God’s Giant Youth

Robert Wadlow (1918 – 1940) was the tallest person in history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. He was known as the Alton Giant (or Giant of Illinois) because he was born in and grew up in Alton, Illinois. He reached a height of 8 feet, 11.1 inches and weighed 485 pounds at the time of his death at age 22. How did Wadlow grow to be so large? Doctors believe it was caused by hypertrophy of his pituitary gland, which results in an abnormally high level of human growth hormone. Robert showed no end to his growth, even at his death. His shoe size was 37AA. Unfortunately, his height had its drawbacks. He needed leg braces in order to walk and had little feeling in his legs and feet. Ten days before his death, while traveling on a tour, his ankle became infected because of a faulty leg brace. On July 15, 1940, he died in his sleep.

The Bible tells us that David fought against a giant named Goliath, who stood about 9-½ feet tall. His staff was “like a weaver’s beam,” which is the bar to which the long threads are fastened in a cloth-making loom, probably two inches in diameter. The iron spearhead weighed about 15 pounds.

Saul’s army stood shaking in their boots every time Goliath came out and defied the God of Israel. But David knew that while the weapons of man are no match for giants, he also understood that God’s power can save man. That’s true for you as well as you face your own giants.

Key Bible Texts

Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. (1 Samuel 17:45 KJV)