ehud agent 002 judges 3:16
TRANSCRIPT
NIV Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half
long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.
What kind of a lesson can we learn from Ehud making a sword & strapping it on his right thigh? Take a journey with me and lets
look at the Israelites ebbs & flows.
NIV Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and
because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel,
and they took possession of the City of Palms. The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—
Ehud , a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. He
presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man.
After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way the men who had carried
it. At the idols near Gilgal he himself turned back and said, “I have a secret
message for you, O king.” The king said, “Quiet!” And all his attendants left him. Ehud then approached him while he was
sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, “I have a
message from God for you.”
As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. Even the handle sank in
after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper
room behind him and locked them.
After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room
locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the house.” They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor,
dead.
While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah.
When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the
hills, with him leading them. “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the LORD has given Moab,
your enemy, into your hands.”
So they followed him down and, taking possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab, they allowed no one to cross
over. At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not a man escaped. That day
Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.
This is the first of 5 major accounts of national deliverers, all of which are meant to
sicken the reader as well as celebrate Israel’s deliverance. Sin is sickening. When we deal with it radically through the Lord’s power, then we can celebrate the Lord’s
deliverance. Same way in our lives.
This story reminds me of a righteous James Bond. Who ever said that the Bible was boring? Don’t need to go to movies, or
watch TV. Judges is full of sexual immorality, violence, and war. However, it will display it for what it is and that is gross and horrible. After 9-11, the government
was criticized because they have relied too much on electronic surveillance instead of
espionage. Spies and assassins.
Many people will say, "Well, our civilization will not permit something like this." No one can honestly say this because we dropped
an atomic bomb that killed men, women and children. Most people have called this a
good thing because in the end it saved many people. Well-placed spies will help to save many lives. How civilized is the world? In our world we need some Ehud’s, not just
politically or militarily, but spiritually.
Joshua and the Israelites conquered the Promised Land through God. However, many pockets of resistance left after the
major strongholds were defeated. Joshua and the elders who lived after him died and
the people forsook God. In the days of Judges, there was no government except
God. The theme of Judges is NIV In those days Israel had no king;
everyone did as he saw fit.
Anarchy prevailed. Religious, social, political, and moral principles disappeared.
Civil war even broke out. The Israelites worshipped God along with Baal and
Asherah. They broke the first and second commandments.
NIV "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in
heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow
down to them or worship them.
When the people rejected God, they also rejected loving their neighbors and
ultimately abused them. God gave Israel a long time (about 350 years) to live as a
covenant nation without a national representative to keep the unity. The
worship of God was to keep them unified but it did not work. God chose men from
various tribes to correct the problems and to give Israel a fresh start.
We see the sin cycle that is prevalent in Judges.
NIV So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did
this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.
Getting the Ammonites and Amalekitesto join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel,
and they took possession of the City of Palms. The Israelites were subject to
Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years. Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud , a
left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with
tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
The first Judge Othniel delivers Israel and leads the people in a revival before verse . After Othniel dies the Israelites fall away
into evil and idol worship. The Lord delivers them into the hands of a nation who
reduces them to servitude. It goes on for a while until the Israelites wake up and return
to God.
They cry out to God for a while. The Lord raises up a deliverer this time a man named
Ehud. Then it’s back to the same routine again. NIV After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of
the LORD.Our cycle is pretty much the same.
Today we are going to focus on Ehud. Let’s us take note of things that apply to us.
(Obviously we can’t go around assassinating people)
For instance:He exhibited great courage and faith in God
at a time when other Hebrew men of his day were not. Ehud had to forsake the
idolatrous practices that his neighbors were engaged in.
A man called a preacher on the phone to inquire about getting married. The preacher asked him if he and his fiancée were both
Christians, and he said he was, but she was not. They talked about that for a little bit, and were even able to talk about some of
the patterns that had developed in the man’s life and in his relationship with this
woman.
Evidently the couple were doing things that an unmarried couple should not be doing.
Finally, the preacher said, "I have to be honest with you. I cannot be involved in
your marriage because of what the scriptures say about Christian marrying
non-believers." the preacher could tell that it was a real blow to him.
A couple of weeks later they had lunch together, and the man said he had called off
the marriage and was in the process of severing the relationship completely. He had begun to see the patterns that had
developed in his life over the last few years, and how he had become dependent on
women. In this relationship he was dependent upon her, not God.
She controlled his life. So for the first time he said no to the flesh, no to what he
thought he wanted to do, and yes to God. He was learning about God again. He was
back in church; he was growing, and becoming dependent upon God. He’s in the process of being delivered and being made
whole. His face was radiant, as he kept saying over and over again, "This is a very
difficult thing for me to do, but it feels good."
In other words, there was rest; rest had entered the land once again. He had said no to the flesh; he had said yes to God.
After years of enslavement he was experiencing rest.
How many young men in our day would do what Ehud did? Was this easy for Ehud to
do? Probably not. Evidently he was important because he was delivering the
tribute.
Advantages & disadvantages of left-handed people.
In basketball it is normal to guard for a shot to be made by a right-handed player. So it can be awkward guarding a left-hand shot. Baseball fans know how effective a good
south-paw pitcher is is against right-handed batters.
Gayla’s always quick to point out people who are left-handed are in their right minds. Studies have shown left-handed people are crafty, artistic. Of course most of us right-handers think they’re kind of weird, but
really they’re unique.Sadly for them, most of the world is not set up for left-handed people. Something as
simple as scissors can pose a problem for left-handed people.
Learning to write cursive in 2nd grade presents an obstacle. Gayla’s Dad, who was a left handed teacher, taught her to
write cursive before printing. Not too long ago, children were scolded for using their left hand. Left-handed people were too
different and must be assimilated into right-handed world. In times past being left-
handed was considered evil, a sign of the devil. So in some regards being left-handed
could be a handicap.
However, Ehud used this for his advantage. He was left-handed and would have to
reach over on his right side to pull out the dagger. In that day almost everybody was right-handed, and they were searched on
the left side to see if they carried a weapon. Perhaps the king’s Secret Service agents searched Ehud on the left side & found
nothing.
What do you have that might be considered a handicap?
1. Family heritage2. Too ordinary3. Not in a high paying job4. Health conditions
What is holding you back?
Ehud was an important man. He brought the tribute to King Eglon. He was not a king but yet he was not the lowest man on the totem pole. A man who could be trusted, respected, maybe a Sergeant or captain. Don’t think that God cannot use you. He
can use anyone who is willing.
Judy Squier was born without legs, and she has been walking on artificial limbs since
she was 10 years old. When she was born, the doctor told her father, "Your daughter is
going to live, I’m sorry to say." But at 10, Judy was able to ride a bicycle that her
father had modified. At 16, she was able to drive a car that had been equipped with
hand controls.
Social workers told her not to bother thinking about college, but that made her
even more determined. She graduated from the University of Illinois with undergraduate
and graduate degrees. Now she and her husband have three beautiful daughters. At
a dinner in Washington, she said, "I am convinced that this Old World needs
handicapped people. God designed it that way. Handicapped people make a unique
contribution."
We should be ashamed. I am just ordinary. So was Ehud! A miracle can be when God takes someone ordinary, someone just like you and me, and uses them to His glory.
God takes a life that the world discards and uses it to His glory.
NET But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks
weak to shame the strong.
God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something,
so that no one can boast in his presence.
Doesn’t the old saying ring true? When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. God
gave you an ordinary life, if you let Him, He can make it EXTRAORDINARY!
Sometimes it takes only one person to motivate many to righteousness. Ehud was willing to go on the attack first, but then he blew the trumpet and all of Israel joined in
the battle, routing the enemy.
When President Andrew Johnson was impeached. A senator from Kansas was the deciding vote and he voted not to remove
Johnson from the Presidency.
One song can spark a moment. One flower can wake the dream. One tree can start a forest. One bird can herald spring. One smile begins a friendship. One handclasp lifts a soul. One star can guide a ship at sea. One vote can change a nation. One sunbeam lights a room. One candle wipes out darkness. One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey. One word must start a prayer. One hope will raise our spirits. One touch can show you care. One voice can speak with wisdom. One heart can know what is true. One life can make a difference.
You see it’s up to you!
Think of all the ordinary people God used:
the widow & foreigner Ruth, the boy shepherd David, the reluctant Prophet Jonah, the orphan girl Esther, the carpenter Joseph,several fishermen,
Peter, Andrew, James, John,the tax collector Matthew, the religious zealot Saul of Tarsus.
We could go on & on naming the people God used in miraculous ways. God can &
will use any or all of us to do great things for Him.
Are we willing to be used?Do you believe that God can do great things
through you? Do you believe that God can use you, that you’re valuable and important to him and
that you can make a difference?
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times
of challenge and controversy." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
What would have happened if Ehud had not done what he did?
Our world desperately needs deliverers. Some Christians need deliverers over
temptation, over sin, over bad habits. Takes time and effort but the victory can be ours.
Non-Christians can be delivered. My deliverer is coming;
my deliverer is standing by.