Judges 3:20-25: a reflection

20Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” He arose out of his seat. 21Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body. 22The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; and it came out behind. 23Then Ehud went out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on him, and locked them. 24After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.” 25They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.

When Israel had been oppressed for years under a foreign king, God raised up a deliverer, Ehud, to free his people. Through Ehud, God struck down the oppressor and set his people free from the bondage under which they had suffered. The account is stark, but the point is clear: God had not forgotten his oppressed people; he raised up a deliverer to free them, and he did it through an unlikely means, a left-handed man whose very left-handedness played a part in the deliverance. God delivered his oppressed people, and did so through means that were not the obvious or expected ones.

Notice how God delivered his oppressed people: by raising up a deliverer, and through unlikely means. Israel had suffered long under oppression; but God had not abandoned them. He raised up Ehud to deliver them, working through an unlikely instrument, a left-handed man, to accomplish the deliverance. God's rescue did not come through the obvious or the expected; it came through a means no one would have predicted. The deliverance was God's, worked through an unlikely deliverer; God freed his oppressed people, and used the unexpected to do it. The point is that God delivers the oppressed, and is not limited to obvious or expected means in doing so.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can deliver his oppressed people, often through unlikely means. When we or others suffer under long oppression, we can feel that God has forgotten, that no deliverance will come; but God raised up Ehud to free his oppressed people, working through an unlikely instrument. God has not forgotten the oppressed; he can raise up deliverance, often through means no one would expect. When you or others suffer under oppression and no rescue seems in sight, do not think God has forgotten; he can raise up deliverance, often through unlikely means. Trust that God can deliver his oppressed people, raising up rescue often through unlikely means, as he raised up Ehud to free Israel from its oppressor; for God has not forgotten the oppressed, and he can bring deliverance through instruments and ways no one would expect.

Lord, when Israel had been oppressed for years under a foreign king, you raised up a deliverer, Ehud, to free your people. Through Ehud, you struck down the oppressor and set your people free from the bondage under which they had suffered. The account is stark, but the point is clear: you had not forgotten your oppressed people; you raised up a deliverer to free them, and you did it through an unlikely means, a left-handed man whose very left-handedness played a part in the deliverance. Show me how you delivered your oppressed people: by raising up a deliverer, and through unlikely means. Israel had suffered long under oppression; but you had not abandoned them. You raised up Ehud to deliver them, working through an unlikely instrument to accomplish the deliverance. Your rescue did not come through the obvious or the expected; it came through a means no one would have predicted. The deliverance was yours, worked through an unlikely deliverer; you freed your oppressed people, and used the unexpected to do it. Take that to my heart, for you can deliver your oppressed people, often through unlikely means. When I or others suffer under long oppression, I can feel that you have forgotten, that no deliverance will come; but you raised up Ehud to free your oppressed people. You have not forgotten the oppressed. When I or others suffer under oppression and no rescue seems in sight, keep me from thinking you have forgotten; you can raise up deliverance, Lord, often through unlikely means. Help me trust that you can deliver your oppressed people, raising up rescue often through unlikely means, as you raised up Ehud to free Israel.