Ehud Agent 002 Judges 3:16

NIV 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.

What kind of a lesson can we learn from Ehud making a sword & strapping it on his right thigh? Take a journey with me and lets

look at the Israelites ebbs & flows.

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.

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.

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.

This is the first of 5 major accounts of national deliverers, all of which are meant to

sicken the reader as well as celebrate Israel’s deliverance. Sin is sickening. When we deal with it radically through the Lord’s power, then we can celebrate the Lord’s

deliverance. Same way in our lives.

This story reminds me of a righteous James Bond. Who ever said that the Bible was boring? Don’t need to go to movies, or

watch TV. Judges is full of sexual immorality, violence, and war. However, it will display it for what it is and that is gross and horrible. After 9-11, the government

was criticized because they have relied too much on electronic surveillance instead of

espionage. Spies and assassins.

Many people will say, "Well, our civilization will not permit something like this." No one can honestly say this because we dropped

an atomic bomb that killed men, women and children. Most people have called this a

good thing because in the end it saved many people. Well-placed spies will help to save many lives. How civilized is the world? In our world we need some Ehud’s, not just

politically or militarily, but spiritually.

Joshua and the Israelites conquered the Promised Land through God. However, many pockets of resistance left after the

major strongholds were defeated. Joshua and the elders who lived after him died and

the people forsook God. In the days of Judges, there was no government except

God. The theme of Judges is NIV In those days Israel had no king;

everyone did as he saw fit.

Anarchy prevailed. Religious, social, political, and moral principles disappeared.

Civil war even broke out. The Israelites worshipped God along with Baal and

Asherah. They broke the first and second commandments.

NIV "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in

heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow

down to them or worship them.

When the people rejected God, they also rejected loving their neighbors and

ultimately abused them. God gave Israel a long time (about 350 years) to live as a

covenant nation without a national representative to keep the unity. The

worship of God was to keep them unified but it did not work. God chose men from

various tribes to correct the problems and to give Israel a fresh start.

We see the sin cycle that is prevalent in Judges.

NIV So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

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 Amalekitesto 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. 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.

The first Judge Othniel delivers Israel and leads the people in a revival before verse . After Othniel dies the Israelites fall away

into evil and idol worship. The Lord delivers them into the hands of a nation who

reduces them to servitude. It goes on for a while until the Israelites wake up and return

to God.

They cry out to God for a while. The Lord raises up a deliverer this time a man named

Ehud. Then it’s back to the same routine again. NIV After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of

the LORD.Our cycle is pretty much the same.

Today we are going to focus on Ehud. Let’s us take note of things that apply to us.

(Obviously we can’t go around assassinating people)

For instance:He exhibited great courage and faith in God

at a time when other Hebrew men of his day were not. Ehud had to forsake the

idolatrous practices that his neighbors were engaged in.

A man called a preacher on the phone to inquire about getting married. The preacher asked him if he and his fiancée were both

Christians, and he said he was, but she was not. They talked about that for a little bit, and were even able to talk about some of

the patterns that had developed in the man’s life and in his relationship with this

woman.

Evidently the couple were doing things that an unmarried couple should not be doing.

Finally, the preacher said, "I have to be honest with you. I cannot be involved in

your marriage because of what the scriptures say about Christian marrying

non-believers." the preacher could tell that it was a real blow to him.

A couple of weeks later they had lunch together, and the man said he had called off

the marriage and was in the process of severing the relationship completely. He had begun to see the patterns that had

developed in his life over the last few years, and how he had become dependent on

women. In this relationship he was dependent upon her, not God.

She controlled his life. So for the first time he said no to the flesh, no to what he

thought he wanted to do, and yes to God. He was learning about God again. He was

back in church; he was growing, and becoming dependent upon God. He’s in the process of being delivered and being made

whole. His face was radiant, as he kept saying over and over again, "This is a very

difficult thing for me to do, but it feels good."

In other words, there was rest; rest had entered the land once again. He had said no to the flesh; he had said yes to God.

After years of enslavement he was experiencing rest.

How many young men in our day would do what Ehud did? Was this easy for Ehud to

do? Probably not. Evidently he was important because he was delivering the

tribute.

Advantages & disadvantages of left-handed people.

In basketball it is normal to guard for a shot to be made by a right-handed player. So it can be awkward guarding a left-hand shot. Baseball fans know how effective a good

south-paw pitcher is is against right-handed batters.

Gayla’s always quick to point out people who are left-handed are in their right minds. Studies have shown left-handed people are crafty, artistic. Of course most of us right-handers think they’re kind of weird, but

really they’re unique.Sadly for them, most of the world is not set up for left-handed people. Something as

simple as scissors can pose a problem for left-handed people.

Learning to write cursive in 2nd grade presents an obstacle. Gayla’s Dad, who was a left handed teacher, taught her to

write cursive before printing. Not too long ago, children were scolded for using their left hand. Left-handed people were too

different and must be assimilated into right-handed world. In times past being left-

handed was considered evil, a sign of the devil. So in some regards being left-handed

could be a handicap.

However, Ehud used this for his advantage. He was left-handed and would have to

reach over on his right side to pull out the dagger. In that day almost everybody was right-handed, and they were searched on

the left side to see if they carried a weapon. Perhaps the king’s Secret Service agents searched Ehud on the left side & found

nothing.

What do you have that might be considered a handicap?

1. Family heritage2. Too ordinary3. Not in a high paying job4. Health conditions

What is holding you back?

Ehud was an important man. He brought the tribute to King Eglon. He was not a king but yet he was not the lowest man on the totem pole. A man who could be trusted, respected, maybe a Sergeant or captain. Don’t think that God cannot use you. He

can use anyone who is willing.

Judy Squier was born without legs, and she has been walking on artificial limbs since

she was 10 years old. When she was born, the doctor told her father, "Your daughter is

going to live, I’m sorry to say." But at 10, Judy was able to ride a bicycle that her

father had modified. At 16, she was able to drive a car that had been equipped with

hand controls.

Social workers told her not to bother thinking about college, but that made her

even more determined. She graduated from the University of Illinois with undergraduate

and graduate degrees. Now she and her husband have three beautiful daughters. At

a dinner in Washington, she said, "I am convinced that this Old World needs

handicapped people. God designed it that way. Handicapped people make a unique

contribution."

We should be ashamed. I am just ordinary. So was Ehud! A miracle can be when God takes someone ordinary, someone just like you and me, and uses them to His glory.

God takes a life that the world discards and uses it to His glory.

NET But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks

weak to shame the strong.

God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something,

so that no one can boast in his presence.

Doesn’t the old saying ring true? When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. God

gave you an ordinary life, if you let Him, He can make it EXTRAORDINARY!

Sometimes it takes only one person to motivate many to righteousness. Ehud was willing to go on the attack first, but then he blew the trumpet and all of Israel joined in

the battle, routing the enemy.

When President Andrew Johnson was impeached. A senator from Kansas was the deciding vote and he voted not to remove

Johnson from the Presidency.

One song can spark a moment. One flower can wake the dream. One tree can start a forest. One bird can herald spring. One smile begins a friendship. One handclasp lifts a soul. One star can guide a ship at sea. One vote can change a nation. One sunbeam lights a room. One candle wipes out darkness. One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey. One word must start a prayer. One hope will raise our spirits. One touch can show you care. One voice can speak with wisdom. One heart can know what is true. One life can make a difference.

You see it’s up to you!

Think of all the ordinary people God used:

the widow & foreigner Ruth, the boy shepherd David, the reluctant Prophet Jonah, the orphan girl Esther, the carpenter Joseph,several fishermen,

Peter, Andrew, James, John,the tax collector Matthew, the religious zealot Saul of Tarsus.

We could go on & on naming the people God used in miraculous ways. God can &

will use any or all of us to do great things for Him.

Are we willing to be used?Do you believe that God can do great things

through you? Do you believe that God can use you, that you’re valuable and important to him and

that you can make a difference?

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times

of challenge and controversy." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

What would have happened if Ehud had not done what he did?

Our world desperately needs deliverers. Some Christians need deliverers over

temptation, over sin, over bad habits. Takes time and effort but the victory can be ours.

Non-Christians can be delivered. My deliverer is coming;

my deliverer is standing by.