Sunday, October 18 — A Hero Who's Not a Hero
Eighteen years is a long time to wait for a rescue. And the one who finally shows up is not who anyone expected.
Judges 3:15-23, 30 — KJV
15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. 16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
Judges 3:15-23, 30 — WEB
15 But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh. 17 He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him. 20 Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat. 21 Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body. 22 The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn't draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. 23 Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. Then the land had rest eighty years.
Explanation
When Israel finally cries out in verse 15, God raises up a deliverer: Ehud, son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite. The name of his tribe means "son of the right hand," so the writer is winking at us with a left-handed son of the right hand. The story is told in earthy, almost darkly comic detail, and ancient listeners likely enjoyed watching a bloated tyrant get brought down. Ehud is chosen to carry Israel's tribute to Eglon, the payment the people had been forced to make. He hides a short double-edged blade on his right thigh, where a guard checking a right-handed man wouldn't think to look. He asks for a private audience, says he has "a message from God," and kills the king in his private room. Then he locks the doors behind him and slips away. The verses we skip afterward tell of Israel rallying and defeating Moab, and verse 30 gives us the result: "the land had rest fourscore years."
The unit topic is "A Hero Who's Not a Hero," and the text invites that tension. Notice what the narrator does and doesn't say. The LORD "raised them up a deliverer," so the rescue is God's doing. But unlike Othniel in verse 10, nothing here says the Spirit of the LORD came upon Ehud, and nowhere does the narrator applaud his methods. He deceives, he uses "a message from God" as a cover, and he kills a man in a private meeting. The writer reports what happened without holding it up as a pattern to copy. God works through flawed instruments. That does not mean everything the instrument does becomes a blueprint.
This is where the whole week lands. Philippians gave us courage, Matthew gave us light, the psalmist gave us longing, Hebrews gave us rest and the promise that God remembers our work, and Judges 3 gave us the story of a people who let their light go dim. Now the cry goes up, God answers, and the land has rest. The Hebrews writer would remind us that this rest is a signpost. The deeper deliverer is Jesus, a hero who actually is one, the great high priest who sympathizes with us and invites us to the throne of grace.
So what do we take from a hero who isn't a hero? First, hope. You don't need a perfect leader, or to be one, for God to move. God has worked through unlikely people throughout history, in ways nobody scripted. Second, humility. When God uses you, it isn't proof that you were right about everything. And third, discernment. We thank God for the rescue, but we follow Jesus' way, not Ehud's dagger. Rest returns when God raises a deliverer, and the best Deliverer is already here.
Thought for the Day
Rest returns when God raises a deliverer.
Reflection Question
Where do you need God to work through an unlikely person, and might that person be you?
Prayer
God of deliverance, thank You for hearing the cries of Your people, then and now. Thank You for working through imperfect people, including us. Keep us humble when You use us, and keep our eyes on Jesus, the true Deliverer. Restore rest to our homes, our neighborhoods, and our hearts. We trust You to finish what You start.
Today is Sunday school. We saved you a seat.