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Ehud = Unity & Thanksgiving

Ehud means, “United” and Unity is a strong theme that features right through the Book of Judges and I believe that this is the message YHVH has for His people approaching the End Times. “Thanksgiving” is part of Worship that is the strength of your spiritual Life.

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������������������������������������������������ In Chapter 3 we get introduced to the Judges and we meet the first Judge, Othniel who reigned 40 years. He overcame the Galil (City of the Scroll) in Chapter 1 and defeated the enemy from Mesopotamia who reigned over them for 8 years. Then we meet Ehud, the second Judge who’s reign lasted for 80 years after he defeated the Moabites who reigned over Israel for 18 years. TThhee FFiirrsstt JJuuddggee –– OOtthhnniieell –– TTeeaacchheerrss && TThhee WWoorrdd Othniel means 'force or Lion of Elohim’ and he featured in chapter one where he conquered the "City of the Scroll" and and he received the “waters above” and the “waters below” that means; spiritual revelation regarding YHVH and the Kingdom and Plan, and he received physical revelation about how to apply YHVH’s word in your life. He also received a Bride and a Field. The Bride represents the People of YHVH, who he lead as a husband would lead his wife. The Field represents the Nations that will be added as ‘fruit’ of his labour. He became a judge because he conquered the Word of YHVH that made him competent because he set the standard of what a judge should be. Othniel's father's name is Kenaz that means ‘hunter’ and a hunter in the Hebrew culture is someone who hunts for the truth and this also supports the character of Othniel. The Spirit of YHVH came upon him and he delivered the people of Israel and they had rest for forty years. The number 40 is very prominent in Scripture and it means the “Work of the Messiah” Y’shua was also like Othniel who conquered the City of the Scroll, setting His Word right and He rebuked those who perverted it. Y’shua also received a Bride and a Field and He had revelation of all truth because He is the Word of YHVH. YHVH raises leaders like Othniel in this day to proclaim the Truth and to rectify misconceptions and confusion. They are like a lion of YHVH who do not bow to the pressures of man and will stand for the truth no mater what. TThhee SSeeccoonndd JJuuddggee -- EEhhuudd –– NNeeww BBeelliieevveerrss && TThhee EEnneemmyy ooff tthhee FFlleesshh

�������������� ������������ ������ ������������� �������������������������� �������� ������������� !"#$%�%�$ !����� ��� &�'� ��� (������� � �������� ��������������� After the death of Othniel, the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of YHVH and He strengthened their enemy,

Eglon, the king of Moab against them, and he ruled over them for eighteen years. Eglon means to be calf-like and this shows that they worshipped a calf-like god similar to the golden calf after the ways of Egypt. The children of Israel cried out to YHVH and He raised a Judge named Ehud, to rule over them.

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His name means - 'united' or 'I will give thanks'. He was the son of Gerah, that means ‘grain’, (a weight of 16 barley grains). The Sages belief that Ehud had a withered right hand or that he was left-handed and he made himself a knife. The children of Israel made a gift for the king Eglon and send it with Ehud to present it to him. Eglon was an extremely fat man and Ehud took his knife, hidden on his right side, and with his left hand, killed the fat king so that his knife disappeared in the fat of his belly. He then blew the trumpet on Mount Ephraim and assembled the people to fight against the enemy. They killed all the lusty men of the enemy and had peace for eighty years. The Shophar also represents “Unity” and it was blown to assemble and gather the people. This story is about ‘killing’ the flesh and we see it in two places; the king was very fat and suffered from covetousness, as well as his followers, and the Judge, Ehud was left-handed and he lost his sword (Word) in the fat. �&&��)�������*��� ��������������������������'��������*��� ������������ ���

Isa 48:13 also teach us that left means physical depicting the flesh and right means spiritual. The king and the enemy were fat and this emphasize the problem with the flesh and the foundation of sin; namely covetousness. We saw this enemy in the previous section, namely the Canaanites or Merchants. The nature of fleshly sin is addiction; this is why it said that YHVH made the enemy STRONG against Israel because they did evil in His sight. The flesh is a strong enemy to overcome and if you allow only a thought to slip through, then the flesh will build up and take out the stops and overwhelm you to be a slave of addiction. This is so because fleshly sins are pleasurable and your body gets addicted to the pleasure. You can get addicted to different means and forms of pleasures ranging from drugs to sex to overeating. You need a lot of self discipline and help from YHVH to overcome this enemy because you start of being “left handed” (normally stupid hand) and you might even loose your knife/Sword (Standard of the Word) because you will reason your way around the Word to still be able to indulge in this sin for the sake of your enslaved body. We also see that YHVH will set the enemy up against His people if they turn against Him and their flesh will overcame them. Paul also had people in the assembly in Corinth that suffered from fleshliness, fornication and pride, and this was his advice to deal with the problem: �+��,��-��������������������� .��� ��������� � ��������&����������(�'�� ������������� ���� �������������� ���� ��������� �������� �������� �������� ��������������������(�'��� �.'�� ��'./� ���� ������� ���������������������� �0��������� ������� ����(�� ���� ������(�'���������

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People who are fleshly or who are puffed up (fat ego) will influence everybody in the assembly and disrupt the unity. If they do not repent, YHVH will remove them from the Assembly and deliver them over to Satan (the enemy) so that their flesh might be destroyed and they might be saved. You will be overwhelmed by this sin and will eventually backslide where you will bear the consequences of your sin and repent.

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How do I destroy the enemy of the Flesh?

The key here is the Truth of what fleshly sins are and Discipline, applying that truth in your life, not allowing these things that your body used to crave and lust after.

How did YHVH destroy the enemy of the Flesh? After the people repented and cried out to Him, He used His Word (knife) to show you the truth and you must take the knife (truth) and kill this enemy in your life through disciplining your flesh, bringing it under submission of His Word. The key here is the Truth of what fleshly sins are and Discipline, applying that truth in your life, not allowing these things that your body used to crave and lust after. At the end of this story we see that Shamgar struck down 600 Philistines with an ox goad. It is not mentioned that he was a Judge and it is believed that he served under Ehud. Perhaps he was ploughing with his oxen when the Philistines appeared over the hill. The ox goad was a farm implement, about two or three metres (eight or ten feet) in length, with one end pointed, and sometimes metal-tipped, to prod the ox to plough. The other end was fashioned with a scraper to dislodge the clods that became entangled in the plough. Shamgar’s heroic feat fits the pattern in the book of Judges of gaining victory with inferior weapons (limited knowledge of the Word). Since we know that the sword represents the Word, we see here the example of someone fighting off the enemy with something different than the Word. 600 represents man and this story implies someone fighting the enemy with their own strength and knowledge and Shamgar represents believers who started on the path, who realised the enemies in their lives and want to fight them off. Shamgar’s name means ‘sword’ and this shows us that even using a weapon other than the Sword (word), that his attitude made him victorious without being fully skilled in the Word. YHVH will help a man who has a willing heart and who made a decision to follow Him. You will grow as you follow. This falls right in context of the Judge Ehud who was fleshly and who killed a fleshly enemy with a small knife. We learn through this story that if your heart is right and you have made the decision to follow YHVH, He will help you defeat the first enemy, the flesh, even if you are at the beginning of the road growing up into spiritual maturity. New believers have to face this enemy first to help them to grow up spiritually so that they can become right handed, strong, holding a full length Sword and be part of YHVH’s army defending His Kingdom.

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Deborah was a prophetess – and was filled with the Spirit of YHVH. She heard the Words of YHVH and acted accordingly or conveyed the message to His people. A prophet’s main function was to rebuke the people when they went astray and to bring the people back into the safety of the Torah. Deborah also acted as a judge when she sat under a sacred tree in the hill country of Ephraim, giving judgment on particular matters. People came to her when they needed wisdom, or a dispute settled, or when they needed advice about their plans. She listened, considered the problem, and then gave advice, which came from YHVH’s Ruach (Spirit) in her. In other words, she had some of the gifts of the Spirit.

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Bees and Words Bees play an important role in pollinating flowering plants, and are the major type of pollinator in ecosystems that contain flowering plants. In the same way we need to spread the Word so that YHVH’s people can bear fruit Bees have a long proboscis (a complex "tongue") that enables them to obtain the nectar from flowers. People have complex tongues that can drag a juicy story from other people – also known as gossip. This is a warning to woman to watch their tongues and think before they speak and the topics they talk about.

Deborah was a prophetess and also a Judge, Her name comes from the root word “dawbar” that means ‘word’ and ‘bee’. It is interesting to see that every Judge has something that connects to YHVH’s Word. Othniel conquered the City of the Scroll (Word), Ehud made a knife or sword (Word), and Deborah’s name means Word.

This gives us the conformation that a Judge or leader needs the Word of YHVH to be a real Judge who will lead His people out under the oppression of the enemy. It is also evident that the people needed the Word to overcome the enemies (sin) in their life. ����4�,��������������������������.������ ������� ���������"����� ���5 �� �����������.��������������������� �� ���� ����!����������"��������

All the meanings of the words in this verse describe her character and the attributes of a good Judge. Palm tree: – “tamar”, was the mother of Zerah (brightness) and Perez (divided) who’s birth represents the First and Second Coming of Messiah. Zerah’s hand came out first and they bound a red string on His hand, he pulled it back and Perez was born. Y’shua came to the earth for a short while (First Coming), died for us (red/blood) and went back to the Father. His First coming brought “perez” or division where He divides the sheep and the goats by gathering His flock unto Him. After Parez, Zarah (rightness) was born and we will see the Messiah the Second time when He will be on the clouds in the brightness of His Coming. Palm tree or “tamar”

��� has a homophone “tamar” ���� that means ‘she will say’ that also supports the work of this Judge which is the Bride. Ramah, Bethel & Ephraim: We also see in this verse that she lived between Ramah (elevated, raised up place) and Bethel (the house of Elohim) in mount Ephraim (fruitfulness – 10 lost Tribes). All the meanings of these places give us further attributes of a Judge and why the Judge is needed. Y’shua was the Judge Who will be lifted up as the King of kings and He will come from His Father’s house after He has gathered the lost sheep of Ephraim through His Spirit in His people (Bride). We are supposed to be like Y’shua, following in His footsteps, because He has ‘elevated us’ by anointing us and empowering us through His Spirit. Y’shua and the Father now live in our bodies (House of Elohim) so that we can help with the gathering of Ephraim (lost sheep). In a sense we are like the Judge Deborah (the Bride of Messiah) who will help to gather and lead Ephraim out of paganism and oppression (sin) back into the Ways of YHVH and His Torah, following the Shepherd (Y’shua). She was the only judge who was also a Prophetess and YHVH said in His Word that we would be filled with His Spirit and prophecy. To be part of Deborah you have to have faith in Y’shua and have received His Spirit. We are His Body and when the world looks at us they must see Y’shua. He gave us the Gifts of the Spirit to be able to accomplish this task because we will not be able to do it out of our selves.

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If you misrepresent Him with visible sin (deeds and words – fornication, anger, laying, swearing, filthy words) you are not “dawbar” or ‘saying and speaking His Words, and are portraying a different Messiah through your life. It is more important to live out what you believe than to preach because you will soon be labelled as a hypocrite if your actions do not align with your words. If you do not ‘walk the talk’ you are discrediting yourself and making yourself ineffective for the work of YHVH and you are doing more damage than good. You are also discrediting fellow believers because they will be seen as being of the same flock. It is better not to say you follow YHVH if your life does not reflect it because you might damage Y’shua’s Character through visible sin. To be part of Deborah or the Bride, you have to live by example so that your life will judge those in the world because Torah is written on your life. Deborah represents a collated Judge and is seen in the Body of Messiah. People who are looking for the truth, will be drawn to the Body of Messiah (Deborah) and she will represent Y’shua to them and counsel them and introduce them to their new Shepherd and teach them how to follow Him. Deborah Summons Barak – Buildings instead of Body The Canaanites who lived in Ephraim were under the leadership of King Jabin of Hazor. He wanted to get rid of Israel, who was a problem, by simply wiping out the hill tribesmen. In this emergency, the Israelites turned to Deborah. She in turn summoned a military leader called Barak, and gave him orders. He should go to Mount Tabor with as many fighting men as he could muster, and draw King Jabin into battle. Jabin was the King and Sisera was his general. Jabin means “whom YHVH observes and Building”. This is the physical copy and counterfeit of Y’shua’s Body (assembly), which is a man made system that utilises buildings as holy gathering places. Sounds familiar? Constantine was the first “Christian” to introduce the church building to the believing community. Before then, they assembled in their homes. Barak was reluctant to obey her orders, perhaps thinking of the nine hundred iron-wheeled chariots and the well-disciplined army (church system) that Jabins's general Sisera commanded. The Israelites had nothing like Sisera's fire power, since they lacked the technology and know-how to develop comparable weapons (fleshly systems that attracts fleshly people – band, music, motivational teachings, beautiful buildings est.). The Battle at Mount Tabor

Sisera, on the other hand, assembled a terrifying force. He had 900 iron-trimmed chariots at his disposal, and they could do fearsome damage. Their weight and velocity as they charged into an opposing army could plough a dreadful furrow through the ranks of soldiers. The Canaanites ought to have won the battle easily, but they did not. There was a tremendous downpour and the 900 chariots, meant for quick manoeuvring on firm ground, became bogged down in

the mud because of the rain. The flash flood swelled the nearby Wadi Kishon and turned the battleground into deep mud, giving the Israelite foot soldiers the advantage over the Canaanite chariots. Unhampered by heavy armour, they were more mobile than the Canaanites, who were easy prey for the Israelite swords and lances. The Israelites fought with swords while the enemy had chariots.

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Satan uses the church system and all the bling, bells and whistles to eye blind the people from the truth and to attract them through worldly fleshly systems. The only way to overcome this enemy and to release YHVH’s people from this System is by the Word (flood or water) and the Truth. Barak is an example to us that we should face people in the System that will cause “thunder” (conflict), but the seed of the truth must be sowed, even if they do not agree with it. After you have presented the truth to them, confronting their “doctrine”, pray that Ruach will let it rain on the seed you have planted so that the Word will grow and overtake the thistles. If it rains on dry ground, nothing will spring up at grow unless there is seed in the ground. The most important thing to note is that you need to plant seeds in their minds. Pray that they will be uneasy and lay awake at night, thinking on these things and ask Ruach to let every lie be challenged. Pray that their spiritual eyes be opened, that the veil from their hearts will be removed and that the veil from the Torah be removed so that they will see the truth. Ask YHVH to make them hungry for the truth, and that the lies they belief will no longer nourish them and that they will not be fed unless it is the truth. Jael killed Sisera There was a second woman mentioned in this chapter and her name was Jael and it means ‘mountain goat, to gain, to ascend (if you add a Hey)’. Jael was a tent-dweller. Her family were tinsmiths who made farming utensils, domestic items, and weapons. They travelled whenever they could find work. Her campsite must have been close to the battlefield because her family was making and supplying weapons for the army. She was the wife of Heber the Kenite (possession), and she killed Sisera (he that sees a horse). Sisera came to her seeking a hiding place, she hid him in her tent and while he was sleeping, she drove a peg through his temples into the ground. Sisera means ‘he that sees a horse’ is a symbol of Satan who hid in the tent (building or church system). Jael is a symbol of the people who are trapped in the Church today and who hid the enemy in her tent (Church) but she killed him when she realize who he was. She first covered him with a mantle and then used a tent pen and drove it through his temples.

The word for mantle is “semeekah” ����� . Shin � means fire and Spirit and is a

symbol of being purified, Mem � – the water or Word. Yod � means hand or Spirit of

YHVH. Caf � means hand or actions. Hey � means light or Truth. We see here that the Church has to be Purified by the Word and through the help of the Spirit, so that they will change their Actions and can reflect the character of YHVH and they will then live set apart lives, shining His Light and spreading His Word. This is the process called “coming out of Her My people” stated in Rev 8:4. In verse 19 he asked her water and she gave him milk. This shows us what is happening in the church system today, they need Water to live (Word) but only receive milk (basics) meant for babies.

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Barak descended from mount Tabor (purity) with ten thousand men and went after Sisera (he that sees a horse). (This sounds just like Moses descending from Mt Sinai with the Ten Commandments). This gives us a picture of the end times where Y’shua and His host of angels will battle against Satan and his System, the people enslaved by it, making up his army. Y’shua will come with the Double sided Sword (Word) in His mouth to destroy His enemies. Barak (thunder), the son of Abinoam (Grace) will come form mount Tabor (the high place of purity, holiness, set apartness) and He chased after Sisera (Satan and his System). The system of Satan (Sisera), is better known as Babylon (mixing and confusion) and will be destroyed by Y’shua. He will reveil Himself as the real Messiah and the Antichrist or false Messiah will be exposed. " ���8��4-�1������ ����� ����� �� �9����������:�������0 ������9�� ���������:���0��� ����� �/�&���� ������ ��� /�0��� ����&� ��9�������������:����#$������'�����������'����� ��������.��0����9���:/���������0�������� ����'�������� ��� ����������� �0������ .� ����� ��9���������������:�0�����������������9���������������������������:����� ��� ������ �0� .� �������� �0� ������ ��� ���������� �0��������������(���������9�����������:���#������� ��������������� �/�������������������� �0���� /�;�$%�#6�;�$% �$2�<#"2�#6�<#"2 ��

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The end time events link perfectly through the meanings and symbolism with the life and story of Debora (Bride) and this is a message to us, YHVH’s people, to be set-apart, and to be pure like our Master Y’shua, so that we can spread His “dawbar” (Word), and that Ephraim (people in Babylon) can put the mantle over the enemy and see who he really is and kill him in their lives by leaving the System. The most important lesson here is to have pure words and not to sound like the world and not to have visible sin that can misrepresent our Master and portrays another-Y’shua as Paul stated. �+�����4��%���������������� �� �&�����.��&���������� ���=��'��9� �'�:/�0����0 ���� ����.��&���� �/�������(�'�� & �� ����� ���.����/�0��&��(�'��������� & �� /�������� �����. �/�0��&��(�'� � ���&& .� �/�(�'�������0 ��� �'� ��� � ��

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The Church and the System called Babylon is not portraying the right Messiah, or the right Gospel message, or the right Spirit. Our mission should be to help these people entrapped in the System to come out of it and not to compromise and make them feel they have the truth only in another wrapping. There is only one mantle to wrap the truth in as we have seen in the meaning of the letters of “semeekah”. The Anti-Messiah portrays another Y’shua that is different to the real One, another Spirit, which is not the Spirit of YHVH and another Gospel or message, which is not based on repentance. If you have not truly repent from your old ways, you are proclaiming another Y’shua through your actions. If you have not searched and found the real truth, your words will be the message of another Y’shua and of Babylon. If you have not received YHVH’s Spirit, you will even do powerful works and miracles, but your words will tell which Spirit you have received an d which (anti) Messiah you follow.

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Conclusion: These three Judges gives us the three steps in becoming a Judge for YHVH; Ehud is a picture of “a Judge in training” so that he can become like Othniel, the “mature Judge” and become part of the collective Judge Deborah, which is the Body of Messiah. We are all chosen to be leaders and everybody is on a different place in their lives. Some are spiritually more mature than others and are like Othniel, others have just started this walk and are more like Ehud, but in the end of the day, we are all part of the collective Judge as seen in Deborah, who will judge the world and lead them back into YHVH’s Ways.