Shammah: the last of the Mighties

Introduction

God’s command and promise to Israel from Exodus 23:20-33

God spoke through Moses, a man, and gave Israel as a whole instructions on how they were to live and a command that they were supposed to enter Canaan.

God didn’t speak directly to Shammah and tell him what he needed to do. But Shammah at some point must have read or heard God’s promise about them inheriting Canaan and decided that he would act according to that promise.

Jesus’ command and promise to the church from Matthew 28:16-20

Jesus gave instruction to the disciples and the church on what they were to do and how they were to bring about God’s kingdom.

Likewise, though we know that Jesus did not directly speak to us in these verses, His command, His promise, still applies to us as and we should act according to that promise.

So let us look at Shammah in that light. An Israelite that knew God’s Word, that knew His promises and did something with them. Let us then follow his example of acting upon God’s Word.

General thoughts and notes

Possibly mentioned 1 Chronicles 11:27, but with no backstory other than being called “valiant men of the armies”. So he was strong, he was bold, but he was still a soldier, not a general or a captain. He was a follower, not a leader at that point.

I find it odd that even though the story of the men getting water from Bethlehem is told in both accounts, Shammah is only mentioned as being part of the three mighties, and part of the group that went to get the water in 2 Samuel 23.

Perhaps it’s an example of though we may not see the rewards for our labor immediately, God will recognize our works when we get to heaven.

To remind us to keep our motivations in check, that we serve not for the reward or for the recognition but that we should serve selflessly, we should serve without expecting anything in return. To serve because that’s who we are, not because we want people to think that’s who we are.

In 2 Samuel 23:11-12

Shammah was part of a group, the Hararites, of which there were a few of them listed in David’s valiant men.

The phrase about the “piece of ground full of lentiles” is a reference to the location of Lehi, which was where Samson took down 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. (Judges 15 ). It was supposed to be somewhere on the border of Israel and the Philistines. The only problem was that God gave all land to Israel, the Philistines were one of the groups that they were supposed to remove (Exodus 23:31) .

Perhaps that’s why Shammah was so confident in standing in the midst of it, in defending that piece of ground, because he knew God’s promise to Israel.

God would give them the land, little by little so it did not become desolate

God would help Israel to drive their enemies out of their land

God would be the One to increase them, He would strengthen them so that they could be fruitful

That Canaan was theirs, God promised it to them, that Israel would inherit the land.

Their land was to go to the sea of the Philistines,

“and slew the Philistines”

He smote them, attacked them, crippled them, killed them. This was not a Mr. Nice Guy act and kindly asking them to leave and go somewhere else.

If we look at this as a picture of the Christian and the new life in Christ (the flesh vs. the spirit) then it becomes more clear why such a harsh action is needed.

Isreal had a job, spread the name and worship of God to every land. It goes back to Genesis 12:3 where God promised that He would bless Abram and thru Abram bless all the families of the earth. A promise of the Messiah, the Deliverer

If they left people in the land, they would be snared by them, they would end up following their gods. Therefore they would miss out on what they were supposed to do. Serve God as mentioned in Exodus 23:25

I suppose I overlook that word, serve. I often relate it to the idea of worship and though it does include that idea, it really has more to do with working and toiling than just worship.

God didn’t redeem them just to set them free, He gave them a purpose, one that He had planned from the beginning.

The LORD wrought a great victory

This is Yahweh, the Almighty God, the Creator God, the Life-Giver, He Who Brings to Pass, the Performer of His Promises. And that is just a few definitions of His name.

All the promises that God had given to Israel way back before they were ever a nation. Shammah knew them, believed them, and when the fight came, stood firm on them.