What role does faith play in executing God's plan as seen in Judges 3:23? Setting the Scene • Israel is oppressed by Moab; the people cry out for deliverance. • God raises up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, to bring freedom (Judges 3:15). • After privately presenting the tribute to King Eglon, Ehud assassinates the tyrant and must escape to rally Israel. The Verse “Then Ehud went out through the porch, closing and locking the doors of the upstairs room behind him.” (Judges 3:23) Seeing Faith in Action • Trust before tactics – Ehud steps into a lethal situation because he is convinced God has commissioned him (v. 15). • Courage empowered by certainty – Faith frees Ehud from paralyzing fear; he acts decisively in the king’s chamber. • Practical obedience – Locking the doors is not lack of faith; it is faith expressed through wise strategy that buys time for God’s next move. • Anticipation of God’s timing – Ehud believes the Lord will open a path of escape beyond the locked doors, so he presses forward rather than hesitating. • Cooperative partnership – God’s sovereign plan unfolds through Ehud’s faithful steps; divine purpose and human responsibility meet. Principles Drawn From Ehud • Faith responds to God’s call with action, not mere assent. • Genuine trust employs the means at hand—skills, strategy, and common sense—under God’s direction. • Bold obedience often happens in hidden places before public victory is seen. • Faith looks beyond immediate danger to the promised outcome of deliverance. Echoes in the Rest of Scripture • Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” • James 2:17 – “So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead.” • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart… He will make your paths straight.” • 2 Corinthians 5:7 – “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” • Joshua 6:2, 5 – God assures Jericho’s fall; Israel marches and shouts in faith before the walls collapse. Applying the Lesson Today • Receive God’s assignments with confident trust, even when they appear risky. • Let faith convert conviction into concrete steps—planning, preparation, and decisive movement. • Combine spiritual dependence with practical wisdom, recognizing that both come from the Lord. • Expect God to weave ordinary actions into extraordinary outcomes, just as He did through Ehud’s locked-door exit. |
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