Judges 3:7-31 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Israel Did Evil in the Eyes of the Lord
Comments for Study 3

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Memory Verse: 3:1
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Outline
A MAP OF THE DIVISION OF CANAAN
A MAP OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF ISRAEL
ISRAEL'S HISTORY
ISRAEL'S JUDGES

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I. He Raised up the Deliverer Othniel (3:7-11)

>1. What happened to the Israelites when they forgot the Lord their God? (7)

* Judges 3:7 "The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs."

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>What angers our Lord? (8; Mark 3:5-6)

* Judges 3:8 "The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years."

* Mark 3:5-6 "He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus."

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>Why did they need to be subjected to their enemies?

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>2. What does it mean to cry out to the Lord? (9)

* Judges 3:9 "But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them."

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>Who raised up Othniel?

* "he raised up for them a deliverer"

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>What can we learn about the way the Lord saved his people when they cried out to him?

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>3. When the Spirit came on Othniel what was he able to do? (10)

* Judges 3:10 "The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him."

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>Now that the Spirit is given to all followers of Jesus what can we do? (Acts 2:17-18)

* Acts 2:17-18 "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."

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>What resulted for the rest of the lives of this generation that repented? (11)

* Judges 3:11 "So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died."

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II. He Gave the Deliverer Ehud (3:12-30)

>4. Did the generation after Othniel's have the same faith as their parents? (12)

* Judges 3:12 "Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel."

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>What same lesson did they have to learn as their parents had? (13)

* Judges 3:13 "Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms."

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>Why might their subjugation be longer then their parents? (14)

* Judges 3:14 "The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years."

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>5. What can be said about the Lord who a second time sent them a deliverer? (15)

* Judges 3:15 "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."

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>What method of deliverance did Ehud use? (16-18)

* Judges 3:16 "Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way the men who had carried it."

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>Why might he want to be alone?

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>6. Why did Ehud's plan to be alone with the king work? (19)

* Judges 3:19 "At the idols near Gilgal he himself turned back and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." The king said, "Quiet!" And all his attendants left him."

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>Did the fact that the king wanted to hear a message from God make him a true believer? (20)

* Judges 3:20 "Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his seat,"

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>Was his death the message God wanted him to have? (21-22)

* Judges 3:21-22 "Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly. Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it."

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>Why might Ehud lock to doors on his way out? (23)

* Judges 3:23 "Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them."

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>7. What does the fact that the servants did not expect anything wrong say? (24-25)

* Judges 3:24-25 "After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of 24-25the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the house." They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead."

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>What can we learn from Ehud's methods? (Matt. 10:16)

* Matthew 10:16 "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."

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>8. After killing the king of Israel's enemy what did Ehud do? (26-27)

* Judges 3:26-27 "While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them."

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>9. Why were the Israelites able to mobilize against their enemies now when before they couldn't? (28)

* Judges 3:28 "Follow me," he ordered, "for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands." So they followed him down and, taking possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab, they allowed no one to cross over."

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>How long did the peace last this time? (29-30)

* Judges 3:29-30 "At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not a man escaped. That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years."

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III. Shamgar Also Saved Israel (3:31)

>10. Look at a map to see where Shamgar was send compared to Ehud's location. (31)

* Judges 3:31 "After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel."

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>What can we learn from this? Does the Lord's training always come from the same place and way?

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