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All have nick names given by friends, family colleagues and the more you know those the more you know someone’s story. You know why the person is called by those names.e.g.Jacob(deceiver)changed to Israel( one that struggled with the divine angel” , “one who has prevailed with God”)Genesis 35:10. Nathaniel God/El has given” or “Gift of God/El.” John 1:51
Mature Christians know why God is called by different names. So lets learn why God is called Jehovah is translated as “The Existing One” or “Lord.” Shammah(is a name mentioned several times) is derived from the Hebrew word sham, which can be translated as “there.” Jehovah Shammah- The Lord Is There. (occurs only once) in (Ezekiel 48:35) is a symbolic name for the earthly Jerusalem. The name indicates that God has not abandoned Jerusalem, leaving it in ruins, Ezekiel 8—11 but that there will be a restoration(Ezekiel 44:1-4)..
“And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop (600), where was a piece of ground full of lentils ( food for cattle in normal times grown by the downtrodden Israelites for their own sustenance ): 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.”—2 Sam. 23:11, 12 one of King David‘s three legendary “mighty men
This was the opportunity for Shammah to stand forth as a man who had had enough of defeat! Others fled; he fought. Others took for granted that the yoke of Palestine oppression could not be thrown off; he determined to make a stand. A patch of lentiles may not have been much to fight for, it was part of the heritage of the sons of Israel, and the Philistines had no right to it. Shammah, trusting in the help of Israel’s God, “stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great victory.”
Have we not in the brief story of Shammah a fine incentive to courage and faithfulness? It cost Daniel much to pray and suffer; did it cost Shammah less to stand and fight?
It’s a story about faithfulness in small, everyday things. About doing the necessary things, about accepting responsibility even when it’s hard. The story of Shammah is about being faithful.
Zechariah 4:10 asks the question, “Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings?” I believe that we all have a job to do, and we must do it. 1 Sam.10:7 tells us “When therefore these signs shall happen to thee, do whatsoever thy hand shall find, for the Lord is with thee”. Gods will and purpose is not a dark hidden thing, you can find it in common sense, in your talents and desires and in your opportunities. In the end I believe God simply wants you to stand faithful and to do your very best.
We all tend to want to dream big dreams and do big things. We want to stand out, to be noticed, to be different from the teaming herd of humanity milling restlessly around us. What we miss is the fact that it is often the non-glamorous things that really count in the end. Everyday endeavours can yield unexpected results. Little battles can gain big victories.
The Lord Is There but where???
God is there everywhere we can’t be with our children, He is there in our past present and future (Hebrew 13.8).I may not know the future but I know who holds it.He is good and is there. He is there in good and bad times even now. I good example is Psalms 139:2-10. remember you are not alone in whatever you are facing.
Many of us have lost touch with God but there are others who are swimming in Gods blessings. Most Christians feel like God has forgotten them based on past experiences. Just because you can’t feel him doesn’t mean he has left you.
Maybe we used to be good Christians but what has happened? Dont tell me what you did but where are you in the now is god is interested in now. Past is over and that is why jesus said give us daily bread present thing Mathew 4:11 you cant survive on yesterday bread or future bread. Israelites got fresh manna every day what are doing for God today maybe you used to…. but what about now? Instead of looking too much on past like lot wife Gen.19. what will it do for you to dwell on past victories instead do something today? Dont worry of tomorrow Mathew 6:34 focus on now.
Are there any among my MTM family whose life has been one long story of repeated defeat? You remember that earnest desires with which you started on your Christian journey. How faithful and devoted you intended to be! How constant you were going to be in prayer; how watchful against temptation! What progress you were going to make! What victories you meant to win!
Is there nothing better for you than this? Cannot He bring brighter and better days? With a strong cry for help to Him, leap to your feet! Dare to be a Shammah! Stand in the midst of the patch of lentiles, sword in hand. Defend their remnant of your days from the defiling foot of the Philistine. Let the Lord of hosts work a great victory for you!
All is not lost. Something may yet be saved from the wreckage, if only “a patch of lentiles.” Christ stands ready to come to your aid, and the remnant of your days may yet become the occasion for one of His great victories! One of Napoleon’s greatest victories was won on a field where the battle had been well-nigh lost. The joy of the Lord shall be your strength.
Maybe old Shammah was tired of the raids that left their crops in ruin and their hope depleted. Maybe he had worked hard on his pea-patch and was depending on it to feed his family. Maybe he just felt like he’d had enough, that it was time to take a stand, wherever he was at the moment, to do what he felt was right and to leave the rest to God.
He couldn’t defeat the Philistines by himself, he couldn’t rid the world of evil, he couldn’t banish the Devil He just did the best he could with what he had to work with. He “took care of business” and did what needed to be done.
God didn’t ask Shammah to save the world He only asked him to defend his pea patch. he won a great victory for Israel that day.
There are a lot of folks who can tell you what is wrong and what everybody “ought” to be doing. But wouldn’t it all work out better if everybody would defend his own “pea patch?” If everyone would be faithful to his own assigned task and take care of his own friends, family and sphere of influence. If this happened it wouldn’t be long until the world was won for the kingdom of God.
You might say “what can I do? You can live right, and speak right, believe me in this day and time people will notice.
Shammah stood faithful over that which he was given. He fought fought a small battle and was rewarded with a big win. It’s easy to get discouraged when things aren’t turning out like we think they should, but it’s not for us to question it is our job only to tend out pea patch and leave the rest to God. Then maybe someday we can hear those coveted words from Matthew 25:21 “His Lord said unto him, Well done,thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Pastor Nathaniel
