What is Up with Giants in the Bible Unveiling the

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00:00You've read about Noah, Moses, and David, but what about the colossal figures that stalked the early earth,

00:06towering over mere mortals, their very existence a cosmic mystery?

00:11Why does the Bible, a book of divine truth, mention them?

00:16And what do they mean for our understanding of ancient history and spiritual warfare?

00:21Prepare to uncover the chilling truth behind what is up with giants in the Bible,

00:26unveiling the Nephilim and beyond.

00:28From the dawn of recorded history, tales of giants have permeated human mythology,

00:40appearing in diverse cultures across the globe.

00:43From the titans of Greek lore to the Jotun of Norse sagas,

00:48the idea of colossal beings walking the earth has captivated our imagination.

00:54But unlike mythical creatures confined to folklore,

00:58giants appear in the Bible, presented not as allegory, but as concrete figures within historical narratives.

01:06From the mysterious Nephilim before the flood to the towering Philistine warrior Goliath,

01:12their presence in Scripture raises profound questions.

01:15Who were they? Where did they come from?

01:18And what significance do these biblical giants hold for our understanding of God's story?

01:24Their existence challenges conventional historical and biological understanding,

01:30pushing the boundaries of what many believe about the ancient world

01:33and the interaction between the divine and the human.

01:37Exploring these colossal figures forces us to confront uncomfortable questions

01:42and delve into some of the Bible's most enigmatic and debated passages.

01:48The Nephilim, before the flood.

01:51Genesis 6, 1-4.

01:53The first and most enigmatic mention of giants

01:56appears in the book of Genesis, just before the great flood.

02:00When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,

02:07the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful

02:10and they married any of them they chose.

02:13The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward.

02:18When the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them,

02:22they were the heroes of old, men of renown.

02:25This brief passage has sparked centuries of debate.

02:29Sons of God.

02:31Controversy.

02:32Who were these sons of God?

02:34The dominant interpretations include fallen angels.

02:38This view, supported by ancient Jewish traditions, e.g. Book of Enoch,

02:43and some early church fathers,

02:45suggests that demonic beings or rebel angels

02:48cohabited with human women, producing hybrid offspring.

02:52Sethites.

02:55Others believe sons of God refers to the godly lineage of Seth,

02:59who intermarried with the ungodly lineage of Cain,

03:03leading to widespread corruption.

03:05The Nephilim's nature, the term Nephilim, Napelium,

03:10literally means fallen ones, or those who cause to fall.

03:15They are described as heroes of old, men of renown,

03:19implying great stature, strength, and perhaps a tyrannical nature

03:23that contributed to the wickedness of the pre-flood world.

03:28Regardless of their precise origin,

03:30the Nephilim are presented as a major factor,

03:33contributing to the deep corruption

03:35that grieved God's heart

03:37and led to the decision to bring the flood.

03:40Their existence highlights a profound disruption

03:43of God's created order.

03:45Giants after the flood,

03:49the remnants and their descendants.

03:52Despite the flood,

03:53the Bible clearly states that giants existed afterward.

03:57This suggests either some survived

03:59or their lineage was somehow re-established or continued.

04:031.

04:04The Spies Report.

04:06Numbers 13.33

04:07When Moses sent spies into Canaan,

04:11they returned with a terrifying report.

04:13We saw the Nephilim there,

04:15the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim.

04:18We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes,

04:21and we looked the same to them.

04:23This fear-mongering report discouraged the Israelites

04:27from entering the Promised Land immediately.

04:312.

04:31The Anakim, sons of Anak.

04:34Frequently mentioned,

04:35the Anakim were a race of giants

04:37dwelling in the land of Canaan,

04:40particularly in Hebron and the surrounding areas.

04:43Numbers 13.

04:44Deuteronomy 1.

04:46Joshua 11.

04:48They were known for their great stature

04:50and formidable presence.

04:52Joshua eventually drove them out of the hill country,

04:55though some remained in Philistine cities

04:57like Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

05:003.

05:01The Rephime.

05:02This term often refers to various ancient giant races.

05:06Og of Bashan.

05:07Deuteronomy 3.

05:09One of the most famous Rephime was Og,

05:11the king of Bashan,

05:13whose iron bedstead, or sarcophagus,

05:16was reportedly nine cubits long,

05:18over 13 feet.

05:20The Israelites defeated him,

05:22conquering his giant-occupied territory.

05:25Emim and Zamzumin.

05:27Deuteronomy 2.

05:28Other related giant tribes like the Emim,

05:32described as strong and numerous,

05:34and tall as the Anakim,

05:35and the Zamzumin,

05:37were encountered by other groups

05:38in the Transjordan region.

05:41These references indicate

05:42that giants were a recognized

05:44and terrifying part of the landscape

05:46during the Israelite conquest of Canaan.

05:51Famous Biblical Giants

05:52Confronting the Colossae.

05:54While the Nephilim and Anakim

05:57are mentioned as races,

05:59individual giants also play pivotal roles

06:02in Biblical narratives, most famously.

06:051.

06:06Goliath of Gath,

06:071 Samuel 17.

06:09This is perhaps the most well-known giant in the Bible.

06:13A champion warrior of the Philistines,

06:15Goliath terrorized the Israelite army for 40 days.

06:19His formidable appearance is described in detail.

06:22He had a bronze helmet on his head

06:24and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze

06:27weighing 5,000 shekels,

06:30about 125 pounds.

06:32On his legs he wore bronze greaves

06:34and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.

06:37His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod

06:40and its iron point weighed 600 shekels,

06:43about 15 pounds.

06:46Goliath's terrifying presence

06:47brought fear and paralysis

06:49to the entire Israelite army.

06:52His defeat by the young David,

06:54armed only with a sling and a stone,

06:57is a powerful theological message of faith

07:00overcoming overwhelming odds

07:01and God working through the seemingly weak.

07:052.

07:06Other Philistine Giants,

07:082 Samuel 21, 15-22,

07:111 Chronicles 24-8.

07:13The Bible also records other unnamed giants from Gath,

07:17a Philistine city who were formidable warriors.

07:20One had a spear whose shaft was like a weaver's rod,

07:24like Goliath,

07:25and was killed by Elhanan.

07:27Another had six fingers on each hand

07:29and six toes on each foot,

07:3124 in total,

07:32and was also from Gath,

07:34killed by Jonathan, David's nephew.

07:36Two others are mentioned,

07:38Ishbi-benob and Saf,

07:39all described as descendants of Rafa,

07:42Rephaim.

07:44These accounts suggest that Goliath

07:46was not an isolated anomaly,

07:48but part of a lineage of exceptionally large

07:51and powerful individuals,

07:52particularly among the Philistines.

07:55Theological implications and interpretations.

07:58Why are they up with giants?

08:01The presence of giants in the Bible

08:03serves several significant theological purposes.

08:06Manifestation of corruption and evil,

08:08From the Nephilim preceding the flood,

08:11giants often appear in contexts

08:13associated with extreme wickedness,

08:15ungodliness,

08:17and the opposition to God's righteous order.

08:20They are symbolic of a fallen state.

08:22God's judgment and conquest,

08:25their eventual eradication,

08:27e.g. by the flood,

08:28or during the Israelite conquest of Canaan,

08:31demonstrates God's judgment against evil

08:33and His power to overcome

08:35seemingly insurmountable obstacles for His people.

08:38They represent the impossibles

08:40that God makes possible.

08:43Highlighting God's power and faith,

08:45the story of David and Goliath

08:46is the clearest example.

08:48Goliath's immense size and terrifying power

08:51serve to magnify David's faith

08:53and God's miraculous intervention,

08:55proving that the battle is the Lord's.

08:59Spiritual Warfare

09:00Some interpretations connect these literal giants

09:04to spiritual forces of evil or demonic influence,

09:09suggesting that the physical battles against giants

09:11had deeper spiritual implications,

09:15reflecting an ongoing cosmic struggle.

09:17The Bible's inclusion of giants

09:19is not a mere side note.

09:21It's a deliberate part of its narrative strategy.

09:24These colossal figures

09:26underscore the extraordinary nature of God's actions,

09:30the intensity of the spiritual battles

09:32fought in ancient times,

09:34and the profound corruption

09:36that can manifest when humanity deviates

09:39from divine order.

09:41They continue to spark curiosity

09:43and theological debate,

09:45challenging us to consider

09:46the full scope of God's Word

09:48and the ancient world it describes.

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