Question:
Were There Really Giants?
Answer:
“There were many giants, men of great stature and strength, renowned for wisdom, skillful in devising the most cunning and wonderful works; but their guilt in giving loose rein to iniquity was in proportion to their skill and mental ability.” Conflict and Courage, 33
“There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward … .” Genesis 6:4, first part
The Philistines were a race of giants with Goliath as their champion. And when God told the children of Israel to go and take the land of Canaan as their home, the people were afraid because the men sent to spy out the land said it was inhabited with giants, the children of Anak.
But being a giant isn’t always determined by size. We find many giants recorded in the Bible, but they were giants because of their characters, not their height.
Gideon, David, and Jeroboam are all described as mighty men of valor (Numbers 13:1–33; Judges 6–7; 1 Samuel 16; 1 Kings 11).
Caleb and Joshua, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, and Moses were all giants of faith, believing and trusting in God (Numbers 13; Hebrews 11).
Daniel stood tall in the courts of Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus, and Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego stood tall on the plain of Dura.
These giants for God weren’t always perfect, but we will see every one of them in His kingdom. It isn’t the physical size of a man that makes him a giant; it is his spiritual connection to God.
“Let us take hold of the arm of infinite power. Let us walk humbly before God, but let us be giants in meeting discouragement and difficulty. We must have increased faith. Let us praise God. He is our strength, our shield, and our defense, our front guard and our rearward.” Pamphlet 067, 17