Back in the day of Joshua, a left-handed individual was viewed as special, with exceptional abilities. God uses a left-handed leader in a strange way, which you will discover as you read these two chapters today. It is amazing how things change over the course of time. A generation ago, a child was discouraged from favoring their left hand. Sometimes even to the point of punishment and chastisement.
The days following Joshua’s death, his people fell back into their old ways and despicable behaviors. They worshiped idols again and rejected the One True God. We are reading how “once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” (Judges 3:7,12) God turned them over to King Eglon to be ruled by him. The Israelites were subject to King Eglon for eighteen years. Are you shaking your head along with me? Is this what is meant by history repeating itself? Do we never learn? It would seem not.
In the next paragraph we read that God sent a left-handed man to deliver them.
Judges 3:15 (NIV)
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.
I often wonder how things change so much, how a habit revered and respected in one culture is admonished and rejected in another. The point of this story today lifts up the fact God made us as we are and he will use us as we are. Others may see our strengths and gifts in a different light than we do, but He will use us if we are willing.
Read Judges 2-3 here
Listen to Judges 2-3 here
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