Judg 3:19 | KingComments | STEP | God has raised up Ehud as a deliverer ( ). After his personal preparation he is ready for his actual task. After he together with others has fulfilled the obligation, he sends the others away. The commission of God is addressed to him personally. He must fulfill it on his own, without any further attendees. He achieves his victory in secret, without any outward showing. The effect of his act of faith is public and benefits the whole people. Others, the people, will benefit from his deed. Gilgal occupies an important place in his mission, from there he leaves. We have already met Gilgal before ( ). There we saw that it is the place from which Israel has always left to conquer the land and to which the people have returned after a conquest. Ehud does the same ( ). The circumcision of the people also took place at Gilgal ( ). The spiritual meaning of this is the judgment of the sinful flesh. Circumcision teaches us that every battle to be fought can never be fought in our own strength, in the strength of our flesh. If we go, while being aware of the fact that there is no power in us, God can fill us with His power. The stones of are probably those which Joshua erected as a memorial on the river banks after the people passed through the Jordan ( ). But here are they are transformed into “idols”. This also happened with statutes given by the Lord, such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The Bible states that both have to do with the death of the Lord Jesus. Because this meaning is abandoned in parts of professing Christianity, to the roman catholic church they have become sacraments with an idolatrous meaning. They have even become means by which, when one uses them, one thinks one receives eternal life.

‏ Judges 3:19

A Secret Message

God has raised up Ehud as a deliverer (Jdg 3:15). After his personal preparation he is ready for his actual task. After he together with others has fulfilled the obligation, he sends the others away. The commission of God is addressed to him personally. He must fulfill it on his own, without any further attendees. He achieves his victory in secret, without any outward showing. The effect of his act of faith is public and benefits the whole people. Others, the people, will benefit from his deed.

Gilgal occupies an important place in his mission, from there he leaves. We have already met Gilgal before (Jdg 2:1). There we saw that it is the place from which Israel has always left to conquer the land and to which the people have returned after a conquest. Ehud does the same (Jdg 3:19 ; 26).

The circumcision of the people also took place at Gilgal (Jos 5:2-9). The spiritual meaning of this is the judgment of the sinful flesh. Circumcision teaches us that every battle to be fought can never be fought in our own strength, in the strength of our flesh. If we go, while being aware of the fact that there is no power in us, God can fill us with His power.

The stones of Jdg 3:19 are probably those which Joshua erected as a memorial on the river banks after the people passed through the Jordan (Jos 4:20). But here are they are transformed into “idols”. This also happened with statutes given by the Lord, such as baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The Bible states that both have to do with the death of the Lord Jesus. Because this meaning is abandoned in parts of professing Christianity, to the roman catholic church they have become sacraments with an idolatrous meaning. They have even become means by which, when one uses them, one thinks one receives eternal life.