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Every Jesus has a Shamgar: 5 biblical figures who deserve more credit
bible
According to Religion News Service, about one in five people read the Bible on a regular basis, and 77 percent of Americans see the work, and the lives of popular biblical figures, such as Jesus, Peter and David, as important for daily life. - photo by istockphoto.com/VHammer
Herb Scribner
Deseret News National
Updated: Oct 17, 2014, 3:00 PM
Published: Oct 13, 2014, 6:46 PM

According to Religion News Service, about one in five people read the Bible on a regular basis, and 77 percent of Americans see the work, and the lives of popular biblical figures, such as Jesus, Peter and David, as important for daily life.

But for every Jesus, there’s a Shamgar — a character you’re unlikely to be familiar with who played an important role in the Bible. This topic has been discussed by many writers, including Lance Wubbels, who wrote the book “Bible Nobodies Who Became Somebodies,” and can be an interesting way to expand your knowledge of the scriptures.

As a result, we've compiled a list of five biblical figures that you might not know about, but have unusual stories.

Shamgar

Shamgar's story is simple, but powerful, mostly because of his ability to overtake 600 Philistines with a farming tool and only get one verse in the Bible, according to a Pathoes writer. The only verse that mentions him reads, “After him came Shamgar son of Anath, who killed six hundred of the Philistines with an ox-goad. He too delivered Israel.”

Shamgar's story, according to Fred Clark of Patheos, is significant because of its brevity. So many people and heroes go unnoticed in the world, Clark wrote. But Shamgar's inclusion gives people hope that even their personal story will be remembered, no matter how insignificant it may be.

Jabez

What’s most memorable about Jabez isn’t the man himself, but the prayer that he delivered. According to Unlock the Bible, Jabez asked God to answer one of his prayers — and God actually answered in what is now called the "Prayer of Jabez."

The prayer reads, “‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’” He serves as a reminder to believers that if you ask God earnestly for the things you need, He can and will deliver.

Og

Everyone gives Goliath all the praise for being the Big Man on Campus. But Og is no small figure. According to Remnant of Giants, Og — the size of a giant — was listed as the last of his kind, which may reveal something about man's stature during biblical times.
Og is referred to the last of the "Rephaites" ("Rephiam" means "giant" in Hebrew) in the Bible verse Deuteronomy 3:11. According to Bible Gateway, the Rephaites were taller, bigger people who eventually faded away when God wanted to "make room" for Ammonites, average-sized people who lived in Israel.

Jethro

Moses was the source of guidance for many Israelites. But it was Jethro that helped Moses organize his leadership a little more efficiently. According to Unlocking the Bible, a Biblical information website, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, instructed Moses on how best to divide the people he was leading to accomplish God's will more easily. All these years later, the proper division of labor is still popular in businesses and companies across the world. And it all started with Jethro.

Apollos 

This may make you think of Apollo, the son of Zeus, but the Apollos of the Bible is much different. According to Got Questions, Apollos spent much of his time in Egypt, where he preached and spread the word of God. He helped build churches both in structure and political stature, and may have even authored books on the Hebrews. Apollos is remembered for his humble service to God, and for helping out in every way he could to help preach and promote truth about having faith in the Lord.

Email: hscribner@deseretdigital.com
Twitter: @herbscribner
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.