Shammah
SHAMMAH
2 Samuel 23:8-12 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
1 Chronicles 11:10-14 These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. He was with David at Pasdammim,(6450 Palm or boundary of Bloodshed) and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.
TACHMONITE (Skilful, sagacious 2453),ADINO (His pleasure is the Spear 5722)
ENZITE (Sharp, strong, Spear 6112)
(Also called in 1Chron 11 JASHOBEAM 7725 The People will return)
ELEAZER (God is my Helper 499), DODO (1734 Loving, Beloved)
AHOHITE (an Achochite, 264 Brotherhood)
SHAMMAH (8047 by implication a Wonderful destroyer), AGEE (90 Flame)
HARAITE (2042 Mountaineer, mountain man)
One can see that Adino by counting slew single-handedly at least 1100 men in hand to hand combat. THAT David Adino, Eleazar and Shammah took on the Philistine army and withstood them, butchering until the field was conquered.
It is little wonder that such men were close, that such devotion was inspired by them and for their KING. David was not a sit at home King but he was with them in the field, shoulder to shoulder. It is little wonder that they held him in such regard.
One day when a number of Israel’s army was about the Philistines descended upon a barley and lentil field and In that hot sticky field, the same place may I add that years before that same David valiant in battle though he was but a stripling took upon the mighty Goliath and by God prevailed striking off the giants head with his own sword. No doubt on such a scene when all others RAN, David and those three inspired by Him took a stand.
Look here descend the Philistines, great in number , see the host of Israel turn to flight , see the fearful host ready to swallow four figures who may as well be carved in stone. DAVID who remembers that battle with Goliath on this sacred ground, He will not flee, He would die here, and He would live here… there are three others who inspired by an account they knew so well, on this very field… they counted not their lives worthy of breath if they ran… If David was to stay so would they…. FOUR, FOUR…
This account goes beyond the heroics of Horatio upon the bridge, it makes the three hundred Spartans sacrifice pale…What a battle…. See them surround them, ready to crush them, to defile the land, to wipe away the King of Israel…. SEE them fall, wave after wave as Spear and sword clave the host of Philistia, as the eye and sword flashed and cut a crimson swath through the enemy, it was not a battle but a slaughter, an execution of the great men of Philistine…. Hard grinding work of battle and hours slipped away as the sun blazed down and with its pitiless gaze beheld a scene of single combat the like of which has never been seen again. With ragged breath and a hand that clave to his sword, the haze of battle would clear and the four would stand unscathed. A friendship forged in battle welded together and as the last man fell, so would the tears of joy and thanksgiving… GLORY TO GOD, These men who stood with David…on sacred ground would be inscribed forever in the book of God as standing true against a host and by GOD PREVAILING.
How we could simply just tell the story and encourage all to STAND with OUR KING… Like John the Apostle one of the three who stood on the BORDER OF BLOOD and saw the host of HELL FALL DEFEATED at the CROSS….
STAND with the KING, stand with the KING…. The host is awful, but stand, stand and DIE if need be, stand and LIVE…. What a great victory will be revealed when the battle is over…..
The one called SHAMAH a great man, who after this fought ALONE for a field of LENTILS…
A TROOP of the Philistines came down and the people fled, but this man remembered the victory of God with David and he stood… He stood to sell his life for what he thought was worth it.
WHEN All others quit the field, He alone stood to SELL HIS LIFE for what he thought was WORTH IT.
2 Samuel 23:11-13 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
STANDING ALONE IN THE FIELD OF BEANS
What if nobody else is with me… what is the world is against me…. Then YOU are against the world….
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
The others perhaps were not warriors, perhaps women in children, perhaps farmers… o man… oh woman like Esther…
Esther 4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Perhaps you are ALONE… perhaps no man stands with you….
2 Timothy 4:16-18 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
AINT WORTH A HILL OF BEANS
What He thought was worth it.
The reason why we quit the field is that we don’t think its worth it…..its just a bunch of beans….(The World will never remember , but God will RECORD IT)
To YOU it is just a field of beans.. to me it is WORTH IT….
Just a bunch of kids… they are MY KIDS.. they are MY BEANS…..just a old BIBLE… its MY BIBLE…. To you it ain’t worth a bunch of beans but to me its worth dying for.
YOUR FAMILY….Your CHURCH….Your FAITH…….
Lentils. Beans are what the world sees, are what many Christians see… it isn’t worth it…
SHAMAH thought they were worth shedding blood over, dying over….living over… worth planting a foot in stance and grimly facing the enemy over.
Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
They are MY BEANS
Joshua 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
Every parcel of ground was sacred. For it was a GIFT from GOD to the ISRAELITE
A GIFT to the NATION, a PART of the KINGDOM… a small bean field somewhere, but it didn’t matter, a small corner of the vineyard but EVERY little BEAN FIELD IS IMPORTANT and is worth the strife against the foe.
GOD Promised these beans …
This is OUR BEANFIELD….it is part of our KINGS Kingdom….
They are GOD’S BEANS… the land was simply given over in stewardship the land was GOD’S and therefore every little bean belonged to HIM and SHAMMAH was not about to give up a one into their hands….THESE WERE God’s beans
This was God’s field and therefore SACRED GROUND…\
Every part of our lives, every little piece is worth the fight, it is HIS.
Shammah thought it was WORTH IT. .. He deemed the price WORTH PAYING even though others see it as just a bunch of beans.
Friend there are others who thought it was worth it
CALEB thought it was worth the price he would have to pay….
BENIAH thought it was worth the effort to kill the lion, the lionlike men of moab….
DAVID said “is there not a cause?”
STEVEN thought it was worth it….
Acts 7:51-60 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Steven thought it was WORTH the PRICE…. A hill of beans the world cries out.. what a waste….
He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose…. He thought the price worth paying, He would take a stand in this field of LENTILS and TAKE A STAND…. Friend a VICTORY was had on that day make no mistake… victory…..JESUS STOOD and RECEIVED HIM…. He stood with HIS DAVID too…. And he also stood alone….
THERE is a Great one who thought the price was worth it… you know His name, He thought that YOU were worth it….
Matthew 13:44-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
We are that pearl… but the world sees you as just a bunch of beans…. Our lord stood in the border of blood, and stood for us… where the giant fell… but our LORD STOOD ALONE against the host and he gave not one bean up…..HE THOUGHT the PRICE WAS WORTH IT…
John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Friend We need to STAND in the midst of the GROUND, the PROMISED GROUND, ISRAELS GROUND, SACRED GROUND, GOD’S GROUND
How can WE STAND….
One sword stroke at a time
He was willing to DIE, to FALL, to DIE SWINGING…..to die at the hands of each enemy he faced, but SWING HE WOULD.
Each enemy he faced in the overwhelming horde he deemed it worthy to die to sell his life for any one individual battle.
The battles we face are ONE at a time, the odds are OVERWHELMING but each one comes in and must be dealt with in sequence.
Big or small each was tackled with the same ardour each SIN, each enemy, each foe, to be faced singly do you deem each WORTH the effort, worth your life itself… is it WORTH THE PRICE will you sell your life for what the world sees as a FIELD OF BEANS?