Judges Series #4 Life Cycles
“Ehud: Strength perfected through weakness”
Review
We should be familiar with the cycle by now.
Sin-Slavery-Supplication-Salvation-Service
The book of Judges records the continuing history of the nation of Israel; picking up at the death of Joshua who led them to multiple victories over the occupying polluted nations God had slated for destruction. This is now the third generation after the grand Exodus out of Egypt’s 400 year servitude. But, like America today, they forgot the teachings of their founders. They no longer passed on the stories of God’s loving amazing acts to His chosen people. They became enmeshed with the pagan nations that God commanded them to destroy. They purposely ignored God while picking up the dreadful beliefs and practices of those nations. They arrogantly did their own thing. Every man did that what was right in their own eyes. They lapsed into idolatry, immorality and anarchy.
We find three main take away messages emphasized all though this account of Israel’s history.
1. Sin causes bondage. 2. God grants deliverance. 3. God utilizes unlikely people
I. Cycle Identified 1-2
II. Cycle Illustrated (Seven examples) 3-16
A. Othniel – God-empowered faithful servant
When the people cried out to the true God because of their bondage to the ruler of Mesopotamia, He heard their cry and answered by raising up a faithful servant Othniel and empowered him with His Spirit. This deliverance ushered in a 40-year period of peace.
So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died. Judges 3:11
This incident reminds us that it victory comes not by human might nor by physical power but by the Spirit. We desperately need His anointing, His filling, His empowering presence to enable us to live.
The next cycle reminds us that continual sin results in continual bondage. The people reverted right back into deliberate sin. God again sought to draw them back into His service using hardship and bondage.
It also teaches how God demonstrates His awesome power through our inherent weakness.
Introduction
Have you ever felt like God could not use you?
We need to learn what Israel learned…
God demonstrates His awesome power through our inherent weakness.
God’s abilities shine brightest through our inabilities.
B. Ehud: Strength perfected through weakness
1. Sin
And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD,
Simple statement. No embellishment. Really, this adequately defines the core of sin; to do what God declares evil. The difficulty arises when we no longer understand what is good and evil. When everyone does what is right in the own eyes rather than God’s.
Solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by continuous practice to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:14
Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 1 Pet 3:10-12
You know you are in the end times when spending millions on saving insects becomes right while preventing the killing of millions of unborn babies becomes wrong… When banning guns to save one child becomes right and noble while protecting unborn children from the hand of greedy doctors becomes wrong…When our leaders renounce as despicable and evil some video that makes fun of Mohammed while those same leaders, in the name of free speech, declare right the continual defilement of Jesus Christ.
Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14 Slavery
2. Slavery
The LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms. And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. Judges 3:12-14
Moab arose through the incestuous relationship between Lot (Abraham’s nephew) and his daughter. Lot continually struggled with fleshly indulgences. He lived as close to the flesh-driven society of Sodom as possible until he found himself engulfed by it and it almost cost him his life. It did cost the life of his wife whose heart still longed for the depraved city.
Eglon is a graphic visual of fleshly indulgence. The Bible calls him a very fat man. He formed and alliance with the people of Ammon, also descendants of Lot by another daughter, and Amalek descended from Jacob’s brother Esau. Eglon, probably just one of Moab’s chieftains, set up a summer throne in Jericho, the place of previous Israeli victory. Jericho sometimes called the “City of Palms” was known for its mild pleasant climate and became Eglon’s perfect summer retreat. Because of their sin, Israel ended up snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory. They failed to keep territory God had already captured for them in such a dramatic way. They abdicated control of their first glorious victory to a foreign power.
God “strengthened” Egon to defeat Israel. Same word used for what He did for Israel to defeat their enemies.
Christians today give up previously held territory to the enemy when they fail to be alert and compromise.
Habits, addictions, attitudes, worry and fear, gossip, Bible reading and prayer.
3. Supplication
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, 3:15a
As I have mentioned before, the cry for help did not necessarily indicate repentance.
It did represent a cry for help to the one true God rather than the gods of the nations who they had been serving.
4. Salvation
Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, and the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man.. Judges 3:15
When nations controlled other nations, they generally required a percentage of the GDP as a sign of submission and humiliation to the ruling nation. Scripture does not clarify just why God chose, appointed, raised up Ehud. Ehud belonged to the smallest tribe, Benjamin (son of the right hand). His name means “united and strong.” Ehud lived with a real or perceived handicap. The literal translation of this term means “weak in the right hand.” It could mean he was figuratively handicapped as people considered left-handedness a curse. It could indicate that something happened or was wrong with his right hand; maybe crippled.
Whatever the case, most considered Ehud handicapped or weaker than others. Society would have disqualified and rejected Ehud for military service. He was not deliverer material. How ironic that God would raise up a “son of the right hand” who was “weak in the right hand”.
Whenever God choses someone, He also instructs them. The writer did not record any direct communication from God but the passage clearly indicates the God raised him up to deal with Moab. Somehow, a strategy to demoralize Moab powerfully materialized in Ehud’s heart.
He purposely prepared a homemade weapon ahead of time that he could cleverly hide where the security people would not think to look. Ehud’s apparent “handicap” appeared to eliminate any suspicion or threat. Here is how it played out. Judges 3:15-29 Maybe Eglon thought that Ehud came back to inform of some sort of conspiracy. Maybe Eglon, who served multiple gods, wanted to hear what Elohim had to say to him. For whatever very reason (God directed him), Eglon allowed Ehud a private audience and lost his life. A powerful (maybe supernaturally enhanced) blow to the flesh did him in. Ehud returned to rally the troops to victory over a superior and larger military force.The Bible highlights the disparity… “all strong, able-bodied men”.
God’s work usually doesn’t stop with the stirring of one. He uses the one to stir a passion in others to join the cause. God used the improbable to accomplish the impossible. E.M. Bounds reminds us that, the world is looking for better methods, but God is looking for better men and women who understand the basics: the power of the Holy Spirit, wise strategy, and steadfast courage. Ehud exhibited all three beginning with willingness in spite of weakness, impossible odds and limited resources. Hudson Taylor stated, “God chose me because I was weak enough.”
5. Service
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
Through an unlikely handicapped yet willing Spirit-empowered servant, God turned Israel’s masters into slaves.
Certainly, this passage powerfully highlights the three points repeated throughout the book.
Sin causes bondage -- God grants deliverance -- God utilizes unlikely people
Last week we focused on the bondage due to sin and deliverance due to the power of the Holy Spirit. This week I want to expand on God’s utilization of weak things. We are all weak mortal creatures living universes away from our original potential. Since the rebellion, weakness really is now a divine criterion for success. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.
God resists the proud but grants grace (power) to the humble.
Whatever excuse for not engaging the enemy’s strongholds and reclaiming areas of your life and the world that includes a sense of personal weakness, completely evaporates in the light of Biblical protocol. The reality is that ALL of us are weak. ALL of us stumble in many ways.
Whatever God intends to accomplish through people, He has to do it through weak and flawed people.
For indeed Jesus was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward us. 2 Corinthians 13:4
We have this treasure in earthen(weak) vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 2 Cor 4:7
I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 1 Cor 2:3-5
For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
And God said to me (Paul), "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Even old age does not nullify our usefulness.
We do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison… 2 Cor 4:16-17
The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:12-15
Yes, we learn here that sin cause bondage. (Repent)
We also learn that God grants deliverance from bondage. (Cry out to Him).
But today, I want us to especially remember the fact that…
God demonstrates His awesome power through our inherent weakness.
God’s abilities shine brightest through our inabilities.
What does God want from you today? He wants you to offer yourself to Him in spite of your particular weaknesses. Health, intellect, upbringing, family line, handicap, knowledge deficit, lack of skills.
Stop letting sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and stop presenting the members of your body (capacities) to sin as instruments (weapons) of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:12-13
What Satan often uses to defeat us, God uses to deliver us.
It is a decision, an act of our will to stop obeying the lusts, longings and demands of our flesh.
Let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light…Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision (opportunity) for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13:12-14
Freedom comes when we strike a decisive blow to the flesh. You can’t reform the flesh, it must be KILLED. Our members must come under control. One of the signs that the Holy Spirit is in control is self under control. (Gal 5:22) Through yielded Spirit-empowered servants, God can turn what binds us into something that serves us. God instills the passion and ability. We are responsible for the availability and action. God will effectively use our passions and drives for His eternal purposes.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. Psalm 37:3-5
Draw near to Him this morning.
Because of the mercies of God, I urge you, brethren, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And stop being conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
Submit to God.
Resist the devil and He will flee.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
