By Pastor Nicholas Schmidlin, Pastor, Faith Lutheran Church
Jason, Freddy and Pennywise… sure, they’re scary. But the Bible’s lineup of monsters? They’re even more chilling… and surprisingly faith-forming when approached with humor and grace. From Nephilim giants to Leviathan sea-monsters, the biblical world was certainly no stranger to the “monster mash,” and we can learn a lot from them!
Take the Nephilim (Gen. 6:4), the legendary giants born of divine-human unions. These colossal beings teach us that faith often stretches us beyond our ordinary limits and sometimes, even beyond comfort zones.
Or how about the Leviathan (Job 3:8), the mighty sea creature referenced in several books of the Bible? When God tames that monster, it reminds us that no chaos, no matter how deep or dark can overwhelm God’s love.
Then there’s Lilith (Isa. 34:14), originally a chilling figure winged and wild who transforms into a symbol of empowerment in later traditions. Even such monstrous characters can help us see redemption, transformation and new perspectives through God’s lens.
And don’t forget demons, ghosts and Beelzebul (Mt. 12:24) names that still give us pause. The Bible uses these images not to terrify us, but to teach us that no darkness, no spiritual shadow, has power over the light of Christ.
This month, when you’re sorting candy by color or carving pumpkins, remember even the scariest Bible monsters have lessons tucked inside their tales. They remind us that faith isn’t about hiding from fear it’s about trusting that the One who created everything, (even the monsters), is also the One who transforms every fear into faith.
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