The Hope That Comes From Your Disability Series

Series: 3:16- Numbers That Bring Hope [#7]

THE HOPE THAT COMES FROM YOUR DISABILITY

Judges 3:16

Introduction:

This morning, we are going to continue our series from chapter 3 verse 16 of each Book of the Bible. Last week we looked at the hope that comes from the unknown, today we are going to look at the hope that comes from your disability.

I am sure you are thinking, “I don’t have a disability”. We all know that Tharon has a disability- He is blind; but like Tharon has said many times, “We all have a disability. You may just not be able to notice yours as easy as mine.”

Judges 3:12-14 (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.”

The verse really speaks for itself. “Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD.” They just couldn’t get it right- Just like us. God had rescued His people through Othniel and they had lived in peace for 40 years; but as soon as Othniel died they were back to their old ways. The consequences of that was being subject to Moab for 18 years.

Judges 3:15 (NIV)

“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.”

There is hope in…

1. The fact that God hears our cries.

Obviously, this wasn’t the 1st time Israel had cried out to God and we know that wouldn’t be the last; but God heard their cries any ways. Although, the Israelites had brought this trouble upon themselves, God still heard their cries and sent them the solution.

Judges 3:15-25 (NIV)

“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.”

There is hope in…

2. The fact that God can use your disabilities.

Now Ehud would have been an unlikely candidate to deliver the people from Eglon’s grip because of his disability. The text says that he was “a left-handed man”, but it literally says “bound or handicapped as to his right hand.” For some reason Ehud did not have use of his right hand. Moreover, the Benjamites were known for being ambidextrous, having equal ability with both hands. His visible disability in his right hand and his hidden capability with his left-hand provided the perfect strategy to liberate Israel from the Moabites.

What most people recognize as a weakness can be strong in the hands of God. The enemy overlooked Ehud because it did not seem that he could be a threat. Your enemy may be overlooking some things about you because of your disability; but God can use you to have victory over your enemy.

Judges 3:26-30 (NIV)

“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.”