There are stories in the Bible that challenge us and inspire our heart to depart from our comfort zone and stretch ourselves beyond the evangelical status quo. Such is the story of Shammah the son of Agee. The Scripture gives it to us in the form of a spiritual expresso, concise and penetrating.
A great victory
“And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:11,12).
The wording suggests the field might not have been very big; yet there was value in it. Arduous work had been invested: the plow had made furrows; the seed had been sown; and the field watered during several months. The result was a piece of ground full of lentils.
Now, the Philistines had gathered precisely where the field was and their intention was undisguised. Their presence was so impressive that “the people fled” from them, leaving the field in the hands of the invaders.
Notwithstanding, there was a person who was contrasting with the rest of the populace. Shammah, in spite of the overwhelming circumstances, went and positioned himself in the middle of the field. Humanly speaking he didn’t have a chance; and surely, those who had fled must have thought him very odd. They might have supposed he had lost his mind, calling him from far and asking him to retreat. Or maybe they were annoyed with him because his heroic conduct was exposing their cowardliness. Be that as it may, Shammah stood in the middle of the field and challenged a whole army.
What about us?
Brethren! There is a lesson for us here. How many of us are willing to take a stand in this, our time of moral decay, and defend the Gospel, a Gospel that is being dragged into the mud of perversion by a world in ruin, and sadly I must say, often denied by evangelicals. Paul did it, and it cost him his life. “I am appointed for the defense of the gospel”, he wrote (Philippians 1:17). These are the words of a man who knew where he stood. He preached the word in convenient and inconvenient season as one who must give account. He stood for and before the Truth in reverence and total surrender.
Who will stand?
Shammah was not just standing in the midst of the field; he was standing before the Lord of hosts Who was also in the midst of the field. He was identifying himself with the Ancient of Days, not regarding his life (Phil. 2:30), nor counting it dear to himself (Acts 20:24). The person who is ashamed of the truth of the Gospel and compromises to save his self-image is not standing before the Lord. He might be standing in a church building, in a choir, or even in a pulpit, but not in the cloud where God is.
The questions Malachi asked a long time ago are still pertinent today:
But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?” (Mal. 3:2).
To the second question I answer: The one who stands before Him now.
Shammah stationed himself in the midst of the field. Where do I station myself? Am I a peripheral Christian, too afraid to get out and yet too coward to get in? Am I one of those who falter between two opinions, lukewarm and divided?
In the midst
We are told God stands in the midst of the tabernacle (2 Sam. 6:17), in the midst of the camp (Deut. 23:14), and in the midst of the fire (Deut. 4:15). This tells us something about God. When He stands He stands all the way, convinced of his position at all times. He is the God of boundless conviction. Now, if God is so, how the person filled with His Spirit supposed to be?
When the fire of the Lord burned among the people of Israel whom were they the fire consumed? Was it not those standing on the outskirts of the camp? Brethren! God wants us to stand where He stands. And I guarantee you He is there where the battle is the hottest.
Soldiers or mere plunderers?
We looked to the story of Shammah. But what about “Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder” (2 Samuel 23:9,10).
Here again the people had fled for fear of the enemy, but Eleazar took a stand and fought until his strength was consumed. There was no room for mistakes there. That man was able to stand against his enemies with courage because he had the courage to stand before God.
Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burning?” (Isaiah 33:14). The prophet goes on and answers the question: “He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil: He will dwell on high; his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, his water will be sure” (Isaiah 33:15,16).
Eleazar could stand before God inasmuch as the grace of the King was upon him. His place of defense was the fortress of rocks. Therefore he fought, and fought so long that his hand stuck to the sword, and the Lord brought about a great victory. What a contrast!
As for the hypocrites, fearfulness seized them and they run for their lives (Isaiah 33:14). Only when the victory was achieved did they return to plunder the goods. Who am I in this story? Am I an Eleazar or a mere plunderer? The answer depends of one thing, namely, the place where I stand?
You can read “where do you stand? (part 1) here.
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