Freedom for Captives

Today's section of Scripture is long, but quite the engaging story, so stay with me.

"Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer--Ehud, a left-handedman, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way the men who had carried it.19 At the idols near Gilgal he himself turned back and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." The king said, "Quiet!" And all his attendants left him. 20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the swordfrom his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them. 24After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the house." 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead. 26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.28 "Follow me," he ordered, "for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands." So they followed him down and, taking possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab, they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not a man escaped. 30 That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.Judges 3:15-30

Interesting Details:

* Ehud was left-handed. In that day, that was very highly respected since it gave him an advantage of the unexpected in battle.

* The dagger was a foot and a half long and yet it sunk into King Eglon's body and got surrounded by fat. Can you picture that? Ugh.

* Ehud sent away the men who carried the tribute. I wonder what it was to have been that big.

* I wonder how long waiting for someone in the bathroom to the "point of embarrassment" is.

God raised up Ehud to play a major role in bringing freedom, but the people had to join him. And they did! They followed whole-heartedly and gave all they had. And guess what happened!? God brought freedom for 80 years!

I find a striking parallel to today. God has raised up a young man and has given him an incredible platform creating many opportunities to bring freedom to the captives, eternal life to the lost stuck in sin. God is doing something really cool through Tim Tebow and we have an incredible opportunity to join him. To not just sit back as spectators of a modern day Ehud if you will but to join him in telling our sphere of influence about how awesome Jesus is. Want to know how? Check out my newest post, Tim Tebow and the gospel under the Living Missionally tab to see how to use the Tim Tebow phenomenon for a means to share the gospel and bring freedom to the captives. 

I hope the Glimpse of Glory in Judges Series; A Bible study devotional through the book of Judges, has been a blessing to you so far. And I hope you will come by each weekday to get a glimpse of God's heart and character from the book of Judges. 

Chapter One
{Day One} Delighting in God as the Know-er of All Things
{Day Two} Reliance 
{Day Three} Bigger Picture 
{Day Four} Prepare for Battle
{Day Five} No More 

Chapter 2
{Day Six} Revealer 
{Day Seven} The Lord's Anger
{Day Eight} Love Conquers All
{Day Nine} The Great Rescue
{Day Ten} The Big Test

Chapter 3
{Day Eleven} What God Can Do with the Willing & Available 
{Day Twelve} Facing the Enemy

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I'm linked up with Pause on the Path, Finding Heaven and We Are That Family