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Deuteronomy 3 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
They told Moses, “We explored the land and found it to be rich and fertile; and here is some of its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and their cities are very large and well fortified. Even worse, we saw the descendants of the giants there.
Numbers 13:27-28 GNB
The giants the people were referring to were called Rephaim. These larger-than-life warriors were dispersed all throughout Canaan, and the Bible uses many terms to describe them including Nephilim, Zuzim, Emim, and Anakim. Based on Genesis 6:1–4, one perspective is that fallen angels (the sons of God) had sexual relations with women, resulting in the birth of the Nephilim (more on this later). We do not know if the Raphaim were remnants of the Nephilim or not, but the main fact to take away is that they were gigantic, fearsome warriors. Even ancient Egyptian documents refer to giants who lived in Canaan.
These people were led by Og king of Bashan. Deuteronomy 3:11 states that his coffin was made of iron and measured 13 feet 6 inches long by 6 feet wide. He was truly a giant! The problem with the former generation was that they were terrified of these “giants” and did not believe God would lead them to victory.
Spiritual Warfare
The Rephaim represented the spiritual resistance that has existed since creation began. As I mentioned, in Genesis 6, the created spiritual beings (sons of God) rebelled against Him. There is strong biblical evidence that the “sons of God” are part of God’s heavenly host and distinct from humans (Job 1:6; Psalm 82). Jude writes of how these spiritual beings were disobedient and left their proper domain, engaging in inappropriate relations with human women (daughters of men).
“Now I want to remind you, although you came to know all these things once and for all, that Jesus saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe; [6] and the angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the judgment on the great day. [7] Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”
Jude 1:5-7 CSB
Notice the comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah and the perversion that occurred there. So, what’s the point? The Israelites’ fear of these giants is not just about physical size but is also tied to the supernatural implications of their existence. The giants were seen as manifestations of a spiritual threat, representing both physical might and a legacy of divine rebellion. The giants were not merely large humans but were viewed as beings associated with spiritual warfare. They are attempting to disrupt the plans of God by injecting fear into the children of God, and the same is true today.
Not all of Israel was fearful, though.
Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” 31 But the men who had gone up with him responded, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are!”
Numbers 13:30-31 HCSB
Caleb was full of faith, but the majority shouted him down. As we see here in Deuteronomy 3, their fear was unfounded. The enemy cannot thwart God’s plans.
God leads people who trust Him into battles they have no business fighting. He does this for His glory, to reveal to us that He is over all things and that no one can overcome His plans. He wants to use humans to restore and reveal His glory to the cosmos. This is such an interesting aspect of God’s character. The promise to defeat His enemies and lead His people into the Promised Land was guaranteed. It was His sovereign plan.
However, we also see that God will not force us to trust and obey that plan. The first generation didn’t trust Him, so… He waited… and waited… and waited.
- God’s plans will never fail.
- If we don’t trust Him, He will patiently wait until we repent or perish.
Our God is a patient God. Repentance was always an option for the older generation of Numbers. They could have changed their mind and their behavior and turned back to God. Instead, they perished. As this new generation sprung up, they decided to put their full trust in God, and the results speak for themselves here in Deuteronomy 3. God led them to slay the giants.
Who are the giants in your life that you are fearful of? What plan of God is possibly being delayed because you don’t trust Him? Our God is a patient and loving God. He meets us where we are and calls us forward despite our fears. What does this mean for you today?