Victory in the Summer Parlor
Notes
Transcript
20 So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat.
21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
22 Even the hilt 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.
Israels repeated backlisdings as recorded in the book of Judges...
12 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.
Now Eglon didn’t just take the borders. Near a city call the city of palm trees in the inner part of Israel, they setup a stronghold.
They they forced Israel to pay tribute of the thing they had once given to God they now paid to the enemy.
When the enemy is allowed to come into your life and run roughshod over you , the things that you once gave to God, you now pay to the enemy.
For 18 years they had lived under the oppression of the nations that had strengthened themselves while Israel was weak.
Then, after 18 years, the Bible says “Israel prayed and God sent them deliverance”
When you start to pray God will send deliverance.
I don’t know why it took 18 yrs.
It shouldn’t have taken 18 minutes.
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
If we’ll get on our knees, He’ll come to His feet!
Ehud- Benjamite
The city of palm trees was in the area of the Benjamites.
The Benjamites had suffered so much that they had gotten down to just a few hundred men.
But it was there among the Benjamites that God found a man who said, “God if you want to use me I’m available.”
He had gotten so sick and tired of living as the enemies doormat that he was willing to do anything.
So Israel decided to send up a present to Eglon.
Over and above the required tribute.
They had gotten into a cycle of giving a little bit more to the king so that he would show them favor and leave them alone.
It had become a habit among them.
4966 מִנְחָה (min·ḥā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 4503; TWOT 1214a—1. LN 53.16–53.27 offering, sacrifice, i.e., a gift offered to God as a religious activity (1Sa 2:17), note: this can be grain, fruits, animal or other offerings; 2. LN 57.71–57.124 gift, present, i.e., something given to another without compensation (2Ki 8:8), note: often the one receiving the gift is a superior in some way; 3. LN 57.178–57.185 tribute, i.e., an obligatory gift of one nation to another as an act. of submission (2Sa 8:2; Hos 10:6)
This was a word that was used in the law for the offering that was offered to God to obtain His favour.
What they had once given to God, they now offered to Eglon to try and gain his favor.
That’s the way it works when the thief comes in and begins to steal, kill and destroy.
He’ll cause you to believe he deserves the things you once gladly gave to God.
Not long ago, they would have never done this, but now they do it without even thinking.
But there was something that happened in the heart of Ehud that day, when he felt the call of God on his life.
He’d lived under the oppression of the enemy so long that whenever they gave him the present to take up to Eglon, he just couldn’t take it any more.
He said, “I’m going to do something drastic”
It may mean my life, but I just don’t care.
So, he stopped along the way and made himself a dagger and hid it under his clothing.
And after he’d given the king his present and when every one started to leave, Ehud said I”ve got something else.
So they just left Ehud and Eglon alone in the summer parlor.
No one worried because for 18 years.....
Eglon had no idea today was going to be any different.
As Ehud approached him he said, “I have a message for you from the Lord.” And when he got close he pulled the dagger from on his right thigh and he plunged it into Eglon. He thrust it so deep that he couldn’t even pull it out. And this big heave pirate fell silently to the earth.
Ehud locked the door behind himself and the servants thought the king was taking a nap so they didn’t bother him.
By the time they became suspicious and busted down the door, Ehud had gone and sounded a trumpet and called israel together as an army and slew 10,000 of the enemy that day.
And Israel subdued them
Subdued the subduers
intimidated the intimidators
Victorious over the Victors
You’ve let the devil keep you captive too long.
And give things that belong to God to him.
Let’s take him by surprise!
He thinks he’s got it made....
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
There’s victory for anyone whose bold enough to step into the summer parlor!
He thought your family would never be saved, but go into the summer parlor and lock the door and show him that you mean business!
Somebody needs to get mad!
Somebody needs to get upset!
He thinks that because it s hot we’ll just take it but we’ll show him!
He thinks we’ll just sit here and let him work.
He knows his time is short
Greater is he....
He was left-handed. The tribe’s name meant right handed
Benjamin - son of my right hand.