God Sent Them a Deliverer

Today’s Passage – Judges 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 10 – 13;  Proverbs 20; Psalms 96 – 100)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Psalm 34

Read the “0320 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.” (Judges 3:15)

In these first three chapters of the Book of Judges, we read that the children of Israel had already gotten away from what the Lord had commanded them, and had begun to worship and serve the gods of the Canaanites and the other previous inhabitants of the Land. God had expressly warned them that if they were to do so His hand of provision and protection would be removed. It seems like throughout Israel’s history a familiar pattern could be clearly observed. The people of God would be in the place of blessing, which depended upon their devotion to God. However, their prosperity would often cause them to forget about God, and go in their own direction, which always eventually led to immorality and idolatry. God’s blessing would ultimately cease, which would open the gate for the enemies of God’s people to get in and be allowed to oppress them, oftentimes placing them in bondage. But, then the people would wake up and realize the error of their ways, and cry out to God in repentance. And then God would send them a deliverer.

In our story this morning, Judges 3, we see: “the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.” (Judges 3:12) For eighteen long years the people of God lived in bondage being subject unto the Eglon, the king of Moab. But, all of a sudden, the people came to themselves, and turned to God for help. (v. 15) And God did what He always does when His people cry out to them: He helped them. This time through a man named Ehud. Ehud dramatically kills the king of Moab, and leads the people of God in victory, ridding them of the Moabites and all other enemies for eighty years.

This reminds me of another story. 2000 years ago, sin and the devil were kicking around and oppressing the people of God, but God sent His Son to deliver them:

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” (Colossians 1:13)

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

I like what it says in 1 Corinthians 1:9 – 10: God has delivered us, does deliver us, and will keep delivering us.

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” (2 Corinthians 1:9-10)

Someday, praise God, Christ is going to come and deliver us completely from this old, sinful flesh, and this world full of iniquity!

“Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:” (Galatians 1:4)

“And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:18)

Thank God for our Deliverer!