You may not have heard of Shamgar. There’s only one verse in the whole Bible devoted to him. “After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel” (Jud 3:31ESV).
Shamgar lived in a time when Israel repeatedly did evil in the eyes of the Lord. In direct violation of God’s commands, they allowed mixed marriages and served other gods. They practiced idolatry and ignored God’s commands. So God disciplined them using neighboring kingdoms. When slavery under their oppressive rule became unbearable, the Israelites cried out to God. The LORD would always hear their prayers and he would send a redeemer like Ehud, or in this case a farmer named Shamgar.
Living in an age of mediocrity
Shamgar lived in an age of mediocrity regarding the commands of God. Mixed marriages isn’t a description of inter-racial marriage. It’s describing a disregard for the importance of marrying someone who worshiped Jehovah. The Israelites were not to marry a person committed to worshiping idols. The Israelites ignored God’s directions and disregarded the dangers of intermarrying with non-believers. Their religion became tainted and syncretistic. Monotheism was becoming a thing of the past.
As a result of Israel no longer valuing God or his commands, the LORD allowed the Ammonites and Moabites to constantly invade Israel’s territories. They plundered and enslaved the defenseless villages. God permitted these nations to remain in Palestine to test the faithfulness of Israel (Jud 3:1-4). Their worst neighbors were the Philistines. They were a perennial thorn in Israel’s flesh. After subjecting Israel to economic slavery, they confiscated all of Israel’s weapons of war, making them incapable of resisting their raids. Then, they deported all the blacksmiths so not even a sword could be manufactured. Israel was left unprotected and defenseless. This impossible condition caused Israel to become despondent. They felt hopeless.
The Philistines planned their raids at harvest time. They would swoop down and steal all the crops. The Israelites were so fearful of losing everything that they ran and hid in the hills. With so few crops left to harvest the majority of the land went dormant. Starvation began to set in. They were so fearful of losing their lives that they quit planting.
Standing up for what is right
Then a farmer named Shamgar defied the Philistines. The Hebrew word for defy is “Khaw-raf’.” It refers to being sharp with another, or to reproach or speak against what someone is doing. Shamgar had had enough. He was going to stop this thieving and reclaim his work–even if it cost him his life. Although the other farmers chose to quit tilling the ground, he yoked a pair of oxen and prepared the soil for a new crop. Alone he sowed seed and worked his fields.
As expected, at harvest time the Philistines arrived to confiscate the produce of his hard work. But this time he wasn’t intimidated. He refused to let his family face another season of starvation. Rather than run to the hills like his neighbors, he reached for whatever tool he could find to fend off the hordes of thieves. All he could find was an ox-goad.
Defending yourself with an ox-goad?
An ox-goad was an eight-foot oak stick about six inches in circumference. It was pointed at one end so a farmer could poke a lazy ox back into service. The other end of the goad was blunt so it could scrape off dirt sticking to the plow. It wasn’t a very threatening weapon against a band of over 600 soldiers—but it was all he had. In the hands of a desperate man trying to feed his family, an ox-goad became a lethal weapon.
Shamgar’s fellow farmers wouldn’t have criticized him if he had run to the hills for safety. And, he could have given a number of excuses for not defending his land. “They’re soldiers and I’m only a lowly farmer.” “I don’t even have a sword!” “There’s nothing one person can do to change the situation.” “I’m outnumbered.” Everyone hiding in the caves would have agreed—this is an impossible situation.
But Shamgar didn’t run and hide. He had weapons that no one else was willing to use. Shamgar had an ox-goad. Well, that wasn’t saying much. But he also had a deep concern for his family’s welfare. That was enough motivation for him to defend the family farm. However, he possessed another weapon that would mean certain victory. He possessed faith in God.
When the Philistines came in range, he started swinging that ox-goad like a madman. The Philistines were totally caught off guard. Enraged and faith-filled he began poking and clobbering the soldiers one by one and with such force that when the dust settled 600 trained and armed soldiers laid dead on the ground. His passion for his family, country, and trust in God won the day. He would be recorded into the history books as a mighty warrior and judge over Israel.
A picture of the promised Messiah
This verse ends with a short connecting phrase. Shamgar, through one act of faith and bravery, “saved Israel.” He became a precursor of the Savior who was to come. When he saved his family, he was picturing who the coming Redeemer would be. Shamgar prefigured Jesus. Like Shamgar and his unintimidating ox-goad, Jesus came as a defenseless baby with nothing to protect himself. And Jesus also had a passion for God’s family of faith and refused to let the enemy dominate and ransack God’s people. So Jesus rose up and beat the Devil and his cronies that we might feast and live in peace with God.
Through this one verse description of a farmer who trusted in God, we see who the coming Messiah would be. And, we also discover something about renewing our hearts and congregations from indifference and mediocrity. Let me ask you a question: If Shamgar reflected the Savior, then in this story which characters reflect who the redeemed are? It isn’t Shamgar though in some sense we are to trust the LORD as he did. We obviously aren’t the Philistine enemies of God. Then who are we analogous to in this story of salvation?
We are the other farmers and their families who hid in the hills. We are the ones who have become afraid to challenge God’s enemies. Our sins have caused us to think we can’t accomplish very much for God. We have become complacent hiding our faith under a basket and not let it shine (Mt 5:14-16). We have allowed ourselves to be content with half-hearted attempts to please the LORD. Shamgar not only saved himself, he also saved the Israelites who were too afraid to take up arms and defend themselves. They were unable to alter what appeared to be an impossible situation. We are them as we cower under the burden of sin.
But God refuses to leave us in our apathy. When circumstances appear to be disheartening, he comes to us who are undeserving because he loves us as his own. By grace we are saved just as Shamgar was used by God to save the fearful Israelites.
In this one simple Bible verse about an obscure farmer named Shamgar, we discover the gospel of grace. Let us give thanks that God remembers every one of his people and cares enough to send a deliverer to save all who call on his name.
Picture attributed to Pixabay, Unsplash, and Freerangestock
