Don't Fear Nephilim (Joshua 10:16-28) Series

Goliath is a descendant of the Nephilim. He was real. It's not just a kid's story.

Who was terrified of Goliath? Who was shattered, every time he stepped forward? Every single Israelite-- except David.

So this is what I think is happening in the OT (and this is straight Michael Heiser, basically). There's a group of powerful, spiritual beings called sons of God, who deliberately rebelled against Yahweh. They didn't respect the boundary Yahweh made between the spiritual realm, and the earthly realm, and they impregnated human women. The end result was the Nephilim. And what these Nephilim represent, is a competing blood line. We, as humans, image God. We are made in God's image. But the Nephilim image the sons of God. They are opposed to Yahweh's plan for the world. They resist him. They will fight to keep their land. They will fight to kill off his special chosen people Israel.

Yahweh is determined to wipe these Nephilim out. He will kherem them all. Moses started the process. Joshua is making fine progress toward this. Did you ever wonder why Saul was rejected as king? He was rejected as king because he half-heartedly attacked the descendants of the Nephilim (1 Samuel 15:7-21; 28:18). In fact, he was killed by the very descendants he was supposed to have killed himself.

And David? King David is remembered as a man after God's own heart, in large part because he is the one who finished them off. He personally killed Goliath, and he wiped out the last remaining strongholds of the Nephilim among the Philistines.

So returning to our passage this morning. Why does Joshua make his commanders put their feet on the necks of these Amorite kings? Why are the commanders terrified, and shattered? I think the answer is clear. These kings are terrifying. They are giants. They are half-human, half-elohim. So Joshua uses these five kings as an object lesson to the commanders. These Amorites bleed. They die. And Yahweh will do thus to all of your enemies. So don't be terrified. Don't be shattered.

Whenever I teach, I (almost) always hear my sister's voice buried inside my brain, telling me I'm supposed to apply the Bible. I have to help people see why the Bible matters. I'm not sure what I would say at this point, that you'd remember. But let me try this:

If the Israelites didn't need to fear the giant descendants of the Nephilim, because Yahweh is the More Powerful One, then who should you fear? Who could possibly stand against God, if these kings can't? No one.

God always wins in the end. God will eventually do to all of his enemies, just like he did to these five kings.