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 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
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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