THE REPHAIM were remembered by Israel as giants, or at least as people who venerated the giants of the pre-Flood world. That’s why God marked them for destruction before Israel entered the Promised Land.
This week, we discuss the history of the Israelites as told by Moses while the people camped in the Arabah, before they began their campaign to take Canaan from the Amorites.
Moses reminded the Israelites that their fear of the Anakim had caused them to rebel against God, which led to forty years of wandering in the wilderness. We give our reasons for believing that this was in the vicinity of Petra in Jordan. Moses also noted that God used the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites to eliminate the Rephaim, and those allied with them like the Horites (Hurrians) and Amorites, from the Transjordan.
Then we discuss Og of Bashan and why the location of his kingdom was considered the literal entrance to the netherworld. We bring in some Jewish traditions about Og, and later texts from Amorite and Phoenician sources that portray Og as a semi-mythical underworld entity connected to the deities Rapiu (“King of Eternity”) and Malik (Molech).
Our book Giants, Gods & Dragons is available in Kindle and paperback! Get it as part of a great package with more than 27 hours of our video teachings at the SkyWatchTV Store or at Amazon.com.
JOIN US IN ISRAEL (NOTE NEW DATES)! Our next tour of Israel is Oct. 24–Nov. 3, 2027, with an optional three-day extension to Jordan. For more information and to reserve your place, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel.
NOTE: If you’e going with us to Israel, you’ll need to apply for a visa online before you travel. The cost is 25 NIS (about $7.50). Log on here: https://www.gov.il/en/departments/topics/eta-il/govil-landing-page
Click here for the complete archive of our New Testament Bible studies to date, click here for the Old Testament studies to date, and click here for our studies of the Book of 1 Enoch to date. Or go to www.spreaker.com/show/gilbert-house-fellowship for all of the audio.