A Prayer for Deliverance from Oppression
"And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man." - Judges 3:17
O Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, we come before You today, inspired by the depths of Your word found in Judges 3:17, where it recounts the story of Ehud bringing a present unto Eglon, king of Moab, describing him as a very fat man. This vivid imagery serves as a reminder of the excess and oppression that sin can bring into our lives, and we seek Your guidance and strength to overcome the obstructions and burdens that weigh us down.
Heavenly Father, as You were with the people of Israel during their time of bondage under the reign of Eglon, we acknowledge our own struggles and oppression in this day. Eglon, in his power and physical stature, represents all forms of tyranny and force that attempt to dominate our spirits and hinder our relationship with You. We ask for a fresh outpouring of Your spirit, that You might lift the heavy chains that bind us, that we may experience true freedom in You, O Lord.
As we reflect on Ehud’s brave action, we confess the areas of our lives that require courage. We pray for that same spirit of bravery to rise within us when faced with confrontation against our own Eglons, whether they be personal struggles, societal pressures, or the oppressive thoughts that hinder us from fulfilling Your divine purpose. We thank You for the story of Ehud, who, by Your divine orchestration, was raised to confront the tyranny of Moab. May we, too, be emboldened, through Your strength, to confront the enemies that seek to invade our lives. Teach us to bring our present, our gifts, and our worship before You, trusting that You can use what may seem small or insignificant to bring about great victories.
Lord, we remember that Eglon’s reign was marked by cruelty, oppression, and a false sense of security built upon power and gluttony. Help us to recognize similar patterns within our own hearts and among the systems of our world. Show us where we are complicit in the oppression of others, whether through our inaction, our silence, or our participation in unjust systems. Lead us, Lord, to a place of repentance, where we may turn away from our past and seek restoration in You.
We pray for those who find themselves in positions like the Israelites, oppressed and in need of deliverance. May Your perfect love pour out over the marginalized, the broken-hearted, and those crushed by life’s burdens. We ask that You would raise up modern-day Ehuds who will stand on behalf of the oppressed to proclaim justice and to provide a voice for the voiceless. Empower Your church, Lord, to be a beacon of hope and freedom.
As we contemplate the implications of Eglon’s fatness—a symbol of oppression and excessive power—remind us to examine our own lives for excesses that need to be trimmed. Show us how we can live lives of moderation, passion, and purpose, devoid of distraction from worldly desires that would weigh us down in our pursuit of You.
In conclusion, Lord, we cling to the truth that You are the ultimate deliverer. You are the one who breaks every chain and liberates the weary. Just as You used Ehud’s trickery to deliver Israel from the hands of their oppressor, help us to see the creative ways You guide us to overcome challenges in our lives. May we never forget that no matter how large or insatiable our struggles may seem, Your power is far greater.
In the name of Jesus, our true King and liberator, we pray, Amen.
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Judges 3:17 - "And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man."
"And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man." - Judges 3:17
Ecclesiastes 3:17 - "I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."
Judges 17:1 - "And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah."
Judges 3:31
Job 12:17 - "He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools."
Judges 8:17 - "And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city."
Judges 17:3 - "And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee."
Judges 17:12 - "And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah."
Judges 21:17 - "And they said, There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel."
Judges 17:11 - "And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons."
Judges 2:17 - "And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so."
"I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work." - Ecclesiastes 3:17
Judges 17:7 - "¶ And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there."
Judges 17:6 - "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
Zephaniah 3:3 - "Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow."
Judges 10:3 - "¶ And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years."
Judges 9:17 - "(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:"
Judges 10:17 - "Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh."
"And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah." - Judges 17:1
Judges 3:6 - "And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods."
Judges 1:17 - "And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah."
Judges 17:13 - "Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest."
Judges 3:11 - "And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died."
Judges 17:5 - "And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest."
Judges 5:17 - "Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches."
Deuteronomy 19:17 - "Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;"
Judges 3:14 - "So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years."
Judges 13:3 make the Angel of the Lord male
Judges 3:3 - "Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath."