy tales, nor are the people described within its pages make-believe characters. It is important to remember this when reading about the giants mentioned in the Old Testament.
The fear that these groups caused is readily seen in the children of Israel as they prepared to enter Canaan. When the twelve who spied out the land returned, ten of them gave a harrowing report of the natives. They stated, “The land through which we have gone to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them” (Numbers 13:32b–33). Sadly, the people believed them.
How sad this incident must have been for Jehovah. He was the God who decimated Egypt and led Israel triumphantly out of slavery through parted waters, fed them bread from heaven, allowed water to flow from rocks, and secured victory for them over their enemies. He was the God who set them apart as His own special treasure in all the earth. In the shadow of giants, their trust in Him faded like the morning dew.
Besides the great miracles they had witnessed firsthand, the Israelites could have looked to their cousins to see that God had full ability to deliver. Housed within Moses’ final speeches to Israel is an easily missed detail about the Ammonites and Edomites:
And when you approach the territory of the people of Ammon, do not harass them or contend with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot for a possession. It is also counted as a land of Rephaim. Rephaim formerly lived there—but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim— a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim; but the Lord destroyed them before the Ammonites, and they dispossessed them and settled in their place,as he did for the people of Esau, who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them and they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day (Deuteronomy 2:19-22).
There is no record of God showing the Ammonites and Edomites mighty miracles, nor were they invited to join in a special covenant as His holy nation. However, God provided lands for them by defeating the wicked occupants of their territories. This is what God promised to do for His people, yet they did not trust Him. As a result, they were not allowed to enter the land until forty years later.
Excuses can be made for the Israelites. Someone once quipped, “You can take Israel out of Egypt, but you can’t take Egypt out of Israel.” Surely four hundred years of living in the throes of paganism had its impact. Certainly, the hunger and thirst experienced upon their departure from Egypt could have had an impact. The seeming lack of daily needs can bring out the worst in humans. Ultimately, their failure resulted from a lack of faith in light of overwhelming evidence that God could provide. The people of God should pay attention.
Christians are those who have accepted God’s invitation to be a part of His holy nation and special treasure (see I Peter 2:9–10). Christians have read of the mighty acts of power God has recorded in His word. They can even look to those outside of His covenant blessing to see His power; indeed, “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Still, if caution is not exercised, “giants” can begin to look bigger than God.
Within the span of a Christian’s life, obstacles will be faced. Chronic health problems, loss of income, betrayal by a spouse, widowhood, and poor decisions by one’s adult children are only a few things that can tower over life like a Canaanite giant. In facing these giants, God does not promise mighty signs or stellar victories on the battlefield; however, He does promise aid and comfort: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Above all, He promises that those who stay faithful to Him will indeed be given the land: “But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (II Peter 3:13). There is no giant that can break this promise; failure comes only when people turn from God and flee in fear.
May the children of God rally to their faithful Commander and trust that whatever may happen on this side of the veil, eternal victory is assured. “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10b). Do not cower in the shadow of giants; trust the proven God!
