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JUDGES

CHAPTER 3

1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

Now this is really enigmatic. In one place we are told that the tribes of Israel were responsible to drive out the enemies. And here we are told that GOD left some of the enemies on purpose to "prove" or test them. Is it not right that God would "test" us with the true consequences of our own sins? He "left" them, because THEY "left" them (verse 1).
God had told them to drive out the inhabitants, and that HE would provide the power necessary for that work. Therefore, they had the ABILITY, because God promised His help. But they also had the RESPONSIBILITY. And they did not complete that responsibility.
Sin, when unreproved will cause problems. And THAT'S why God allowed certain strong enemies to remain - because Israel did not complete there RESPONSIBILITY.
Without tests in life we might do just as Israel did and forget about God or become lax in our relationship with Him. ANd without tests we will not grow STRONG in our faith, and call on God when we are in trouble. Notice what happened (verse 6). The Israelites became comfortable living with the enemy. They became so comfortable that they allowed intermarriage.
Throughout history nations who have knows God have proven to become lax when they are prosperous and untested. And sometimes, when a nation is tested, there is a great REVIVAL. For instance, the revival in England that caused the immigration to America and the founding of a new country.
As Christians, this applies to us today. We have been given the PROMISE of God to be with us in the work of sharing the gospel with the whole world. Without tesing we become lax in our purpose. Evangelism and Christian education are number 1 and mumber 2 priorities of the church. See the "Great Commission" in Matthew 28:18-20.
Also, we're given the responsibility to reprove sin (2Timothy 4:2). And we are given the MEANS to reprove sin (2Timothy 3:16).

7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. 8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishatha'im king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishatha'im eight years. 9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishatha'im king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishatha'im. 11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Here is one story of deliverance by the Lord, even though it was the apathetic attitude of Israel that caused the problem.
They became lax in their worship and relationship with God, and He allowed King Chushunrishathaim of Mesopotamia to oppress them. The testing turned their hearts toward God, and they prayed for deliverance. God caused His power to be displayed in a faithful man - Othniel (Caleb's nephew). Othniel, through God's power, gathered an army and defeated Chushunrishathaim. Then Israel looked to Othniel as a "judge" (or deliverer) for forty years.
These verses close with the statement that "Othniel, the son of Kenaz died." Even great men of God become old and die.

12 And 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. 13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 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. 16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

After Othniel died, the Bible says, "the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord." The evil that they did was to BECOME LAX again in their relationship with God. Therefore, God sent them another test.
The test was a man called Eglon who was king of the Moabites at that time. Again, God was very gracious to them and answered their prayers (verse 15).
God used Ehud's "personnel skills" to delude Eglon. Ehud brought a present with fanfare. It must have been a rather LARGE present, because people had to carry it (verse 18).
Eglon was quite taken by the fanfare and present. Therefore when Ehud suggested he had a "secret" thing to share (verse 19), Eglon made all his servants leave. Then Ehud killed him quietly. Ehud went out the back way, careful to lock the front doors before he left. It took a while for Eglon's servants to catch on, and by then Ehud had escaped.
Then Ehud called all the Israelites to him (verse 27) and raised an army. They fought against the Moabites and won a great victory.
The story ends with Israel having "rest" from Moabite oppression for eighty years (verse 30>.
Israel had gotten lax and forgotten God. And God had allowed them to be "tested" by the Moabites. When they called upon God for deliverance, He was faithful to answer.
AIN'T GOD GOOD?!

31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

A very short story here with hardly any details. Shamgar was the son of Anath. He attained a great fame in a ferocious battle.
An ox goad was a large pole about eight feet long and had a spike on the end of it. It was used to make the ox go forward when he balked. It was also used to clean the plow when it became caked with mud. But it could be used as a spear or a staff.
Evidently Shamgar's battle with the Philistines saved Israel from oppression.
An ox goad is not normally a weapon. Neither is prayer and the Word of God. But they CAN BE used in that manner.

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)" 2Corinthians 10:4