The Judge Who Won by God’s Wisdom (Judges 3:12–17)   3/15/2026

 

After the judge Othniel died, God’s people once again did evil and followed the idols of Canaan. At that time, the peoples of Moab, Ammon, and Amalek joined forces and oppressed Israel again, and Israel served them for 18 years.

In their suffering, Israel cried out to God again, and God raised up the judge Ehud to save them. Ehud was from the tribe of Benjamin, and the record especially emphasizes that he was left-handed (v.15). People who use their left hand a lot are sometimes said to have more developed brain function, but in any case, he was a man with special wisdom.

When bringing tribute (things offered yearly to a ruling king) to the king of Moab, Ehud told him he had a secret message and asked to meet privately. At that moment, he killed the king with the sword he had prepared beforehand.

When Ehud killed the enemy king, he said, “I have a message from God for you.” Why did he have to say this? It meant that the wicked were being judged by God’s command. The strength and wisdom to carry out that task came from God. In this evil age filled with darkness, it is extremely important for us to live with God’s wisdom. Where does that wisdom come from?

 

1. “Wisdom” is originally one of the greatest gifts given by God.

1) Wisdom was one of the blessings humans enjoyed as those created in God’s image. This wisdom is not merely the instinctive intelligence that animals have for survival, nor is it simply knowledge gained through study.

① It refers to the ability to live out God’s will while ruling and subduing all creation in the life God has allowed. However, through the event of Genesis 3, when humanity fell into sin, we lost this blessed wisdom and became people who live being robbed and defeated.

② How wise Satan is in doing evil? When he brought down Adam and Eve, he saw their hidden greed and told lies that inevitably led to their fall (Genesis 3:5–6). When Jesus was crucified, Satan even moved kings (Matthew 2:8), falsely accused Him of rebellion (Luke 23:2), manipulated religious leaders to label Him a heretic (Acts 24:5), and even entered Judas Iscariot so that he would betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (John 13:27).

③ Even now Satan uses every evil scheme to tempt and destroy the church and God’s people. He stirs up bitter envy and conflict and causes people to oppose the truth, making them destroy one another. Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic (James 3:15).

2) The event that restores God’s wisdom to us is salvation.

① Through the event of the cross, God completely destroyed Satan’s wisdom. Satan probably thought his wisdom had won by having Christ crucified. But that was the very moment Satan was crushed. Through the cross, Jesus paid the price for all humanity’s sins and opened the way of salvation for all who believe. Therefore, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).

② Through the cross, God’s love, wisdom, and power were revealed. For humans to receive salvation through the cross—the punishment reserved for the worst criminals—is not something everyone can believe. Only those chosen by God can believe it (1 Corinthians 1:27). Only those who have received God’s grace can believe it (Ephesians 2:8). This is God’s absolute love, absolute blessing, and absolute power. And we are the ones who are within it (1 Corinthians 15:10).

③ Christ, who willingly came to give us this blessing, is the very power and wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Thus, the completion of all wisdom is fulfilled through Christ. This is why the judges were considered foreshadows of the coming Christ.

2. In Christ, we must stand as disciples who save ourselves and the world through God’s wisdom. We must obtain this wisdom and raise our future generations to grow within it (Luke 2:52).

1) From the moment we accept Christ and receive His life, we become people who can enjoy this blessing. Through the redemptive work of the cross, Christ saved us. Through His resurrection He crushed Satan’s head and gave us the life of Christ. This means Christ is with us through the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:11–12).

2) What does Christ do while seated at the right hand of God and dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit?

① He pours out the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that we may know God deeply (Ephesians 1:17). This is called spirituality. We must enjoy this blessing daily by hearing the Word, meditating on it, and praying. Wisdom allows us to discern Satan’s deception when he tries to mislead us through problems and conflicts. When crises come, the Holy Spirit enables us to understand the deep things of God and the grace given to us (1 Corinthians 2:10–12).

② The Holy Spirit helps us understand the Word and gives us the exact answer from the Word whenever we need it (John 14:26). After receiving the answer ourselves, we share it with those who suffer without answers. This is the life of an evangelist. Joseph, though a slave, gave answers to the king of Egypt through this blessing (Genesis 41:38–39). At that time, darkness was broken, people were set free, and lives were saved (Mark 16:17–18). This is what the judges did.

③ The Holy Spirit is the Spirit who governs us. While ruling over us, He gives us the practical wisdom we need. This is the blessing of the spiritual summit. Whatever we do, God gives wisdom so that problems are solved and our work becomes a masterpiece. That is why even small tasks must be done with prayer and challenged through prayer (as Edison testified throughout his life). Especially when doing the Lord’s work, we need special wisdom from God, not worldly wisdom (Exodus 31:3).

3. There are three fundamental and practical ways to enjoy this wisdom. The Book of Proverbs is called the book of wisdom. The word “wisdom” appears most frequently there (the Hebrew word hokmah). It was written so that we may live victorious lives in the world through God-given wisdom (Proverbs 1:1–5).

① All wisdom comes from fearing the Lord (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). Fearing God does not simply mean being afraid. It means loving God, worshiping Him, and living according to His will. This is why we praise, thank, and exalt God in every event and circumstance (Romans 12:1, living sacrifice).

② When we lay down our own thoughts and wisdom and acknowledge God, He will guide us with His wisdom (Proverbs 3:5–6). Because this one and only God created us, saved us, and made us His people.

③ This one and only God has given us three “onlys.” These are things unbelievers can never possess. Only Christ (absolute answer). Only the Kingdom of God (absolute background and mission). Only the power of the Holy Spirit (absolute power). When we acknowledge, confess, seek, and long for this “Only,” even though we are weak, we are no longer lacking (Galatians 2:20).

 

Conclusion – In this world full of ongoing difficulties and conflicts, I bless you to become disciples who are victorious through the wisdom that comes from the one and only God.

3.15.26 The Judge Who Won by God’s Wisdom

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