Deborah - A Spiritual Mother

Judges 5:6, 7 - “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted, and the travelers walked along the byways. Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel.

Here Deborah refers to herself as a spiritual mother of Israel

Background:

Book of Judges is a continuation of the book of Joshua. People settled in promised land (Israel) under the leadership of Joshua. They were surrounded by nations occupied by Hittites, Hivites, Canaanites, Amorites etc. God had strictly warned His people that they must not follow the nations nor worship their idols – Judges 23:16

The people wholeheartedly agreed with Joshua. Joshua 24:16 - So the people answered and said: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.

What happened?

After the days of Joshua and the elders who outlived Joshua, a generation arose that did not know the Lord. They forsook God.

Judges 2:10, 11 – When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals

This is a warning sign for all of us. If we, as parents, do not teach the fear of God or the works of God to our children, it is very likely that they will forsake God when they grow up.

God had performed outstanding miracles since the time He led the Israelites from the land of Egypt, but now, this generation did not know the mighty works which He had done. Who must be blamed? The previous generations!

It is our duty to pass on the stories of the mighty works of God in our lives and in the lives of our ancestors to our children.

God expects us to command the ways of God to our children and our household. Genesis 18:19 - For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

We see this pattern repeating in Judges

*People sin, worship foreign gods

*God gives them into the hand of foreign kings

*In their suffering, they cry to God

*God raises up judges to deliver them

Here again, we find that people did evil and God sold them into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan

Judges 4:1, 2 - When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth Hagoyim

Canaanites were a powerful enemy of Israel

*They subdued Israel for 20 years

*They had 900 chariots of iron (can be compared to modern-day 900 tanks)

*They had advanced military technology of those days which was used by them to maintain their power and cruelly suppress the Israelites

It is now only after 20 long years that the children of Israel turn to God and cry out to Him – Judges 4:3

Judges 4:4 - Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

God raised them a female judge. She was the fourth judge of pre-monarchic Israel and in fact, the only female judge in the vast history of Israel.

Her name was Deborah, a Hebrew word meaning ‘bee’. This is the second instance of this name in the Bible. (This was also the name of Rebecca’s nurse – Gen 35:8).

We know that little is known about her background information:

- We are not sure of her tribe but could be from the tribe of Ephraim because she rendered her judgments beneath a palm tree between Ramah in Benjamin and Bethel in the land of Ephraim. (Judges 4:5)

- We know nothing about her parents

- Her husband’s name is Lapidoth. However, we do not know his occupation.

Deborah had several roles:

Wife – She was the wife of Lapidoth, meaning she had a family and so family responsibilities

Judge – Judge 4:5

Israel approached Deborah with their various problems and she, being led by God, rendered judgements. (God chooses people who are faithful for His service, irrespective of their gender).

Prophetess – Judges 4:4a

Deborah was a spokesperson of God. God shows no gender bias in imparting spiritual gifts.

Apart from Deborah, OT records 3 more prophetess

Miriam – Exodus 15:20

Isaiah’s wife – Isaiah 8:1-4

Huldiah – 2 Kings 22:14-20