My wife and I were in a Bible study recently where the topic was the giants in the Old Testament.  As it turns out, there were five races of giants.  The Nephilim, Anakim, Rephaim, Emim, and Zamzummim.  The Bible also speaks of a few giants dispersed throughout the human clans of the Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Canaanites, and Philistines.

The most well-known giant was Goliath.  He was of the tribe of the Anakites, otherwise known as the Anakim.  Depending on your source, he could have stood a towering 9’-6.” At this height, however, he was actually the runt of the family.  His oldest brother was over 13 feet tall.

However, this article is not about giants; rather, it is about facing giants.  There are two accounts in the Bible where a person was named that singularly faced real giants.  One of the more famous accounts is of course David facing Goliath.  You remember the story.  With a mere stone, David killed this 9 foot warrior.

Joshua

The second account was Joshua.  He was one of the two spies who came back with a favorable report of the Promised Land.  He agreed there were giants in the land, the Nephilim (the sons of Anak) who made the Israelites looked like grasshoppers in comparison. But Joshua claimed, with God’s help, they could take the land.

Joshua was born into Egyptian slavery and experienced the plagues and exodus from Egypt, the Red Sea crossing, and wanderings in the wilderness.  While wandering in that wilderness, he trained under Moses.  He was 45-50 years old when he and the other 11 first spied out the Promised Land.  Add to that the 40 years he was in the wilderness, which makes him about 85-90 years old when he assumes leadership of Israel after Moses died.  He led Israel in battle for 20-25 years and died at the age of 110.

When Joshua took up the leadership of Israel, God charged him to go in and clear out all the inhabitants so Israel could live in peace and amongst themselves.  

Joshua is known for 3 qualities: Courage, Obedience, and Dedication.

Courage

Did you notice that God told Joshua to be strong and very courageous 4 times (vs 6, 7, 9, 18) in the Joshua 1 passage?

What does it mean when you tell someone something multiple times?  Probably that it’s important, or you don’t think they are listening, or you want them to be sure to remember it.

I suspect Joshua was listening, after all it was God speaking.  So maybe it was a combination of importance and wanting Joshua to remember it that caused God to mention being courageous four times.  After all, Joshua had reason to be frightened and in need of encouragement.  He was going to be facing real giants.

At the age of 85 or 90, you are not a picture of health and strength.  How many octogenarians or nonagenarians could lead a country into battle?

Surely Joshua remembered what he saw in the land 40 years ago.  The cities were fortified and very large.  The people who lived in the land were not only strong, but literally giants.  These were not your friendly “jolly green giants.”  These were fierce warriors ready to kill at a moment’s notice.  Something anyone would be fearful of.

Obedience

In Joshua 1:8 God says to Joshua “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

What are we to do?  We are to stay in the Word of God.  In simple terms, read our Bibles. It sounds kinda preachy to say, but that is what we are told to do.  If it sounds trite, that’s because Satan has belittled it.  

The Apostle Paul says in Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes….”

The best way we can give old Satan the one-two punch is to open up God’s Word and read it.  To read and obey God’s Word is the prescription for the strength and courage of Joshua. So says God, the Creator of the universe.  The God who fought the 9-foot sons of Anak for Joshua.  The God who dropped the mighty walls of Jericho.  And the God who made “one of Joshua’s men put to flight a thousand.”

That is the power of the Word of God.  When you open your Bible and read, you are unleashing that power.  You are being a Joshua.

Dedication

Joshua says to Israel in Joshua 24:15 “… choose for yourselves today whom you will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Hear what Joshua committed to.  “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  That is a heartfelt commitment.

We each can serve the Lord with who we are and what abilities we have.  Maybe we won’t be leading armies into inhabited territories, tearing down walled cities, and running off thousands of locals, but maybe we can be prayer warriors for our friends, family, neighbors, and the world.  

Maybe it’s offering an encouraging word to someone we meet or speak to.  For sure it’s ignoring any naysayers who say we can’t serve, or that our time to serve has passed.

My goodness, Joshua was 85 years old.  He certainly had an ironclad excuse to not serve as God had asked him to; rather, he just said, “I will serve the Lord.” Just as we can today and every day.

Your Giants

Would you need some strong encouragement to take this on?  Would you want to hear it repeated over and over?  I know I would!  Maybe Joshua needed it as well.

What frightens you today?  What are your giants?  The unknown?  World events?  Tomorrow?  Finances?  Family?  Health?  We all share the same fears and concerns.

To these fears and concerns, God says, “be strong and very courageous.”

Easy to say but how do we do that?  God does not leave this question unanswered.  Let’s look at the second thing Joshua was known for to answer that question.

Be a Joshua

Take up the challenge to be strong and courageous in your world.

Follow the command to read the Word of God during your day.

Commit to serving the Lord where you are.