THERE IS A SOUND IN THE LAND: The story of Ehud (AY-HOOD)
Judges 3:12-30
12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. 13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. 30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
1. Notice verse 14 says Israel was an ENSLAVED PEOPLE
• "The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years." (v. 14)
• To be enslaved or bound is to be confined or placed under restraint.
• One who is in bondage is under the control of someone or something other than his or her own will.
• When in bondage a person is held against his or her, will ….or in spite of their will.
• Webster says bondage is a state of being bound usually by compulsion or servitude or subjugation to a
controlling person or force.
In the book of Luke, Chapter 13, we are told of a bound woman.
Luke 13:10-16 "And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. {11} And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. {12} And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. {13} And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. {14} And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. {15} The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? {16} And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?
• According to Jesus, this woman was bound.
• Her problem wasn't a problem of desire, but of ability… she "could in no wise lift up herself" (v.11).
• An external force prevented her from straightening up and she did not have the power to overcome it.
• Simply put, she was in bondage.
2. Likewise, the children of Israel were in bondage to Eglon.
• Many find it hard to believe but it was God Himself who gave Israel into the hand of Eglon.
• Did you know the name Eglon describes a grown male cow
• Scripture tells us Eglon was a very fat man…..a fat cow-like man who kept Israel in bondage
• He was king of Moab……do you remember where Moab came from…
3 Moab was lots son by incest with his daughter.
• Moab allied himself with the people of Ammon …and the Amalkites
• Ammon was also Lots descendants by incest and Amalek was a descendant of Esau
• All of these three together defeated Israel and took "the City of Palms" or Jericho (Dt. 34:3).
• Ehud kept Israel in bondage 18 long years.
• Think about it….For eighteen years the people of Israel lived under the control of this fat bull from the flesh pots
of Moab. ……and all because they turned their backs on God
II BUT THANK GOD …..GOD ALWAYS HAS A PLAN OF DELIVERANC FOR HIS PEOPLE
IN THIS CASE IT WAS A MAN NAMED EHUD (AY-HOOD)
• God was stirring the heart of a Benjamite by the name of Ehud (Ay Hood).
• There are four important things about Ehud (Ay Hood), that we should notice.
1. First, He was a worshipper.
• I know that because his name means "he that praises."
• While others were worshipping Baal, Ehud (Ay Hood) was praising God.
• Here was a devout man living in the midst of an evil people.
• He was a worshipper when worship was not in style.
• God is still looking for boys and girls…..men and woman…..whose hearts are fixed on worshipping HIM
• Will you dare be the one in this generation that is pure….that is holy…..that God can raise up to deliver this
nation from its evil wicked self?????
2. Notice secondly that Ehud (Ay Hood) was left-handed.
• Literally, he "was hindered in his right hand."
• The Hebrew term seems to suggest an inability to use his right hand, as though he were cripple.
• He was a man whose natural ability and use of his right hand was hindered incapacitated
• When God chooses a person to do His work, He usually selects one who must rely upon Him.
• Gideon was the least of his brethren.
• David wasn't even called in from the fields when Samuel came to anoint a king.
Peter was an unlearned ignorant fisherman.
• Those who would be used of God as deliverers must learn to rely upon the Lord.
• If God is going to use you today you must rely on GOD and not your natural ability
• Yes God uses your talents and natural abilities to His glory BUT its his enabling that makes you successful
3. Thirdly Notice that this man named Ehud (Ay Hood) who is going to deliver Israel made a dagger.
• While others learned to live with their situation, Ehud (Ay Hood) made a dagger.
• In some hidden location, an unseen and unnoticed work was taking place.
• "He that praises" was constructing a double-edged dagger.
• He wasn't making some ornament for His house in such a time of trouble….
• Or something for him to enjoy for his own pleasure
• He was crafting a knife that he would use to deliver Israel
• He thought and meditated as he created it
• He practiced on using it with his left hand
• He acted on his belief that God would use him to deliver Israel
4th I notice Ehud (Ay Hood) was brave.
• Ehud was assigned the responsibility of bringing the tribute to Eglon's summer parlor.
• A man who is hindered in his right hand is less likely to be a serious threat.
• Once the tribute had been presented to Eglon, Ehud and his companions left for home.
• After journeying a short distance with them, Ehud turned back toward Eglon's summer house.
• He gained a audience with Eglon. ……
• He explained to the king, "I have a secret message for you."
• Eglon replied, "Keep silent" and sent everyone out of the room until he and Ehud were alone
A. Ehud (Ay Hood) arose from his seat and spoke in tones that suggested the message needed to be whispered
into Eglon's ear.
• As Ehud walked towards the King he stands up and then Ehud (Ay Hood) whispered, "I have a message from
God for you."
• H e pulls out the knife (sword) and with one swift motion thrusts it into the king's massive body.
• The force of the blow was so great that the handle of the dagger disappeared into Eglon's belly.
• Immediately, a stench filled the room as the king's intestines and their content gushed through the open wound
and fell to the floor.
• With Eglon lying dead in his own blood and filth, Ehud (Ay Hood) calmly leaves the room
• He locked the door, and departed from the palace without raising the slightest suspicion.
B. When Eglon's servants found the doors to his chamber locked, they reasoned that he was probably
relieving himself and did not want to be disturbed.
• After a while they unlocked the doors to the upper room and found their master fallen dead on the floor.
C. Ehud (Ay Hood) escapes and makes his way to the mountains of Ephraim.
• There he rallied the children of Israel and led them TO A GREAT victory against the Moabites.
• In one day they killed about 10,000 Moabite warriors. Not one man escaped the sword of Ehud.
• Eighteen years of bondage came to an end in one day.
• Scripture says: "So Moab was subdued that day in the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years."
(Judges. 3:30).
Here is the most important part of the story in my mind
While Ehud had spent hours in preparation for that one moment when he would carry out his well planned move on Eglon. ……..Even so, Ehud himself declared, "The Lord has delivered."
IT IS ALWAYS THE LORD WHO DELIVERS NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME AN INDIVIDUAL PLANS AND PLOTS AND WORKS AT THE TASK
Now I know some of you may be wondering…..where does the title of today's message There is a sound in the land fit in
• Ehud (Ay Hood) in a time of bondage and suppressing by the enemy was hiding away making a sword
• The sound of preparation
• The sound of Ehud (Ay Hood) pounding away in the wee hours of the morning could be heard
• Today is a time just like then
• We need men and woman preparing themselves to be used of God to break the yoke of the oppressed
• Our world desperately needs deliverers.
1. Do you know someone who can't get free from their addictions?
• They've lived at the threshold of religion, but are no better for it.
• They need a deliverer.
2. Do you know some believer that is bound by some habit …
3. or maybe a struggling child of God that is laboring under a cloud of depression they can't seem to throw off.
4. Do you know of families that are being devistated by Eglon?
• Perhaps it is a faithful Christian wife who has poured herself in to a one-way relationship with an insensitive
Church going husband.
• The rich harvest that should be theirs is being stolen at the time of harvest
Listen to me carefully and do not be discouraged
• There is a sound in the air
• It is the sound that comes from the secret place. ….
• The sound of Ehuds working on double-edged daggers.
• These are the hidden ones in whom God has been doing a secret work.
• They are people who will speak an anointed Word from God that will gut the enemy and bring liberty to the
captive.
• They are people who are aware of their "hindered right hand" and have come to lean on the Lord.
• Yes, these are brave men and woman who love God and the freedom of His people more than they love life and
its immediate pleasures.
• These are willing to give God the glory and lift high His banner.
BUT ALSO, Don’t be discouraged…. there is a sound in this place today…... Do you hear it? Listen!
• It is the ringing of metal against metal.
• A deliverer is fashioning and sharpening his weapon.
• Jesus has been raised up from the secret place of the grave for the deliverance of those in bondage.
• Soon he will confront Eglon and the system he controls. …Jesus is coming soon
• But you don't have to wait for your deliverance ….You can be set free today
• Free from that habit ….free from that uncontrollable emotion……free from sin and shame
• WILL YOU LET JESUS SET YOU FREE TODAY
• IF YOU WANT TO BE SET FREE FROM SOME BONDAGE TODAY YOU CAN AND WILL BE
• BUT YOU MUST CHOSE……ITS YOUR DECISSION
• DON’T SIT IDLE AND LET FAT EGLON EAT UP YOUR INHERITANCE IN JESUS
Prayer:
Father, see the anguish of my heart. I am living a hindered life, yet there is something stirring within me. I have been given a desire to rid us of this enemy who has grown fat on the labor of your people. He has eaten what belongs to You, to us and to our children. He does as he pleases and there is no one to question him. I acknowledge and ask you to forgive our sinfulness. I ask you to put a word in my mouth that will come forth with such power that it will bring death to this fattened bull of Moab. My vision is of bound men being set free. It is one of victory over the flesh and the hordes of hell. God work in us until your enemies have been subdued and liberty has been returned to your children. Help us to wait before you until the two- edged sword of your word is in our mouth. Then and only then, we will throw off the chains of our oppressor and bring rest to Your land and glory to Your name.
