Judges Series #5
Life Cycles
“Deborah/Barak: A Fearless Woman and a Fearful Man”
Review
We should be familiar with the cycle by now.
Sin-Slavery-Supplication-Salvation-Service
For those of you who have just joined us, the book of Judges records the continuing history of the nation of Israel; picking up at the death of Joshua who led them to multiple victories over the occupying polluted nations God had slated for destruction. This is now the third generation after the grand Exodus out of Egypt’s 400 year servitude spanning over a hundred years. They rejected the teachings of their founders. They no longer passed on the stories of God’s amazing loving acts for His chosen people. They became enmeshed with the pagan nations that God commanded them to destroy. They purposely ignored God while picking up the dreadful beliefs and practices of those nations and worshiped multiple deities. They arrogantly did their own thing. Every man did that what was right in their own eyes. They lapsed into idolatry, immorality and anarchy. That about sums it up. That also sums up the state of a once God-following nation today.
Three main take away messages resonate all though this account of Israel’s next several hundred years of history.
Sin continually causes bondage
God mercifully grants deliverance
God powerfully utilizes unlikely people
I. Cycle Identified 1-2
II. Cycle Illustrated (Seven examples) 3-16
A. Othniel – God-empowered faithful servant 3 God empowers the faithful
B. Ehud: Strength perfected through weakness 3:17-31 God empowers the weak
C. Deborah / Barak: Fearless Woman Fearful Man 4:1 God empowers the disenfranchised
INTRODUCTION
All though world history, attitudes toward women have not been very healthy.
Especially given the fact that…
God created male AND female in His image.
God blessed male AND female.
God commissioned male AND female.
Generally, the woman was views as inferior and led lives of demoralizing servitude to men.
Of course, exceptions arose from time to time but there were just that; exceptions. Amongst a disappointing and dismal historical portrait of women, the Bible highlights some very flattering snapshots of some most extraordinary women. Here in the middle of a deeply depraved and declining culture that included some degrading attitudes toward women, we find an exciting “short-film” featuring a most amazing woman who managed to garner significant private and public respect from men and women alike; the only woman to be identified as a Judge.
The author includes here in another cycle illustrating our three reoccurring principles.
Sin leads to bondage.
God graciously grants deliverance.
God powerfully uses unlikely people.
In today’s cycle, it happens to be two disenfranchised members of society; a woman named Deborah and a woman named Jael. Most everyone loves a good story. God revealed Himself to us through story rather than a classroom. Other than parables, the stories of the Bible happen to flow out of historical events rather than human imagination. In Bible study, we should always look for God in the story. We best understand God in the context of His interactions with His creatures. Scripture recounts the story of Deborah in a unique manner.
Chapter 4 uses prose or narrative to provide the basic chronology of events.
Chapter 5 employs poetry to include the emotional impact of the events.
I am going to try to superimpose the emotion of chapter 5 on top of the events of chapter 4.
We will explore the story and then search for God in the story. Let’s begin with the prelude in a duet sung by the prophetess Deborah and her military general Barak.
On that day Deborah and Barak, son of Abinoam, sang this song:
Praise the LORD! Men in Israel vowed to fight, and people volunteered for service.
Listen, you kings! Open your ears, you princes!
I will sing a song to the LORD.
I will make music to the LORD God of Israel.
O LORD, when you went out from Seir,
when you marched from the country of Edom,
the earth quaked, the sky poured, the clouds burst, and the mountains shook in the presence of the LORD God of Sinai, in the presence of the LORD God of Israel. Judges 5:1-5
They sang a praise song based on the events of their deliverance from Jabin. They recognized God’s supernatural intervention on behalf of the volunteers. Again, we observe the partnership between humanity and divinity in human history.
1. Sin
After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the LORD’s sight. Judges 4:1
The use of the word “again” demonstrates the continual spiritual struggle throughout the nation. Again, the historian used a simple statement describing the relapse of the people living without a strong leader. It is likely Israel’s sin followed the same lines as before. They forgot God. They compromised with the pagan nations and ended up giving themselves to a multitude of morally despicable gods. The slide down this slippery slope generally starts with compromise.
Any evangelism which by appeal to common interests and chatter about current events seeks to establish a common ground where the sinner can feel at home is as false as the altars of Baal ever were.
Every effort to smooth out the road for men and to take away the guilt and the embarrassment is worse than wasted: it is evil and dangerous to the souls of men!
One of the most popular of current errors, and the one out of which springs most of the noisy, blustering religious activity in evangelical circles, is the notion that as times change the church must change with them. Christians must adapt their methods by the demands of the people. If they want ten-minute sermons, give them ten-minute sermons! If they want truth in capsule form, give it to them! If they want pictures, give them plenty of pictures! If they like stories, tell them stories! A.W. Tozer Renewed Day by Day: Volume 1.
Jesus scolded the churches in Revelation for compromise in either belief or behavior. This cycle clearly illustrates our reoccurring theme.
Sin leads to slavery.
Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Romans 6:16-18
2. Slavery
So the LORD turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera. Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Judges 4:2-3
In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, people avoided the main roads, and travelers stayed on winding pathways. There were few people left in the villages of Israel— until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel. When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel! Judges 5:6-8
Notice again the active hand of God in this discipline. The one who pledged to protect them must now enslave them in order to teach them. This time, the captivity came from a people left unconquered from the conquest rearmed by Jabin who reigned from Hazor, which was located just south of the Sea of Galilee. Jabin was probably a title rather than a formal name.
Joshua decisively conquered a king from the same area named Jabin. (Josh 11:1-15)
This resurgence of Canaanites under a new Jabin again reinforces the tragedy of continually losing previously occupied territory because of sin and incomplete obedience. Jabin’s well-armed (900 iron chariots) forces fought under the leadership of his general Sisera and enslaved the Israelites for 20 years.
3. Supplication 4:3
The sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.
Again, their cries seem to have come from a point of desperation rather than devotion. Their desperation arose from hopelessness due to the forbidding force of 900 chariots and the duration of the oppression; 20 years. At times, God must bring us to the point of desperation so that we will recognize our need for Him. To many time however, rather than cry out to Him we blame Him and adapt to our difficulties in a determination to live life without reliance on Him.
4. Salvation
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. Judges 4:4-5
Several observations are in order. First, she was a prophetess or a female prophet. Prophets performed a twofold ministry: to forthtell and to foretell. Society generally reserved this office for men but she appears here without comment. We observe a distinct difference between the salvation element in this cycle than the others. In this case, God did not raise up a deliverer but commissioned one already faithfully functioning. Deborah also served the function of a Judge; the only female judge. God used judges to facilitate or inspire deliverance and they also rendered spiritual decisions in domestic disputes.
It is clear that she was a much respected judge as people came from all over to have her settle their disputes. None of the normal prejudices against women appear anywhere in this passage. God is not limited by or accommodates himself to human prejudices. In this case, God chose Deborah because Deborah was the best choice not only to deliver Israel but also to enlist and inspire others with a message from God
Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 'I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.'"
Here we find the characteristic success formula. God’s promised to give Sisera into their hands. Barak however experienced a slight lapse in courage. Wouldn’t you? They designed those iron chariots with razor-sharp hubs to slice up any soldier that got close. The odds of victory were just not very favorable. Such a venture will require great faith in the promise of God.
Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go."
Scripture does not reveal why Barak insisted Deborah join him. Anything is a guess; some better than others. My guess is that due to the high improbably of success without divine intervention, he thought that Deborah’s proven record of divine connection would lean the battle in their favor.
She said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him. Judges 4:6-10
THE RECRUITMENT
Together they embarked on a recruiting mission. Given that they began their song with gratitude for volunteers, greater detail concerning the recruitment mission finds its way into the song.
There were few people left in the villages of Israel— until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel.
My heart is with the commanders of Israel, with those who volunteered for war. Praise the LORD!
“Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road.
Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the righteous victories of the LORD and the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD marched down to the city gates.
“Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song!
Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!
“Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles.
The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors.
They came down from Ephraim— a land that once belonged to the Amalekites; they followed you,
Benjamin, with your troops.
From Mannesseh the commanders marched down;
from Zebulun came those who carry a commander’s staff.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley.
But in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision.
Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds— to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks?
Yes, in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision.
Gilead remained east of the Jordan.
And why did Dan stay home?
Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in his harbors.
But Zebulun risked his life, as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield. Judges 5:7, 9-18
THE BATTLE
Now Heber the Kenite, a descendant of Moses’ brother-in-law Hobab, had moved away from the other members of his tribe and pitched his tent by the oak of Zaanannim near Kedesh.
This verse seems out of place but the author included it to provide a bit of context as to why Sisera later would feel comfortable seeking refuge in Keber’s tent.
When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, he called for all 900 of his iron chariots and all of his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River. Judges 4:11-13
Maybe it was Heber that informed in him.
Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. When Barak attacked, the LORD threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot.
The kings of Canaan came and fought, at Taanach near Megiddo’s springs, but they carried off no silver treasures.
The stars fought from heaven.
The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera.
The Kishon River swept them away— that ancient torrent, the Kishon.
March on with courage, my soul!
Then the horses’ hooves hammered the ground, the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s mighty steeds. Judges 5:19-22
Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors. Not a single one was left alive. Judges 4:14-16
God obviously chose supernatural means to decimate Sisera’s superior military force and torrential rains to immobilize the chariots.
This reminds me of the passage…
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD! Isaiah 31:1
Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. Psalm 20:7
‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said the angel of the LORD.
‘Let them be utterly cursed, because they did not come to help the LORD— to help the LORD against the mighty warriors.’ Judges 5:23
Many believe God pronounced this curse on this unidentified city located close to the place of battle because the people refused to join with their fellow Israelites against the Canaanites.
Deborah blessed the volunteers. God cursed the ones who refused to help.
THE DEATH OF JABIN
Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. “Please give me some water,” he said. “I’m thirsty.” So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again. “Stand at the door of the tent,” he told her. “If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no.” But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died. Judges 4:17-21
Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt.
Then with her left hand she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman’s hammer.
She struck Sisera with the hammer, crushing his head.
With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples.
He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet.
And where he sank, there he fell – DEAD!
From the window Sisera’s mother looked out.
Through the window she watched for his return, saying,
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why don’t we hear the sound of chariot wheels?’
Her wise women answer, and she repeats these words to herself:
‘They must be dividing the captured plunder— with a woman or two for every man.
There will be colorful robes for Sisera, and colorful, embroidered robes for me.
Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides.’ Judges 5:25-30
“So may all your enemies perish, O LORD! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.” Judges 5:25-31
And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.
So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the sons of Israel. The hand of the sons of Israel pressed heavier and heavier upon Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin the king of Canaan. Judges 4:22-24
5. Service
And the land was undisturbed for forty years. Judges 5:31
POINTS TO PONDER
Our reoccurring points are again clearly illustrated.
• Sin leads to slavery.
• God mercufully delivers from slavery
• God empowers the improbable to bring about impossible.
In this case, the improbable were the disenfranchised women of Israel. God empowered a disenfranchised segment of society: women. Do you feel discounted? Do you feel like you are not among the usable? It is clear the God has no prejudices or limitations as to whom He can use.
• Never underestimate the power of a volunteer force.
• Don’t forget to praise God for volunteers.
• God expects His followers to fight for each other.
• When God is on your side, so are the odds.
