Judges 3:12-30 "A Lefty Makes Things Right"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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If you have a Bible with you, open it to the book of Judges.

How many of you have never—well, let's ask it differently.

Instead of shaming some of you, I'll let some of you boast.

How many of you have read the book of Judges?

How many know who Ehud is?

If you do, you're probably left-handed, which we'll see why.

We're going through a series of sermons over the summer, which we call redemption stories.

But stories in the Old Testament that don't just tell stories, but also point us to the gospel and the grace we see in Jesus.

And this morning, leave it up to me to find an obscure story.

I want us to look at a story that you probably have not heard, but is in many ways funny, but also quite sad.

So follow with me.

We're going to be reading Judges chapter 3, verses 12 through 30.

Judges 3:12–30

Judges 3, 12 through 30.

Where we have the story of Ehud.

And the people of Israel, again, did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

And 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, which is Jericho.

And the people of Israel served Eglon, the king of Moab, 18 years.

Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer.

Eglon, the son of Gerah, the Benjaminites, a left-handed man.

The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon, the king of Moab.

And Eglon made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length.

And he bounded on his right thigh under his clothes.

And he presented the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab.

Now, Eglon was a very fat man.

And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.

But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said,

I have a secret message for you, O king.

And he commanded, silence.

And all his attendants went out from his presence.

And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber.

And he had said, I have a message from God for you.

And he arose from his seat.

And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh,

and thrust it into his belly.

And the hilt also went in after the blade.

And the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly.

And the dung came out.

Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.

And when he had gone, the servants came.

And when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked,

they thought, surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.

And they waited until they were embarrassed.

But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber,

they took the key and opened them.

And there lay their Lord, dead on the floor.

He had escaped while they delayed.

And he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Sierra.

And when he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim.

Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country,

and he was their leader.

And he said to them, follow after me,

for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.

And so they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites

and did not allow anyone to pass over.

And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites,

all strong, able-bodied men, not a man escaped.

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel,

and the land had rest for 80 years.

You know, the Ehud, I think,

is by far one of the most interesting and fun stories in the book of Judges,

in particular, maybe through the Old Testament.

And it's primarily known because this left-handed guy,

this Benjaminite Southpaw,

overthrows, contrives this brilliant scheme,

and then overthrows with his leadership,

this Moabite domination of Israel.

But at the same time,

it's stories like this that give us difficulty.

Part of it is this story,

if you didn't pick up a little bit,

the English doesn't do justice,

but it's the graphic nature

of the telling of this story.

I'm going to have

a very difficult time

relating to you what is in this text

in a way that will not violate

our Southern polite church sensibilities.

This is a story of every middle school boy's dream.

It's got everything in here.

But maybe the toughest aspect of this

is there are some moral dilemmas here.

Is this what we want?

Is this the kind of leader that we need

who leads by deception and outright murder?

Is this what God calls us to?

And I think because of this,

this story is kind of left off to the side

because we don't know how to process this,

especially today.

But we don't know what to think of it.

Ehud's not one of these leaders

that's put up here for our admiration,

kind of like Gideon is.

Gideon is the poster child of the book of Judges.

But unfortunately, he had his issues too.

So what do we do with this story?

I think I really want to change our approach,

maybe to the whole of the book of Judges,

but particularly to Ehud here.

And I want us to see

three basic things in this story.

One is that we're going to see

some very wonderful things

about the character of God

and his compassion for his people.

we're going to see

the pure idiocy of idolatry.

And then we're going to see some pointers

that point us to a much better Savior to come.

So first, let's look.

Our covenant God's compassion

in the face of ongoing rejection.

You see there in the text,

and the people of Israel again

did what was evil in the sight of their God.

That word again is very prominent.

Because if you read through the book of Judges,

it's a downward progression.

They start with faithfulness

as they enter into the land of Canaan,

led by Joshua.

But then as soon as these leaders die,

things deteriorate spiritually.

And so they do evil.

Then God sends a judge,

a savior,

to take care of them.

The first one was Othniel.

And so he just overpowered.

Overpower.

He came against these overpowering forces

and saved Israel.

And they had rest for 40 years.

Well, at the end of 40 years,

now we see the cycle starting all over.

Othniel dies out.

Those leaders die out.

And again, Israel does evil

in the sight of the Lord.

After 40 years,

you would think that they took that time

to learn their lessons

from their previous enslavement,

but it did not sink in.

And so very quickly,

they revert back

to their idolatries,

their old ways of rejecting Yahweh,

their covenant God,

for the gods of the land around them.

But this time,

God does it differently.

The last time he brought

this overwhelming force

against them

and enslaved them.

This time,

he strengthens

this

sniveling little king.

He empowers him

to bring Israel

into slavery.

Now, it's probably just a regional issue

around the Jordan,

around where Jericho was.

But still,

what God does here

is he strengthens somebody

who really has no power at all

and makes them

unstoppable

and brings his own people

into slavery.

And after 18 years

of this slavery,

after 18 years,

they finally cry out

for help.

And this tells us

two very important things.

Also,

well,

notice before I say that,

we never,

in this whole thing,

see evidence

that Israel repented.

Never.

They cry out.

God.

So,

two things

we need to see

from this.

First,

when God disciplines

his people,

he doesn't do it

just out of anger,

but he does it

with this strong

sense of compassion

for those people.

He does not enjoy

bringing pain.

But in fact,

when they are in pain,

pain that he himself

brings on them,

it's his heart

that breaks first.

If you look back

in chapter 2,

verse 18,

when we see

this overall description,

kind of the

shortened version

of the rest

of the book of Judges,

we have this statement

in verse 18.

Whenever the Lord

raised up a judge

for them,

the Lord was with

the judge

and he saved them

from the hand

of their enemies

all the days

of the judge.

For the Lord

was moved

to pity

by their groaning

because of those

who afflicted

and oppressed them.

This is kind of like

when you have to

give your child

a, well,

should I say spanking?

I'll say it anyway.

If you had to give

your child a spanking

and you want to say

to your child,

this is going to hurt me

a lot more

than it's going to hurt you.

And your child

kind of looks up

at you incredulous.

Is it seriously?

It's my behind

that's going to be sore.

Not yours.

But what they don't

realize is

is that it's

the heart of a parent

for his child

that is breaking

for the child.

And no parent

enjoys in any form

bringing pain

to a child.

And if that's true

of us

who are

evil,

how much more so

is it true

of the covenant God

who now pursues

this rebellious,

rejecting

people?

The second thing is

notice

his salvation

is not

always

or necessarily

precipitated

by repentance.

God brings

salvation

to his people

long before

their hearts

are ready

to turn

back.

Their cry

out to God

is not

oh we're so sorry

for our sin.

Their cry

is from the pain

that they're having

to live with

because of

God's discipline.

That's all

they wanted.

They wanted

relief.

And God

gave it to

them.

Only Israel

it's interesting

in this passage

is said

to have done

evil.

Not Moab

not anybody

else

but Israel.

I think

sometimes

we often

believe

that God

is only

going to

come and

help us.

He's only

going to

come and

get us

take care

of us

and give

us

good

things

when

we

finally

repent.

That we

are

repentant

and we

get our

hearts

right

and that's

when he

comes to

save us.

When I

quit

pursuing

this

addiction

then God's

going to

come and

help me.

He's not

going to

come and

help me

until I

stop.

Until I

can change

my heart

about this

God's not

going to

come.

When I

change it

then that's

when he's

going to

come.

We think

that the

pain that

God brings

us is

corrective.

Well

in some

ways it

is.

And as we

go through

the book

of Judges

you'll see

that more

and more

and more

it becomes

that.

But the

pain also

points

what he

gets

the reason

he gives

us the

pain is

so that

we can

see the

dead

end of

our

idolatries.

The pain

is not

directly

inflicted

on him

it's what

we bring

on

ourselves.

The real

corrective

in this

discipline

is that

this covenant

keeping

God

shows

kindness

to his

people.

when they

are the

most

desperate

and they

can do

nothing.

He just

comes

because

they're

his

people.

We

as his

people

are not

like

animals

that have

to be

punished

to correct

our

behavior.

We are

like

wandering

spouses

houses

that he

is now

in pursuit

of

to win

back

by his

love.

And that's

what he's

doing here.

And they

will come

back

it'll be

very short

lived

but this

is a

picture

of the

heart

of this

covenant

God

that we

serve.

God

is

the

second

thing we

see in

this

passage

again is

just the

total

utter

foolishness

of

idolatry.

In here

I love

reading one

of the

commentators

and I

think he's

really on

target here.

You have

to imagine

a bunch

of Israelis

sitting around

the campfire

telling this

story.

And as

they go

through this

story they

are in

stitches.

This is

hilarious

stuff.

I wish I

could give

you all

of it

that's in

here but I

can't.

But I'll

give you

enough.

You know

this is one

of those

great examples

where if you

see in

Psalm 2

where God

just holds

the nations

as they

rage against

him he

holds them

in derision.

Here's a

good example

of that

derision

that

these

enemies

of God's

people

have.

We begin

with the

statement

the Lord

raised up

for them

a deliverer

Ehud

the son

of Gera

the

Benjaminite

a left

handed

man.

Now

you've got

to know

that in

Middle Eastern

culture

being left

handed

was not

normal.

In fact

it was so

contrary

because the

left hand

is considered

highly

unclean

because of

what was

done with

it.

And so

here the

author is

telling you

there's

something

unusual

about to

happen

with him

being left

handed.

And it's

not just

that he

was left

handed.

Again you

read farther

down through

the book of

Judges you

find out

that in

Benjamin

there was a

group of

soldiers.

There was a

whole group

of them

that were

specifically

trained to

fight with

their left

hands.

Literally the

text says his

right hand was

restricted.

Because

everybody's

fighting with

their right

hand with

their sword

and they

got their

shield but

if you put

somebody now

with a

sword in

their left

hand that's

totally

unexpected and

it gives

them an

advantage.

And so

we're told

here again

pointing to

something

unusual.

Ehud is

left handed.

Important

detail.

So you

know and

at this

point I

have to

say too

there are

more than

one theory

of what

happens in

this story.

I'm going

to give

you what

I think

is the

one that

makes the

most sense.

Okay.

All right

we've met

Ehud.

Now we

need to

meet

Eglon.

Oh the

funny thing

I forgot

Ehud

he's left

handed but

actually what

his name

means son

of my

right hand.

Now we

get Eglon.

Eglon's

name means

little

calf.

It's

also

feminine.

Eglon.

This is

a rotund

effeminate

king

of Moab

who has

made

himself

fat

off of

Israel.

And so

Ehud

makes

he is

going

with

this

group

to

present

the

required

tax

but

actually

the

text

says

it's

more

like

an

offering

with

this

delegation

but

before

he

does

he

makes

himself

a

sword.

This

is

not

a

battle

sword.

This

is

more

like

a

foot

or

18

inches

long

and

then

he

straps

it

because

he's

left

handed

he

straps

it

on

his

right

thigh.

Now

this

is

important

if

every

soldier

fights

with

his

right

hand

he's

going

to

have

his

sword

on

his

left

thigh

so

when

they

go

in

and

search

these

are

enemies

so

when

they

search

them

for

weapons

they're

more

than

likely

not

even

going

to

think

about

a

sword

being

on

the

right

side.

So

and

more

than

likely

he

straps

this

on

the

inner

thigh

again

so it

would be

totally

undetected.

And now

the story

is framed

between

the idols

these idols

that demarcated

the land

of

that now

Moab

controls

these stone

idols

that were

set up

you see

that they

come in

past

these idols

and after

presenting

their

offering

Ehud

follows

with

the

group

back

to

those

idols

and then

says

goodbye

to them

sends

them

off

but then

returns

and he's

returning

with

a message

or

literally

a thing

for

Eglon

now

again

if you're

sitting

around

the

campfire

you're

hearing

this

story

you know

the thing

that

Eglon

is going

to get

and it's

just

starting

to get

funny

so

Ehud

comes

back

catches

Eglon

sitting

in the

cool

roof

chamber

this is

the

toilet

and the

way they

designed

these

toilets

was

it was

a raised

room

so that

when

the

toilet

was

used

it

could

be

cleaned

out

below

important

detail

but

literally

the text

says

when

Ehud

comes

back

Eglon

was

sitting

on his

throne

you

wondered

where that

came

from

so now

the question

is

why

would

Eglon

send

out

all

of his

people

to be

alone

with

an

enemy

in the

toilet

this is

where it

gets a

little

tricky

Eglon

we think

was expecting

sexual

favors

and so

you know

which would

explain why

he sends

everybody out

and so

forth

but then

Ehud

rephrases

his statement

he says

I have a

message for

you

reaches

with his

left hand

to his

right thigh

pulls out

his little

sword

thrusts

it in

to his

belly

and this

guy is

rotund

he was

so fat

the sword

went all

the way

in

and

disappeared

causing

a reflex

bowel

movement

and

Eglon

dies

in the

toilet

in his

own

dung

now

the

escape

well

Ehud

locks

the door

from the

inside

and then

escapes

down

through

the

toilet

into

the

room

below

where

they're

not

going

to

be

looking

for

it

and

he's

able

to

clear

and

goes

all

the

way

out

again

past

the

idols

that

supposedly

had

given

control

of

Israel

over

Israel

to

Moab

but

were

now

powerless

to

stop

one

little

Benjaminite

soldier

the

utter

powerlessness

of

idols

but

the story

keeps

going

the

writer

because

now

you've

got

Egon

dead

Ehud

has

escaped

but

now

you've

got

these

buffoons

of

soldiers

that

are

Egon's

and

they're

outside

the

toilet

they're

waiting

on

their

king

they

smell

something

that

tells

them

this

is

not

the

time

to

go

in

but

they

keep

waiting

and

waiting

and

he

doesn't

come

out

and

he

doesn't

come

out

and

they

don't

know

what

to

do

if

we

go

in

there

and

we

embarrass

him

it's

going to

be

trouble

for

us

and

finally

they

just

had

to

they

break

in

they

unlock

the

door

and

find

their

king

dead

and

then

you

see

the

rest

of

the

story

if

Israel

is

held

captive

by

this

bunch

of

Moabite

idiots

whose

gods

are

totally

impotent

to

save

their

people

who

are

the

real

fools

the

enemies

of

God's

people

are

powerful

for

one

reason

because

God

gave

them

that

power

over

them

but

the

idea

that

these

it's

not

the

Moabites

the

issue

of

idolatry

they

don't

know

any

different

but

Israel

rejected

the

covenant

God

for

these

other

idols

and

they

thought

these

idols

would

be

enough

to

satisfy

them

and

save

them

and

protect

them

and

then

they

were

overrun

by

this

fat

effeminate

powerless

little

calf

Isaiah

44

16

and

17

says

this

very

starkly

about

idolatry

speaking

of a

cedar

tree

that a

man

cuts

down

he

says

over

half

of it

he

eats

meat

he

roasts

it

and

is

satisfied

also

he

warms

himself

and

says

aha

I'm

warm

I have

seen

the

fire

and

the

rest

he

makes

into

a

god

his

idol

and

falls

down

to

it

and

worships

it

he

prays

to

it

and

says

deliver

me

for

you

are

my

god

how

foolish

idolatry

is

not only

the epitome

of

evil

and

rebellion

it

is

idiocy

when

I

lived

back

in

Atlanta

there

was

a

radio

commercial

that

I

heard

a

couple

of

times

as

I

would

drive

around

town

when

you're

in

Atlanta

you

drive

around

town

a

lot

but

it

was

a

car

commercial

for

some

luxury

car

it

could

have

been

Audi

something

but

the

tagline

of

commercial

was

what

does

your

car

say

about

you

meaning

that

if

you

really

want

to

be

somebody

you

need

one

of

their

cars

well

I

drove

an

old

20

year

old

almost

red

pickup

truck

with

oversized

tires

electronics

that went

haywire

it had

a nice

brush guard

on the

front

and a

tree

shaped

indentation

in the

back

end

because

I forgot

to put

the

brake

on

once

and so

I'm

sitting

in this

truck

thinking

hmm

what does

my truck

say about

me

and the

temptation

was

you don't

want to

know

but when I

think

the purchase

of a bunch

of metal

and rubber

and wires

is going to

somehow give

me a sense

of value

going to give

me an

identity

maybe if

I buy

a house

in a

certain

neighborhood

maybe if

I get

this

certain

person

to put

their arms

around me

in such

a way

that's

going to

tell me

I'm

somebody

who's

the fool

you got

that right

when I

turn from

the one

who's

loved

me

who

continues

to love

me

who

calls me

by name

who

made me

his own

and then

saves me

from

myself

who

makes me

into

his image

and promises

me

everything

if I

turn from

him to

a heap

of metal

or to

another

person

I am

the one

to be

pitied

you know

maybe

Eglon's

got the

excuse

he just

doesn't

know

any

better

but

we

do

we

do

but

there's

one more

thing

in this

text

that you

may

not

see

you know

at this

point

we really

should be

asking

a question

that we're

probably

not

asking

what

do

and that is

Eglon

this

food

is put

to death

by an

act

of God's

judgment

the

methods

by which

he was

murdered

of course

are not

necessarily

those we

should

emulate

but

nonetheless

God

brings

about

his

fate

which

he

deserves

why not the same thing for Israel

they deserve it

in fact they deserve it worse

because they knew better

Israel was more foolish

they broke the covenant

even here

a story where God is very conspicuously absent

except for that statement

that he would raise up a savior

we find some clues as to why

if you read through here

this story is full

of sacrificial language

egg line

the fattened calf

ehud's sword is more like a sacrificial knife

rather than a sword for battle

and this little calf

was offered

as a sacrifice

for the salvation

of God's people

what they did not recognize was

in all of this

that God himself

provided

that

sacrifice

but there's something else here

and this is a picture that Israel did not catch on to

that sacrifice

of this king

pointed to

another king

who would come

he would not be

a buffoon

but he would be

the pure

the holy

one

the king

over Israel

where he himself

would come

and he

would be sacrificed

for the sins

of his people

he would die

the death

that Israel deserved

as egg line

dies this death

and takes this judgment

though he deserved it

this other king

would not

he would be

innocent

but because

of the compassion

and the love

and the mercy

and justice

of God

he would pay

for the sins

of his people

himself

and set them

free

from their

idolatry

this is

what

the covenant

God

does

this is what

he has done

here in this table

this table

is really

a remembrance

of

how that king

came

and was

slaughtered

justice

was fulfilled

but it was

our sin

not his

and so

he

came

offered

himself

went under

the knife

and was

the sacrifice

that was

sufficient

to pay

for all

of your

foolishness

all

of your

idolatry

all of your

sin

all of your

rebellion

this is the one

we celebrate

here

a much

much

better

sacrifice

than a

fat

moabite

king

this king

would do

the job

completely

let's pray

before we come

to the table

lord jesus

we

thank you

that you

have come

that you

took the

judgment

that we

deserve

oh

lord jesus

we are

the fools

we are

rebellious

we turn so

quickly to so

many other

things

to give us

life

to give us

satisfaction

to give us

hope

and

we turn away

from the real

source

of life

and hope

we think we can

make it with our

own hands

we are

such fools

but we

bow now

and we

come to this

table and

celebrate

that you

say fools

you have

given yourself

for the

greatest of

fools

that we

might again

know life

as sons

so as we

eat

as we

celebrate

this

table

would you

feed us

with your

grace

in jesus

name

amen

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