Numbers 13:33- The Israelites talked about the giants (the Anakites, or descendants of Anak, also the nephilim) in the land and how large they were in both parties’ sight. They agreed with the giants in esteeming themselves as like ants. Because they were looking at themselves as small and insignificant compared to the giants, they did not believe that God was big enough to take down the giants for them. They feared the giants more than they believed God. This is also reflected in Deuteronomy 1:28. Here they blame the spies for demoralizing them with their report. Even though they chose to listen to 10 of them and not the other 2, choosing to believe the lies and fears rather than the promise of God to protect them.
The speaker in Deuteronomy 9:1-6, in contrast, acknowledges the fact that the giants are strong and tall and descended from the famous Anakite giants, but doesn’t go as far as being afraid of them because of that natural fact. This is spoken to the next generation as they prepare to finally go into the promised land since the fear and doubt has had a chance to die off. Part of the point of this speech is to acknowledge that God will be fighting for them because they are not able to do it on their own. They recognize their dependence upon God in a deeper way than providing them food and water to sustain them through the wilderness. They are coming to realize that He is not only saving them from their oppressors (the Egyptians) miraculously and not letting them die of starvation or dehydration as they follow Him through the wilderness, that there really is a plan that is bigger than that. He is completely reversing their “fortunes” and bringing them to true freedom and prosperity. He is giving them the ability to choose life and life more abundantly (into His Kingdom). They just need to follow his lead and believe that He will bring them to that point.
Verse 3 reminds them of the promise of how this will be accomplished, how to deal with the giants. God will go before them like a devouring fire and will subdue them to the point that the Israelites will be able to quickly conquer and drive them out. He does this, not because of how great the Isrealites are, but because of the sins of the giants. God uses the much weaker humans to subdue the giants, the fallen angels, who are much more powerful by themselves than the humans.
He uses us, not because we are so great, but because we are weak. This fits with His Kingdom where the weakest, the servant of is the strongest, the most “useable” vessel, a frail jar of clay where He stores His most precious Spirit. It is the weak one, the one who most readily recognizes their complete inability in themselves who most readily surrenders to being the conduit for God to move through. They aren’t relying on themselves because they know they can’t. They are relying on God alone and they trust Him to do what they cannot. Their confidence is in Him alone. This confident trust allows them the boldness to face even the greatest giants with all their bluster, regardless of the fears spoken by those around them to try to discourage them. It allows them to triumph over incredible odds as God accomplishes through them and their courage what is not possible by human standards or abilities. With humans it is not possible, but with God, anything is possible. Understanding this allows us to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding by acknowledging Him in all our ways and letting Him direct our path. Also, the weakest vessels cannot claim the glory due God, nor do they think of doing so, for it truly is not them doing it, but Christ through them.
All this is exemplified in 1 Samuel 17, when David defeated Goliath. Goliath was 9 feet tall, wore armor that weighed over 125 pounds, and carried a huge javelin. He was taller and stronger than any of the Israelites. He knew it and made sure they knew it. He taunted them daily and they were terrified to try to face him. David was the youngest son, probably the smallest in stature at that point and not even part of the army. He was sent to bring his brothers food and check on them for their father, no intention of actually experiencing any battle action himself. When he hears the giant’s taunt, he wonders why the Israelites are allowing him to defy God’s army. His brothers mistake his reaction for pride and a desire to see battle. He asks multiple others and they give him the same reply. None of them can see the difference between pride in self and confidence in God. His family is against him. His countrymen are against him. And still, he persists. The king hears and tries to divert him, citing his inexperience. David leans on past experience of overcoming a lion or bear, recognizing the the God who kept him safe while fighting a lion or bear will also keep him safe from this giant. This finally convinces the king to let him fight, but he tries to give David armor that isn’t suited for him, that he isn’t used to using. Right before a battle is not the best time to try out new things. David falls back on the equipment he is familiar with using and picks up his ammunition. The giant is insulted that such a small person would try to defeat him, it is an affront to his pride to even fight him. He is so sure of his pending victory over David. David affirms his trust in God and His power and authority over the situation. He says that God will conquer Goliath and that he will cut off his head. He says this will happen so that the world will know that there is a God in Israel. God is in this fight and is defending His own name, proving to humans yet again that He is God. He used unorthodox methods to produce a miracle that only He could do. He used a stone in the hands of a young boy to defeat and aged, battle worn giant. Then, David used the giant’s own sword to completely finish dispatching him. This produced fear in the Philistines and renewed confidence in the Israelites.
This relates directly in taking down the giants we face in our own lives, whatever they manifest as. God will use us weak humans to overcome our giants as we move to take ground in our own promised lands. He uses the weak to overcome the strong. One method for doing this is using stones. Stones are often compared to words, usually condemning ones “thrown” at people who have apparently sinned, sometimes they have and sometimes it may be a misperception as in David’s brothers case. Either way, our battle is not against flesh and blood, our siblings and co-heirs, but against the demonic spiritual forces working in this world. The stones, our words, are not meant to tear down other humans, but to build them up. This has a similar effect as throwing stones at the demons or giants in their lives. As we build each other up, we are tearing down the walls of opposition and division, we are taking hold of their thoughts, the false beliefs they have. These stones, guided by God; these words, spoken by love are what God uses to free His other children. Love is service with the sole objective of benefit for the other person. This is how God moves through us. This is His plan, to reach His children through the words and actions of His other children, motivated by love alone. The perfect example of this is our eldest brother, the firstborn of the new human, who perfectly served to the point of excruciating death on a cross so we might have the choice to possibly know Him and experience His true freedom and exceedingly abundant life.
Beloved Firefly 