In my last post, Giants Part 1, I wrote of a time when aberrations like Goliath and those before him were part of the historical and spiritual landscape. In Part 2, I’ll attempt to shed some light on the spiritual forces common to those seven nations in ancient Canaan and let you see that those same forces are very much alive in the world and in individuals today.
Giants, as written of in the Old Testament, no longer exist. The Passion Translation of Jude states, “There were heavenly messengers in rebellion who went outside their rightful domain of authority and abandoned their appointed realms. God bound them in everlasting chains and is keeping them in the dark abyss of the netherworld until the judgement of the great day.” End of story? Not so.
Those same spiritual forces are at work today, just as they were in the time of Moses and Joshua. In Deuteronomy 7, God commanded Israel to go into Canaan and cast out the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. They were to make no covenant with them nor show them any mercy. They were to burn all their carved images to other gods and to not covet the silver or gold from which they were made, lest they be snared by it. But they were ensnared and kept joining with these nations to their detriment. After all they went through in the desert, Israel found themselves having to constantly fight for that which should have been theirs. And in the book of Judges 2:3, the Angel of the Lord tells Israel that these nations and their ways would be a detriment to Israel and their gods would be a snare to them. This is no different today. This is a small sampling of some of the wickedness encountered from each tribe Israel was to dispossess, just as we must today.
1. Hittites- aggressive; caused great fear and confusion whose symptoms can slip into the mind of unsuspecting people who do not watch the enemy’s tactics. Causes discouragement. Today you see it in those who feel problems are too big and look for easy way out. Even those who feel helpless, so they follow conspiracy theories to feel that they are part of something bigger.
2. Girgashites- spirit that draws people to earthly things. Unstable. Need to hold something in your hand to believe it. Today you see that in those that backslide. That which is eternal becomes secondary to that which you have right now. People who are unstable in all their ways.
3. Amorites- arrogant and boastful. In their speech they challenge others even when wrong. Prideful. Faultfinders. Overly high self-esteem. These traits are the same today.
4. Canaanites- merchandisers who often humiliate. Motivated by greed and lust. Accumulating earthly possessions rather than treasure in Heaven. Seek their own greatness no matter who they hurt. Seeks friendship with the world and its riches which places you at odds with God.
5. Perizzites- separate themselves, therefore leaving themselves unprotected. Lacks discipline. Puts no restriction on their actions. Low self-esteem. Spiritual and even material poverty. These are sometimes people lacking purpose and sometimes hope.
6. Hivites- offer a good but dangerous lifestyle. Live high on the hog. Sort of if it feels good, do it. Don’t care what people think. Self-indulgent. Hedonistic. Self-centered.
7. Jebusites- warlike. Believe others are inherently inferior. Racist. Exploit others for own means without regard to those they use. Immoral in thought and deed.
The spiritual forces that operated then are no different today. One can look at the history of the world and the history of our country and see how these same bad traits were part of our heritage and still are. We don’t wrestle with flesh and blood but spiritual forces of darkness of this age, just as it was in the land of Canaan. Max Lucado wrote in Facing Your Giants, “He (satan) vies for the bedside position, hoping to be the first voice you hear. He covets your waking thoughts, those early pillow born emotions. He awakes you with words of worry and stirs you with thoughts of stress. If you dread the day before you begin your day, Mark It Down; your giant has been in your head.” This seems to be everywhere today. Hard to get away from. The news and papers are filled with bad reports and it seems that those we once looked to for solace have now taken sides. Things we once took for granted as the true and proven words of Christ now have been subjected to whatever interpretation fits the needs. How can that be so? Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.” But when people are allowed to use His word for their own means, we must rise up and make some good trouble. Make yourself heard. Look at and embrace the weapons of our warfare as listed in Ephesians 6. Fulfill what was spoken in Micah 6:8, “Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord your God.”
I say again that those spirits of evil intent all those years ago still are allowed to exist today. Take up your sword. Make a stand. Romans 16:19-20 tells us to be wise in what is good and innocent of evil and the God of peace will soon crush this enemy under our feet. We must stomp this under our feet. If you still hold on to that which works to undermine His intentions for us, you will remain and die in the desert. We have a promise land that is ours. Though we are surrounded by that which can bring us down and detract us, walk in faith. Hold fast to His word. Turn from lies and fables. Be especially aware that there are those that have a form of godliness, but not His power. They put themselves and their agenda first. They seem to always be coming out with some new knowledge or word, yet never come to a true knowledge of His truth, regardless of the title they may adorn themselves with.
There is so much that can be discussed here, but I’ll leave it to another time. Remain steadfast in the knowledge that He who is everything is faithful, and He is speaking if you listen. It is as simple as if it does not measure up to His word, reject it. Walk in His light. May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and the patience of Christ. And as John ended his first epistle in 1 John 5:21, “Little children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.” Blessings.
Stand My Watch 