Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

The Lord leaves difficulty in our lives for many reasons.

Judges 2:20-

Seeking any other god to make payment and provision for them.

Literally they “prostituted themselves.”

Judges

:20-

Judges 2:20-22

Because of the nation’s disobedience the Lord left the heathens in the land.

He also left the heathen in the land in order to test their ability to withstand and to walk in obedience.

Judges 3:1-

Judges 3:

Judges

Forgetting God is often deliberate.

Judges.

Judges 3:1

Cushan-Rishathaim is a name meaning “Cushan of Double Wickedness.”

Aram Naharaim is literally “Syria of the Two Rivers,” referring to Upper Mesopotamia.

Since it seems strange for such a distant nation to plunder Israel, especially in the area of Judah where Othniel lived, some scholars have regarded “Aram” as an alteration of “Edom” (a slight difference in one Hebrew letter), which was located appropriately close to Judah in the south.

However, it would not have been unusual for an ambitious king in Mesopotamia to invade Canaanite territory, especially at a time when Egypt to the southwest (which had nominal control over Canaan) was weak.

In this case, Cushan subjected the Israelites … for eight years.

Judges 3:

Without proper reminders, spiritual success is short lived.

Judges 3:

Isreal believed that they were on top of the world and nothing could be more simple than just coasting.

But their coasting brought evil in the nation and judgement from God.

Following the Israelites’ supplication, the LORD … gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man.

The term “left-handed” is literally “one bound in the right hand.”

Left-handedness does not seem to have handicapped the Benjamites.

In fact, they had 700 lefties who were excellent at slinging stones (cf.

20:16).

In Ehud’s case, being left-handed would provide an opportunity for a daring deed.

Ehud intrigued the king with the offer of a secret message, and so gained private access to Eglon in the upper room of his summer palace.

Stating I have a message from God for you, Ehud plunged his hitherto concealed dagger into the king’s belly so deeply that the fat closed in over it.

The concealment of the dagger was accomplished by its unexpected location on Ehud’s right thigh, from which he deftly grabbed it with his left hand.

Judges 3:19-

Judges 3:27-

Judgers 3:30

Unlikely tools for redemption

Judges 3: