The Book Of Judges (3 Of 5) Ehud

After God used Moses to bring the people out of the bondage of Egypt, he sent the spies into the promised land. Two of those spies were Joshua and Caleb. Caleb’s youngest brother was Othniel, who was the first Judge God used to rule the land.

Although the leaders of the people were known as judges, their chief function was not that of deciding cases of law, but that of providing political and military leadership in times of crises.

The historian of this period was convinced that Israel should have had a different type of leadership, and expresses this attitude.

Look at Judges 17:6, we read, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

During the time of the Judges, whenever conditions became intolerable, God would raise a Judge to deliver His people from the hands of the enemy.

The book of Kings is a history lesson about the Kings God used to lead Israel and Judah.

The Book of Judges is a history lesson on the Judges.

The period of the judges came to an end with Samuel, who is also referred to as a seer and a prophet, and who anointed Saul to be the first King of Israel.

But in this lesson let’s look at the second Judge, Ehud.

Let’s look at-

I. I. THE MAN

WHO IS EHUD? We read about him in Judges 3:11-29, in our text for this sermon. The Bible has a great deal to say about him. He is the spiritual “JAMES BOND” of the JUDGES!

When Israel sinned, God always used nations that surrounded them to be his whipping rod.

As Ehud’s story is introduced, we see that Israel’s evil-doing led to an enemy taking control. That enemy was EGLON, KING OF MOAB.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT KING EGLON?

• He was a very over weight King that ruled over the Moabites for eighteen years.

• He was allowed to overpower Israel and he demanded a percentage of Israel’s gross national product.

• Moab was situated east of the Dead Sea.

• Eglon crossed the Jordon and took the city of Jericho, known as the ”City of Palms.”

Look at verses 12-14, we read, “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. And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.”

We need to remember that Joshua uttered a curse upon any who might dare rebuild Jericho, which Eglon carelessly disregarded to his peril.

Eglon’s name means a “bullock” — appropriate, considering his size…and death!

Israel cried out to God, and Ehud became their deliverer.

Look at Judges 3:15, “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.”

Notice, the Bible says Ehud was left handed. Ehud came from the tribe of Benjamin, for which being left-handed was not that unusual.

Look at Judges 20:16, we read, “Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.”

In other words, these people from the tribe of Benjamin did not see being left handed as a handicap.

Illus: This is like seeing someone in America driving with the steering wheel of their car on the right side. We think that is strange, but if you go to England that would not seem odd at all.

Just because people do not do things the way we do them does not mean they are weird. IT IS A MATTER OF PREFERENCE.

Illus: For example, we have a Christian radio station in town that plays contemporary music for young people. I do not like it because I think the emphasis is on the BEAT not on the MESSAGE of a song. However, it is a matter of preference. Do I think they are weird for listening to such music? I can only say this: they have a PREFERENCE I do not care for in music. That does not make them weird, it makes them different!

Often, if people do not do things the way we do them, we are quick to criticize them.

If we look at the text where it says he was left-handed, we find that the text literally reads: “a man restricted in his right hand”.