DARK HORSE by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: John Newton truly thought of himself as a nobody. As I stood by his gravesite in Olney, I thought to myself – “Did John Newton realize how his song would be heard and sung all over the world?” But those are the people God uses to bring glory to his name. In our series on the book of Judges, we come to an account where God uses a person who was otherwise least likely to fight in any battle to defeat the powerful Moabite army. In Cowboy language, we would call that being a Dark Horse, which is the title of our message, or even an underdog. As you know, we are in our series through the Book of Judges, and we come to the judge Ehud. Main Point: All of us are wretched in the sight of God. It is his grace that reaches down and saves us from our filth of sin through Jesus Christ. The wicked who refuse to submit to him are put to shame. The weak who submit to him are used by God to fulfill his purpose.

Judges 3:12 “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.”

Context: The passage we are looking at this morning is shocking and confusing, awkward and embarrassing, cringing to read and uncomfortable to preach, and definitely politically incorrect with racist language, insensitivity towards those who struggle with weight, and even has some old-fashioned, ignorant prejudice towards those who are left-handed. How should we deal with a passage like this? As we’ve been doing throughout this series, we have to place the 2 filters on the Book of Judges: the filter of Christ and the filter of the Christian life. Once we place these two filters on this passage, what first appeared embarrassing becomes enlightening, what first appeared cringing becomes comforting, and what first appeared primitive becomes pertinent and relevant for our times and our daily lives. With that said, let’s begin:

1. God strengthens the wicked rulers for his divine purpose.

Judges 3:12 “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel…”

The Hebrew word for “strengthened” is “chazak.” It is the same word found repeatedly in Exodus to refer to Pharaoh.

• Exodus 4:21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.”
• Exodus 7:13 “And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said.” Also, Exodus 7:22.
• Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had said.
• Exodus 9:12 “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.” Also, Exodus 9:35; 10:20, 27.
• Exodus 11:10 “So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.”
• Exodus 14:4 “Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” Also, Exodus 14:8, 17.

Why did God do this to Eglon, the king of Moab, and Pharaoh, the king of Egypt? Is God unfair? Does he have favorites? Does he play games with people’s eternal destinies? Never forget that these were not just helpless individuals who were mere pawns in God’s eternal chess game. These were rulers who in their pride and arrogance had hardened their hearts against God and shaken their fists against the ultimate ruler of the heavens and the earth. A terribly flawed theology has made these despots normative for everyday people who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It claims that God brings certain people into this world to be saved and others to be damned. These were not everyday people. These were kings and rulers of the earth who chose to submit to the evil purpose of Satan rather than to the eternal purpose of God. 

At this point, people often invoke Romans 9      17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. Paul quoted that verse from Exodus 9:16, but listen to the full context starting in verse 13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, “Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: ‘Let My people go, that they may serve Me, 14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. 15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. 17 As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.’” The Hebrew word for raised is “emed” which means “to cause something to stand” or “to establish.” It is not “raised” as in “born and raised.”

Here’s the point: Eglon like Pharaoh was an earthly ruler who chose to challenge the eternal plan of God. He chose to follow the evil plan of the Enemy. In the process, he became a tool of the Enemy. He became a pawn of the rulers of the darkness of this age. Now God strengthened him only to bring him down.

Application: When we see rulers of the world and political leaders standing against God’s standard of truth and righteousness, I do pray for their soul, but I also know that their hearts are hardened. They have chosen to align themselves against the eternal plan of God. God is strengthening them, only to bring then down. How about you? Are you hardening your heart against the call of God to be saved? Saying “No” to Jesus is saying “Yes” to Satan. There is no neutral ground.

By the way, God was not against the Moabites. Ruth was a Moabite woman, but after her husband died, she chose to follow her mother-in-law back to the Promised Land. Remember what she said to Naomi in Ruth 1:16 “For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” She became the great-grandmother of King David.

2. The Enemy always returns to our places of victory with vengeance.

Judges 3       13 “Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, went and defeated Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms. 

Context: Eglon, a Moabite decided to collaborate with Israel’s sworn enemies – the Ammonites and the Amalekites. These enemies are significant. The Moabites and the Ammonites were cousins. They were the descendants of Lot through his two daughters. They had picked up this horrible sin of incest from Sodom and Gomorrah. Now, after hundreds of years, the descendants decided to come together against the descendants of Abraham. Don’t ever forget: The moral depravity that we are dealing with today is nothing new. It is just the old spirit of Sodom and Gomorrah that is resurfacing with a vengeance. But there’s one more group – the Amalekites. These were an ancient people who were very cruel. When Israel was coming into the Promised Land, there were some stragglers in the back who may have been those who were tired, weak, and elderly. The Amalekites came from behind and attacked and killed these helpless people. Also, don’t forget: The moral depravity that we are dealing with is of a vicious kind. It is the spirit of Sodom and Gomorrah but with a knife in the back.

Application: Would you agree with me that we are dealing with evil in our society but a whole different level of evil?

Something else – Judges 3:13 “…and took possession of the City of Palms.” “City of Psalms” is none other than Jericho. Why is that important? This was the first city that the people of Israel had taken under Joshua when they came into the Promised Land! Remember, walking around the city once a day for six days and then seven times the seventh day? The walls came down, everyone and everything was destroyed, and the city was burned with fire. Now, the same city is in the hands of this evil trinity.

Application: Satan always goes for his old tricks. He has a very simple playbook. He tries the same tactic that once worked against us. Nothing complicated – if lust is your thing, he’ll try it with you when you are 15 and 50; if anger, he’ll try at 20 and 80. Just remember – he brings the Amalekite, which means that he gets more vicious.

14 So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.” Abraham had saved Lot from Sodom. Moses had saved Israel from Amalek. Joshua had led the people of Israel in victory over Jericho. In each of these victories, the people had never won their own victory. Now, it was time. Sometimes, it takes a while for God’s people to realize that they cannot live in the shadow of someone else’s victory. They had to defeat Sodom. They had to defeat Amalek. They had to won back Jericho.

3. God chooses the weak to put to shame the mighty.

Judges 3      15 But when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 

There are a lot of wordplays going on here. Ehud (means “where is the glory?”) was a Benjamite. The name “Ben-Yamin” means “son of the right hand.” Unfortunately, he is described, not as “left-handed” but as “itter yad yawmeen” = “bound in the right hand.” This could be because he was a left-handed person or because he was maimed in his right hand and had to use left hand. This is very important. For centuries past, there has been stigma against traits like “left-handedness.” This may be because of some accident or even because this was a trait among the Benjamites, (Judges 20) which they ended up using to their advantage (as a left-handed pitcher in baseball). Either way, this so-called handicap was going to be the element of surprise against the enemy.

Principle: Often what we consider a liability, God uses for something great in our lives.

16 Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh. 17 So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.) Eglon’s size is mentioned to point out that he had gained his size on the unjust tribute of God’s people. By the way, his name probably means “young bull.” In other words, he was a fatted calf, and God had allowed him to be that because of his arrogance. 18 And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal, (These were the stones set in the Jordan River by Joshua as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to his people. Now there were false idols here. This was very symbolic. Sometimes we have to revisit our history to draw inspiration.) and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” He said, “Keep silence!” And all who attended him went out from him. 20 So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). (More than likely, this is the king’s toilet.) Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. 22 Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. The word there is “feces.” Why is all this detail being shared? When the wicked of the world grow bigger in their wickedness and it seems that there is no end to their gaining all the wealth and the goods of this world, in the end, God turns all that into dung. It is filth.

When people are willing to gain the material wealth of the world in exchange for the Savior, it results in nothing more than dung. I think of Judas Iscariot. He took part of the Lord’s Supper but had already taken the 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. When Judas realized what he had done, he was remorseful (no repentant) and he tried to return the money. Then he went out and hung himself. The chief priests took the same money and bought the Potter’s Field. The story continues in Acts 1:18 “(Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.” Same fate! Their treasures became their shame.

The shame continues – 23 Then Ehud went out through the porch (or through the toilet – “misderohn”) and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them. 24 When he had gone out, Eglon’s servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, “He is probably attending to his needs in the cool chamber.” 25 So they waited till they were embarrassed, and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them. And there was their master, fallen dead on the floor. 26 But Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the stone images and escaped to Seirah…30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

God chose the weak to put to shame the mighty.

Invitation: God will deal with the wicked. Everyone has an opportunity but when they reject his grace, they bring shame upon themselves. What you see as a liability (dark horse) is a great thing in the hand of God. Are you saved?

Lord’s Supper: 1 Corinthians 11      27 “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”