Judges 3:1-31: Left-Handed Victory

Introduction

· Hudson – left handed – last thing I wanted for my son. I tried to change him – failure as a father.

Parenting fail: Hudson is left-handed.

· Left handedness – the last thing I want for my kids. The world is not made for left-handers. 3 ring binder, main keys on keyboard on the right side, school desks, etc. And, left handers die on average 9 years earlier than right handers.

The world is not made for left-handers.

12% of people are lefties. More likely to have allergies and suffer sleep deprivation.

Lefties die on average 9 years earlier than right handers.

BUT earn 15% more than right handers. Obama, George HW Bush, Clinton, and Regan all lefties. Statistically, a greater chance of having an IQ over 140 if a lefty. Lefties tend to have better memories, and lefties see better underwater. If you play a lot of Marco Polo you have an advantage as a lefty.

· Some advantages to being left-handed. Obama, George HW Bush, Clinton, and Regan all lefties. Statistically, a greater chance of having an IQ over 140 if a lefty. Lefties tend to have better memories, and lefties see better underwater. If you play a lot of Marco Polo you have an advantage as a lefty.

· Left-handedness teaches us a lot about how God works in the world. In fact, after studying our text this morning we might conclude that God is a lefty.

Today, studying the story of perhaps the most famous leftie in the Bible: Ehud.

: Three judges, but focuses on the story of one.

· Looking at the lives of three judges in ch. 3 – but story primarily focuses on one judge – a left-handed man named Ehud. Ehud teaches us how to find the strength we need to live in victory instead of defeat. It’s easy to feel defeated in our Christian faith. If you live like Israel – prone to idolatry – telling God “I can’t” then it is easy to feel like your defeated instead of living in victory. 3:1-6 – God left nations in the land in part to test Israel – or to teach them to walk by faith. A lesson they could not learn. They would take their eyes off of God – cry out in repentance – and God would raise up a judge to deliver them.

Ehud is not the judge we expect. He’s different. He’s an unlikely warrior.

God works in unexpected ways in your life and through you· Look at Ehud’s story and discover two ways we can find the strength we need to walk by faith – these two ways are quite left-handed. They just don’t seem to fit with the ways of the world.

· Look at Ehud’s story and discover two ways we can find the strength we need to walk by faith – these two ways are quite left-handed. They just don’t seem to fit with the ways of the world.

This story teaches us a lot about how God works. We expect God to work in flashy ways. (Part the Red Sea, Walls of Jericho, turn Nile to blood, sun standing still, etc.) Most often, God works in ordinary ways through ordinary people like us to accomplish His will.

Three ways God works in the lives of His people:

· First judge = Othniel (remember from ch. 1) – He’s the ideal judge. Strong warrior, man of character, Spirit of the Lord upon him. Caleb likes him. Goes out to war and leads Israel to victories over their enemies resulting in 40 years of peace – peace from their enemies and peace from idolatry. Everything goes well. At least as long as Othniel is alive. The problem is that Othniel dies. And that presents a problem – every judge dies. The only way to have lasting peace is to have a lasting Savior.

First judge = Othniel (remember from ch. 1) – He’s the ideal judge. Strong warrior, man of character, Spirit of the Lord upon him. Caleb likes him. Goes out to war and leads Israel to victories over their enemies resulting in 40 years of peace – peace from their enemies and peace from idolatry. Everything goes well. At least as long as Othniel is alive. The problem is that Othniel dies. And that presents a problem – every judge dies. The only way to have lasting peace is to have a lasting Savior.

Side note: Othniel is the ideal judge. Every judge that follows is going to have some kind of weakness or some kind of moral issue.

· Vs. 12 – After the death of Othniel – people go right back to their sin, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab to come against the Israelites. Notice, the Lord strengthens Eglon to come against Israel. Why? Not because God doesn’t love Israel, but because He does love Israel and is committed to them. They won’t turn back unless they get desperate – experience the consequences of their sins – for 18 years! God wants sin to make you miserable so you’ll cry out to Him in repentance.

Vs. 12 – After the death of Othniel – people go right back to their sin. The Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab to come against the Israelites. It’s not because God doesn’t love Israel, but because He does love Israel and is committed to them. They won’t turn back unless they get desperate – experience the consequences of their sins – for 18 years! God wants sin to make you miserable so you’ll cry out to Him not just because you’re miserable but in repentance. This is what Israel fails to do: cry out in repentance.

· Took possession of the city of Palms – Jericho – where God gave Israel a decisive victory. Such a historic place for the Jewish people – now it falls. People enslaved for 18 years – they cry out to God, and God raises up a deliverer.

Eglon took possession of the city of Palms – Jericho – where God gave Israel a decisive victory. Such a historic place for the Jewish people – now it falls. People enslaved for 18 years – they cry out to God, and God raises up a deliverer.

· Ehud – why the big deal about being left-handed? Wants us to know that Ehud is not ideal like Othniel. He’s odd. He’s weak. (from tribe of Benajamin. – Benjamin means “son of right hand) In Bible, right-handed is used positively. Not left-handedness. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. () Some Bible scholars even think that Ehud had a right-hand deformity. He’s really weak. Physically impaired. Not a likely warrior.

Ehud – why the big deal about being left-handed? Ehud is not ideal like Othniel. He’s odd. He’s weak. (from tribe of Benjamin. – Benjamin means “son of right hand) Ehud is not right handed! Further, the tribe of Benjamin has already failed to drive out their enemies. This is who God chooses?

In Bible, right-handed is used positively. Not left-handedness. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. () It’s likely that Ehud had a right-hand deformity. He’s really weak. Physically impaired. Doesn’t seem like he can deliver anyone.

· Ehud goes to pay tribute to King Eglon – but he has a plan – to kill Eglon – Ehud has a two-edged sword specially made for his left-handedness hid on his right side – not where you would put a sword – and not where an enemy would expect to find a sword. He went to pay tribute with several other Israelites. Eglon was a bit obese – actually a very fat man. After returning to Gilgal where idols had been erected, Ehud decided to return to King Eglon alone.

Ehud goes to pay tribute (maybe food offering) to King Eglon – but he plans to kill Eglon instead of pay him. Ehud has a two-edged sword specially made for his left-handedness hid on his right side – not where you would put a sword – and not where an enemy would expect to find a sword.

Easily able to get an audience with Eglon because he doesn’t look like a threat. Maybe not even searched.

He went to pay tribute with several other Israelites. Eglon was very obese - feasting off the tributes of his conquered enemies - size = wealth. After returning to Gilgal where idols had been erected, Ehud decided to return to King Eglon alone.

· Ehud enter Eglon’s private throne room. “I have a secret message for you.” What could it be? Additional gifts? Free pizza for life? Eglon’s curious. “Silence!” Sends his attendants out. No reason to be worried about Ehud. He’s a handicapped, left-handed man!

Ehud enter Eglon’s "cool room.” “I have a secret message for you.” What could it be? Eglon’s curious. “Silence!” Sends his attendants out. No reason to be worried about Ehud. He’s a handicapped, left-handed man!

· The king gets off of his seat – Comes close… What is it? The anticipation is killing him…literally (see what I did there) – Ehud took his left hand – reached to his right side – thrust the sword into his belly. Fat closed over the blade – Bible gives us the gory details – dung came out. Ehud locked the doors and escaped unseen. He had done it. He had executed the king that had oppressed the Israelites.

The king gets off of his seat – Comes close… What is the message from God? Ehud took his left hand – reached to his right side – thrust the sword into his belly. Fat closed over the blade. Dung came out. Ehud locked the doors and escaped unseen. He had done it. He had executed the king that had oppressed the Israelites.

· A little later, the servants come back to check on their king, and they find his door locked. They assume he’s using the bathroom – and let’s be honest – the smell of dung filled the room. (I’m going to refrain myself from all the potty humor that I’m so tempted to use.) It was a natural conclusion. They wait – and they wait – they wait an embarrassingly long time – until they finally decide to get a key to check on their king. Imagine walking in to find your king dead on the floor.

Later, the servants come back to check on their king. They assume he’s using the bathroom – the smell of dung filled the room. They wait an embarrassingly long time – until they finally decide to get a key to check on their king. Imagine walking in to find your king dead on the floor.

· Ehud returns to the Israelites with great news: the king is dead! Let’s go wipe out the Moabites! God has given them into our hands!

Ehud returns to the Israelites with great news: the king is dead! Let’s go wipe out the Moabites! God has given them into our hands!

God works powerfully through ordinary people.

· You should laugh at this story! Who can defeat our God? You should be awestruck by God! He uses the most unimpressive, unexpected people to accomplish His work.

Amazing! God uses ordinary, seemingly weak and insignificant people to accomplish His purpose.

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· Paul says to the church: “For consider your calling brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what Is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human might boat in the presence of God.” God loves to use ordinary, unimpressive people!

If you feel ordinary and insignificant, you are exactly the kind of person God wants to use.

· Jesus was unimpressive… (at least in appearance) “…he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 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.”

World says: “Be impressive.” You feel the pressure to be somebody, to make your mark, to do something significant with your life. But, what’s impressive to God is a life of simple obedience.

· God uses what is unimpressive in the eyes of the world to accomplish His purpose. Why? So the world might stand back and be awestruck by the power of God!

3 challenges:

1. Stop comparing. Constant comparison: Look around room - I’ll never be as smart as… I’ll never be as talented as… I’ll never have the resources of...

2. Stop limiting yourself. Since I don’t have, I can’t… Regardless of what you don’t have, you can always pray, read your Bible, share your faith, serve as a volunteer, etc. You can always live for Jesus.

3. Embrace ordinary: Be more concerned with living a life that says, “Look at God,” rather than a life that says, “Look at me.” What’s impressive is a faithful mom who sacrifices much of her life so her kids can know the Lord. What’s impressive is a dad who does what it takes to get home in the afternoons to spend time with his family. What’s impressive is an ordinary life lived for God.

Ill. - Influence of Staci’s mom - you never know the impact of an ordinary life lived for the glory of God.

God works powerfully through available people.

· Are you more concerned with what people think about you or what people think about God? We’re obsessed with what people think about us. Obsession with beauty – We want to look impressive. Obsession with education – We want to look smart. Obsession with careers – we want to look successful. Obsession with pushing our kids to the limits – we want to look like good parents with good children. We want so bad to be noticed! (Goat Man – why would you do that? To get noticed – someone is going to write an article about you if you live like a goat. I’m going to do what no one else has done.)

· God doesn’t want you to live an impressive life. He wants you to live an awestruck life! He doesn’t want people to be in awe of you – and He doesn’t want you to be in awe of other people. He wants you to live in awe of Him! And, why wouldn’t you live in awe of Him when you consider what He has done? Every judge ultimately points to God’s greatness – and the Ultimate Judge points to God’s greatness. (Gospel) You were dead in sin – - But, in His grace, He made you alive by sending His Son to die for you. Grace!

· Do you live to impress or do you live awestruck by the majesty of God? What I’ve discovered is that when I am content with being unimpressive it gives me freedom – Freedom to focus on what matters most. And, when I am awestruck by God – it gives me a desire to grow in Him. When I am awestruck by God – I look at people differently. Instead of being impressed by the Fortune 500 business owner, I’m in awe at how God would use the unconditional love of a stressed-out mother to shape the life of a future missionary. Or, I’m in awe at how God would use a VBS volunteer to forever change the life of a child.

Ehud didn’t seem to have much ability, but he had availability. (Also, didn’t seem like Shamgar had much ability – all he had was an oxgoad – an ox prodder. How can you lead a battle with an oxgoad?)

· The best kind of life you can live is a life of self-forgetfulness.

2. You find the strength to live in victory when availability is more important than ability.

God is far more concerned with your availability than your ability. God’s Kingdom doesn’t come through the ability of people as much as it comes through the availability of people. God looking for people who say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

· It didn’t seem as Ehud had much ability. After all, he was a left-handed, crippled man. He’s not someone you would choose as the captain of your kickball team much less as a warrior to lead your nation to victory. (Also, didn’t seem like Shamgar had much ability – all he had was an oxgoad – an ox prodder. How can you lead a battle with an oxgoad?)

· But, God isn’t as concerned with ability as much as He is concerned with availability. Besides, God’s Kingdom doesn’t come through the ability of people as much as it comes through the availability of people. God looking for people who say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”

We live in a world where no one seems to be available when we need to be. E,g., auto-mechanic., eye dr., etc. We’re constantly told: “You have to wait your turn.”

· We serve the God of availability – (Going to school – professors had office hours to make themselves available to their students – or frustrations of getting a Dr. appointment) Aren’t you thankful that God doesn’t hold office hours? He is always available to us. He’s got a pretty full schedule running the universe, but He will never turn you away when you come to Him.

God is the God of availability! Aren’t you thankful God doesn’t hold office hours? He is always available to us. You would think His schedule is pretty full, but He always has time for His children. He never turns us away.

· On the other hand, we have a tendency to hold office hours when it comes to our faith – “God, these are the hours I’m available to you. Sunday mornings, but only those Sundays that it’s not pretty outside. I want to go to the lake. Or, not those Sundays during ball season, etc. But don’t interfere with my Saturday’s at all. Who are you to hold office hours? Who are you to lay your schedule out before God and say, “God, here are my available hours?” Why not lay your schedule out before God and ask on a daily basis, “Lord, how do you want me to use my time? I’m available for you to change my schedule as you desire.”

But, we have a tendency to hold office hours when it comes to our faith – “God, these are the hours I’m available to you. Sunday mornings, but only those Sundays that it’s not pretty outside. I want to go to the lake. Or, not those Sundays during ball season, etc. But don’t interfere with my Saturday’s at all. Who are you to hold office hours?

· It’s not about ability but availability. Some of you feel like you have no abilities – so you make excuses. “I need more training. I don’t know how. So and so is more qualified.” God wants availability. On the other hand, some of you think you have all the abilities in the world. You think you’re good at everything, but you rarely use your abilities for the Kingdom. “I don’t have time…” Your selfish with the skills God has given you.

How can I be available?

Quit making excuses. “I need more training. I don’t know how. So and so is more qualified. I don’t have the time, etc.”

Quit being selfish. Some of you think you have all the abilities in the world. You think you’re good at everything, but you rarely use your abilities for the Kingdom. You use everything God has given you to invest in you.

Be willing to be inconvenienced. (Finding dog - inconvenience but knowing joy of owner being reunited) Some of your most meaningful moments of ministry will not happen on your schedule - that Gospel conversation, ministering to that friend in need, serving in that ministry, etc. Lay your schedule before God and say, “My time belongs to you. Help me not to hold office hours with you, but help me be available to your work around me.”

· What does God want from you this morning? He wants you to be content with being unimpressive. He wants you to be in awe of Him. That starts with understanding the Gospel and responding in faith and repentance. Have you trusted Christ? He wants you to be available. Where has God called you to serve that you are saying no? Who has God called you to reach that you are saying no? What has God told you to do that you are not doing? What has God given you a Kingdom passion for that you are not pursuing? How long will you make yourself unavailable and miss out on the reason why God has left you on this earth? Repent of your unavailability – and say to God, “Here I am, send me.”

God works powerfully for His glory and our joy.

God works powerfully for His glory and our joy.

Why all the gory details? Why the dung? Why the details about the king’s wait?

Supposed to be a humorous story - Samuel looking back on how God was faithful - looking back with joyous laughter - Look at what God did! A smile on their faces as they were awestruck at what God had done.

We look back to another hero with joy… A far better judge than Ehud…

A hero that when He came seemed rather ordinary: 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. 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. ()

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. 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. ()

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. 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. ()

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. 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. ()

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. 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. ()

English Standard Version Chapter 1

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

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. 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.

and like a root out of dry ground;

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

Jesus = unlikely hero. But, in the wisdom of God, He sent His Son, not as a warrior, but as the son of ordinary parents. This ordinary man grew up to live an extraordinary life - sinless - yet died a criminal’s death.

What kind of hero dies a criminal’s death? (Jesus unlike Ehud - Ehud crushes Israel’s enemies, but Jesus seems to be crushed at the cross.) But, Jesus is a hero who is not only a man, but also God - His seeming defeat is the world’s greatest victory as He rises from the dead obliterating sin and death for us.

and no beauty that we should desire him.

3  He was despised and rejected by men,

Jesus is the judge that does not die! He brings victory for you!

We look back with joy! Awestruck at the way God saves us!

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

We look back over the course of our life with joy! Yes, hardships and struggles, but we see how God has brought us through. Yes, life has been hard, yes life has been painful, but a smile on our faces because we know Jesus is our deliverer!

and as one from whom men hide their faces

This morning, follower of Jesus, embrace the ordinary Christian life - don’t compare. Instead, make yourself available.

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Not a follower of Jesus? Repent and believe in the One who came to deliver you from your greatest enemies: sin and death.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .