Derek Thomas

Preach that to yourself every day.

We cannot overemphasize the degree to which Saul of Tarsus almost extinguished the early church.

He had it within his power, or at least almost from a human point of view, to actually put out, to snuff out the Christian church at its very infancy.

The description is very graphic.

He plunges this 18-inch dagger, including the handle, and his hand goes right into his belly.

Well, why does the Bible tell us this awful story?

Today, we want to go to Judges chapter 3 and to the second judge, and that's Ehud.

I'm going to read from verses 18 through 22 of Judges chapter 3.

And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.

But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, I have a secret message for you, O king.

And he commanded silence, and all his attendants went out from his presence.

came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber, and Ehud said, I have a message from God for you.

And he arose from his seat, and Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly, and the dung came out."

Well, that's a very, very graphic story.

Now, it's set in a period when, verse 12 of chapter 3, the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

That's a recurring theme in Judges.

It occurs many, many times.

It's telling you that the setting, the context here is one of apostasy.

God's people, God's covenant people, the children of Abraham, have rebelled.