Hebrews 6:12 Standing on Spiritual Giants’ Shoulders

Image: George Coletrain via Unsplash

Think of the "giants" in life. Who comes to mind? For me, one of them is Sir Isaac Newton.

Just imagine a curious 23-year-old Newton sitting on a bench at Woolsthorpe Manor. He has been at Cambridge pursuing his studies in mathematics since he was 19 years old. He's just published a calculus paper in a prestigious mathematics journal.

We would think his mother would be proud, but since he threatened to burn her, his stepfather, and their house down, I'm not sure. Maybe someone can look that one up?

As he sits on the bench, he sees an apple fall straight down from a tree—this observation sparks (no pun intended) his curiosity and thoughts about gravity.

Giants of Mathematics and Science

Fast forward…Newton is now 32 years old and well-respected by his peers. He writes a letter to Robert Hooke, in which he says, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."

I'm sure Hooke understood that Newton was referring to Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, as well as his professors, each of whom spent decades in study and research.

Newton's humility is inspiring. Here is a genius who is crediting his mentors for helping him get to where he is. In fact, in just 12 more years, he will be internationally famous.

In 30 more years (at age 62), Newton is knighted by Queen Anne.

In a mere 62 years, Isaac Newton became Sir Isaac Newton, a household name.

What are a few Newtonian takeaways?

• It takes faith and patience to become a scientific giant

• Humility can lead to knighthood

• "Threatening" murder/arson in childhood is (apparently) a forgivable sin

But here's what Newton's story doesn't tell us: What about the scientists who spent their entire lives in the laboratory and never saw their theories proven? What about Copernicus, who died before his heliocentric model was accepted? What about the researchers who worked in obscurity, whose patience never resulted in knighthood?

And more importantly for us: What about the spiritual giants who waited their entire lives and never saw the promise fulfilled?

Standing on Spiritual Giants' Shoulders: Hebrews 6:12

In the chapters and verses before Hebrews 6:12, the writer has been encouraging Jewish believers to move beyond the "first principles of the oracles of God…the milk" (Hebrews 5:12) and on to solid food.

The writer understands that while it takes time to develop spiritual maturity, he sees them stuck in an elementary stage of development. It's like saying, "You should be the teacher now, but you haven't passed third grade!"

But then he says something crucial—something that shifts from calling them out to lifting them up:

"...that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV).

Notice what he doesn't say. He doesn't say "imitate those who quickly received the promises." He doesn't say "imitate those who saw immediate results."

He says imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Waiting Giants

Think about who these "giants" actually were:

Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac. A quarter century of looking at Sarah's aging face, month after month, year after year, wondering if God forgot His promise.

Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before he ever saw the burning bush. That's four decades of anonymity, tending sheep, his great destiny seemingly behind him.

Joseph sat in prison for years after doing the right thing, interpreting dreams for cupbearers who forgot about him the moment they walked free.

Noah preached for 120 years while building an ark, and the Bible doesn't record a single convert besides his own family.

These are our giants. Not because they succeeded quickly. Not because their patience paid off in ways they could measure. But because they kept faithful when the fruit tree showed zero apples and the calendar showed zero progress.

Our Authentic Question

So, here's what Hebrews 6:12 is actually asking us: Can you keep plowing when you can't see the harvest? Can you keep praying when heaven seems silent? Can you keep loving when the relationship seems beyond repair?

Because standing on spiritual giants' shoulders doesn't mean learning their secrets to quick success. Perhaps Eugene Peterson would say it's about learning how they endured the “long obedience in the same direction."

Newton could build on Kepler's laws immediately—read the work, apply the math, see further.

But you can't fast-forward through Abraham's decades of waiting.

You can't skip the prison years to get to Joseph's promotion.

You can't shortcut your way to the patience they had to grow into, day by day, choice by choice.

Patience Becomes Real in Christian Living

Jesus tells us: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" John 15:5 (NKJV).

And Jesus even acknowledges this within Himself: "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner" John 5:19 (NKJV).

Here's where we set Newton aside completely. As believers, humility is not optional—but more than that, patience is not our achievement. It's a fruit of the Spirit. It's what grows when we stay connected to the Vine, even when we can't see the apples yet.

So, all Christian parents of wayward children, your faith and patience will be tested in ways unimaginable. You've prayed for years. You've loved unconditionally. You've done everything right, and still the prodigal hasn't come home.

Most people lack the patience to show their children the unconditional love that God has for them. But you're standing on giants' shoulders—parents like Monica, who prayed for her son Augustine for 17 years before he came to Christ. Hannah, who waited years for Samuel, then gave him back to God. The father in Luke 15, who watched the road every single day, waiting for a son who might never return.

By calling on patience as a fruit of the Spirit, you can rise above the seemingly hopeless situation and imitate the One who is worthy of all honor and praise. Jesus.

The One who waited through 30 years of relative obscurity before three years of ministry.

The One who endured the cross "for the joy set before Him"—a joy He couldn't see yet, only believe.

The One who is still patiently waiting for every prodigal to come home.

That's our Giant. Stand on His shoulders. His patience is strong enough to hold us while we wait.