Judges 3:12-19: a reflection

12The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. 13He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees. 14The children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15But when the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh. 17He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. 19But he himself turned back from the stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left him.

When Israel's own sin had brought them under long oppression, they cried out to the LORD, and he raised up a deliverer for them, showing that God answers the cry of his people even when their trouble is self-inflicted. When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the account says, the LORD raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera. Israel had done evil, and as a consequence had fallen under the oppression of a foreign king for eighteen years. Their trouble was, in a sense, of their own making, the fruit of their own sin. Yet when they cried out to the LORD in their distress, he did not turn them away; he raised up a deliverer to save them. God answered the cry of his people even though their trouble was self-inflicted. This shows that God answers the cry of his people even when their trouble is self-inflicted. God answers the cry of his people even when their trouble is self-inflicted. Do not think your cry unheard because your trouble is your own fault. God raises up deliverance in response to the cry of his people. Cry to God in your distress, even when you brought it on yourself.

Notice the sequence: sin, oppression, cry, deliverance. Israel had done evil in God's sight; and as a consequence, God allowed them to fall under the oppression of a foreign king for eighteen long years. Their trouble was self-inflicted, the fruit of their own turning away. It would have been understandable if, having brought this on themselves, they had no claim on God's help. But when they cried out to the LORD in their distress, God heard, and did not turn them away; he raised up a deliverer to save them. God answered the cry of his people, even though their trouble was their own fault. This holds a real comfort. We can find ourselves in trouble that is, at least in part, of our own making, the consequence of our own sin, folly, or wrong choices. And we can feel, in such trouble, that we have no right to cry to God for help, since we brought it on ourselves, that our cry will not be heard because the fault is ours. But God's dealing with Israel shows otherwise: he answers the cry of his people even when their trouble is self-inflicted. Our own fault in our trouble does not close God's ear or bar us from crying to him; he hears the cry of his people and raises up help, even when we brought the trouble on ourselves. We do well, then, to cry out to God in our distress, even when the trouble is our own fault, trusting that he hears. Cry to God in your distress, even when your trouble is your own fault. Your own fault does not close God's ear to your cry. God answers his people's cry and raises up help, even for self-inflicted trouble. Do not stay silent in trouble you caused; cry to God, who hears.

That is worth taking to heart, for God answers the cry of his people even when their trouble is self-inflicted, and we can cry to him even in trouble of our own making, as he raised up a deliverer when Israel cried out. We can feel we have no right to cry to God for help in trouble we caused; but God heard Israel's cry and raised up a deliverer, though their oppression was the fruit of their own sin. God hears. When you are in trouble of your own making, do not think your cry unheard; cry to God, who answers the cry of his people even when the trouble is self-inflicted. Cry to God in your distress even when your trouble is your own fault, trusting that he hears the cry of his people and raises up help, as when Israel's own sin had brought them under long oppression they cried out to the LORD and he raised up a deliverer for them, showing that God answers his people's cry even when their trouble is self-inflicted; for Israel had done evil and as a consequence had fallen under the oppression of a foreign king for eighteen years, their trouble in a sense of their own making and the fruit of their own sin, yet when they cried out to the LORD in their distress he did not turn them away but raised up a deliverer to save them, answering the cry of his people though their trouble was self-inflicted, which holds a real comfort, since we can find ourselves in trouble that is at least in part of our own making, the consequence of our own sin, folly, or wrong choices, and can feel we have no right to cry to God for help since we brought it on ourselves, but God's dealing with Israel shows otherwise, that he answers the cry of his people even when their trouble is self-inflicted, our own fault not closing his ear or barring us from crying to him, so that we do well to cry out to God in our distress even when the trouble is our own fault.

Lord, when Israel's own sin had brought them under long oppression, they cried out to you, and you raised up a deliverer for them, showing that you answer the cry of your people even when their trouble is self-inflicted. When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the account says, the LORD raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera. Israel had done evil, and as a consequence had fallen under the oppression of a foreign king for eighteen years. Their trouble was, in a sense, of their own making, the fruit of their own sin. Yet when they cried out to you in their distress, you did not turn them away; you raised up a deliverer to save them. You answered the cry of your people even though their trouble was self-inflicted. Show me the sequence: sin, oppression, cry, deliverance. Israel had done evil in your sight; and as a consequence, you allowed them to fall under oppression for eighteen long years. Their trouble was self-inflicted, the fruit of their own turning away. It would have been understandable if, having brought this on themselves, they had no claim on your help. But when they cried out to you in their distress, you heard, and did not turn them away; you raised up a deliverer to save them. This holds a real comfort. I can find myself in trouble that is, at least in part, of my own making, the consequence of my own sin, folly, or wrong choices. And I can feel, in such trouble, that I have no right to cry to you for help, since I brought it on myself, that my cry will not be heard because the fault is mine. But your dealing with Israel shows otherwise: you answer the cry of your people even when their trouble is self-inflicted. My own fault does not close your ear or bar me from crying to you. Take that to my heart. When I am in trouble of my own making, keep me from thinking my cry unheard; help me cry out to you, Lord, in my distress, even when the trouble is my own fault, trusting that you hear the cry of your people and raise up help, even for self-inflicted trouble.