Ehud and Eglon

O.T. Blog Steven Keith
Ehud was a judge who helped bring Israel peace for eighty years. In the book of Judges 3:12 it says “And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the
Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Also in verse fourteen it says that the people of Israel served King Eglon for eighteen years. In Judges 3:15 it says “Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and
the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed
man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.” Ehud goes into the
king with a secret message and then when no one is around, kills King Eglon with his sword
which was attached to his right thigh. Ehud is a man of quick, witty murder. The Bible says that God raised him up as the Israelites deliver. Did God want Ehud to kill the King or did Ehud take
matters into his own hands? We don’t really have a definite answer. However, God did deliver
his people the Israelites out of fat King Eglon’s hands. What is striking to me is the escape of
Ehud. Ehud escapes through the bathroom shoot. I wonder what that must have been like?
Despite the tactics of Ehud, God used him to bring Israel peace for eighty years! We can learn
that God will use who he wants, when he wants, and how he wants. Watch out for lefty’s and
thank God for escape routes!