Judges 3:15–30 ‘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.’ (v15)
You would think Israel would have learned their lessons. ‘The evil’ they do is not specified but likely to have been following the local gods, where shrine prostitution was part of their practices.
This time it’s the Moabites, Ammonites and Amalekites who oppress Israel, and this time it’s for eighteen years. Many a school child has delighted at the story of Ehud.
A left hander, a very fat Moabite king, and a stabbing in the toilet with servants nervous about interrupting him, and yes, a bit of blood and gore too.
Left handedness is mentioned as it was so unusual and enabled Ehud to disguise his sword (nearly half a metre long).
Lessons? Never trust a left hander? Make sure you watch your weight? Never entertain guests in the toilet?
It’s clear that sometimes deliverance will come in surprising ways, with God prepared to use all means and ways He can, including the craftiness and deception of His judge.
We are foolish to read too much into the amusing details, other than to be aware of God’s capacity to use all things to further His purposes. This time they have peace for eighty years.
You may be crying out to God today for a solution to something you are facing and may not spot what He ends up doing that seems at one level to have nothing to do with Him but provides just the result you prayed for. That’s certainly a lesson worth learning.
A Prayer To Make:
Thank You God that You are all powerful and answer our prayers in surprising ways using surprising people. Amen.
An Action To Take:
Start a prayer journal. List your prayers and leave space for God’s answers.
Scripture To Consider:
Gen. 50:15–21; 1 Sam. 17:33–40; Phil. 1:12–18; Rev. 1:9–11
