The Left-Handed Hero

Who Was Ehud?

☐

Ehud is one of the most surprising heroes in the Bible. He was not a king, a priest or a famous general. He was a left-handed man God chose.

From Benjamin. Ehud was “the son of Gera, the Benjamite” (Judges 3:15). Benjamin was one of the smallest tribes in Israel.

A name with a meaning. Jacob named his youngest son Benjamin, which means son of the right hand (Genesis 35:18). Ehud came from the tribe of the right hand, but he was left-handed.

Skilled with his left hand. Years later the tribe of Benjamin had seven hundred chosen left-handed men who could sling a stone at a hair and not miss (Judges 20:16). Being left-handed was a real skill.

A job nobody wanted. Israel sent Ehud to carry the tribute, the heavy payment Eglon demanded (Judges 3:15). It was a sad errand that reminded everyone Israel was not free.

Raised up by God. But the Bible says, “The Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud” (Judges 3:15). The man carrying the payment was God's chosen rescuer.

Careful and brave. Ehud made a double-edged dagger and hid it on his right thigh (Judges 3:16). Then he walked into the palace of the king who ruled Israel.

Alone with the king. Ehud sent the other men home and went back by himself (Judges 3:18-19). It took great courage to stand alone before an enemy king.

Courage from God. Ehud knew God had raised him up. When God calls us, we can be brave even when we feel alone. “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

God's message. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you” (Judges 3:20). God's word that day was judgment on a king who had ruled His people by force.

A safe escape. “But Ehud had escaped while they delayed” (Judges 3:26). God kept His servant safe.

A leader who went first. Ehud blew the trumpet and said, “Follow me” (Judges 3:28). He did not send others into danger while he stayed behind.

God the real Deliverer. David later sang, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer” (Psalm 18:2). Ehud knew that the Lord gave the victory.

What we learn. God does not look for the most impressive person. “The Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

What to do. Think about something that makes you different. Thank God for it, and ask Him to use it for His glory.

In Judges 3:15-30 God works through an ordinary man and ordinary things: a left hand, a payment, a locked door and a trumpet.

Itter yad-yemino (3:15). The phrase (say: ee-TAIR yahd-yeh-mee-NOH) means restricted in his right hand. It may describe a man trained from youth to fight left-handed. Judges 20:16 describes seven hundred chosen left-handed slingers of Benjamin.

Son of the right hand. Rachel named her son Ben-Oni as she died, “but his father called him Benjamin” (Genesis 35:18). From the tribe of the right hand, God raised a left-handed deliverer.

Minchah (3:15). The tribute is called minchah (say: meen-KHAH), the same word used for a gift offering to God. Israel was bringing its gifts to a foreign king instead of to the Lord.

A cubit (3:16). The dagger was “double-edged and a cubit in length,” about eighteen inches. Hidden on the right thigh, it was where few guards would check.

The stone images (3:19). Ehud turned back at the pesilim (say: peh-see-LEEM), usually carved idols, near Gilgal. Gilgal was where Israel had camped after God brought them across the Jordan.

A word from God (3:20). Devar Elohim (say: deh-VAR el-oh-HEEM). God's message to Eglon was judgment. The king who had grown strong against Israel because the Lord strengthened him (3:12) fell when the Lord's time came.

Courage under God's call. Ehud stood alone in the palace of the king who ruled Israel. His courage rested on God's call, not on his own skill or plan.

God's protection (3:24-26). The servants' delay, waiting “till they were embarrassed,” gave Ehud time to escape. God often protects His people through ordinary events.

Leading from the front (3:27-28). Ehud blew the shofar (say: shoh-FAR), a ram's horn, and called, “Follow me.” He went first and gave the Lord the credit.

Was it right to deceive? Ehud acted in a war against an invading king, as the deliverer God raised up. That does not make lying right for us. Christians are taught to speak the truth and to love their enemies (Ephesians 4:25; Matthew 5:44).

Eighty years (3:30). The longest rest so far in Judges. God's goodness after the rescue far outlasted the eighteen years of suffering.

Application. God uses people others overlook and details others ignore. Ask Him to use what makes you different, and give Him the credit when He does.

The Real Battle

☐

Ehud fought a real war against a real enemy king. Christians are in a battle too, but it is a different kind of battle.

Not against people. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you” (Matthew 5:44). Our battle is not against the people around us.

No getting even. “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves” (Romans 12:19). God is the Judge. We can leave the hard things in His hands.

Good beats evil. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

The real enemy. The Bible says the devil is the enemy behind sin and evil. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

A promise from the beginning. Right after the first sin, God promised that the woman's Seed would bruise the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). That Seed is Jesus.

Jesus won at the cross. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15).

Jesus forgave His enemies. On the cross Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

God's armor. “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-11). We fight with prayer, truth and faith.

God's Word. Ehud carried a double-edged dagger. Many Christians see a word picture here, because the Bible says God's Word is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). God's Word is the strongest tool we have.

Not ordinary weapons. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). Carnal means human or earthly.

Already won. Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Forgiving is strong. Forgiving someone does not mean what they did was okay. It means you let God be the Judge and choose to love. Jesus gives you the strength to do it.

What we learn. Our battle is against sin, not against people. Jesus has already won, so we fight from His victory.

What to do. When someone hurts you, pray for them by name. When you are tempted to sin, say a Bible verse and ask Jesus for help.

Ehud's war was a real war in history. The New Testament shows the battle every believer now fights and how it is won.

A different enemy. Jesus taught, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (Matthew 5:44). Christians do not treat people as the enemy.

Vengeance belongs to God. “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). God's justice is perfect, and He will not forget any wrong.

Rightful authority. Paul teaches that God gives governments the duty to punish evil (Romans 13:1-4). Ehud acted as God's appointed deliverer in war, not as a man taking private revenge.

The enemy behind the enemy. “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

The first promise. “He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15). The serpent would wound the Seed, but the Seed would crush the serpent.

The cross as victory. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15). What looked like defeat was the decisive win.

The final victory. “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20). Believers share in Christ's victory.

Our weapons. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). Strongholds are lies and sinful habits that hold a heart captive.

The two-edged Word. Many Christians see a picture in Ehud's double-edged blade: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). God's Word cuts through excuses and reaches the heart.

Strength from God. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). The strength is His, not ours.

Forgiveness is not weakness. When Jesus suffered, He “committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). To forgive is to hand the debt to the righteous Judge.

Application. Pray for someone who has hurt you, and name one sin you need to fight with God's Word this week. Fight from Christ's victory, not toward it.

📖

Complete all sections to finish!

Read each section and answer the questions correctly.