The Way of Ehud, The Way of Givenness
Judges 3:19-30
Synopsis Judges 3:19-30 6/7/2018
Ehud was a respected Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin. The Moabites had allied with the Amorites and subjugated Israel after having gained control of the area around Jericho and Gilgal. Part of this subjugation was that Israel had to pay a certain amount of money every year to Eglon. They used to call this “tribute”.
Ehud determined to end the reign of Eglon and the subjugation of Israel. He had a two-edged dagger made and hid it on his body. After having paid the annual tribute payment, he deceived the king into a private audience and assassinated him there.
The Determination of Ehud
Ehud didn’t make the decision to kill Eglon simply because he hated his tyranny. Paying the annual tribute was killing average Israelites.
So, Ehud determined to act. The sense is that he probably didn’t tell his plans to any of the other Israelites who were helping to deliver the annual tribute payment for fear of being tipped off. His mission was singular. He knew king Eglon could not resist hearing a private message from God. Ehud knew that every ancient king lived in perpetual anxiety that some rival might plan assassination. With his left-handedness, he took advantage of the knowledge that the king could not have known.
The Lesson of Ehud
There’s that well-worn but ever spoken question; “What do you want to do when you grow up?” If you’re fortunate to know, really know what you want from life, it’s no problem. But if it’s ever unclear, the question is just a reminder that you’re not sure. Maybe the extent of an average ambition is no more that to get along from day-to-day. Maybe it’s a matter of admitting a mistake – “I should have done something else”.
But when a person encounters something that is intuitively valuable everything changes. It’s no longer even a question of ambition. It’s a matter of what must be. Or maybe a better way of saying it is: Realizing what already is.
Knowing my purpose puts everything else in clearer perspective. Acting on what I know and intuitively value makes anything possible.
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will act. And make your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like noonday” Psa 37:5-6
