The Two-Edged Sword
The idea for this Bible study came from devotional thoughts by David Wyatt (sp?) on the family altar, BBN
In Judges chapter three, God tells the story of king Eglon (the king of the Moabites who oppressed Israel) and the deliverer that God raised up for Israel. This deliverer was named Ehud. The children of Israel cried out to God for deliverance, and God raised up Ehud for that purpose.
Now, Ehud made some special preparation for this battle, “Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.” (Judges 3:16) This dagger had two sharp edges and was quite long – about one cubit, or a foot and a half in length. The dagger was a lot like a two-edged sword. With it, Ehud delivered a “message from God” to Eglon. Of course this “message from God” pierced into Eglon’s “innermost parts” and defeated him, beginning the victory that would deliver Israel. Then Ehud said to Israel, “Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.”
Because Israel cried to the Lord for deliverance, God raised up a wise man to do the job and provided the right tools for the battle. God also gave a complete victory – “there escaped not a man.”
In Hebrews 4:12, the Bible says, “The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” This two-edged sword, this word of God, will one day be used of Jesus to conquer the nations. Revelation 19:15 says, “Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Revelation 1:16 says that this sword from Jesus’ mouth is a “sharp two-edged sword.”
God has given us all the armor we need to fight our spiritual battles. One piece in this armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (See Ephesians 6:17) This sword of the spirit is very useful in many situations. There are specific verses in the word of God that apply to specific situations. We must prepare our sword for use in specific battles just as Ehud deliberately prepared his “two-edged sword” for the specific battle to which God had sent him.
So, prepare your sword, hide many verses in your heart. When you come to a spiritual battle, ask the Lord, “Lord, which verses do you want me to use?” He will bring the right ones to your mind and help you to wield them. Even if you do not remember them perfectly, say them the best you can. When Satan sees you wielding the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, he will flee.