Judges 4:4-5 "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment."
After the death of Ehud, Israel again turned to idolatry, and a new period of oppression began. The Lord sold Israel into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan. Sisera, captain of the host, had nine hundred chariots of iron. These chariots caused dread among the Israelites who had no such armaments. For twenty years Jabin oppressed Israel.
Deborah, who is described as being both a prophetess and a judge, was a mother.
She was a mother in Israel.
We are told that she was the wife of Lapidoth, and believe me she was quite a woman. She was raised up by God to judge Israel, and she called upon the general to get busy.
He was not doing his job.
He should go against the enemy that Israel might be delivered from slavery.
Judges 4:6-8 "And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go."
Barak, was very afraid. He should have been out in the battle, but because of his fear he hid behind a mother. He would not go to battle if Deborah did not go with him.
If this prophetess went with him, he felt he would be successful in battle.
No wonder God had to use a woman in that day!
Judges 4:9 "And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.'
Deborah promised to go with Barak but she told him that a woman would be the heroine of the battle. She was a plain-spoken woman who wanted deliverance for her people.
Barak called together his army, and they got ready to go against the enemy.
God gave them the victory.
Judges 4:16 "But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left."
The incident concerning Deborah, Barak, and Jael took place in the northern part of Israel.
God gave Israel deliverance.
This is their song of praise to God.
Judges 5:1-5 "Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel."
Deborah confessed that she was a mother in Israel and was not looking for a job at all. The fact that she took the lead is no reflection on her. She was God’s choice.
Deborah was one of the outstanding judges.
However, it is an evidence of decline when women come into the position of authority.
It is a sign of weakness.
Barak was a weak-kneed general, Barak. He wanted to stay way back behind the fighting lines. In fact, he wanted to stay home and did not want to go to battle.
Deborah's song mentions the lack of leadership.
Rulers had ceased to rule.
There was no great man who could lead. Deborah was a mother. She had a mother’s heart. Very candidly, she did not want to take the lead, but there was no man to assume the leadership. How tragic was this situation. She wanted something better for her children than what she saw about her. Because of her desire, she became a judge in Israel. She stepped out and took the lead in a day when her nation had denied God.
Israel denied God - as man does today - only instead of becoming atheists, they became polytheists. They began to worship many gods.
Think of the multitudes today that are living without God!
Deborah did not want her children to grow up this way and that is why she stepped out as she did.
PRAYERFULLY MEDITATE:
Psalm 85:10 "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."
"Mercy and truth" have not met each other in our day.
"Righteousness and peace have kissed each other" - they are not even on speaking terms today.
One of the reasons we cannot have peace in this world is because we do not have righteousness in the world.
Things have to be right, before there can be peace in the world.
Things are not "right" today.
Perhaps things are not right in our lives.
Until things are right, there will be no peace on earth.
Psalm 85:13 "Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us in the way of His steps."
When the Lord Jesus reigns, He will reign in righteousness and there will be peace.
Amen.
Reply to Caryl@cherith.co.za.
THIS PAGE UPDATED: 6-12-2007.