Ehud: An Unexpected Deliverer

Come with me to Judges chapter number 3.

Judges chapter number 3, last Wednesday, we looked at the first judge the first deliver that God. Gave to Israel.

After Israel. Fell into sin.

You raised up off now. To deliver them going to look at the second judge that you raises up. Judges chapter number 3 and verse number 12. Is where where we will start.

It says in the children of Israel. Again did evil in the sight of the Lord. The Lord strengthened eglon, king of Moab against Israel because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. And then you gather to himself, the people of Amman and Emily went and defeated Israel and took possession of the city of Palms. So the children of Israel sir, deglon king of Moab, 18 years will stop there and we'll begin in prayer Our Father. We thank you once again as we come to this time and our Wednesday night service to learn more about your word and learn from Israel of old. I pray for all of that, we would see the relevance Lord in this even though it's ancient history. But Lord, it is true history and it is something that we must guard ourselves against even today. Father, I pray that you bless the Children and Youth downstairs and the workers. I pray for that, you just keep your hand upon us Upon Our Father and continue to bless his father. We ask all these things of Christ name, amen. Well, the Book of Judges as I told you a few weeks ago, covers a time span of about 400 years and in that four hundred years Israel, followed a very predictable pattern of life. You could say they would serve God Faithfully for season that would follow a very strong leader or a strong judge. When a judge would die, the children of Israel would disobey God. That would abandon God. They would drift off into seeing disobeying his word. They would get into Pagan idolatry. God, because of that would send a judgments upon the nation of Israel. And in that mess of judgment, the children of Israel would cry out to God and repentance and then God would raise up another deliver. Well, this is exactly the pattern we see really a work in our versus before us today. Israel sinned against God. And the Lord because of that raised up a pagan king eglon, the king of Moab to become very strong and egg lawn and invaded is real. He did this with the help of the ammonites and malachite's together. They are pressed Israel for 18 years is 18 long years. Well, when is real finally repented, the Lord raised up a man named a HUD to be there. Deliver, he is the second judge that God raised up. And as I said in our prayer, just a moment ago, this story has much to teach us, even though it is a very ancient story because like, Israel, Israel of all we often follow the same pattern of Disobedience. We think about that song, We're prone to wander Lord, I feel it. So, even us who are say, we're prone to wander off from the Lord. And sometimes, if we stay along that path, Lord was sent as tiesman upon those to whom he loved hill, hill, Sturgis, and chasing us. In order that he might restore us. Of course, our problem is not the same problem of that of Israel. Our problem is not the moabites are the ammonites of the amalekites. Our problem is The Flash. Wealthiest at this text on the fold. We see that Israel's enemies are a clear picture are clear type of our own enemy. Eglon is the picture. Perfect picture of The Flash. Because in his life eglon, the king of Moab, he is out of control. You self-indulgent, what sets eglon apart? Even in our scriptures, playing the talents as the eglon was fat, he was lazy, it was evil. He was full of pride. And Israel's defeat of eglon. We see a picture of the battle that we are supposed to be fighting every single day. So, in this sermon, in this message tonight, I wanted to see how Israel won their battle with those who oppress them and their day and how he raised up. I deliver name a hood. And we also see here a picture of Christ and how Christ is the righteous judge who once and for all Slade sin. Well, let's look at first of all, Israel, dilemma Israel's dilemma verses 12 through 13, through describe the horrible oppression that Israel suffer because of, again, their Rebellion against God and did this all to warn us. That, especially those of us who have been redeemed that you cannot see in and get away with it. You cannot live according to the way you want to live. When you have been bought and Redeemed by the Lord, Jesus Christ, you may do it for a season and even the scripture tells us that there is pleasures of sin but it's only four season and then they season is going to give way to all the Wild Oats that you have sowed and this is exactly what is real space in here. We see in verse 12 and 13, their foes and the children of Israel again. Did evil in the sight of the Lord, you're going to see that phrase, many times, write the Book of Judges and Israel. Again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord has strengthened eglon king of Moab against Israel. Now, we think sometimes that the Lord only strengthens those Christian kings are those Christian rulers, but sometimes the Lord strengthens Pagan ruler. Sometimes he strengthens communist rulers so that they can ruin it again. We see the sovereignty of the Lord, over the righteous, and unrighteous leaders, and Kings to the Lord. Strengthen eglon king of Moab against Israel because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. Then he act long gather to himself. The people of Amman and amalek. so Israel here faced three nations, three Pagan and very evil Nations because of their rebellion and wickedness against the Lord and they face the moabites in the Malachi to the ammonites which really what's amazing here, all three of these Wicked Nations that Israel faced here we're connected to Israel by Blood We think about the amalekites. They were descendants of Esau. The twin brother of Jacob. The moabites in the ammonites were descendants of lot. Abraham's nephew. Remember how after a lot and his daughters were delivered from Sodom and Gomorrah, lot's. Daughters got him drunk had sexual intercourse with their father. And they conceived two boys, one named Moab in the other Amman Amman and from whom descended, these two Nations and all three of these nations worship, false gods are the moabites serve A God Called shamash. The ammonites worship to God, called Molech. And both of these God will worship through vile sexual practices as well as child sacrifice. The amalekites a little bit different than the other two. They were nomadic people. There were they were a warlike people, that worshipped a plethora of pagan gods. But all three of these nations. As we know Israel's history were a continual thorn in Israel's side and they were constantly attacking constantly hindering and seeking to enslave the people of Israel. So these three nations are are are a picture of our old, fleshly Nature's at least three nations represent the power of the flash than the passion and Persistence of The Flash. And just like his, real was repeatedly attacked by these nations. The believer is continually attacked by the flesh. How many of you know that our flesh has its own desires, right? It's contrary to what are redeem Spirit as it does not like the way of Holiness. Our flesh does not like the way of righteousness. The flesh has not yet been redeemed. And so, therefore, it still likes the ways of evil is still likes the way of Satan. The bless you. And I carry around would do everything in its power to enslave us. It will do everything in his power to prevent us from reaching our fullest potential and Jesus Christ. It's hard for us to Fathom, as Christians. Being that we do have a new nature. Our spirit has been redeemed but yet again, our flesh is not yet save and so therefore, your flesh will never submit to the word of God. Your flesh must be forced into submission by by a strong, show of force. I think about Paul. He was no doubt. Many would say the greatest Christian to ever walk the face of the Earth. But Paul said in Romans 7:14 through 25 Wii, won't read the entire section of scripture there. But Romans chapter 7 talks about Paul says, for, I know that in me, that is in my flesh. Dwells no good thing. There's nothing good within me and matter fact, if Paul says this that's in dwells within me, he's speaking Elvis flash so I can even the greatest Christian who ever walked the face of the Earth. Still dealt with his evil flesh. And he admits that. And so should we Until we see Israel's foes but notice and verse 13, their fights it says, and then he can gather to himself the people event. I'm on and a Malak Malak and they went and defeated Israel and took possession of the city of Palms. So these three nations joined forces that came against Israel. And we're told that they defeated Israel and that were defeated just means that they defeated is where they destroying, they wanted to destroy then. These Pagan armies did not come for a friendly picnic. They came to destroy Israel. And so in reality Israel was in a fight for its very existence.

Melissa. And so every morning we wake up, We are in a fight for our spiritual lives each and every day. This is why. Paul said, I must crucify. I Must Die. Daily. I must crucify myself. Daily Amos Crucify myself. My flesh. Daily pulsating, Galatians 5:16 where to walk in the spirit. Have you walk in the spirit? You shall not fulfill the lust of the Flesh and how do you walk in the spirit? Well, you are to be spirit-led, you are to feed the spirit within you.

And if we do that, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. There is a desire that our flesh has that is painted in Port of tilted towards sin. In the scripture tells us that if we yield to send We are slaves to sin. but here's the thing, if you've been saved You're no longer a slave to sin. Okay. Paul said in Romans 16:16, we're no longer slave to seeing that is that is sin has no longer dominion over you. That's why a person who is constantly living in sin. Constantly. Being controlled and dominated by sending that is just the habitual way of their life that shows that that person has never truly been converted. because, Christ has defeated sin. And a person who is saved, may be dominated by sin for a season, but not throughout his entirety of his life.

Will notice our foolishness verse 14. Towels is, so the children of Israel, served eglon, king of Moab 18 years. The word served, their means to work to labor. They became a slave. To Agawam. I think about that just for a moment Israel. I've been redeemed to be the Servants of Jehovah. They have been redeemed in order that they might be a free people. Free from other nations free to serve the Lord who had to redeem them. But now because of their sin, they have become slaves and Servants of the Pagan King. And again this condition lasted for 18, long years. I notice Israel's deliver the second thing Israel's deliver Israel found herself meeting once again a deliver. When Israel, finally got tired of the slavery that they were undergoing is recalled on the Lord and then begin the process of bringing is real back to himself, which reminds us of what that it reminds us. That the first step in restoration is repentance repentance turning having a change of mind, having a change of heart and turning back to the Lord. Let's learn more about a HUD. The promised deliverer receivers 15, his problem. Merced teens houses. But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord,

The Lord raise up a delivery for them, a HUD, the son of Gera. A left-handed man. A left-handed Manuel, a HUD the scripture tells us that he was a from The Tribe of Benjamin. And we're also told there again, that 8 HUD was a left-handed, man, is a matter of fact, there seems to be a lot of left-handed men from The Tribe of Benjamin, judges. 20:16 tells us Among all this people or 700, select, men who were left-handed, everyone could sling a stone at a hair's breadth and not miss. Make it sling a stone at a very small objects and not miss But when the Bible says that he was a left-handed man, it is not simply mean that he just used his left hand because he was left-handed necessarily, it literally means that he was found in the right hand. And other words, many believe that ate a HUD with crippled on the right side and therefore he was forced to use his left hand because his right hand did not function properly, maybe was crippled or handicapped. But if you're thinking about a deliver or somebody who's going to be delivering a nation, you're probably not going to think about a person who is handicapped I mean if the people have been voting for a deliver, a hood will probably be at the bottom of the ballots, right? As we shall see a hood took, what many would see as a liability and with the Lord used it as an asset. But we think about his potential handicapped. We think about a lesson we can learn through that how that the Lord uses people who are not perfect people will not necessarily qualified people. We all have problems. We think about Moses was a tongue-tied stammering tongue leader. David was young, Paul was hated by the church, the early church. So we all have some issue or another that we think hinders us from being all the Lord would have us to be but the Lord can use us. Regardless of those things that we think can hinder us will notice versus the last part of verse 15. It says buy him by a hug the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglin king of Moab. Now 8 HUD made himself a dagger. There's a double-edged and a cubit in the link and fastened it under his clothes on his right side. So he brought the tribute to eglon King of Moab. And then it says no egg long was a very fat man and when he had finished presenting it the tribute he sent away, the people who had carried at the tribute, but he himself turned back from the stone images that were at gal-gal and said, I have a secret message for you. Okay, he said keep silence and all who attended him went out from him. So every so often the people of Israel were required to pay tribute to the Pagan King eglon and they were sent there to gift along with a delegation led by a 8 HUD and he took the liberty of making himself a double-edged dagger somewhere between 14 and 17. In the Bible says he's strapped. This dagger to his right side under his cloak and you went to take the tribute money to the king. His plan all along was to get the King by himself and when he does his going to assassinate, the king is going to kill him. And you can just imagine and we know this was a very daring playing here because if a hug is caught is awfully, obviously going to die. Probably by the same dagger that he brought to slay the king. But there's no doubt that the guards who guard, the king saw a crippled man and thought, we don't have to worry about this guy. But after delivering the money to eglon, the delegation Departed. And they had gone, a short distance, a hug, a hug came back and told eglon that he had a secret message for him. The king supposing that he was about to hear some great secret, tells a hug to keep silent until they are alone. Eglon to Misses all of his servants. We noticed a 20 So a HUD came to him. Now, he was sitting upstairs and his cool private chamber. The Knighthood said I have a message from God for you. So he rose from his seat, then they had reach with his left hand. Took the dagger from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly. Even the hilt handle went in after the blade. And the fat closed over the blade. For he did not draw the dagger out of his belly. And his entrails came out. Then a hard. Went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and lock them. When he had gone out, eglon servants came to look into their surprise, a doors of the upper room were locked so they said, well he is probably attending to his needs in the Coal Chamber. So, they waited until they were embarrassed or either translation would be they became anxious and still, he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and open them, and there was their Master falling dead on the floor, but I had had escaped while they delayed and passed beyond the stone images and escape to Sarah. So when I heard gets eglon all alone, he tells the king that he has a message from God. So eglon. He stands up and he wants to hear this message. I had reaches under his cloak, he draws the dagger and he thrust it so hard and two egg Long's body that the blade thinks so deep into the king's body, that the fat closes around the handle and a HUD cannot even retrieve the dagger. Not that, that matters because his goal was completed eglon is dead. I had locks the doors on the, to the rooftop room. This is where this would be where he makes his Escape. But it's very interesting. Vs24 eglon servants, found the doors locked and think the king is in the restroom, which is why verse 24 says, he's well, he's probably attending to him. Self is a polite way of saying he's relieving himself, and then it gets really gross there. And verse 22 or says that his entails came, our entrails came out, his dung came out of the King. James puts it, the dirt came out. so Eggland's bowels either came out because of a dagger going in or his bowels empty themselves when he died But the locked door. And the older from the chamber, convince the servants that the king is on the throne, so to speak. They wait until they are literally anxious. And embarrassed and Brooke 25. Tell the staff that they finally retrieve a key to unlock the door and they found at find a theater. L the king is dead and by the time they get to him a HUD is long gone. This takes us to Israel's Deliverance verse 27. It happened. When he arrived that he blew the trumpet, is this a HUD in the mountains of Ephraim and the children of Israel went down from him from the mountains and he led them. Then he said to them, follow me for the Lord, has delivered your enemies to the moabites into your hand. So they went down after him seized the Ford of all the Jordan leading to Moab and did not follow anyone to cross over it. So an 8 HUD returned from killing eglon, he sounded at Ram's Horn or a trumpet. Which would mean in this case, there were blown to call the people to war. And that's certainly, what is a purpose that the purpose here? But God had heard here at Israel's prayers and have raised up a deliver 800 taken. The first step to the tour, giving them victory over their enemies job was to cut off the Serpent's head. That's what he did. He killed eglon but they still needed it needed to destroy the body of the moabites. And they did just that notice December 28th. It says so they went down after him. Seize the Fords of the Jordan leading to Moab and did not follow anyone to cross over. And at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all Stout Men of Valor and not a man escaped. So Moab was subdued. Subdued that day under the hand of Israel and the land had arrested for eight eighty years of the land address for 80 years. So Israel, cut off the Avenues of Escape And the means whereby reinforcements to get in, in the Bible, here tells us that they killed some 10,000 men of the men that they killed were all Stout men in the King James pushed. It puts it Lusty men. But it shows, just how how much the English language has changed. Does it mean if they were lusting in the sense of having bad desires? It just means that they were very strong Stout robust men. Then that means said, the men of valor means that these men were not only strong man, but they were very able-bodied men. Very Valiant strong men. So the Lord Gave Israel the strength to kill Able Body. Strong soldiers, warlike men. God really gave them the Victory and again there we see verse 29. It said not a man escaped. Israel did not back off until all of the soldiers. All of the men of the three nations had been put to the sword. And so, it was a total victory over the enemy. But it teaches us a lesson or two to that about our own battles with sin and the flesh. How we must crucify the flesh.

We must do this. God has given us, every he has given us everything. We need to enable us to walk, and spiritual victory has given us his word. He's given us his Spirit. He's giving us the power of Prayer. We fall to yell to him and walk in his will we can never have Victory. And so we see how God raised up this judge a HUD to slay eglon, the king of Moab and again, at houses and beautiful, really a picture of what Christ did on the cross of Calvary. How he crucified seeing defeated sin and death So, Judges chapter 3 is a very graphic bloody and in gruesome chapter for sure. They're just shows us how the Bible does. Not a whole things back, and there's lessons within those things. If we're careful to read it, All right, we'll go ahead into our time of prayer.

And just continue to pray for Bud Ballard. He is at home recovering from his. He had two heart stents put in on Tuesday morning. So continue to pray for him. He's doing well considering that more than likely. He had a mild heart attack. But just pray for him. He is quite sore. And a little weak still from that procedure. So pray for Bud Ballard.

Pray for Arthur Bishop in the family. He is in his last days, I wouldn't saw him today Carla was there as well, hurt his daughter. and, He certainly does not have long to live on this side of heaven, so pray for the family of Arthur Bishop.

Anybody have any updates on his phone this prayer list or any more per request need to add to this list.

Okay.

Okay. Alright, so pray for Wayne has he has a So, you have a procedure on the 25th, correct?

Okay. All right, pray for for the Wayne. Any anyone else? yes, James

are there complications. He's back in the hospital with a massive infection.

I hate to hear that. Nate Johnson. Pastor Bible Baptist Church in Conway.

Anybody else?

I know every one of us have personal needs that we are. We have Upon Our Hearts.

All right, there's no other prayer request.

But the interview would start us out in the word prayer and little James, if you would dismiss us in a war prayer, wonderful.