Today, I read the story of Ehud. It's been a while since I have read his story. I heard a podcast recently about him, and decided to read it again, to go over the pieces I remembered from what I had heard, too. His story isn't really long, nor does it have a lot of details, but what I heard stirred up something.
You'll find Ehud's story in Judges 3:12-30. As I read it I am reminded that I have always smiled when I have read it, because it points out that Ehud was left-handed. I am also a lefty, so that somehow makes me like him, even though we've never met. In reading the story, Israel has done evil, again; and they are being ruled by Eglon, king of the Moabites. This causes them to cry out to the Lord and He raises up a Benjamite- Ehud, son of Gera.
So, the children of Israel decide they are going to send tribute to the king, and they have asked Ehud to take it to him. Ehud sees his chance to get in close to the king, and knows there may be a chance to do something, so he makes a dagger. Verse 16 says that the dagger was "double-edged and a cubit in length", and he fastened it under his clothes to his right thigh. A cubit is about 18" in length!
Why was it fastened to his right thigh? Because he was left-handed.
Why is that important? Maybe because most people are right-handed, so their weapon is attached on the left side, so maybe it made it easier for him to sneak the weapon in, when he was allowed to go in to present the tribute to king Eglon. (It isn't specified- so that is purely conjecture, and not my own, I heard it on the podcast I was listening to.)
Ehud was probably hoping for a moment where he could use the dagger- but if you read in verse 19, it says "he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal..." So, maybe he was intimidated; maybe he didn't get close enough; maybe he was too nervous... it doesn't say why he left without using the dagger. It does specify, thought, that he turned back.
I knew Gilgal sounded familiar, so I looked to see what had happened there... Gilgal is where Joshua commanded the people to take stones from the Jordan river, after they had crossed it to the promised land, and they were to make a pillar with the stones as a memorial of what the Lord had done for them. Then, they were to share the story from generation to generation of what God had done for them.
I don't know why Ehud left King Eglon, but he sees the memorial stones at Gilgal, and is reminded of just how mighty God is. He is reminded that He serves the Great I Am, who is stronger and more powerful the the king, and turns back with renewed determination. He get audience again with King Eglon and he tells him, "I have a secret message for you, O king." (vs 19b). King Eglon sends everyone away, and Ehud strikes him with his dagger, and leaves through the porch closing and locking the doors behind him.
My thoughts went back to the stones he saw at Gilgal.
Do I think that those mean that picked the stones from the midst of the Jordan River, that God had parted, and they had just crossed, were that important?
Do I think that the generations that kept retelling the story of how God, the Great I Am, had parted the waters for them to walk through the dry river bed, to the Promised Land, thought it was more than a wonderful story?
Do I think if I was telling the story that it would have impacted anyone generations later, with how Great God truly is, and that there is no other like Him? I would hope so- but I don't know.
But... it did!
I am reminded of Revelation 19:10b "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (NKJV) I have heard it said that a good way to explain this is to say that giving a testimony of, or telling what God has done for you, opens the door for Him to do it again. (Or at least this is how I understood what was said, to mean.)
So the challenge for me?
How many pillars have I built? Maybe not enough...
What testimonies have I shared of the goodness and faithfulness of God?
Ehud saw the stones, remembered, turned back, went to the king, and got the victory.
Lord, I am grateful that You never change, that You are a Good Father, and that You are always with me. I am grateful for the testimonies that I have heard from others of Your goodness, faithfulness and all that You have done. Help me to remember to tell of Your goodness and all Your acts- to build those memorials for generations yet to come- that they would hear of, and know that if You have done it before, You can do it again, for them.
Thank You, Lord.
Love this!!
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