Sizing Up the Giants
by Oliver Carlos
When I was a little Sunday school boy, I used to imagine Goliath to be as big as Voltez V. We humans would be just as tall as his ankle. But as I grew up, I started reading the Bible myself, and I came across the actual story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. I discovered for myself Goliath’s real height.
The Bible specifically says that Goliath’s height was 6 cubits and a span. Back in those days, they haven’t invented feet and meters yet. People in the ancient times used cubits and spans. One cubit is the length of a regular man’s arm, from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Meanwhile, a span is the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky. A span is half-a-cubit.
Compared to contemporary measurements, the cubit is around 18 inches, while the span is around 9 inches. Therefore, Goliath’s height is roughly 9 feet and 9 inches. Wow! That’s around the height of a basketball hoop. He may not be as tall as Voltez V, but Goliath was still extremely tall by human standards. Shaquille O’Neal is 7’2”, Kai Sotto is 7’3” and Yao Ming is 7”6”. They’re more than 2 feet shorter than the Bible character Goliath. The heads of these basketball giants won’t even reach Goliath’s shoulders.
I could just imagine how the Israelite army got terrified just seeing Goliath in full battle gear taunting them. Goliath was asking the enemy army to provide him a one-on-one competitor. Whoever loses, his nation would be slaves of the other. He also cussed at Israel’s God. Nobody from Israel would fight Goliath 1v1, until David heard of the challenge. At this time, David was just a “boy,” probably a young man or a teenager.
What made David rise to the challenge? What made him win over the giant? I once heard a basketball coach say to his undersized players, “It’s not how big you are, but how big you play.” Those motivational words would surely fire up a little dude play like Allen Iverson. But I have a better version: “It’s not how big your enemy is, but how big your God is.”
David knew he belonged to the one and only true and living God. He knew his God is all-powerful, and no problem is too big for him. David sees Goliath as a tiny enemy facing the God of Israel. He said in 1 Samuel 17:37 (ERV):
“The Lord saved me from the lion and the bear. He will also save me from this Philistine.”
David wasn’t afraid of Goliath because he knew his God so well. He’s sure of God’s faithfulness because of his past experiences. God delivered David from wild animals before, thus the shepherd boy banked on this in his battle with Goliath. He trusted God with all his heart, and the object of his faith is as trustworthy as ever.
What gigantic problem are you facing today? Remember that God will never leave you nor forsake you. God is the bigger giant, more enormous than your largest woe. Use your status as child of God in facing your troubles. You will surely overcome.
