Daily Devotional for Friday, January 5

David and the Philistines

“And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued,” 1 Chronicles 20:4.

You have heard of David and Goliath. But have you heard of Sibbechai and Sippai? What about Elhanan and Lahmi? Although these last two do not get the attention of the first, there were more giants battled in the Old Testament than Goliath alone. As you read the Old Testament, giants in the land are mentioned frequently, beginning in Genesis 6 and going forward. All through the time of conquest and into the kingdom era, giants were met and vanquished.

It is difficult to know exactly what to do with this part of Scripture. We do not face giants as were depicted here, but we are expected to believe this. I think there are reasonable ways for us to deal with this phenomenon. First, the Bible presents them as real, so we believe it. Second, the giants were always depicted as siding against God. These beings were arrayed with the enemies of God and never came to fight for the side of God. Finally, it is probably best to understand that these giants were at the very least animated by the power of Satan. All indications point toward demonic backing.

What we see is not always all we face. David had a recurring problem with the Philistines, but we see some of these forces within the Philistines were these giants. Likewise, many of our problems surface in one form, but there is often an animating force behind them that is the real problem. Paul put it this way: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). We fight a spiritual battle, so we must fight with spiritual weapons.

REFLECTION

Remember the true enemy, remember your weapons and remember the One who fights for you.

Jason Rutherford