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looking forward, surely, to the "weakness of God" that was stronger than men,
manifested at the Cross of Calvary.
Sisera was slain at the hand of the woman by means of a tent-peg. In the case of
Gideon, trumpets, pitchers and lamps were all that were used by his depleted army of
300 men to rout the host of the Midianites.
Let us now, as briefly as is consistent with clarity, consider some of the chief points
that are recorded in connection with these three Judges.
The record of Othniel's triumph is simple, and is to the Book of Judges what the
triumph over Jericho is to the Book of Joshua. It was the ideal victory, though followed
alas by faulty behaviour on Israel's part subsequently. Othniel, as the Lion of God,
foreshadows the complete emancipation which will be accomplished under the Lord
Jesus Christ at His Second Coming, in the capacity of "the Lion of the Tribe of Judah".
Ehud sets out to attack what represents the flesh in type. Eglon, the King of Moab, is
described as "a very fat man" (Judges 3: 17). Such fatness is unhealthy; and symbolizes
the flesh. The same word is used by Asaph of the ungodly, who prosper in this world,
"whose strength is firm (margin fat)" (Psa. 73: 4). It was this fat that sealed Eglon's
doom, for we read that "the fat closed upon the blade" (Judges 3: 22) (Compare
Psa. 17: 10: "They are enclosed in their own fat", and Psa. 73: 7: "Their eyes stand
out with fatness").
While we naturally expect a king to have some outward signs of his high rank, there
seems to be some particular reason for the Spirit to record the fact that the summer
parlour where Eglon was slain had been made "for himself alone" (Judges 3: 20). It
seems to be an added witness to the selfish and fleshly character of this enemy of Israel.
What moved Ehud were the "graven images at Gilgal" (Judges 3: 19 margin). At
Gilgal the "reproach of Egypt" had been rolled away by the rite of circumcision and "the
flesh" had been repudiated (Phil. 3: 3, Col. 2: 11 R.V.). Yet at this same spot the
"graven images" had been set up. Ehud's action sets forth the mortifying of the
members, using the two-edged sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
Passing on now to Barak, it seems strange at first sight to find, in the record of his call
by Deborah, the interpolation of Judges 4: 11:
"Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab, the father-in-law of
Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites and pitched his tent unto the plain of
Zaanaim which is by Kedesh."
We learn, however, from verse 17 that there was peace at that time between Jabin and
the house of Heber the Kenite, so that when Sisera fled, he turned his steps in the
direction of Heber's tent.
Jael's action is praised without reservation by Deborah.