Ehud: An Unlikely Savior | Judges 3:12-30

Comedy is joy found in the unexpected. Dark Comedy is one of my favorite kinds of comedy. It comes naturally to soldiers to joke about terrible things…to find things to laugh about in hard times. After all it’s sometimes better to laugh than to despair. There is joy found in fellowship through sometimes indescribably difficult circumstances.

· One historical example comes to us, told by Herodotus, from the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC:

Dieneces is said to have exhibited the greatest courage of all. They say that he made the following speech before they joined battle with the Medes: he had learned from a Trachinian that there were so many of the barbarians that when they shot their missiles, the sun was hidden by the multitude of their arrows. [2] He was not at all disturbed by this and made light of the multitude of the Medes, saying that their Trachinian foreigner brought them good news. If the Medes hid the sun, they could fight them in the shade instead of in the sun. [1]

· Judges 3:12-30 is a bit of a dark comedy amid a long descent into darkness. That even in the hard times, there is joy to be found in unexpected quarters.

· Though this is a comedic story, at its heart, it is a story about God’s faithfulness to His people.

· A story about how God rescues people from their afflictions.

· A story about how God delights in it.

· A story about how God is compassionate and draws near to those who are in the midst of troubles, even when it’s self-inflicted.

Judges 3:12–14 ESV

12 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms. 14 And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

12 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 13He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms. 14 And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab, eighteen years.

· Moab is the foe here…and there is a level of poetic irony to this.

o Genesis 19 tells us that Moab is a nation arising from the incestuous relationship between Lot and one of his daughters.

o They had been and would continue to be implacable foes of Israel.

§ Balak had tried to destroy them through divine judgment in Numbers 22-24.

§ He further enticed Israel to sin through the daughters of Shittim (Numbers 25)

o Such was the level of their wickedness that God had placed a complete ban on their entering the assembly of Israel forever (Deuteronomy 23:3).

Deuteronomy 23:3 ESV

3 “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,

· King Eglon had allied with two more of Israel’s foes, Ammon and Amalek.

o Ammon, the other child of the incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughters.

o Amalek, the descendant of Esau and the daughter of Ishmael.

· These peoples represent the past moral failures from the time of the Patriarchs.

o In a sense, this was all the sins of Israel coming back to haunt them.

· Numbers 32:23 (ESV)

Numbers 32:23 ESV

23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.

o We are called to pursue holiness in order to avoid the same fate.

· 1 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)

1 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

· Eglon overran the lands beyond the Jordan River and took the city of palms, also known as Jericho.

o Jericho was the symbol of Israel’s victory in the previous generation.

§ But the beginnings of the fall of Moab are begun even here at the moment of their victory, because Joshua had made a solemn pronouncement after its destruction.

· Joshua 6:26 (ESV)

Joshua 6:26 ESV

26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. “At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.”

§ Elgon would come to find out this was no idle threat by setting up his headquarters there.

o But for now, Eglon was ascendant, and he held sway over Israel’s fertile areas for 18 years.

· The distress of Israel: They were economically depressed and hungry.

· We should not what this brief passage tells us through its repetition: Sin is boring.

o The repetition, “The people again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord”

§ There is a mundanity to sin… it’s so normal, so worldly.

· It’s hardly surprising anymore; it’s expected.

· Further, we see that sin is perversethere is a great sense of ingratitude.

o The Lord delivered his people through Othniel, and they turned on God as soon as Othniel was gone.

· Sin is an addictionIsrael demonstrates that it is enslaved to sin’s power.

· Sin weakens a nation and makes it ripe for collapse or conquest. This is true for Israel, and it will be true for Moab.

· So, how should we respond when calamity comes? Should we freak out? Should we build bunkers? Should we give up?

o No, we need to reckon with it.

· Jeremiah demonstrated this in Lamentations 3:26-29, 40 (ESV)

Lamentations 3:26–29 ESV

26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 28 Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; 29 let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope;

Lamentations 3:40 ESV

40 Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!

26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 28Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; 29 let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope; 40 Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!

The challenge of hard times is whether we will humble ourselves, pray and seek forgiveness for sin, and renew our trust in Him.

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.

· The amazing thing about this story is God’s response to the mundane, boring sinfulness of Israel.

o He shows mercy and grace.

Our persistence in sin is matched and exceeded by the amazing grace and mercy of our good God, which He freely gives to ill-deserving people who place their trust in Him.

He is always near to us and hears our cries of distress.

· There is a notable difference in the Judges cycle this time.

· There is a wonderful contrast between the idealistic, knightly judge Othniel and Ehud.

o Othniel is expected: He is of the tribe of Judah and destined for rule.

§ Though this doesn’t make his exploits less amazing, it does make God’s more amazing when considering the unlikeliness of Ehud by comparison.

· Ehud is left-handed.

o There is nothing really interesting about this today; entire product lines exist to cater to left-handed people.

o What the Hebrew indicates here is that Ehud was perhaps a handicapped person, unable to use his right hand.

· In any case, he was not the obvious choice of a great military deliverer.

· God often brings about his will through unlikely means, just consider what they said about Jesus: John 1:45-46 (ESV)

John 1:45–46 ESV

45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

· In any case, Ehud’s left-handedness reflects his seeming unsuitability for service.

o The right hand was the hand that bore the sword. It was emblematic of one’s military might.

· Ehud is weak at precisely the point where a warrior should be strong.

Judges 3:16–26 ESV

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.

· It’s not clear to what extent Ehud recognized that he has been raised up by the Lord to be a judge.

o He does know that he has been chosen by Israel to bring a tribute to Eglon.

God often works His sovereign will in concert with the willing plans of men. And so, Ehud recognizes that he has been given a unique opportunity, for which he is uniquely suited.

· This story reminds me of a great spy thriller, like Mission Impossible.

o The flair with which Ehud brings about the salvation of Israel sets him apart from other judges.

§ There is intrigue, spy craft, all the best parts of a good spy movie.

· Ehud’s perceived weakness gives him access to the king because he would not be perceived as a threat to the king because of his left-handedness.

o It’s entirely possible that Israel chose him to bring tribute out of a desire to appear completely defeated…they didn’t expect deliverance.

· Ehud is, however, a bold and courageous man.

o He sees and seizes the opportunity presented to him, and he brings his unique skills to bear.

· Ehud makes a two-edged dagger that can be hidden on his right thigh.

o No one would expect to find a weapon in such a place.

· We further see in Eglon the corrupting influence of sin on even the greatest men.

o He dominated Israel for 18 years…he extorted their food and treasure at the point of a sword.

o Yet he had let prosperity go to his head, and his belly.

· The comedic nature of this story is shown in the very name of the king.

o Eglon means “little calf.”

§ In their sins, Israel found themselves serving the calf again.

§ But the calf had fattened himself, and now he was ready for the slaughter.

· Ehud undertakes this bold plan alone, and the moment of greatest drama takes place as if in slow motion.

o He uses misdirection and doublespeak to secure a private audience with the king in his upper room.

o His first visit shows Eglon that Ehud is no threat, just a handicapped, poor Benjaminite…sin gives him false confidence.

o Ehud says, “I have something special just for you, O King.”

§ Eglon is smug and self-satisfied, with an undeserved sense of superiority.

o Ehud says, “I have a message from God for you” in order to get Eglon to rise from his chair and present himself for Ehud’s hidden dagger.

§ The king’s superstitious nature was used against him.

o Ehud’s word from God was certainly a two-edged sword.

· Eglon’s death is treated in a cinematic way, and is suitable for his character.

o He exalted himself over Israel and their God, and now he is humbled, humiliated.

§ He dies covered in his own waste, alone and embarrassed.

The story of Eglon’s death shares some similarities with the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. Stalin was alone in his chambers when he suffered a massive stroke and collapsed to the ground. He was not found for many hours because he had given instructions not to be disturbed. They were terrified and obeyed because people disappeared for less. Stalin’s reign was a reign of terror. So, they ignored the sounds of the “great man” falling to the floor in distress and wetting himself.

Even when he was found the next day, there were no good doctors to help him, because Stalin had killed or exiled them all in his paranoia.

· By locking the doors, Ehud secures his own escape.

· Eglon’s servants’ delays gave Ehud all the time he needed to escape the fortress and return to his people.

o The sin of the Moabites means that Eglon’s servants share in his humiliation.

· It’s a perilous matter to oppose God and oppress His people.

o Eglon had exalted himself over Israel, but in the history of Israel, God demonstrates His faithfulness and goodwill by bringing judgment upon the wicked enemies of His people.

· Nahum 1:2-3, 7-8 (ESV)

Nahum 1:2–3 ESV

2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Nahum 1:7–8 ESV

7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet… 7The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

· Zechariah 12:3-4 (ESV)

Zechariah 12:3–4 ESV

3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. 4 On that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

3 On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. 4On that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

We should not make the mistake of thinking that just because a sinner is used of God for His purposes, that it means that God approves of sin or the sinner.

o Assyria would learn this lesson.

o Babylon would learn this lesson.

o Pilate and Herod would learn this lesson.

· On a personal level, Eglon’s death shows us that in the end, we will all stand before the Lord’s judgment seat, and in that day, we will stand alone…unless on that day, we have an intercessor.

Thanks be to God, we have a mediator who stands for us before God, our Lord Jesus Christ.

· Hebrews 9:24 (ESV)

Hebrews 9:24 ESV

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Judges 3:27–30 ESV

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.

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 Lordhas 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.

· After the great escape, the story shifts into a military tone.

o Ehud gathers the men of Israel for battle and moves against the occupying Moabites.

o His call is not just a call to battle, but a call to renew faith with the Lord.

§ It’s a call to take the first step of repentance.

· The Moabite army, 10,000 strong, has likely heard the news and are moving with all haste to escape Israel back to their home territories.

o The only place in the region where such a move is possible is through the fords of the Jordan River, where Israel once crossed into the land to take Jericho.

o They now stand alone in the land…there are no Ammonites, no Amalekites to help them.

o But they are well-fed and large in number, while Israel is suffering from decades of hunger and sorrow.

· Ehud is confident of victory because he has faith that the Lord has given it to them already.

o He moves his men to block the only avenue of retreat for the fleeing Moabites.

· The Lord delivers Israel with a great victory that day, so that not a single Moabite escapes the land…complete victory for Israel, complete defeat for the Moabites.

As it turns out, it was not the strength of arms but the strength of the Lord that made the difference that day.

· God brings joy after sorrow…Israel was delivered in such a way that they were able to laugh again.

· God is not dull or boring…His story of salvation is full of high adventure and drama.

It makes me think of great scenes from movies like The Lord of the Rings, or a decisive play in a sport; the game-clinching home run, the comeback interception.

· Psalm 126:1-3 (ESV)

Psalm 126:1–3 ESV

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lordhas done great things for us; we are glad.

· This story was told in real time in such a way that Israelites would gather around and tell the story again and again, “Do you remember when…?”

· There is a joyfulness in the way that this story is told, as in Psalm 2:1-4 (ESV)

Psalm 2:1–4 ESV

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3“Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

· This story is a wonderful reminder that nothing is too hard for God.

· God calls us to follow him on the adventure as we become a part of it.

· Ultimately, Ehud delivered a great victory, but not a perfect deliverance.

o He wouldn’t be able to deliver Israel from its ongoing sinfulness. By the time the next chapter begins, Israel will again abandon the Lord and serve the false gods of the Canaanites.

· But Ehud prefigures a greater deliverance that would come in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the perfect Judge.

· He, too would be an unexpected and unlikely deliverer, as Isaiah prophesied:

· Isaiah 53:1–5 (ESV)

Isaiah 53:1–5 ESV

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

·

· Revelation 1:5-6 (ESV)

5b To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

· Romans 11:26-27 (ESV)

Romans 11:26–27 ESV

26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

· Galatians 1:4 (ESV)

Galatians 1:4 ESV

4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

· Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV)

Colossians 1:13–14 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

·

o And through Jesus, we enter into a greater rest and a greater joy,

o All of this was according to the good plan of God so that we would know how to find this rest and joy that would continue to elude Israel. As the writer of Hebrews says:

· The peace that God brings is not found in the absence of war or unrest.

o Jesus promises that there will be troubles in this life.

· John 16:33 (ESV)

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

· The peace of God is called “shalom.”

o This is a state of covenant blessedness.

o The knowledge and experience of being right with God and being firmly within His will.

· Hebrews 4:8-13 (ESV)

Hebrews 4:8–13 ESV

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

· So, let us pursue God with renewed faith, believing that He will give us rest from the weariness of sin, both in ourselves and in the world.

· Let us be conformed to His Word and lay down everything that threatens to draw us away from Him and the peace He brings.

[1]Herodotus, Herodotus, with an English Translation by A. D. Godley, ed. A. D. Godley (Medford, MA: Harvard University Press, 1920).

Ehud: An Unlikely Savior | Judges 3:12-30

Introduction

Context

Backsliding Into Sin—Its Mundanity and Irony (Judges 3:12-14 ESV)

God Raises an Unlikely Savior—Prodigal Grace and Mercy (Judges 3:15 ESV)

A Bold Plan—The Humiliation of God’s Enemies (Judges 3:16-26 ESV)

A Great Victory—God Gives a Joyful Rest (Judges 3:27-30 ESV)

Conclusion