EHUD – Judges chapter 3 verses 12-30.
It has been said that bad government is better than no government at all. There was a time in the history of Israel of which the Bible records, ‘In those days there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in their own eyes’, Judges chapter 23 verse 25. These days of anarchy proved to be a time of weakness for the people. God permitted their enemies to overcome them and thereby, discipline them.

Nevertheless, God did not abandon them. He raised up judges (saviours), who delivered them and taught them how to be victorious. We will see in our next two meditations some of the lessons we can learn about VICTORY from two of the JUDGES (SAVIOURS) that God raised up.

The enemy is EGLON, the fat king of MOAB! He loved to be pampered, verse 20, and served by others. He had no interest in spiritual things.

Firstly, we discover how NOT to be victorious:
1. By continually committing sin in our lives, verse 12.
2. By pandering to our ‘enemies’, verse 15.
3. By living hypocritical lives, verse 15, e.g. by giving the impression that we are strong, when we are not. Ehud came from the tribe of Benjamin, whose people were ambidextrous; yet, he could not use his right hand, verse 15!

Secondly, Ehud teaches us how to be victorious:
1. By using the Bible, God’s Word. Ehud made himself a double-edged dagger, a picture of the Bible, which is ‘living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword’, Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12. It is important that we get to know and use it, if we are to be victorious against our enemies.
2. By recognizing our weaknesses. Ehud knew he could not use his right hand, so he never tried to do so, verse 16.
3. By separating ourselves from those who are of no spiritual help to us. Ehud separated himself from those who were pandering to Eglon, verse 18.
4. By escaping, verse 26. There are times, when it is right to escape from our enemies!