When I read certain passages in the Bible, I think that I am reading about people who must be spiritual giants. I struggle to walk by faith when things are relatively smooth and easy. But these folks trust God in very harsh and difficult times. They must be giants of the faith!
The question is, How can we do this? Is this only for the spiritual giants?
No, this is not only for the super-spiritual but for all believers. It is as simple as keeping the faith. Simple, but it is a spiritual battle.
The basis of this faith is trusting the promises of God. Faith is foundational to the Christian life and starts with salvation. There is only one faith,1 and the faith that begins the Christian life is the same faith that trusts God in the most difficult circumstances.
Daniel
One such passage is found in the book of Daniel, where he seems to be talking about folks who are spiritual giants. One phrase in particular says, ‘The people who know their God will display strength and take action.’ The statement comes from Daniel 11:32 during one of Daniel’s prophetic visions.
The vision in Daniel 11 describes the warring groups in the Grecian empire right after the reign of Alexander the Great. After almost two hundred years of fighting, the vision speaks of a conquering king and his treatment of the Jews. This king would slaughter many in Israel and defile God’s sanctuary.
The phrase in Daniel 11:32 comes from a section in the vision right when the conquering king causes this devastation. The king convinces some in Israel to reject God, but others remain faithful to God and resist the king.
Daniel 11:32-35
Here is the passage from Daniel 11:32-35 where the phrase occurs. The passage begins with the king and his deception:
32 “And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. 33 And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days. 34 Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. 35 And some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge, and make them pure, until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.”
The idea in this passage is that those who walk by faith will not succumb to the forces of evil around them. Instead they will take action to resist evil, trust God, and it will purify them (35). (For more on this thought, see my post, Refined by Persecution.)
The folks keeping the faith in this passage from Daniel know they can trust God. They are described as those who have insight, which means that they have spiritual maturity. Part of spiritual maturity is knowing that God can be trusted and that He will not let us down.
Not Disappointed
God promises that when we believe in Jesus, we will not be disappointed or put to shame. Peter tells us about this faith in 1 Peter 2:5-6:
“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”2
Peter addresses believers and is describing our spiritual life. In the last clause, many Bible translations use the expression, ‘not be put to shame,’ or ‘not be disappointed.’ Faith in Jesus results in no shame because our expectation and hope in Him is not defeated or disappointed.
Peter is quoting Isaiah where God contrasts believers with those who trust false ideas. The difference is stark -especially when trouble comes! The passage is instructive for our faith, so we will take a look at it.
Isaiah 28:15-20
“Because you have said,
“We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, for we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.”“Therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.3
“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level; Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters will overflow the secret place. Your covenant with death will be canceled, and your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the overwhelming scourge passes through, then you become its trampling place. As often as it passes through, it will seize you; For morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, and it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.”
The bed is too short on which to stretch out, and the blanket is too small to wrap oneself in.”
The Storm
When the storm comes, the hail pounds and the water will rise, and it will reveal where your trust resides. If you trust in falsehood, you will be trampled!
However, if you trust in the cornerstone laid in Zion by God, you will not be disturbed.
Short Beds and Blankets
The word picture at the end is great! I dislike short beds or beds with footboards. Almost all mattresses are too short for me and I am not able to stretch out. It is very uncomfortable. Queen size bed? Too short. California king? Still too short! Footboards look nice but compound the problem -I can’t hang off the end even if I wanted to. (Which I don’t!)
Then there is the blanket. Being married and learning how to share a blanket can be a challenge. Or, in his example, the blanket is just too small. Imagine trying to get cozy and snuggle up in a blanket, but the blanket is too small. It is a constant struggle and it does not bring comfort.
The outcome is clear. You will not avoid the calamity, or learn how to deal with it. Instead it will be, ‘sheer terror to understand’, and it will just keep coming ‘morning after morning’.
Conclusion
Spiritual giants can be found among us. They are the ones just like you or me who trust God and His promises. They keep trusting Him, because He is trustworthy. The more we trust God, the more our faith grows.
We can trust Him in every area of our life. He is the firm foundation that our lives can be built on. In Him, we will not be disappointed or put to shame. In Him, we can become spiritual giants!
Appendix
When Peter quotes Isaiah, he modifies the passage a bit. Isaiah 28:16 says,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.”
Peter quotes the passage in 1 Peter 2:6 and says,
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
Making alterations like this is a common occurrence in biblical writings. Paul does the same thing with this very passage in Romans 9:33 and 10:11.
Ellicott’s Commentary speaks to this practice, and specifically applied to this passage:
“Such an addition being quite in keeping with the Rabbinic method of quotation, which frequently alters words to bring out the concealed intention more fully. It comes to the same thing in the end: [He who trusts in the Lord], “shall not find his confidence misplaced.”4
1 Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
2 All caps in the New Testament indicate an Old Testament quote.
3 See the appendix for information about the quote.
4 Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers