A Blessing Out Of Left Field
Jake Bauers was planning to retire from baseball. After 7 unremarkable seasons and 5 different teams, he figured it was time to do something else. But then his wife told him she was pregnant and they needed the health insurance. So he came back for another season… and now the left hander is on his way to the World Series as the NLCS MVP! In Judges 3:15–23, 30, God selected an unexpected person (Ehud) to deliver Israel from Moabite oppression. As a left handed man, he was considered handicapped because he wasn’t right handed. But that is precisely why the Moabite king never saw his death coming from Ehud’s left hand. This week, let us praise God, who often sends us blessings of deliverance in unexpected ways…. ways that come to us “out of left field”. Amen
Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer —Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. (Judges 3:15-18)
Scripture points out that the deliverer that God raised up, was a left-handed man. That literally means that he was “bound in his right hand“. But that didn’t stop Ehud from being used by God to deliver Israel. Ehud had a plan to get into the presence of the Moabite king. He brought tribute (a payment that is made by a subject nation to the king of the ruling nation) and presented it to king Eglon. It is noted in scripture that Eglon was a very fat man. It’s also noted, that Ehud made a double edged sword (about 18 inches long), and strapped it to his right thigh. There, it would be undetected and easily accessible to Ehud with his left hand.
But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”
The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left.Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them. (Judges 3:16-23)
After leaving the King‘s presence Ehud sent the men who had come with him and carried the tribute, on their way. But he himself, turned back to meet with the king again. Ehud enticed the king by telling him he had a secret message for him. When the king sent his servants away, he who got close to him, and said his message was from God. Then he shoved reached for the sword, strapped to his right thigh and plunged it all the way into the king’s belly. The fat around the kings, girth, folded over the sword and kept it from coming out. Immediately, he executed his escape by locking the king’s upper room doors and leaving undetected via the king’s porch.
That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years. (Judges 3:30)
That day, the tables were turned, and the script was flipped. No longer was Israel a subject under Moab’s rule. God made Moab subject to Israel. And Israel had peace from enemies and oppression for 80 years.
Conclusion
How often has God sent a blessing of deliverance to you in a way that you never saw coming? In other words, your blessing came out of “left field“. You may have cried out to God for your deliverance, but you did not expect it to come in the way or manner in which it did. Yet, that’s the beautiful thing about our God. He can use anyone or anything for his purpose. And when his purpose is to bless you…expect the unexpected. Ehud was sent by God to deliver Israel. They had cried out because of the extreme oppression of the Moabites who were ruling over them. God heard their cry, and because of his great love for them, He delivered them. Like Israel, we are not perfect in serving God and following Christ. But, our faith in Jesus makes us His children. And he hears the cry of His children. And He sends us the help we need. So the next time you need deliverance, you cry out to God. Then watch as he sends your blessing of deliverance in ways that neither you nor your enemies will expect. And that’s because he’s a God who can send you a blessing out of “left field“!
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD. ~ Isaiah 55:8
