What does "a man of great stature" teach about facing personal giants? Meeting the Giant in the Text “Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha.” (2 Samuel 21:20) What’s in a Phrase? The Hebrew literally describes a towering warrior—flesh-and-blood, weapons in hand, impossible to ignore. Scripture records him to underscore God’s power over what looks humanly unbeatable. That single line, “a man of great stature,” becomes a template for every intimidating obstacle the people of God still meet today. How the Story Unfolds • The giant steps onto the field at Gath. • Jonathan (David’s nephew) “struck him down” (v. 21). • The text closes: “These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and his servants” (v. 22). Facing Our Personal Giants—Takeaways • Giants are real, but they are numbered. ‑ Israel could list them: Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4), the Anakim (Deuteronomy 9:2), this man at Gath. ‑ Your “giants” have names too—addiction, fear, bitterness—but God also keeps count and limits them (1 Corinthians 10:13). • Giants do not fall to size-for-size combat. ‑ Jonathan was no match physically, yet he won because “the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). ‑ Your victory rests on the same premise: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD (Zechariah 4:6). • Giants resurface after earlier victories. ‑ Gath appears repeatedly in David’s record. Yesterday’s triumph is not today’s armor; we need fresh dependence daily (Matthew 6:11). • Giants sharpen community courage. ‑ David’s men learned bravery from their leader’s earlier showdown with Goliath. Your stand emboldens others (Philippians 1:14). • Giants fall the same way every time—faith expressed in obedient action. ‑ Jonathan “struck him down”; faith moves, swings, speaks (James 2:17). Practical Steps When Your Giant Appears 1. Identify it by name—call it what it is. 2. Recall God’s past deliverances (Psalm 77:11-12). 3. Affirm His promise aloud—“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). 4. Take the next obedient action—write the apology, cut the card, make the call. 5. Celebrate the fall; testimony feeds the faith of the camp (Revelation 12:11). The Bottom Line The “man of great stature” proves that giants, however formidable, remain under the sovereign hand of God. They rise, God responds, they fall. The pattern is fixed; our role is trust-fueled obedience. |
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