DEALING WITH GIANTS!

DEALING WITH GIANTS!

1 Sam 17:3-7

3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.

4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: [about eight pounds] and one bearing a shield went before him.

          I began this study because of a question from one of my men yesterday about the Anakin. I discovered that the word Anak means “long necked” or neck ornament. Goliath’s height was between seven to ten feet and possibly as tall as twelve feet. The uncertainty is due to the measurement of a cubit and a span. A cubit is measured from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow and a span is measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the middle finger when stretched to its fullest length. It is safe to say that Goliath was a massive man.

                Caleb is said to have driven out the three sons of Anak in Joshua 15:14 but more than likely this refers to three tribes instead of three individuals. “The Egyptian letter on Papyrus Anastasi I ( thirteenth century B.C.) describes fierce warriors in Canaan who are seven to nine feet tall. Additionally, two female skeletons about seven feet tall from the twelfth century have been found at Tell es-Sa'ideyeh in Transjordan.”

 

(from IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, Copyright © 2000 by John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews and Mark W. Chavalas. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

                David faced his giant with courage. He used the tools that had brought him success many times before. The thought was that if you are going to be killed you might as well go down fighting! He also faced this giant with a well placed confidence. “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord  of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” (1 Sam 17:45)

                These giants were defeated by men of normal stature! The gigantic problems that roar at you today must be defeated in the same way. You must face them with courage and dependence upon the Lord.

1 Cor 1:27

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

Dear Lord, my problems sometimes look like long necked giants but you are bigger than all. Help me to go forth with courage today. AMEN