Singular men of God in a pluralistic society.
It is the sad record of ecclesiastical history that the Church has generally been unfaithful to the call of God. It is obvious, because of this, that restoration collectively is no longer possible. Christians are sometimes misled, even as they think of the revivals effected by God, that sweeping change for the good is possible throughout Christendom.
Perhaps a narrow heart accustomed only to think of and love that portion of the Church which most immediately concerns ourselves, a sectarian spirit which leads us to designate as church the systems which man has substituted for the building of God—such are some of the causes which hinder us from forming a correct estimate of the true state of the Church in the world.
It is an indisputable fact for every Christian who depends on the Word of God that the present days are evil, that the mystery of iniquity already works for there are already many antichrists, and everything is ripening for the final apostasy.
But another fact quite as positive is this: God is faithful and will never leave Himself without testimony. He can even make use of evil to dispense fresh blessings to His people.
In the same way, in Judges the deserved oppression of the enemy is used by God to bring about revivals in Israel. They “cried unto the Lord” is invariably the word that ushers them in. Christendom in the present day discusses what means should be used to inaugurate revivals. There is only one; such a sense of the low condition of the world, of the sinner, of the church, as shall lead the exercised soul to turn to God. They “cried unto the Lord.” Then He sent deliverers to them. We shall see these revivals in chapter 3 to chapter 16 of this book.
Let us begin by a general observation. When things are morally in a low state, God uses instruments which in themselves are imperfect and bear the stamp of weakness— Othniel sprang from a younger branch of the family; he was “the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.” Ehud was weak through his infirmity, Shamgar through his weapon, Deborah from her gender, Barak by his natural character, Gideon on account of his relations, Jephthah by his birth. Other judges are mentioned who are rich, influential, or prosperous (10:1-4; 12:8-15) and God uses them no doubt but more to maintain results already obtained than as deliverers.
We are no longer in the days of Joshua, or of the Apostles, when a power was developed in man which hindered the weakness of the vessel from appearing. Yet the very infirmity of these witnesses (characteristic of the period we are in) glorified the power of Him who could use them.
OTHNIEL (Jud. 3:5-11)
God had fitted Othniel through his private, domestic life (ch. 1) to be the first judge in Israel. Having fought to win a wife, he became the possessor of his own personal inheritance and of springs to water it. God now uses him to fight for others, and it is ever thus. Before the Christian can be publicly used by God, he must individually have made progress in the knowledge of the Lord, and in the power of his privileges. Before taking up public service, the Christian should have made progress in his own soul in the knowledge of the Lord and of the character of the calling. The absence of these generally accounts for our service being so contracted, our hearts are so little occupied with heavenly things.
The moral wealth which Othniel had acquired for himself was soon evident in his walk. In the short compass of verses 10 and 11, six things are mentioned of him: first, “the Spirit of the Lord,” the power of God to deliver Israel “came upon him.” Secondly, “he judged Israel,” he was entrusted with government; thirdly, he “went out to war,” here he had a willingness to face conflict; fourthly, “the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand”—this is victory; fifthly, “his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim,” the enemy is finally subjugated; and sixthly, “the land had rest forty years.” Israel quietly enjoyed the fruits of Othniel’s victory. God’s end was achieved: this man who belonged only indirectly to the lineage of the noble Caleb, was fitted beforehand for this service, and when put to the proof, showed himself to be suitable material in the hands of the divine Workman.
Let us ask God to make us Othniels by true consecration of heart to the Lord, by an increasing desire to appropriate and realize these heavenly things, and we shall be instruments well-fitted for the Master and prepared unto every good work.
EHUD (Jud. 3:12-30)
Othniel dies; the children of Israel return to their evil ways and forget the Lord. The same God who had strengthened Othniel against the enemy, now, in judgment strengthens Eglon, king of Moab, against Israel. Eglon and his allies take possession of the city of palm trees (comp. Jud. l:16, Deut. 34:3), Jericho, not in its character of the accursed city, but in that of blessing for Israel. And now Israel, in their fallen state, make use of the very one whom God was about to employ for their deliverance, to carry a present to Eglon, ratifying thus their subjection to the world whose favor they seek. How many gifts there are in the present day which become but willing instruments for keeping God’s children under the dominion of the world. But Ehud is faithful—he makes himself a two-edged sword: his first act—his only resource.
The Christian in the day of ruin has also his two-edged sword, the Word of God being his chief and only offensive weapon (see Heb. 4:12; Rev. 1:16, 19:13; Eph. 6:17) True, Ehud’s sword was only a cubit in length; his weapon was short, but well suited to its work. It was a tried sword, capable of piercing to the inward parts of God’s enemy and of giving him his death blow.
Before using his weapon, Ehud “did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh,” carrying it with him, ready for use; not displaying it, but conscious that it was there. The Bible is often displayed, and much quoted, without being used. But the Word of God has a purpose. Ehud, left-handed, adapts his sword to his infirmity, girding it on his right thigh. Had he worn it in the usual way it would have been useless. The manner in which the weapon is used invariably corresponds to the personal state of the one using it. To imitate others is of no avail, as we learn from the case of David, who was unable to handle Saul’s sword, being accustomed, as a shepherd, to a sling and a stone.
Having brought the present to Eglon, Ehud turned again from the graven images (3:19, margin) that were by Gilgal; having, as he said, a “secret errand” for the king. It was not, as with many others, a public victory, but a secret single-handed encounter between the deliverer and the enemy, the public results of which were soon to appear. It was so with Christ when He was tempted of Satan in the desert.
Here everything takes place silently, with no apparent struggle, no cry: the enemy was found dead by the servants, who thought their master was resting. The power by which Israel had been enslaved was destroyed by the short sword of a left-handed man.
There was no fame or glory attending such a victory. It was a secret message, but a “message from God” to Eglon (v. 20). Our weapon is divine, and therein lies all its power. With Ehud, as with Gideon, it was the “sword of the Lord.” The king was dead, but the weapon was not drawn out of his belly. Ehud was gone, but the servants had before their eyes the instrument of victory. God proved to their confusion that it was this short sword which had abased the proud man, whose eyes stood out with fatness.
It remained for Ehud to reap the fruits of his victory. He blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim to assemble the people of God and they “took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.” The people recovered these usurped possessions; and, through the vigilance of the children of Israel, the way of approach for the enemy was cut off. The usurper was expelled and destroyed. Moab could no longer maintain himself on the two banks of the Jordan. Such should be the practical results of conflict at the present time. If the actual effect is not to make us openly break with the world, it is fruitless and does not answer to the purpose of God. The more complete the separation, the more lasting is the peace. “The land,” we are told “had rest fourscore years.”
SHAMGAR (Jud. 3:31)
Shamgar, the son of Anath, who followed Ehud, gained a signal victory over the Philistines. He also delivered Israel. Ehud’s sword was mighty, though short. Shamgar wrought deliverance by the means of a weapon which seemed wholly unsuited to such a work; a contemptible instrument, to all appearances only suitable for goading brute creatures. Without wishing to press unduly here a typical meaning—a tendency to do such in teaching is dangerous in more ways than one—I would like to compare the ox goad of Shamgar with the short sword of Ehud. We have one weapon, the Word of God; it may be presented in different aspects, but it is the only one that the man of faith uses in the warfare. To the intellectual and unbelieving world it is like an ox-goad, fit at best, only for children and uneducated persons; full of fiction and contradictions; yet it is this instrument, despised by men, that God uses to gain the victory. Saul of Tarsus found it hard to kick against such goads (Acts 9:5).
In making use of such, faith finds a weapon where the world only sees folly, for the weakness of God is stronger than men. Doubtless, it is written for the unlearned and suited to their needs and to their walk; but this very ox goad can kill six hundred Philistines.
Let us, then, make use of the Word with which God has entrusted us, always remembering that faith only can make it effective, and that when the soul has found therein the knowledge of Christ, he has found the secret of blessing, joy and strength.