Ehud and Shamgar

We continued with our study of the Book of Judges. This morning we did Judges 3: 12-31.

The Israelites tired of Eglon’s oppression cried out to God for deliverance. God provided another deliverer named Ehud. This left handed man, armed with a double sided dagger safely concealed beneath his clothes visited Eglon king of the Moabites.

After presenting his tribute or gift to this king, a very fat man, Ehud and his delegation left. Ehud returned alone later and told King Eglon he had a secret message for him. The unsuspecting Eglon instructed his bodyguards to leave. Thus in that summer palace were just Ehud and the Eglon. Ehud pulled out the dagger hidden beneath his clothing and plunged it into the king. The dagger could not be removed as the fat had completely absorbed the blade.

Ehud slipped out of the summer palace unnoticed, locked the doors behind him and went on to kill 10,000 Moabite men. The land then had peace for 80 years.

There must be a reason for the writer to include the story of Ehud and Eglon, with all the gory details.

The question we ask is “Can assassination be God’s will? (3:21) The Moabites oppression was broken and Israel’s territory freed because of Ehud’s courage and cunning. We do not have to admire his assassination of Eglon or that God approved it. Other such distasteful scenes in this book reflect the prevailing wickedness of the times. The stories cannot be used to blame God for evil or to sanction it ourselves.

The next judge or deliverer is Shamgar. Very little is written about him.

Shamgar's administration in the West included Ehud's administration of 80 years in the East. He is an example of a man used by God for the purpose God designed for him. There is no mention of what Shamgar did for a living prior to his battle with the Philistines, or after the battle. He was just an ordinary Israelite who responded to the threat from the enemy – the Philistines. God’s Spirit selected him to fight and lead others to in fighting the Philistines.

The instrument he used was an ox goad. It is an instrument about eight feet long, armed with an iron spike or point at one end with which to spur the ox at plough, and with an iron scraper at the other end with which to detach the earth from the ploughshare when it became encumbered with it. The fact of their deliverer having no better weapon enhances his faith, and the power of his divine helper.

The farmer’s tool became an effective instrument in the hands of one anointed by God to deliver Israel. What is that in your hand? What is it that you and I possess? To Moses it was a simple rod. To David five small stones to kill the giant Goliath.

The Bible reminds us "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." Rom. 15: 4 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.." 2 Tim.3: 16