Judges 3:12-30 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… According to the Septuagint, Ehud was an ambidexter; that is, a man who could use both hands with equal facility. Hector boasted "Many a Greek hath bled by me, and I can shift my shield from right to left." Of the children of Benjamin we read (Judges 20:16). Plato recommended all soldiers to acquire equal facility in the use of both hands. It is evident from all this, as well as from what is known amongst ourselves, that left-handedness has always been considered peculiar, otherwise it would, not have been pointed out as a feature in any case. We never say of a man that he is right-handed, but we do remark upon any man whom we see using his left hand for purposes which are usually assigned to the right. I. MANY MEN MAY BE DEPENDENT UPON ONE MAN. 1. The one man may be in a better position than the many, and this may account for his influence. Take the case of a besieged city: one man outside the walls may work out the deliverance of the whole, etc. 2. The one man may be able to move about more quickly than the many. Crowds cannot be hurried to any wise action. They soon lose themselves in confusion. They need leadership to give unity and precision to their movements. 3. Specially is one good man more than all the hosts of evil. For the sake of the one God preserves the many. II. THE INSTRUMENTS CHOSEN OF GOD MAY OFTEN SURPRISE AND DISAPPOINT MEN. God sent a left-handed man to deliver Israel! It seemed like a mockery. In view of this apparent eccentricity of the Divine method we should remember — 1. A man is not a great man merely because he is left-handed. Bunyan was a tinker, but it does not follow that every tinker is a Bunyan. George Whitefield was cross-eyed, but it does not follow that squinting is a condition of good preaching. 2. No man should be condemned merely because he does not take hold of things in the common way. Give every man an opportunity of proving himself. III. SOME GOOD USE MAY BE MADE OF THE MOST UNLIKELY QUALIFICATIONS. Many are secretly lamenting some peculiarity of temperament, some defect of body, or some circumstance which seems to shut them off from the general band of workers. Let such persons look at the text and take heart again! (J. Parker, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
    |