Use What's Left

Judges 3:15–30 ESV

15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes. 17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence. 20 And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. 21 And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out. 23 Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them. 24 When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.” 25 And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their lord dead on the floor. 26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader. 28 And he said to them, “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over. 29 And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

Introduction:

Dimples. illustration

One of the features we admire about one another, is this thing called dimples. Men and women are prone to having dimples. Seem as though it enhances the smile. Its as if God put his signature to a finish product. They are not rare but yet unique. Some are deep some are not, some are high some or low, some on right side or the other some are on both sides. More than likely men woman will be complmented about their dimples. I think we all can agree they are beautiful. But on the flip side moving from a social standpoint to a medical view truth is dimples is really a deformity.

Some people have dimples because it is a genetic defect or deformity that causes the irregular growth of a certain facial muscle during fetal development.

That there is something beautiful in something that is really a flaw. Its something on the inside that is deform that shows on the outside as a beauty mark thats not supposed to be there.

Dimples are here to inform us that may be something right about whats wrong with you.

Some have called certain features and quailties about you strange, weird , even beatuful. Not knowing that was the very thing that made you you. Thats the very thing that made you special.

Thats what you see all through this book. That after Moses there was a Joshua and after Joshua there was no successor. God raised up Judges(Defenders / Saviors) to protect and deliever His people. Just like you and I all these Judges had flaws.

Deborah, being a woman, is not a conventional warrior, but she fills a leadership void

Gideon lacks courage, yet he manages to deliver Israel from the Midianites.

Jephthah - Jeff-Thaa is the son of a prostitute, and he offers his own daughter as a thanksgiving sacrifice after he gains victory over the Ammonites.

Samson is a womanizer with a weakness for Philistines; he shows extremely poor judgment and as such serves as the ultimate mirror of Israel during the period of the judges.

Here is God being the wonderful father that he is making no excuses and using what He has. Judges is book of self reflection. It really shows how far we have missed the mark and God was still that caring father. Its where you will see a repeated offense against God. A repeated Cycle.

Rest to Rebellion to Retribution to Repentance to Restoration

Sin to Suffering to Servitude to Supplication to Salvation.

This really goes to show us US. That if we dont ever change we will forever be in this cycle. It was no shock that the main thing they were doing was the 1st thing God said dont do. Have no other God. No other deity, no other ruler, no other wooden images. No other car, job, spouse , etc. From Idolatry to Oppression. Everything that has that number 1 spot will make you a slave to it.

Have you ever been a slave to something or someone? took your money? took your time? health? kept you up at night, overtime still wasnt enough time? And we find ourselves in circles.

There is Peace

There is a replacement

we Cry Lord Help

The Lord Helps

Then we do it alll over again.

Thats not Gods intention for your life. Thats not his plan for you.

I think Judges help us see that.

Judges helps us to see our enimies differently.

Judges 3:1 ESV

1 Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan.

The presence if the enemy in the land was an opportunity for teaching, testing, and trusting.

God wanted the chosen people to realize that were holy people.

That we are chosen to add something better than what we see.

The lord Test us , to show us what he already knows. We think we got it, we think we dont need to study and have private devoution. We think because times are Good they gone always remain that way.

But also for war. You know why war is so important to a believer? Because no experience with war means no experience with the Captain of The Army. Battle is a must for every Believer.

It was when they cried He heard, it was when they fought they believed. Its in the battle I learn about God and his ways. In the battle his is my protection, in the battle he is my power, in the battle the walls at jericho didnt stand the chance.

See they didnt see God open the red sea, they didnt see God draw water from a rock, this generation didnt see God as a cloud by day and fire by night. God introduced himself as a deliever and liberator.

God is not an Arsonist , but a Refiner. God didnt take out or remove all your enemies and he wont. Because if there never was a battle there may have never been an introduction.

Judges 3:15 ESV

15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.

Cried out to the Lord! (not repentance my heart, pain, oppressed, mistreatment) It moves God.

That goes to show me that

Even in Failure God is Faithful -

Failure didnt turn God away. He was still watching, still listening, still working on a plan.

See God works simultaneously or concurrently. Meaning while he is discipling me he is also working on my deleiverance. Also working on my escape. His hands are always working, he is always planning, always schemeing. Thats why all things work. He dont leave me in the fire to burn. But while im in it he is keeping you. while you in it he is preserving. He dont do like i do sometimes. He dont leave me in the oven and walk away. Nah he stands by with his eyes on the timer. Not a minute sooner not a second later. Because God is faithful.

He’s working, Cried out, and the Lord. Help! and the Lord raised. In other words when God raise that Him confirming that He heard.

He heard and sent a deliever.

He raised up Ehud. The Benjamite. The Southpaw. Lefty. Im a firm believer that if a preacher reads it he has to say something on it.

Now why is this important to know what hand the deiliver would use to free his people. Like really does it matter? Everything matters. What the israelites experienced phyically we can grow from it spritually.

Ehud left hand and he was a Benjamite. From the tribe of Benjamin. The name Benjamin means son of my right hand. Left handed. Name means Son of my Right hand. When the Bible says that he was “a man lefthanded”, it does not simply mean that he used his left hand. It literally means that he was “bound in the right hand.” In other words, Ehud was crippled on his right side. He was forced to use his left hand because his right hand did not function.

Your Restriction is Required -

This would seem like a handicap for a would be deliverer. If the people had been voting for a deliverer, Ehud probably would not have made the first ballot. As we will see, Ehud took what many would see as a liability and turned it into an asset.

(Ill. Let me say right here what everyone already knows. We all have our problems! Moses was tongued tied. David was young. Paul was hated by the early church. We all have some issue or another that we think hinders us from being all the Lord would have us to be. Well, I have one question for you: Did God not know about your issues when He saved you? Of course He did, but He saved you anyway. He did not save you so you could fret over what you couldn’t do; He saved you so He could enable you to do what only He can do.We need to stop making excuses about why we can’t do this or that and get busy doing something for Him! Ill. Some of our excuses! None of them change the fact that when He saved us, He placed His Spirit within us, 1 Cor. 12:13, and He gifted us to serve Him, 1 Cor. 12:7. Throw out your excuses and do something for Jesus!)

Your excuses is not excuse to Retire. No excuse to Refrain. No excuse to Retreat. Your ability aint what get the job done no way. Davids slingshot was available, but it was Gods ability. Moses Rod was available , but it was Gods ability. Israelites were available to march, but it was Gods ability that brought down the walls. Ehuds left hand was available for God to show his ability.

Ehud used what he had.

Brought in the payments as they did yearly. Payments to remind them who’s really running things.

This time Ehud had a plan. Placed the Sword on the right thigh. All the normal folks. had the weapon on the left thigh because they were right handed.

Ehud to the King that he had a word from the Lord. Then stabbed him. The fat held the knife in his spot until dung fell out. Stench filled the spot. While they thought the King was doing his thing in the restroom Ehud escaped.

There was peace for 80 years.

There was another unexpected deliver.

didnt come as a man but as a child

didnt come as a lion but as a lamb

didnt come with his right hand but with his left hand.

didnt come as a king but a servant

didnt come from the surburbs but from the hood

didnt come as a scribe but a carpenter

didnt come the way we expected , but came just as we needed him.

didnt come for war but to bring peace. (The chastisement of our peace was upon Him,)

didnt come with a dagger but for the dagger.

didnt come on a horse but riding on a donkey

it was at our lowest , he brought his best.

While I was sinning , he demonstrated His love.

Calvary

You can win with whats left.

If I lose everything i own but still have jesus i have everything i need to start over again.

Unexpected blessings, Unexpected happiness.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us

Peace is what Jesus is offering you.

Come unto me

Matthew 11:28 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Peace of God and Peace with God!