DEBORAH: A WOMAN OF CONVICTION AND COURAGE (Judges 4,5)

        In the chapters before us today, we are introduced to two women who were used by God in great ways, for his glory. Those women are Deborah and Jael. One was a respected leader in the nation; the other was a simple housewife. They came from different walks of life, but they were both used by God is remarkable ways. 

        I want to move through chapters 4 and 5 and point out some facts that present themselves in this tale of sin, judgment, war, faith, and victory. I want you to see how God used a courageous, faithful woman to deliver His people from bondage and oppression. I want you to see that God is still using His people for His glory every single day. Let’s walk through these verses together and meet Deborah: A Woman Of Conviction And Courage.


I.  v. 1-3        THE SPIRITUAL MELTDOWN IN ISRAEL

(Ill. These verses describe the horrible spiritual conditions that existed in Israel during the time if Deborah.)

A.  v. 1  Their Corruption – After Ehud delivered Israel from Eglon and the Moabites, the land has rest from war for 80 years, Judges 3:30. As long as Ehud lived and judged the nation, the people followed God and served Him. When Ehud passed from the scene, the people returned to their sinful ways. We are told that they “again did evil in the sight of the Lord” Judges 5:8 says, “they chose new gods”. The people of Israel turned their back on the God of their salvation and followed the gods of the Canaanites. There was a spiritual void in their lives and they walked away from the Lord. They no longer had Ehud to direct them, to guide them, to give them the truth, and they wandered from the right path.


(Ill. The children of Israel are a picture of what we see all too often in our churches. We see people who will follow God for a while, and then when there is a spiritual void in their lives, they turn away from God and seek their own ways. Perhaps it is the death of a special loved one. A parent, a grandparent, or some other influential relative will pass away, and the believer finds his foundation is gone. It is sad when we base our faith on those around us and not on the Lord.

        Sometimes it happens when a preacher leaves a church. When the preacher leaves, the people will sometimes scatter. This should not be! Our faith should be in the God Who gave Himself to save us, and not in any man. We should live just as close and just as clean regardless of who is removed from our lives. This kind of things happens when believers get their eyes on men and not on the Lord, Heb. 12:1-3.

        We need to be very careful! Like Israel, the old enemies from the past will rise up when you least expect them to. That sin you thought was conquered will defeat you if you give it an opportunity! You aren’t safe until you get home to glory and are delivered from this flesh, Rom. 7:14-25; 1 Cor. 10:12.)


B.  v. 2  Their Chastisement – When Israel rebelled against God, He responded by giving them over to their enemies for punishment. The Bible says He “sold” them. This words means to “turn over; to give up”. In other words, God abandoned them to the life they chose for themselves. They paid a terrible price for their rebellion. The condition of the nation is described in Judges 5:6-7. They were literally driven from their highways and their homes.


(Ill. There is still a high price to pay for disobedience to the will of the Lord. When we choose our ways over His ways, and when we choose to follow other gods instead of Him, we can expect His displeasure. He will send chastisement into our lives, Heb. 12:6-11; Deut 8:5; Rev. 3:19.

        I don’t know about you, but I do not want to experience the displeasure and chastisement of the Lord in my life. The only way to avoid that is to keep short accounts with Him and confess sin when it appears in our lives, Pro. 28:13; 1 John 1:9. If I choose to go on in my sins, I can expect God to touch my life in ways I will not like.

Ø  He might touch me through my flesh by bringing sickness or other sorrows into my life, Psa. 51:3; 40:12; 38:1-11.

Ø  He might touch me through my family by working through them to bring me back to Him, 2 Sam. 12.

Ø  He might touch me through my finances by bringing me to a place of want where I realize where my supply comes from, Hag. 1:6.

Ø  He might touch me through my future by allowing me to reap the full consequences of what I have sown, Gal. 6:7.

        I don’t know how God will work in your life or mine, but I do know that He will work. We may sin, but we will never get away with it, Num. 32:23.)


C.  v. 3  Their Cry – Israel was oppressed by Jabin and his armies for 20 years. As far as Israel was concerned, Jabin was undefeatable. He possessed a powerful army anchored by 900 chariots of iron. The helpless armies of Israel were no match for this enemy. According to Judges 5:8, the Israelites possessed no weapons. They were a conquered, defeated people. They were a people without hope. Eventually, they came to the place where they were tired of their situation. They called on the Lord and He heard them. But, you will notice that they did not cry out in repentance, they cried out for deliverance from their problems. Israel never seemed to realize that walking with the Lord, and honoring His Word and His ways brought His blessings, while rebellion and wickedness always brought His judgment.


(Ill. Most people in our day never learn that lesson either. People call on the Lord so that He will deliver them from their problems, while they fail to deal with the root of their problem, which is their sin. If we really want to be delivered from the oppressive effects of evil and the harsh whip of chastisement, we must deal honestly with our sins before the Lord. Our goal should not just be to escape our problems; our goal should be to be found pleasing to the Lord. Our goal should not just be to have an easier time in life; our goal should be to be right with the Lord in every area of our lives. If we could ever learn to seek the Lord’s will above all things, we could be spared a lot of the hardships we are forced to face in life. )


  I.  The Spiritual Meltdown In Israel


 II.  v. 4-24       THE SPECIAL MINISTRY OF DEBORAH

A.  v. 4-5  Her Position – The Bible is very clear; Deborah was both a “prophetess” and a “judge”. Her name means “Bee”, and she was as busy as a bee! Matthew Henry says that her very name suggests the work of the bee: industrious, sharp perception (discernment), great usefulness, sweetness to her friends, and sharpness to her enemies.

        The word “prophetess” suggests that she received direct revelation from the Lord and shared that word with His people. Deborah is not the only “prophetess” mentioned in the Bible. Others include: Miriam, Ex. 15:20; Huldah, 2 Kings 22:14; Anna, Luke 2:36; and the four daughters of Philip, Acts 21:9.

        There is no contradiction between this fact and the fact that God only calls men to preach, 2 Tim. 3:1-8. God laid His hand on these women and poured His truth through them in an age when there was not a complete Bible. In this age, we have a completed Bible. God does not call women to preach in this age, 1 Tim. 2:8-15.

        The word “judge” lets us know that she settled disputes among the people of Israel, v. 5. They came to her with their problems and she rendered judgment. In a very real sense, Deborah the leader of the nation during those dark days.


B.  v. 6-7  Her Prophecy – Deborah receives a word from the Lord and she calls Barak, to take 10,000 soldiers and go to war with the enemy. The Lord promises to defeat Sisera, the Canaanite general. God promises a great victory, if they will simply trust Him. And go to war.

C.  v. 8-9  Her Problem – Deborah has a word from the Lord. She shares that word with Barak, and she finds that Barak seems to be afraid to follow that word. Her is willing to go to battle, but only if Deborah will go with him. She agrees to go, but tells him that since he depended on a woman, the glory of victory will be given to a woman!

D.  v. 10-24  Her Partner – Barak and Israel go to war with Sisera and the Canaanites. Barak gets 10,000 from his own tribe of Naphtali and the neighboring tribe of Zebulon, Judges 4:6, 10; 5:14, 18. Later, the ranks swelled to 40,000, 5:8, with volunteers from Benjamin, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Issachar, 5:5:14-15. Some of the tribes refused to come, 5:15-17, but those which did saw God give them a great victory.

                Considering the fact that Israel had no weapon, 5:8, and no standing army, what Barak and Deborah did was an amazing act of faith. They trusted God and He have them a great victory!

                 Verse 15 tells us that God “discomfited” Sisera and his armies. Judges 5:21 tells us what happened. As they fought, God allowed the Kishon River to overflow its banks, the iron chariots of Sisera became stuck in the mud and the soldiers were swept away by the currents. All the soldiers of Sisera were slain, 4:15.

        Seeing that his army was defeated, Sisera fled the battlefield on foot. He went to the tent of a man named Heber, who was of the Kenites. The Kenites were a people group who aligned themselves with Israel. This particular family, however, had turned on the rest of the tribe and took sides with Sisera and his army.

        So, Sisera flees to the tent of Heber thinking that he will find refuge there. Heber’s wife Jael greets Sisera and invites him into her tent. She helps him hide from his pursuers, v. 18. Sisera asks Jael for a drink of water, she brings him a drink of milk instead. The offer of milk served two purposes. First, it eased the mind of Sisera. He was convinced that he had entered the tent of a friend and that he was safe. He asks Jael to lie for him, v. 20. Second, the milk would have helped him fall asleep. He was already tired from the battle and when he drank the milk and laid down in the darkness, it wasn’t long until sleep overtook him. While he slept, Jael takes one of the tent nails and drives it through Sisera’s head, killing him, v. 21.

        In that culture, it was the woman’s responsibility to put up and take down the tents. So, Jael was used to swinging that hammer. This woman was not stupid! When she saw Sisera come to her tent on foot, she knew that he had been defeated in battle. She also knew that if she was caught hiding him in her tent, she might be put to death with him when Barak found them. She saw that Israel had come out on top in the battle and she wanted to be found on the right side when the dust settled. Jael was a wise woman!


(Ill. Let me stop here and say a word about women in the church. Thank God for the women! They are not second class saints. They fulfill a vital role in God’s kingdom work. If all the women were removed from the average local church, the work of the church would grind to a halt. I have watched the ladies work while the men just stood around and talked. Most men are spoiled. Their mothers did everything for them when they were growing up. Their wives have done everything for them since they have been married and they don’t know how to do anything but grunt work outside.

        Women hold a vital place in the work of the church. They are the ones who, for the most part, teach our children. They are the ones who have the kind of compassion that drives the outreach ministries of the church. They are the ones who bring the gifts of grace, love and mercy to the table. By and large, they are more dependable than the men, when it comes to be involved in the work of the church. The women in every church exert tremendous influence on the children in the church. I thank God for the godly, active women in this church!)


  I.  The Spiritual Meltdown In Israel

 II.  The Special Ministry Of Deborah


III.  5:1-31           THE SWEET MUSIC OF VICTORY

(Ill. The victory over Sisera results in Barak and Deborah launching into song. Their song is recorded for us in chapter 5. It is a song of praise to the God Who gave them the victory over their enemy.)

A.  v. 1-12  They Praised God For His Virtues – The primary thrust of these verses is a refrain of praise offered to God for His wonderful works among the people of Israel. He gave them unity so they could raise and army, vv. 2; 9. The Lord Who had given them victory in the past would not fail them now, vv. 4-5. God, in His faithfulness, gave them Deborah to lead them, v. 7. God allowed them to defeat their enemies and freed them from the bondage of their oppressors, vv. 6-7; 10-12.

        They praise God for His power in their lives. That is a valid reason for praise in this day. Take a moment to inventory your life. Hasn’t God been good to you? You are saved and blessed beyond words. He is worthy of our love, worship and praise!

B.  v. 13-18  They Praised God For His Volunteers – When the call went out for volunteers, only half the tribes came to fight. The rest refused to go to war. In the days of Joshua, every tribe was expected to fight for the nation, when Barak called for warriors, many would not come. Ill. Verse 23 – The town of “Meroz” was cursed by the Angel of the Lord because it refused to send volunteers to help the Lord.

        By the way, things have not changed today. The majority of the work is carried out by a minority of the people. The call has gone out for us to tell the world about Jesus, but few go. The call has gone out for us to take our stand against evil, but few have answered. The call has come for us to rally ourselves together and fight the good fight of faith, but few answer the call.

        I thank God for those who are willing to work! I thank God for those who can be counted on to teach those classes, sing in the choir, come out to prayer meeting, support the special meetings of the church, and go to work for the Lord in these dark days. I just believe that God still blesses those who fight and work for Him!

C.  v. 19-23  They Praised God For His Victory – The enemy was defeated by the power of God. He sent the rain and defeated the 900 iron chariots of the Canaanites. One raindrop is a tiny, fragile thing, but when it is united with many other raindrops, it becomes a things of great power. Just as God took the weak raindrops and used them to wash away the enemy; He took the weak army of Israel and gave them a great victory.

        We look at our world today and wonder whether we can have victory any more. I want to say that we can! If we will stand together and fight the good fight of faith, God will empower us and lead us to victory for His glory. You see, it isn’t numbers, wealth or human power that gets the job down; it is the power of God, 1 Cor. 1:26-31.

D.  v. 24-31  They Praised God For His Vessels – They close their song by praising the Lord for His unsung heroes. They praised the Lord for the bravery of Jael in slaying Sisera. Her act of bravery allowed the nation to enjoy victory.

        God always has His people. He has those secret ones through whom He is working. We ought to praise God for the unsung heroes of the Christian faith. People like Hur who, along with Aaron, held up the arms of Moses while Israel battled the Amalekites, Num. 17. We have those same kind of heroes in this building right now. The prayer warriors, the silent servants, the people who do the little things that no one notices, and the people who serve behind the scenes. There is a God in Heaven Who sees who you are and He watches what you do. Carry on, and He will bless you in His way, in His time, Gal. 6:9.


Conc: Verse 31 closes out the story and the song of Deborah. This verses is a prophecy that reminds us that the enemies of the Lord will be destroyed, while the faithful saints of God will shine with His glory some day.

        Let me encourage you to keep on serving the Lord. I know the way gets weary. I know the path gets steep. I know that it often seems there is little reason, from a human standpoint, to carry on, but there is! One day Jesus is coming. When He does, He is taking His children home with Him. When we get there, we will stand before Him and give an account of our service to Him. On that day, if you have been faithful, you will receive rewards for everything you have ever done for His glory, 1 Cor. 3:10-15. Others, who have lived for themselves, will see everything burn up and perish. But, you who are faithful, will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

        So, turn from sin, live for Jesus and look for the day when He balances the books. It will be worth it all then!

Far too often, people turn a good situation into slavery by ignoring wise boundaries of personal freedom. A godly accountability partner can help you enjoy privilege without abusing it. The benefits are plentiful:

Clearer direction. Honesty about faults and failures will open you to receive right counsel and encouragement. This process will increase your potential to do and become all that God has in mind for you.

Increased integrity. If you have to give an account to somebody, you'll be honest and transparent. Even when the truth hurts, the result is heightened integrity.

Better stewardship. Accounting for the way you use money, time, or talent makes you careful not to waste those resources.

Protection against excess. As children of God, we are free in Christ, but an accountability partner keeps us balanced and guards us from taking liberties.

Healthy self-examination. Another person can often point out what we cannot see in ourselves. When we allow someone  to be an accurate mirror of our faults, we're in a better position to make improvements.

Safeguard against unwise relationships. If you have to give an account of where you go and which people you spend time with, you'll be more likely to avoid problematic places and relationships.

Unbridled freedom may seem like a great blessing, but it can be a recipe for disaster. Do you give account to anybody for the way you handle money, time, and relationships? If not, consider inviting a trustworthy Christian to fill that role. Taking this step reveals a heart that longs to please God.

God’s Power; Man’s Weakness (Judges 3:7-31)

Have you ever wondered, “How could God use someone like me?” Perhaps you are consumed with guilt over sin and failure. You may suffer with the scars of your family history or personal background. Perhaps you have physical problems and limitations. Maybe you have difficulty accepting yourself and bear the burden of a poor self-image. Maybe you feel inadequate due to a lack of education, skills, or spiritual gifts. I don’t know about you but when I think of myself I’m not impressed. There are many physical features I dislike about myself. There are many personality quirks, I wish I could change. When I think of myself from the world’s perspective, underwhelmed comes to mind. Yet, over the course of my life, the Lord has taught me that He loves to use weak and foolish people like me.

 In Judges 3:7–31 we will see, “Our responsibility is response to God’s ability.” In these twenty–five verses, the term “Lord” (Yahweh) occurs thirteen times. That’s every other verse! Even though God dominates this passage, these three stories remind us that He uses people like you and me to accomplish His purposes in the world.

Our first story in 3:7–11 begins on an ominous note. “The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot [abandoned] the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth [female Canaanite deities…Baal’s girlfriends]” (3:7). The opening phrase “the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD” is repeated throughout Judges (3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). Each time the phrase is used, it marks a period of oppression by Israel’s enemies. In spite of the amazing grace that God showed His people in Judges 1–2, Israel walked away from God. These people weren’t just having a bad spiritual day. They didn’t skip their devotions or forget to pray, they actively rebelled against the one true God whom they were in covenant with!

In 3:8, God gets ticked! “Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim [“Doubly-Wicked”] king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.” The phrase “the anger of the Lord was kindled” literally reads “the Lord’s nose became hot.” This is a figurative way of describing God’s wrath. We tend to get angry to benefit ourselves; God gets angry because His holiness elicits a response. In His anger, the Lord sells His people to the enemy. Israel acts like slaves, so God sells them like slaves. God will not allow His people to sin successfully. God will use whatever form of discipline is necessary to restore His children to fellowship.

Although God is angry, 3:9–11 demonstrates His grace. “When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer [a savior] for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. Then the land had rest [no war] forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.” Despite Israel’s rebellion, God listens to their cries and delivers them. What’s interesting is the word translated “cried” (za‘aq) does not refer to repentance. Rather, the word denotes crying for help out of distress. This is an important conclusion, for it shows that when the Lord raises up a judge for Israel He is not reacting to any repentance on Israel’s part. If anything, He is responding to their misery rather than to their sorrow, to their pain rather than their penitence. Who then can ever plumb the depths of the Lord’s compassion for His people, even His sinful people who are more moved by their distress than by their depravity? Truly, God delivers out of sheer grace. Today, will you express your great love and appreciation to God for His tremendous mercy and grace?

In our story, the judge God raises up is Othniel—the man who captured Kiriath Sepher and married Caleb’s daughter, Achsah (1:12–13). Othniel, the first judge, is exemplary in every way. Samson, the twelfth and final judge, is deplorable in almost every possible way. The progression downward, even in Israel’s leaders, is clear. Yet, God uses each of His judges in unique and powerful ways. Please note in 3:10 that God’s Spirit empowers Othniel. This is true of all the judges, though the writer does not always mention it. No one can accomplish anything significant spiritually without the Holy Spirit’s enablement (cf. John 15:5). However, with God’s assistance His people can be the agents of supernatural change and can carry out His will. Never underestimate the good that one person can do who is filled with the Spirit of God and obedient to the will of God. It is so easy to accomplish ministry in the flesh—through our own abilities, knowledge, or personality. You can pull this off and even fool a lot of people. But if you want your work for the Lord to stand the test of time (1 Cor 3:10–15), you need to rely upon Him. Our responsibility is response to God’s ability. God wants you and me to know that we can’t do anything apart from Him.

After reading this first story, you should be struck by the colorless nature of Othniel. There is no flash and dash about Othniel. In fact, this entire story just reveals the bare essentials, which consist of what the Lord has done. It is likely that this first story about a judge is stripped down so that we will see clearly what is most essential—the activity of the Lord. God’s victories are, to a greater degree, stories about God than stories about human heroes. In other words, God wants us to learn about Himself more than about Othniel. Sometimes interesting people can obscure that, and we end up watching these fascinating folks but never see what our God is doing. Othniel is a man of anonymity. People didn’t know much about him. But what is clear is that Othniel was a Kenizzite—a foreigner. This serves as an example that background should not limit your service to Christ. Regardless of your family of origin, ethnicity, or nationality, God wants to use you powerfully. Your responsibility is response to God’s ability.

Our second story is found in 3:12–30, and it begins just like the first account. “Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees. The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years” (3:12–14). This story begins, once again, with God firmly on the side of the pagans (3:12). Obviously, God is very unhappy with His people, so He decides to use idolaters (the Moabites) to discipline idolaters (the Israelites). Eglon & Co. possess the “city of the palm trees” (3:13). Now your mind may immediately think of Hawaii or some other tropical paradise. But the “city of the palm trees” was Jericho (Deut 34:3), which was the first town that Israel captured in Joshua 6. This is a telling picture of how far Israel has fallen. She did not continue to possess the land; instead, her enemies took the land back by force. Additionally, Israel suffers under Eglon for eighteen years. Under Cushan the Doubly Wicked, she only suffered for eight years. When God’s people fail to learn from His discipline, He may turn the heat up. The goal, then, must be to respond to God’s chastening and learn whatever lessons we can so that we don’t have to retake the test.

In 3:15, we come across a very important verse. “But when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.” The Lord raises up Ehud to take on King Eglon and deliver Israel. The narrator states that Ehud is left-handed. This may seem like a small detail, but it is a key point. The whole story is built around Ehud being left-handed, which to the writer is a limitation. In Hebrew, being left-handed is described as “restricted in his right hand.” This can be understood in one of three ways: (1) Ehud was disabled. (2) Ehud was ambidextrous. (3) Ehud was left-handed, nothing more, nothing less. Although all of these views have merit and may shed some light on this account, the best interpretation seems to be the third option. Ehud is a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin, a name that means “son of my right hand.” Perhaps you’re still not convinced of the significance of this narrative insertion. Let me explain.

Historically, left-handedness has been seen as an oddity, almost a disability. People were encouraged to correct their left-handed children. Being left-handed was even seen by some as being a sign of evil! Language seems to bear out this meaning. A man who is awkward is called gauche, a French word meaning left-handed. Something that is wicked or evil we call sinister, the Latin word for the left-hand.  Being left-handed certainly has its disadvantages. You might say that left-handed people were discriminated against. At the very least, being left-handed was considered unnatural and peculiar in antiquity. Perhaps the left-handers of the world should form a “lefty lib.”

Ehud could have been devastated by this problem. “Why am I left-handed in a world of right-handers? Why am I different?” Many of us are defeated by things in our lives which may be no more significant than left-handedness. But if we do not accept our limitations, they can keep us from being usable. When we accept ourselves with our weaknesses and limitations, God can use us. That is exactly what Ehud did. Ehud uses his own physical limitations to carry out the work of God. In Ehud, the author is able to show that God’s leaders are those who use the talents and circumstances that God has given them to do His work, even when that entails some limitations.

In 3:16 “Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit [18’’, the distance between the elbow and the tip of the middle finger] in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak.” This is the start of the ancient James Bond movie. Ehud makes himself a sword and binds it to his right thigh under his cloak. King Eglon’s security apparently assumed that Ehud was a right-handed man. They must have frisked him before allowing him to enter into Eglon’s chamber. If they did not frisk him, this suggests that Ehud was extremely unimpressive and unthreatening because the bodyguards and security allowed him entrance with seemingly no hesitation.

In 3:17a, Ehud enters the king’s chambers and presents a tribute (a form of taxation, probably largely agricultural produce32) to Eglon. The paying of tribute added to the king’s wealth and acknowledged the king’s authority over Israel. This verse concludes with some very unusual words: “Now Eglon was a very fat man” (3:17b). Why does the narrator include this statement? It appears rather cruel. At the very least it is not politically or socially correct. It is important to understand that when the Bible refers to a person as “fat,” it points to an individual who is a lazy, selfish, hoarder. In this case, Eglon is indulging in the tributes. While it is real he is most likely hungry, Eglon is devouring everything in sight. Ironically, Eglon’s name means “fat ox.” Here he is portrayed as a fattened calf going to the slaughter.33

In 3:18–20, our story picks up speed. “It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, ‘I have a secret message for you, O king.’ And he said, ‘Keep silence.’ And all who attended him left him. Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. [The man was chilling out without a care in the world.] And Ehud said, ‘I have a message from God for you.’ And he arose from his seat.” The Hebrew word translated “message” (dbr) means “word” or “thing.” This serves as a double entendre for the verbal message and for Ehud’s dagger.34 Ehud is not being deceptive when he declares that he has a “message” for Eglon. God’s messages are not always positive messages of well-being or of hope; they are, at times, messages of judgment and death.

In 3:21–23, our story moves into slow motion. “Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly. The handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out.35 Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them.” This episode would have been on Israel’s newscast of sports highlights at 11:00. When Eglon stands, Ehud reaches for his dagger and plunges it into the fat king’s body. It must have been a powerful thrust because the point of the dagger came out the king’s back; and Eglon died instantly.

 In 3:24, the author of Judges writes, “When he [Ehud] had gone out, his servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; and they said, ‘He is only relieving himself in the cool room.’” No doubt these ancient men took twenty, thirty, or even sixty minutes like many contemporary men do today. This is what makes 3:25a so amusing: “They waited until they became anxious; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber.” This must be one of the greatest understatements of the Bible. As indicated above, these men must have waited quite a while. But the length of time and the stench of Eglon’s bowels made them anxious, literally “ashamed.” Can’t you just envision this episode? You know how men are. These guys were no doubt coarse in their jesting. They must have been laughing their heads off, then crying over the stench at the same time. In 3:25b, the men said enough is enough: “Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the floor dead.”The three “behold” statements in 3:24–25 indicate the three surprises that the men experience: the doors are locked, the king doesn’t respond to their knocks and calls, and the king is dead. All of this took time and gives Ehud opportunity to escape, much like James Bond.

Our story concludes in 3:26–30. “Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. It came about when he had arrived, that he blew the 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. He said to them, ‘Pursue them, for the LORD has given your enemies the Moabites into your hands.’ 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 thousand38 Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.”Ehud leads his people to annihilate 10,000 of God’s enemies. Consequently, God grants Israel peace for eighty years! Some scholars assume that Ehud is guilty of treachery and murder. However, the question is: Did God call His people to exterminate the Canaanites? If so, it is a holy war, and all is fair in love and war. The author of Judges portrays Ehud as a hero. Indeed, Ehud the courageous lefty does lefties proud! The name “Ehud” may be derived from the Hebrew word “one,” playing off the fact that our champion stands alone. Alternatively, the name may be derived from a word meaning “majesty,” in which case it serves to applaud him. When no one else in Israel was willing to fight God’s enemies, Ehud stepped up in a big way.

What gave Ehud this type of boldness and courage? The clue is found in 3:19 and 26. Ehud may have been worshiping idols like the rest of Israel, but one day he said, “I’m turning my back on idolatry and I’m going to destroy God’s enemies. If the Jews had been asked to vote on a leader, Ehud probably would have lost on the first ballot. But he was God’s choice, and God used him to set the nation free. Moses was slow of speech and Paul was not imposing in his appearance, but Moses and Paul, like Ehud, were men of faith who led others to victory. Ehud turned a disability into a possibility because he depended on the Lord.

Our third and final story is a “one-verse wonder”—a mere sound bite. Check out this amazing and unorthodox story in 3:31: “After him [Ehud] came Shamgar44 the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred45 Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.” I love this name Shamgar. You can tell that this man is one bad dude! Just say that name a few times out loud: Shamgar…Shamgar! That’s a stud! And notice as well he’s “the son of Anath!” This is obviously a manly man! Interestingly, Shamgar is not an Israelite name. Furthermore, “Anath” is the name of a Canaanite goddess of war. Perhaps “son of Anath” was a nickname that meant “son of battle”—that is, a mighty warrior. So here we have a non-Israelite delivering Israel. The point: God can use anyone to deliver His people.

Shamgar seems to be a professional soldier who is a bit impulsive. In this episode, Shamgar’s weapon of choice is an “oxgoad,” which is a stick about eight feet long with a sharpened iron point (1 Sam 3:21), used to train and drive oxen when plowing (cf. Eccl 12:11). He uses the oxgoad like a javelin or spear.

Shamgar is a man with inadequate weapons. Nevertheless, he is a man who obeys God and defeats the enemy even though his resources are limited. Instead of complaining about not possessing a sword or spear, Shamgar gives what he has to the Lord, and the Lord uses it. God makes His power obvious in human weakness. So give your education, experience, and talents to Him. Give whatever tools you have to the Lord, stand your ground courageously, and trust God to use what’s in your hand to accomplish great things for His glory.”

A woman walked to work past a pet store. One day a parrot called out to her as she passed and said, “Hey lady, you’re ugly.” She was upset but blew it off. Same thing happened the next day. She got a little angrier but went on. The third day the same thing happened. She went into the store and told the owner who had a talk with the parrot. The next day she passes by, “Hey lady.” She looks at him and says, “Yes?” The parrot said, “You know.”

In this life, there will be people who call you ugly. Others will say you don’t have what it takes. You will feel inadequate, incapable, and inferior. But if you bring all that you are to the Lord, He can do great things in and through you. Stop letting the enemy, your flesh, and others keep you from achieving all that God has for you. Yield yourself to the Lord and let Him fill you. Your responsibility is response to God’s ability.