AM Bible Study Group; April 1, 2015 from Judges 3:31
Theme: The short story of the judge Shamgar teaches us that God is able to rise up the most unlikely of instruments for the most remarkable of purposes.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
We come this morning to a deliverer of the people of Israel that—in terms of the historical record of the Book of Judges—receives only one verse specifically devoted to his story. After telling the story of the judge Ehud, Judges 3:31 simply says:
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.
The fact, however, that he is given such short notice actually helps to illustrate the lesson that his brief story has to teach us. In 2 Chronicles 14:11, King Asa—in a moment of great crisis—cried out to God and said, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power . . .” In 1 Samuel 14:6, we’re told that “nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” It truly does seem to be the pleasure of our mighty God to cause great moments of victory and help for His people to turn upon His use of small, insignificant, seemingly-unlikely instruments. That should give us great hope in times of great trial.
Shamgar’s story is of such instrument in the hand of God. Consider his story; and see how God worked through . . .
I. AN UNLIKELY MAN.
A. We’re told that—at this key moment—God used “Shamgar the son of Anath”. It’s interesting to note that he is not called a “judge”, as if the writer of Judges is hesitant to name him in the number of the judges. This might be because he was—in fact—not an Israelite. Some scholars consider that his name is actually of Hittite roots. He could very possibly have been a man who came from among the peoples groups that Israel was supposed to drive out. If that was the case, then his presence—from the standpoint of the people of Israel—was the result of a failure. Note that he was “son of Anath”; which could possibly be understood to mean that he was a resident of Beth Anath—which the tribe of Naphtali failed to drive out of their territory. Judges 1:33 tells us, “Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were put under tribute to them.” He would hardly be a man, then, that we would expect to be used by God for the good of Israel!
B. Note also that we’re told that he used an “ox goad” in his work of deliverance. This was an instrument used to drive oxen behind a plow; and would suggest that Shamgar was a farmer. If he was a citizen of Beth Anath, then he may have been someone who was forced to farm the land for someone else. Again—not the type of person that someone would expect would be a great deliverer of God’s people. But God delights to do His work through unlikely people. Matthew Henry wrote that “God can make those eminently serviceable to his glory and his church’s good whose extraction, education, and employment, are very mean and obscure. He that has the residue of the Spirit could, when he pleased, make ploughmen judges and generals, and fishermen apostles.”
II. AN UNLIKELY TIME.
A. Concerning the times, we’re told that it was “after” Ehud. Ehud had been used by God to bring about rest for the land for eighty years (see v. 30). So, Shamgar’s appearance on the scene seems to occur at a time near the end of a long period of relative peace. In fact, we’re not even told that the time of trouble occurs until Judges 4:1; where it says, “When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD.”
B. The times do seem to receive more attention in the context of the story of Chapter 4; where we’re told of the courageous act of the Kenite woman Jael. Judges 5:6-7 tells us;
In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,
In the days of Jael,
The highways were deserted,
And the travelers walked along the byways.
Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel . . . (Judges 5:6-7).
These were close, then, to the times of Deborah and of Jael. The times were tough because of Canaanite oppression. People didn’t travel on the main highways; but used the back-roads to avoid the thieves and thugs. The walls of villages didn’t provide protection. But they were not yet the tough times that they soon would become. It may be that God used Shamgar to fend off tough times until God’s appointed ‘time’ for them.
III. AN UNLIKELY WEAPON.
A. Note what we’re told that Shamgar used—an ox goad. This was a farming instrument about eight feet long and about six inches around. It had a sharp prong on its lesser end for prodding the oxen; and a small iron paddle on the other for removing collected dirt and clay from the plow. In a strong hand, it could do some serious damage; but it wasn’t exactly the kind of impressive instrument someone would think of for battle. It would have been something like bringing about an astonishing military victory with a Weed-Wacker.
B. God seems to enjoy using unlikely things to great work in the book of Judges. Ehud, in the previous story, had to use a concealed dagger that he made himself (Judges 3:16). Jael slew a mighty general with a jug of milk and a hammer (4:19-21). Samson slew 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass (15:15-16). Again, Matthew Henry wrote; “It is no matter how weak the weapon is if God direct and strengthen the arm. An ox-goad, when God pleases, shall do more than Goliath’s sword. And sometimes he chooses to work by such unlikely means, that the excellency of the power may appear to be of God.”
IV. AN UNLIKELY CHALLENGE.
A. Given the circumstances, it may not seem as if much could have happened. But a staggeringly great amount did! We’re told that this farmer who was perhaps a foreigner in difficult and dangerous times, who had only a farming tool in hand, slew 600 Philistines who were threatening the land. It could have been that he had simply been working behind his plow when the Philistines sought to make an inroad into his land; and that he became inspired (and particularly empowered by God) to rise up against them.
B. It may not have even been that the Philistines had posed a significant threat to Israel yet; because we’re told that there had been a lengthy time of rest for the land. But God raised Shamgar up—in His providence—to do His work in order to fend off the Philistines from attacking His people until the time of His choosing.
V. AN UNLIKELY RESULT.
A. We’re told, “and he also delivered Israel.” Whatever this unlikely man’s motives might have been for attacking and gaining such a victory over the Philistines, God had His hand in it; and it resulted in the good of the Jewish people.
B. When, in dark times, we look over the horizon and don’t seem to see anyone rising up to stand for the cause of righteousness, let’s not despair. God is able to raise up an unlikely man, in unlikely times, with an unlikely weapon, to face an unlikely challenge, with unlikely results. Let’s never doubt God’s amazing ability to bring about good for His people in what ever amazing way He chooses.