God Send Shamgar!

After their refusal to trust God, God allowed them to wander around the wilderness for 40 years until the Faithless generation that refused died off, and the younger generation rose up & believed God.

God brought them through the Jordan River and into Canaan’s Land.

The Land of Promise. (As God had promised to Abraham’s descendants. Gen. 13:14-18 “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.”

Once in the Promised Land, Joshua died and his generation that secured the land for the COI. Yet, the COI after him disobeyed the LORD and did not drive out the inhabitants. (Jg. 2:1-3)

Because of this, the COI went through cycles of:

Sin

Subjection

Repentance

Restoration

And they were restored when God raised up a Judge to deliver them from their bondage.

Othniel

We examined National Revival - and the principles in that deliverance that mirror how God can deliver you and I from the Judgment we’re under now.

After 40 years of peace, the COI fell into sin again & God brought them under subjection of Eglon, king of Moab. In subjection for 18 years.

Ehud

(Questions)

What was wrong with him? (Lefthanded)

How did he Kill Eglon? (Stabbed him in the belly)

Where did he hide the dagger? (Right thigh)

What did Eglon do? (Messed himself)

What did we learn?

When things are in your life that shouldn’t be, it’s not long before Eglon takes command. (Eglon being sin)

Sin & Apathy prevent Revival

You don’t have to be perfect to be used of God in a great way

God will Provide Victory if you provide availability

Today we’re going to look at a Judge who is only mentioned in passing. A judge by the name of Shamgar.

The story of Shamgar has for many years had an impact on my life. I love the story, the succinct nature of the story, how he delivered Israel… It’s just a great verse of Scripture that says so much in so few words.

The title of this message is ‘God send Shamgar’. I titled it that because as I contemplated what kind of man this was, I deduced that it’s exactly the kind of men we need today! We need for God to send us some Shamgar’s!

With that said, I want to first take a look About Shamgar

I. About Shamgar

No Regal Origin

Shamgar was not part of a dynasty.

When we look back at someone like Rehoboam King of Judah… Do you know why Rehoboam became king? Because his daddy was Solomon. (It certainly wasn’t because he was brilliant, as his actions proved otherwise). It was because his daddy was Solomon.

Btw, do you know why Solomon became king? Now I know that he was blessed and endowed by God, but Solomon was in the right place at the right time because he was David’s boy.

Shamgar didn’t have any of that.

He didn’t deliver Israel because he was somebody’s son

He delivered Israel because he allowed himself to be used of God!

No Regal Origin

No Reputation

Shamgar wasn’t the name about town. He was the ‘son of Anath’ - do you know who Anath is? Yeah, nobody else does either! The ‘learned’ can’t even decide on whether the Bible is talking about a person or a place or reference with the name ‘Anath’.

He wasn’t a socialite

He wasn’t in government

He wasn’t in the theater

He wasn’t in the ministry

Do you know what he was? He was a farmer. He was a ‘nobody’.

(Ill.) You all know how it is - especially in a small town like this: There are people and names that are instantly recognizable and have influence, and then there are others.

Do you know who else was a virtual ‘nobody’? His name was prophesied as ‘Immanuel’ but He’s called Jesus! Though He was God in the flesh, the Bible tells us: Php. 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

He didn’t deliver Israel because it was expected of Him

He didn’t deliver Israel because everybody was looking to him to do so

He delivered Israel because he allowed himself to be used of God!

He was of No Reputation

No Historical Recognition

How many of you were familiar with this man Shamgar before today?

(I preached on him about 6 months ago) If that’s where you’re familiar with him.

Guess what - if you spoke the name “Shamgar” to most Christians today, most wouldn’t have the slightest idea of whom you are speaking about.

Now this is important. Consider that this man’s name is listed twice in the best selling, most published books OF ALL TIME - FOR DOING A TRULY AMAZING FEAT AND DELIVERING A PEOPLE FROM BONDAGE! Yet, for 99.9% of people don’t have the faintest clue who he is.

Let me ask you a couple questions:

Do you think that had Shamgar did this for the recognition of man?

Do you think he regrets today doing that because of the lack of recognition from this world?

I’ll step out & say this: I think it’s evident that when Shamgar stepped into the presence of God and heard the words ‘Well done thou good & faithful servant!’, he could have cared less about what man had to say about it!

You see & that’s something that you and I can learn:

Christianity is not about doing what’s right for the applause of men, it’s about pleasing the LORD!

So whether you’re looking at it from the past, present or future - Shamgar was a nobody in the eyes of man. But guess what - he STILL did great things for God!

About Shamgar. Next, we’ll look at Shamgar’s Attitude

II. Shamgar’s Attitude

Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.

Zig Ziglar

In other words it’s how you approach a situation not how smart or dumb you are that determines whether you’re going to be successful or not.

This is true in the secular world to a degree - but it’s especially true for the Christian.

Attitude is the mind’s paintbrush, it can color any situation.

Unknown

In other words, no matter what is going on - whether it’s feast or famine, wedding or funeral - the attitude in which you approach it oftentimes determines what you do or say about it.

(Ill.) I love bro. Jeff. He’s the ultimate optimist. We often discuss various things and he is most suredly the ‘glass is half full’ type of guy. If I called him up and said ‘I just broke my left leg’, he’d say ‘Well, at least it wasn’t your right one!’

By Shamgar’s actions, what can we deduce about his attitude?

Confident (Full of Faith)

One thing that we can say is that Shamgar had faith in his God!

No man - in his right mind - would attack 600 men without faith.

So what is faith? More so, why is it so important?

And make no mistake - Faith is not a ‘nice thing to have’ - it’s essential to the Christian faith!

We must be saved by it: Eph.2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

We are commanded to walk by it: Rom. 1:17 “For therein (the gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

Faith is essential - so what is it?

The Bible (def) Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Webster’s (def) The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition advanced by another; belief, on probable evidence of any kind.

I define it (def) Taking God at His Word. Placing confidence in what God says.

For instance:

Rom. 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

I believe that God loved me as unlovable as I was - mired in sin, enough that Christ died for me - I just believe that!

Joh. 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

I believe that! I believe that if I have faith in Jesus, I will not perish in Hell, but have everlasting life in Heaven!

Gal. 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

I believe that man cannot be justified by the works of the law, but only by faith of Christ

You see, I just take God at His Word! Shamgar trusted in the God of Heaven! The one who delivered the COI from Egypt, through the Wilderness & brought them into Canaan’s Land!

Shamgar was a man of Confidence - a man of faith

Courageous (Fearless)

Not only was he full of Faith, but he was fearless as well.

I use that word ‘fearless’ a little reckless, as Courageous and fearless don’t mean exactly the same things.

Courage (def) bravery; the quality of mind that engages danger w/ firmness.

In other words, it’s not the absence of fear, but rendering fear powerless! Moving forward in spite of fear

I can’t imagine facing 600 enemies in battle to the death and not having some sort of fear. Now what we don’t know is whether this was 600 at a time or 600 total, but it doesn’t really matter… fear would be present regardless.

So we know that Shamgar was Courageous

Constant (Faithful)

One after another, Shamgar continued.

Imagine battling men to the death - the toil of thrusting a man through with a spear, or slicing them open with a spade… through the pain & drudgery, Shamgar remained constant.

He didn’t kill a few and then washed his hands & said ‘I did my part’. He continued until the job was done! Until the Delivery was made!

You and I - if we’re going to have victory, we must continue - THROUGH THE GOOD AND THE BAD. We can’t be ‘here today, gone tomorrow’. Faith is not something to EXPERIENCE, but it’s something to EXERCISE!

Now, couple this constancy with confidence - being faithful and the impact on faith. After each man, certainly Shamgar would grow more confident!

You see, Faith will grow when we are faithful to do our part.

Shamgar was Constant - Faithful to the mission God called him to do

We’ve learned About Shamger & Shamgar’s Attitude, Next we see Shamgar’s Actions

III. Shamgar’s Actions

He Surrendered All

Shamgar had no exit plan

Shamgar had no ‘door #2’

Shamgar had no ‘plan b’

Shamgar gave of his very life to do the Will of God! Can you say the same?

God send Shamgar!

Do you know why most people don’t & will never do anything great for God with their life? Because they’re unwilling to give their life to God.

I’m not talking about trusting Christ for Salvation - that’s the easy part. The hard part is putting God FIRST in your LIFE, in EVERY ASPECT of your LIFE, at ALL TIMES IN your LIFE!

The Bible tells us: Pro. 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

If you want to do something great for God with your life, you must Surrender ALL - not some, not part - but ALL.

Shamgar Surrendered All

He Shifted Focus

From Feeding to Freeing. He deemed at that time, one was more important than the other. (There’s a time & season for all things…)

Shamgar was a farmer by trade. We know this by the tool that he used, which we’ll discuss in a moment. But there came a time when Shamgar said “I can’t continue to do the things that I’ve always done. I must act! I must get involved! To stand by while the enemy rages is sin!” So Shamgar STOPPED worrying about the physical necessities and stood in the gap for the LORD!

Church, there comes a time - and now is, when Christians must stand up and say “Enough is enough! I must act! I must get involved! I must set aside the temporal things and set my heart upon the Spiritual needs around me! The Enemy rages! to stand by is sin!”

If there was ever time in the history of the Church where Christians needed to shift their focus, is today! The enemy rages all around! to stand by and not act is sin! God send Shamgar!

Jam. 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Shamgar Shifted Focus

He Utilized a Spear & Spade

It’s time I explain what an ‘ox-goad’ is if you’re unfamiliar. Back in olden times, when men would work to plow the ground, they didn’t hook up a turning plow to the 3pt of their John Deere, they strapped a plow to an ox or yoke of oxen and followed him down the furrows. (describe the ox-goad) about 6ft long w/ a sharp point on one end, and a spade on the other - to prod the ox & clean the plow.

Now one might wonder “Why in the world did he use that?” The answer is quite simple - it’s all he had!

The Philistines when they came to rule over the COI, they banned blacksmith shops so that they couldn’t forge weapons of warfare. They figured a disarmed people are a people easy to rule.

(Ill.) Guess what - our forefathers believed the same thing, that’s why they made the provision in the 2nd amendment. (btw, the 2nd amendment was not meant for the purpose of self protection or hunting. It’s purpose was to restrain a tyrannical government.) It’s for that purpose that it’s in the best interest of a free people to not be restricted at all concerning firearms, but they should have opportunity to be as well equipped as the governing military.

You see the grand lesson in Shamgar is that he used what he had and did what he could!

And this is all the LORD is asking of you! Use what you have & do what you can! Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something! Take what you have and do what you can! God send Shamgar!

Shamgar Surrendered all, Shifted his focus & Utilized a Spear and Spade

We’ve learned About Shamger & Shamgar’s Attitude, Shamgar’s Actions & Finally - Shamgar’s Ability

IV. Shamgar’s Ability

God Enabled

Shamgar’s victory was God enabled. A man cannot have a victory like that without the hand of God guiding him.

Just as:

God guided the Rock from David

God closed the door of the Ark

God fought for Joshua, Othniel, Ehud - God brings the Victory!

Ps. 98:1 “O sing unto the Lord a new song; For he hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.”

I don’t know what battles you’re facing or will face, but I know this ‘Salvation is of the LORD’!

God enabled

God Encouraged

Not only did God enable Shamgar, but He encouraged him as well.

You might ask, ‘How did God encourage him?’ Much in this way: You see, God didn’t give Shamgar one great victory, he gave him 600 small ones.

Whenever you ‘let go & let God’, God will begin to use you in ways you wouldn’t believe! You place faith in Him, and He’ll bring you victory - and each victory feeds into your faith.

But in order to experience 600 victories, you’ve got to experience the one first. And you can’t truly have victory unless:

You’re Confident in God and Courageous

You Surrender All

You Shift your focus from the temporal to the eternal

You be content with doing what you can with what you’ve got.

You do that, God will encourage you to - with victory after victory!

God Encouraged Shamgar

Conclusion

The Title of the message is ‘God send Shamgar’ - but I think the better prayer would be ‘God make ME a Shamgar!’

We have people desire to be David’s - men of reputation & royalty, but few want to be Shamgars. WBU?

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