The “message from God”. Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his [private] cool upper chamber, and Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And the king got up from his seat. Jdg 3:20
INTRODUCTION
This is a history of the chosen people during the 400 or 450 years which intervened between the death of Joshua and the time of Eli, Act_13:20. It is not a connected history, but a collection of outstanding incidents, which determined the fortunes of the chosen people, and gave special illustrations of the power of faith in God. The chief lesson of the book is the intimate connection between loyalty or disloyalty to God and the corresponding results in well-being or misery. This is distinctly stated in Jdg_2:11-23.
The judges were extraordinary agents of the divine pity and helpfulness, raised up as the urgency of the people’s need demanded, to deliver Israel from their oppressors, to reform religion, and to administer justice. Their administration was generally local, as Barak among the northern tribes, Samson in the extreme south, and Jephthah across the Jordan in Gilead.
It must not be supposed that Israel perpetrated an unbroken series of apostasies. Though these and their special deliverances occupy the major part of the book, there were evidently long interspaces of fidelity and prosperity. And in the darkest hours, there were probably large numbers who, amid the abominations, sighed and cried for a better day.
There are two appendices, relating events which took place not long after Joshua’s death, and therefore preceding the greater part of the history. We may almost consider the book of Ruth as the third. The touches of human characteristics are very vivid and instinctive, and the book deserves much more attention than it receives from the ordinary reader.
Israel’s Apostasies and Deliverances
INTRODUCTION, Jdg_1:1-36; Jdg_2:1-23; Jdg_3:1-432.
RULE OF THE JUDGES, Judges 3:5-16:31
Following repeated apostasy and oppression, the Israelites were successively delivered:
2. From the King of Moab by Ehud, Jdg_3:12-30 (Shamgar), Jdg_3:31
6. How could Ehud’s act be called’ a “message from God” to Eglon?
THE LORD RAISES UP JUDGES
EHUD
Now the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, since they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD.
And Eglon gathered to him the sons of Ammon and Amalek, and went and struck down Israel [in defeat], and they took possession of the City of Palm Trees (Jericho).
And the Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.
But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD [for help], the LORD raised up a man to rescue them, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the Israelites sent a gift of tribute by him to Eglon king of Moab.
Now Ehud made for himself a sword a cubit long, which had two edges, and he bound it on his right thigh under his robe.
And he brought 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 had carried it.
But Ehud himself turned back from the sculptured stones at Gilgal, [and he returned to Eglon] and said [to him], “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said “Keep silence.” And all who attended him left him.
Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his [private] cool upper chamber, and Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And the king got up from his seat.
Then Ehud reached out with his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh, and plunged it into Eglon’s belly.
And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, because Ehud did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out.
Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the upper chamber behind him, and locked them.
When Ehud departed, Eglon’s servants came. And when they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, they said, “He is only relieving himself in the cool room.”
They waited [a very long time] until they became embarrassed and uneasy, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. So [finally] they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the floor, dead.
Now Ehud escaped while they lingered, and he passed beyond the sculptured stones and escaped to Seirah.
When he had arrived, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them.
And he said to them, “Pursue them, for the LORD has handed over your enemies the Moabites to you.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab and did not allow anyone to cross.
They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabite men, all strong, courageous men; not a man escaped.
Jdg 3:30 So Moab was subdued and humbled that day under the hand of Israel, and the land was at rest for eighty years.
SHAMGAR
After Ehud came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistine men with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
On
Judges 3:12-31
THE “MESSAGE FROM GOD”
The sword is usually worn at the left hand, and Ehud escaped suspicion because his was girded under his raiment on his right thigh. Eglon was also the more ready to listen to him and give a secret audience, because he had just received a tribute from Ehud’s hand. It was a terrible deed of vengeance, which must not be judged by our ethical standards. But can we not understand how the hatred of a downtrodden and high-spirited race would express itself in just this manner?
That dagger, thrust in up to the hilt, was indeed a message from God, for it ended Eglon’s life and summoned his soul to stand at the bar of divine judgment. A supreme tragedy cannot befall except by the divine permission. Though God’s silent permission of evil cannot be construed as acquiescence, yet the results of an evil deed may be wrought into the scheme of His providence, as in the case of Gen_50:20-21 and Act_2:23. It is our frequent experience to have thrusts made at us; let us ask if they may not be messages from God! There is no chance in life.
DONATIONS FOR BIBLE DISTRUBUTION — Quovadisworld
On MeWe join our group at Friends in Jesus
We also have a Page about Creation Ministries International.
See also Young Earth Creationists
On Facebook;
Join our closed group at : Quo Vadis Christian Community Group to read and partake in the Bible study learn to know Jesus Christ. To know Him is to Love Him.
We also have an open Page at Quo Vadis Christian Community you might want to know more about.
Please ad yourself to our Messenger group to receive notification and chat to other members of the group.
You may however wish to disable notification and look at post when you have the time.
Join our messenger group at Friends in Jesus.
If you want a Bible please contact: Please let me have a Bible.
If you want a Bible in Pakistan.
You may also want to join Creation Ministries International.
Find more Study topics at Quo Vadis World
DONATIONS FOR BIBLE DISTRUBUTION — Quovadisworld
We give thanks and acknowledgement to Rick Meyers from e-Sword.
P.O. Box 1626
Franklin, TN 37065
United States of America
www.e-sword.net
