Gospel Reflections #1163: Certainly not with my strength!

2 Samuel 21:22 ‘These four were descendants of Rapha of Gath, and they were slain by David and his men.’

This is a significant verse that marks the conclusion of an era, announcing the complete victory of King David and his men over the ‘descendants of the giants (descendants of Rapha)’ in Gath, the land of the Philistines.

The latter half of Chapter 21 of 2 Samuel describes how the Philistine giants—Israel’s mightiest enemies, who had once struck terror into the hearts of the people—were slain one after another, with verse 22 serving as a summary of these events.

The ‘four giants’ defeated here were: Ishbi-Benob, who wielded a heavy bronze spear but was slain by Abishai, who had come to David’s aid; ② Saph, who was slain by Sibbecai the Hushathite; ③ Lahmi, Goliath’s brother, who was slain by Elhanan of Bethlehem; and ④ the giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, who was slain by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.

They were all members of a legendary race of giants (the lineage of the Rapha), hailing from the same town (Gath) as ‘Goliath’, whom David had once defeated in his youth.

Verse 22 declares that the threat of the giants, which had plagued Israel for many years, was now completely eradicated.

In the past, it was the young David alone who had stood up to the giant Goliath.

However, verse 22 of this chapter states that they were ‘slain by the hand of David and the hand of his men’.

In his later years, as David’s physical strength waned, his men—who had grown up watching him—took his place and struck down the giants one after another.

This demonstrates that trust in God and courageous faith were not confined to David alone, but were firmly passed on to the leaders of the next generation.

The lineage of the giants (the Rephaim) had been a symbol of ‘insurmountable despair’ that had struck terror into the hearts of the people of Israel even before they entered the land of Canaan.

The emphasis in verse 22 that ‘all four were struck down’ reflects God’s truth that, in the face of His promise, no matter how deep-rooted the problem or how formidable the enemy, the matter will ultimately be brought to a complete and final conclusion.

For us living in the modern age, too, the ‘giants’ of life—such as anxiety, fear, addiction, relationship problems and past traumas—may stand in our way.

However, this scripture gives us hope that when we walk not by our own strength but by ‘faith in the Lord’, we can defeat those giants through the helpers God has prepared (such as David’s men).

The ultimate outcome of this world is God’s victory.

No matter how much defeat may seem apparent, or however long it may persist, in the end, God will triumph.

Let us believe this, and not flee or falter, but remain steadfast at God’s side.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.