Lessons Of Faith From Ehud And Gideon

Cycles in history refer to the idea that patterns, events, and societal moods recur over time. It’s usually described as repeating rhythms of growth, stability, decline, and crisis, most famously theorized by Strauss-Howe in their "Fourth Turning" model. These cycles are said to recur every 80-100 years. They are driven by generational shifts and culminate in societal upheavals.

A theory of long-term economic cycles known as Kondratieff Waves recur about every 50-60 years, and are characterized by periods of economic expansion and contraction, linked to technological innovation.

At this point, this is probably more than you might care to know about general cycles.

But, there is one more that I want to mention.

This is called: The Cycle of the Shophetim

Has anyone ever heard of this?

The Book of Judges, in Hebrew, is also called (the Shophetim) Shophetim (?????????)

It is the Hebrew title for the Book of Judges, meaning "Judges," "Rulers," or "Deliverers," referring to the leaders who governed Israel.

The book of Judges serves as a theological bridge between the conquest of Canaan and the establishment of the Monarchy.

It is characterized by a "downward spiral"—a repetitive cycle of rebellion, retribution, repentance, and rescue.

Within this cycle, you'll find two individuals who truly stand out as some of the most important contributors.

Of course, I’m talking about Ehud and Gideon.

Their stories are very important, but also very different.

While both guys were "raised up" by God to secure national freedoms, their methods, temperaments, and legacies offer a profound example of how God uses different individuals for various jobs in a variety of ways.

It’s interesting that when you and I consider that God might use us to do His work, one of the first things that we might think is that we are not worthy to do His work.

We really come down on ourselves pretty hard at times. The reality is that God can use us for a wide variety of jobs as long as we submit to Him.

Notice what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

The point is that God can use all of us to do His will as long as we have the right heart, as long as we give the credit and glory to God.

Look at another scripture with me in Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

All of us have the responsibility to answer God’s calling in a concise way that will show Him that, without a doubt, we are humble, dedicated, and 100% committed to that precious calling.

When we look at the stories of Ehud and Gideon, we see some things that we can learn from.

"The Book of Judges tells a story of a nation slowly losing its way, where the leaders God chooses reflect the rising and falling spiritual health of the people.

These two men, Ehud and Gideon, show us exactly how this shift happened.

While Ehud represents a time of powerful victory over outside enemies, Gideon’s story shows the beginning of a quiet struggle within Israel’s own heart.

Ehud was like a surgical strike—quick, effective, and followed by eighty years of peace. Gideon, on the other hand, started with a great miracle but ended his life in a mess of family drama and religious confusion.

By looking at these two men, we see a clear lesson: it’s one thing to win a battle against an enemy, but it’s much harder to win the battle for your own salvation.

So, let’s break their stories down just a bit.

The primary difference between these two men lies in their response to the divine call from God.

In thinking about that, how do you remember your calling when God first introduced you to His truth? Did you get on board right away, or did you set out to prove God wrong? Or at least some of His ways wrong?

Let’s look at a few biblical examples of individuals who seemed to do just that.

Here is just one of the most notable figures who resisted God's truth until he was confronted with an undeniable reality.

1. Saul of Tarsus (The Intellectual/Religious Opponent)

Saul is possibly one of the most famous examples of someone trying to prove God's "new truth" (Christianity) wrong.

He was a Pharisee who believed he was serving God by destroying the church. He viewed the claim of Jesus’ resurrection as a blasphemous lie that needed to be erased.

Turn with me to Acts 26:9, Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa and explains his original mindset: (NIV)