Courageous Shamgar
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Background
Background
His identity is a mystery.
There is a great deal of speculation about who Shamgar was.
Some have speculated that he was a Benjamite following Ehud from that same tribe.
The “rest” after Ehud’s record was 80 years instead of typical 40 years (; ; ; ; ).
11 So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
31 “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord!
But let those who love Him be like the sun
When it comes out in full strength.”
So the land had rest for forty years.
28 Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.
14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years.
1 Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
Possibly because his record includes two judges from Benjamin.
Deborah, who follows Ehud’s 80 years, knew of Shamgar ().
6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,
In the days of Jael,
The highways were deserted,
And the travelers walked along the byways.
6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,
In the days of Jael,
The highways were deserted,
And the travelers walked along the byways.
7 Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel,
Until I, Deborah, arose,
Arose a mother in Israel.
Some have speculated that he was an Egyptian general in their campaign against the Philistines - making him an incidental deliverer of Israel.
Some have speculated that he was a Canaanite because of his name, Shamgar ben (son of) Anath.
Anath was a Canaanite goddess of war.
The name may mean “son of battle,” i.e. a great warrior.
Because he is included in Ehud’s 80 years (ca. ), I would tend toward the first view - a Benjamite following Ehud.
1 When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.
This view provides a great example of training up leaders to follow us!
It may be the peace of this period was much longer than at other times because Ehud trained (inspired) another to follow his leadership.
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2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
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1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—
Some Lessons from Shamgar
Some Lessons from Shamgar
His Weaponry
He killed 600 Philistines with an Ox Goad ().
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.
What it was.
Why he may have used such a weapon (; ).
8 They chose new gods;
Then there was war in the gates;
Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.
19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” 20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads. 22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.
Here is a man that had the courage of faith to use what he had in service to God!
He didn’t complain that he didn’t have the resources he needed to do God’s will.
He picked up what he had and used it to God’s glory!
What we might consider inadequate resources can become mighty weapons when we give them to God’s service!
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
His Courage
Shamgar had the courage of faith that God would give him the victory!
When we use what God has given us for His purposes, HE will give us the victory.
We may think we are weak and feeble in our abilities and our resources, but if we are FAITHFUL to HIM HE will give the victory.
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
