EVERYTHING CAME TO A STANDSTILL UNTIL THERE AROSE A MOTHER
1. Judges 4 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. 3 And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord; for Jabin had 900 chariots of iron, and for 20 years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you 10,000 men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; 7 and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?” 8 And 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!” 9 So Deborah said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 13 So Sisera gathered together all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth Hagoyim to the River Kishon. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?” 15 And the Lord confused Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth Hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left alive.
2. Judges 5: 1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: 3 “Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel. 6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways. 7 Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel”.
INTRO: EVERYTHING CAME TO A STANDSTILL UNTIL THERE AROSE A MOTHER
Happy Mother’s Day. I want us to celebrate women & mothers today. Let’s stand and celebrate the women of this church. They are strong. Even if as a woman among us today or watching by Facebook you feel downhearted, I come in Jesus’ Name to celebrate the strength in you. You may have felt short, but God has given you immense capabilities. Let it come out this morning.
It Is Stated That If All The Women Were Removed From The Average Local Church, the church would grind to a halt. Women hold a vital place in the church. Most ladies work while most men stand and talk. Women teach our children. They clean and feed us. They are more dependable than most men when it comes to involvement in the church. I thank God for godly, active women!
FEW QUESTIONABLE MOTHERS / WOMEN OF THE BIBLE
1. Lot’s Wife: She lived in Sodom, a city of wickedness. Angels told Lot them: “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back.” She ignored & turned into salt. This was not just a glance backward - she was ready to return to the city. Her daughters were also unsettled. Once a mother, don’t look back.
2. Delilah: The wicked companion of Samson. She bargained with his enemies for money to give them the secret of his strength. She seduced Samson, got the secret and passed it to his enemies (Philistines) who shaved his hair, blinded & bound him in Gaza. Do not betray people for things.
3. Potiphar’s Wife: This beautiful Egyptian woman lusted for Joseph. Enraged by his refusal to jump into bed with her, she accused him of attempted rape and had him thrown into prison. After Joseph’s release, he became second in command in Egypt. Do not be driven by lust & passions.
4. Herodias: Ruthless woman who married two of her uncles - Herod Philip I & Herod Antipas. She hated John the Baptist for speaking against her marriage to Antipas after divorcing Philip. She arranged her daughter Salome to ask for John’s head on a platter. Hate is destructive.
5. Jezebel: Wife of Ahab, one of Israel’s worst kings. She worshipped Baal & murdered many of Israel’s prophets. This wicked queen came to a very bad end – her servants threw her out of the palace window, feeding her body to the dogs below. You reap what you sow.
SOME GOOD MOTHERS / WOMEN OF THE BIBLE
1. Hagar: The Mother Who Endured. An Egyptian slave to Sarah. Once Hagar conceived Abraham’s child at Sarah’s urging, a rift developed between her & Sarah. After much mistreatment, Hagar fled toward Egypt. God told her to return. Later, Hagar & Ishmael were sent away into the desert where death was inevitable. Gen. 21: God was with the boy. He grew in the desert & was an archer.” Hagar obeyed & God blessed Hagar & Ishmael as He promised.
2. Jochebed: The Mother With A Plan. In Exodus 1, Pharaoh decreed: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.” Jochebed saw her son Moses as a proper child and determined to save him. God blessed her plan. She providentially nursed & raised him until old enough to live with Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses freed the Hebrew.
3. Hannah: The Mother Who Kept Her Promise. Hannah was married to Elkanah who loved her, but he had another wife. This wife bore children, but not Hannah and she kept mocking Hannah. She wept and prayed to God and prayer formed a child in her womb. When she gave birth to Samuel, she gave him back to the Lord. Samuel’s life changed Israel forever.
4. Mary: The Mother Who Is Blessed Among Women. Mary, a virgin pledged to a man named Joseph, was visited by Angel Gabriel and told she would have a child. This was troubling and brought possible stoning. But her faith in God and His intervention fulfilled His promise. She endured a great sacrifice - her son was sacrificed for mankind. She watched as He suffered, was mocked and tortured and died a cruel death on a cross.
5. The Syrophoenician /Canaanite Woman: Persistently Unleashed Her Deepest Desires At Jesus’ Feet When Seemingly Rejected In Pursuing Healing For Her Daughter. Mark 7:24-30. This woman loves her demon-possessed daughter so much that she identifies Jesus as Lord, pleaded and knelt at His feet, endured insult as dog to get her healed. Boldly she persevered - and Jesus healed her daughter because of it.
6. Deborah – Defying The Norm To Implement God’s Call On Your Life. Picture Deborah on horseback, riding out to battle, apparently leading 10,000 troops. Judges 5:7 says she was a “mother in Israel”- a high and rare compliment acknowledging that she was a woman in a time when women were ignored. She demonstrates that real women love people, forecast danger, take steps to fight it, and serve & risk their lives on the front lines. Let us look at her in few details.
THEN AROSE A MOTHER IN ISRAEL – CHRIST JUBILEE WOMEN.
1. Historical Background: Deborah is a unique character in the Bible. She is the only woman to be a Judge (king) of Israel. She was also a prophetess. How she came to be chosen for this position reflects God’s goodness. As Judge, she was also leader of the army of Israel. The story of Deborah takes place during the third apostasy, or falling away from God. After God delivered the Israelites from Egypt into Israel, they went through seven apostasies. With each apostasy Israel suffers oppression and wars. And with each apostasy, God raises up a deliverer to rescue the Israelites from their oppression.
2. The Spiritual Meltdown In Israel (Judges 4:1-3): There was too much corruption in Israel after the death of Moses and then Joshua. The Bible gives us the summation of the period – “The people did that which was right in their own eyes.” The beginning of Judges 4 gives the repeated pattern of sin. After Ehud delivered Israel, the land had rest from war for 80 years. Ehud passed away & the people returned to their sinful ways. Judges 4 & 5 say they “again did evil in the sight of the Lord”. Judges 5:8 says, “They chose new gods”. They turned their back on God and followed idols and witchcraft. They had allowed a spiritual void to be created in their lives.
We See This In Churches All The Time. People come to church for a while and then disappear until something happens to them. Then they come back looking for relief. Listen mothers and everyone else, what God has for you is not found out there. People turn from God and seek their own ways. It may be because someone said something. Sad when we base our faith on those around us and not God. Our faith should be in God. We need to be careful! Old enemies from the 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 to Heaven and are delivered from this flesh.
3. When They Turned Their Backs On God, He Sold Them – A Chastisement. Judges 4:2 So the Lord sold them into the hands of the Canaanites. When Israel rebelled against God, He responded by giving them over to their enemies in punishment. The Bible says He “sold” them. God abandoned them to the life they chose. They paid a terrible price for their rebellion. Judges 5:6 says they were literally driven from their highways & homes - a high price for disobedience.
When We Choose Our Ways Over His Ways, His Grace covers us but we are at the Enemy’s mercies. We open ourselves to chastisement. We can avoid this by remembering what Grace has done & confess sin when it appears in our lives. To discipline me, God might allow things not to work out the way I intended; by allowing sickness or other sorrows into my life; by allowing chaos & disintegration in my family. My finances might go in disarray until I realize my supply comes from Him. He can allow disruption in my future by allowing me to go through the consequences of what I have sown. We may sin, but we never get away with it. Num. 32:23 But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.
4. In Their Discipline, They Cried Out To The Lord. Judges 4:3: And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel. Israel was oppressed by Jabin and his armies for 20 years. As far as Israel was concerned, the Canaanites were undefeatable. They possessed a powerful army with 900 chariots of iron. That was a powerful fighting force in those days – much like fighter jets or war tanks against spears. Judges 5:8 The Israelites possessed no weapons. They were a conquered, defeated people. They called on the Lord and He heard them. Notice that they did not cry out in repentance. They cried out for deliverance from their problems.
Most People Today call on God so He will deliver them from their problems, while they fail to deal with the root - their sin. If we really want to be delivered from the oppressive effects of evil and the harsh whip of chastisement, we must deal honestly with our sins before the Lord. Our Goal: Not just to escape our problems, but to be found pleasing to the Lord.
5. The Special Ministry Of This Mother Called Deborah.
a. Deborah’s Name Means “Busy As A Bee”. And she was. We must get to work for we have no time to waste. Children grow up fast. Situations Change fast & nothing is constant.
b. Deborah Is A Prophetess Who Teaches & Preaches The Word Of God. She Hears From God Directly.
c. Deborah Is A Judge Who Held Court As A Counsellor - Issuing Judgement & Settling Disputes.
d. Deborah As A Judge Ruled By Divine Appointment, Not By Birth Or By Election (Judges 2:16) says God raised up the Judges, not themselves.
e. Deborah Does Not Simply Rule By Might - Rather She Leads From Wisdom And Character.
f. Deborah Is A Wife - Meaning She Is Subject To A Husband & Respected Him. You Never Hear About Her Husband And His Role But His Name Is Mentioned.
g. Deborah Is A Commander Of Men But Does It With Respect. She Never Rebukes Barak But Rides Beside Him Into Battle.
h. Deborah Waited For The Proper Timing Of God. Judges 4:14-16. "And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee?
i. Deborah Is Not Afraid To Go To Battle. The presence of Deborah brought assurance of God’s protection to Barak. He was not spiritually matured like her but succumbed to her leadership. She never belittled him, but encouraged him. Deborah could have insulted him: “Be a man!” She never tried to fix him. We cannot fix others - only God fixes broken people.
j. Deborah Is Mentioned As A Mother In Israel. We do not know if she was a biological mother, but she is given a high title: “A Mother to all in Israel”. We focus on biology too much!
k. Deborah Never Takes The Sole Credit For Israel’s Deliverance – She Mentions Players Who Also Played A Role.
l. Deborah Gave All The Praises To God In The Song Of Praise That Was Composed.
m. Deborah’s Courage And Humility Is A Role Model For All Of Us.
n. Deborah’s Actions Brought About 40 Years Of Rest For Israel (Judges 5:6-31)
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MOTHERS
Mothers Are Characterized In Many Different Ways - external beauty, wealth, or accomplishments, but the most important quality is godliness. This doesn’t mean perfection, but a quality that serves as an important model for her children. No woman completely expresses every characteristic, but the ideal godly mother is growing in all these ways:
1. A Godly Woman Prays & Reads The Word Of God. She is a person of sincere faith. No time to play around. 2 Tim. 1:5 When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. This is not an occasional practice but has become the habit of her life. Prayer & Bible reading affect every area of her life - how she dresses, handles herself, works. Her conversation, character, and conduct are rooted in the Word, and her children are a reflection of this.
2. A Godly Woman Learns To Trust & Obey God For Every Need. Because she is praying, reading, and meditating on Scripture, she comes to know and trust God’s promises. She is confident that He will meet her needs, whether physical, material, or emotional.
3. A Godly Woman Is Generous. Even if she has little to share, she willingly offers it. Sometimes her generosity comes in the form of encouragement. Her desire is to offer words that build others up rather than tear them down. Her example of generosity toward her family as well as to others sets a pattern for her children to follow in her footsteps.
4. A Godly Woman Is Forgiving. Those who refuse to forgive live in stress & tension that soon overflows into every area of her life. Living with a difficult person is no excuse for having an unforgiving spirit. Forgiveness can restore peace and eliminate stress and tension in the home. Furthermore, all believers are told in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
5. A Godly Woman Has An Attitude Of Persistence. When something needs to be accomplished, she knows what’s required and keeps working until it is finished. Instead of waiting for someone else to do it, she jumps in to complete the task. Persistence applies to relationships as well as work. It’s easy to stop communicating or walk away from difficulties in a relationship, but a godly woman doesn’t give up.
6. A Godly Woman Is A Servant. This is a quality we should all have as followers of Jesus because He was a servant. A woman with a servant attitude doesn’t live for herself, but for others. She serves her family in a variety of ways remembering that she is following in Christ’s footsteps. She doesn’t seek a reward or serve only when it’s convenient, or when she feels like it. She understands that in serving her family, she is serving the Lord.
7. A Godly Woman Lives An Orderly Life. For family life to run smoothly there must be organization, especially when children are in school and there are schedules to keep and tasks to complete. Without order in a family, there is confusion, frustration, anxiety, tension, and stress. Furthermore, an orderly life is something children need to learn in order to function well as adults.
8. A Godly Woman Is An Encourager. Children need the encouragement of their parents so they will feel valued and loved. This begins early in life when a baby is held close and expands to include words of encouragement as the child grows.
9. A Godly Woman Loves Unconditionally. Her love is not conditionally based on the behavior of her children or husband but is given without reservation. By her example, she demonstrates to her children how they too can love at all times.
10. A Godly Woman Trains Her Children In How To Live By God’s Word. God’s Word is mighty to save; sufficient for life & godliness; profitable for teaching us the ways of God; reveals the very thoughts & intentions of our hearts; reproves & convinces us of wrongs; etc. We must apply Scripture and teach others how to apply it to things they face.
11. A Godly Woman Has Great Influence On Her Children & Others. Who knows what lifelong influence Lois and Eunice had on young Timothy? Sure, he was strengthened greatly through his relationship with Paul. But the foundation was laid by his godly mother & grandmother. The world is shaped in the home thru godly mothers. For impact to be made, godly mothers must be: Available, Involved, Able to Teach, Able to Train, Discipline, Nurture, Model with Integrity.
CONCLUSION
The Bible Never States That Every Woman Should Be A Child Bearer. However, it does say that those whom the Lord blesses to be mothers should take the responsibility seriously. Motherhood is not just carrying a child during conception, feeding and caring for a child during infancy. It is an ongoing role in the lives of children, whether they are adolescents, teenagers, young adults, or even adults with children of their own. While the role of motherhood must change and develop, the love, care, nurture, and encouragement a mother gives should never cease. We will stand before God and give an account of our lives. Let us be faithful in what God has assigned to us.
DEBORAH’S EXAMPLE: INTERCESSORY PRAYERS FOR MOTHERS, WOMEN, EVERYONE!
1. Listen To God. As a prophetess, Deborah’s job was to first listen to God and then communicate what God revealed to her to the appropriate people. Listen to God thru His Word & Holy Spirit.
2. Do What He Says. Deborah & Jael demonstrate the importance of obedience. Deborah goes to Barak and confronts him with the truth. She puts herself in harm’s ways by accompanying him to the battlefield. Barak fails in trusting God but God presents him as a Hero in Hebrews 11. Important lesson: He fails God once doesn’t mean He is done with us.
3. Refuse To Be Discouraged. Again this is where Barak’s example is helpful to us. When He was confronted by Deborah, he could have very easily concluded that he had blown it so there was no sense going forward now. But rather than wallow around in self-pity, he chose to be obedient.
4. Use Whatever God Has Already Provided. Jael really didn’t have a weapon with which to carry out the plan to kill Sisera. So she just used what she had – a wooden tent peg.
5. Trust God For The Timing & The Results. The text is really clear here that everything that occurred in this chapter was 100% dependent on God and not on anything that Deborah, Barak, or Jael had done.
