Deborah

Pastor Allan Kircher

Shell Point Baptist Church

Aug. 25, 2013

Judges 4:1-24

DEBORAH: A WOMAN OF CONVICTION AND COURAGE

Intro: The book of Judges is a gritty, dirty book.

• Filled/sin, violence/judgment of God.

• Action book/appeals more/men than women.

• A modern counterpart/action/war movies men find far more appealing than/romantic comedies preferred/ladies.

Book/Judges actually elevates/position/women/Israelite society.

• Chapters before us today

• Introduced/two women used by God in great ways, for his glory.

• Deborah and Jael.

• One/respected leader/nation—other/simple housewife.

• Different walks of life/both used/God/remarkable ways.

I want/move thru chapters 4-5/point out some facts that present themselves in this tale of sin, judgment, war, faith, and victory.

I want you to see:

• How God used a courageous, faithful woman to deliver His people from bondage and oppression.

• that God is still using women for His glory every single day.

Let’s walk through these verses together and meet Deborah: A Woman Of Conviction And Courage.

I. v. 1-3 THE SPIRITUAL MELTDOWN IN ISRAEL

These verses describe the horrible spiritual conditions that existed in Israel during the time if Deborah.

A. v. 1 Their Corruption

After Ehud delivered Israel from Eglon/Moabites, the land had rest from war for 80 years

• As long/Ehud lived/judged/nation/People followed God served Him.

• Ehud passed from/scene/People returned/sinful ways.

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We are told that they “again did evil in the sight of the Lord” Judges 5:8 says, “They chose new gods”.

• Turned their back/God/salvation/followed/gods/Canaanites

• A spiritual void/their lives/they walked away from/Lord.

Children/Israel/picture/what we see all too often/our churches.

• People will follow God for a while

• then when there is a spiritual void in their lives

• They turn away from God and seek their own ways.

Perhaps:

• Caught up in the world.

• It is because someone said something?

• Sad when we base our faith/those around us/not on/Lord.

• Our faith should be in God/not in any man.

This kind of thing happens when believers get their eyes on men and not on the Lord, Heb. 12:1-3.

• We need to be very careful!

• old enemies from/past will rise up when you least expect

• That sin you thought was conquered will defeat you if you give it an opportunity!

• You aren’t safe until you get home to glory and are delivered from this flesh, Rom. 7:14-25; 1 Cor. 10:12.

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B. v. 2 Their Chastisement

• Israel rebelled against God

• He responded/giving them over/their enemies/punishment.

• The Bible says He “sold” them.

• God abandoned them/life they chose for themselves.

• They paid a terrible price for their rebellion.

• They were literally driven/their highways/their homes.5:6

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Still a high price to pay for disobedience/will/Lord.

• When we choose our ways over His ways

• when we choose to follow other gods instead of Him

• We can expect His displeasure.

• He will send chastisement into our lives

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to experience the displeasure/chastisement/Lord in my life.

• Only way to avoid/keep short accounts/Him

• confess sin when it appears in our lives

• If I choose to go on in my sins

• I can expect God to touch my life in ways I will not like.

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He might touch me through my:

• Flesh by bringing sickness or other sorrows into my life, Psa. 51:3; 40:12; 38:1-11.

• Family/working through them/bring me back/Him, 2 Sam 12.

• Finances by bringing me to a place of want where I realize where my supply comes from, Hag. 1:6.

• Future by allowing me to reap the full consequences of what I have sown, Gal. 6:7.

I don’t know how God will work in your life or mine, but I do know that He will work.

We may sin, but we will never get away with it, Num. 32:23.

C. v. 3 Their Cry

• Israel oppressed/Jabin/his armies/20 years.

• As far as Israel was concerned, Jabin/undefeatable.

• He possessed/powerful army anchored/900 chariots/iron.

The helpless armies of Israel were no match for this enemy. Judges 5:8, the Israelites possessed no weapons.

• They were a conquered, defeated people.

• People without hope.

They came/place where they were tired/their situation.

• They called/Lord and He heard them.

• notice that they did not cry out in repentance

• They cried out for deliverance from their problems.

• Most people in our day never learn that lesson either.

People call/Lord so He will deliver them from their problems, while they fail to deal/root of their problem, their sin.

• If we really want/delivered/oppressive effects of evil

• harsh whip of chastisement

• We must deal honestly with our sins before the Lord.

Our goal should:

• not just be to escape our problems

• Be to be found pleasing to the Lord.