Some people think leadership does not matter, but it does. Notice, the Bible makes a point to show us that they had peace in the land as long as Ehud was alive. It was after he died the Bible tells us they fell off the wagon and began to do evil again.
Look at Judges 4:1, we read, “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.”
When you stop and think about this, this is really something, God had given them peace in the land for eighty (80) years and they did evil in the sight of the Lord.
We today hear about:
• Animal abuse
• Children abuse
• Spousal abuse
• Employer abuse
But we never hear about how people abuse God!
Every day God is so good to people, and how do they show their appreciation? They ignore Him, reject Him and despise Him.
Because of Israel’s sins, the Bible tells us they were given into the hands of a Canaanite king called Jabin, who reigned in Hazor. Hazor was a city previously destroyed by the Israelites under Joshua.
Look at Judges 4:2, we read, “And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.”
The commander of Jabin’s army was a man named Sisera, and his army’s claim to fame was the possession of 900 iron chariots.
Look at Judges 4:3, we read, “And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.”
In this age, this would be the equivalent of being a SUPER POWER! Israel did not have anything to compare to the military strength of Sisera
They were subjected to Jabin for 20 years, when they cried out to the Lord for help.
At that time, an Israelite woman was leading Israel – she was also a prophetess (a spokesperson for the Lord). Her name was Deborah.
Her name means “honey bee” – she was the original Yellow Jacket!
She held court under a tree where people from all over came for help in solving their legal problems.
She was probably more of a judge in the sense that we use the word than any of the other judges.
Look at Judges 4: 4-5, we read, “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 Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.”
It was quite a distinction, especially for a woman. Let’s look at the life of this great lady to see what we can learn from her life.
We see -
I. THE WISDOM OF DEBORAH
History has recorded the lives of some great men and great women.
Illus: Margaret Thatcher goes down in the British history books as a strong leader. In fact, she was the longest serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century.
She goes down in the history books as a great woman.
Illus: The story is told that former president Ronald Reagan, Gorbachev, and Thatcher all died on the same day and stood before Saint Peter as he sat in a big royal looking chair.
• Saint Peter says, "Ronald, my son, what have you to say for yourself?" “I tried to improve the US economy," replied Reagan, "and I did my best to benefit the nation." "Very well, my son, come on in!”
• Saint Peter says to Gorbachev, "Mikhail, my son, what have you to say for yourself?" He said "I tried to make the Soviet society more open," replied Gorbachev, "and I did my best to improve the Soviet economy." "Very well, my son, come on inside the pearly gates!”
• Saint Peter called up Margaret Thatcher. He said, "Margaret, my daughter, what have you to say for yourself?" "Only two things," replied Thatcher. “First, I'm not your daughter, and second, get out of my chair!"
These women can be tough at times!
Deborah was a very intelligent woman; people came to her for solutions to their legal problems.
When I think of her in the scriptures I think of JUDGE JUDY!
Illus: Many enjoy watching Judge Judy on television because she is smart and she does not take anything from anyone.
She is one tough judge, here are some of the quotes from her court room; if you listen to her on television they are going to sound familiar.
• "Do you see stupid written on my forehead?..."
• "Don't ask me questions, I ask questions!"
• "Don't look up at God, look at me!"
• "Honey, listen closely... beauty fades, BUT DUMB IS FOREVER!..."
• "Ma'am, you don't get reimbursed for stupidity! Your case is dismissed,..."
• "My opinion is the only one that counts sir!…."
• "Since I'm the judge, it's a very stupid thing to irritate me!..."
• "Sir, don't you see my mouth still moving?…"
• "Sir, has anyone told you the story about Pinnochio?..."
• "Sir, on your best day, you are not as smart as I am on my worst day!..."
• "Tell me the truth, ma'am, not what you think I want to hear!..."
• "You’ve got more excuses than a cat has lives!"
DEBORAH THE JUDGE reminds me of JUDGE JUDY, but I do not believe she conducted herself like Judge Judy.
We can safely assume she was a smart woman, because if she was not, God would have never allowed her to be the Judge over Israel.
We have looked at WISDOM OF DEBORAH. But we need to consider-
I. THE WORKER WITH DEBORAH
God placed a worker by the name of Barak by her side. Being a woman, there were certain things she could not do.
In this day of equality, we believe that everything a man can do, a woman can do! That is not so!
We will never have gender equality…NEVER!
• There are things a man can do that a woman can not do and there are things a woman can do that a man can not do! For example, a woman can have a baby but a man can not!
Listen, any sensible person that has a brain in their head, realizes EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK IS FAIR. Women often suffer in this area.
Illus: When it comes to fairness, it reminds me of this man that was a male chauvinist. His wife worked a full time job as well as he did. But when he came home he would not turn his hand to help her with the household chores.
But one evening she arrived home from work to find the children bathed, a load of wash in the washing machine and another in the dryer, dinner on the stove and a beautifully set table, complete with flowers. She was astonished, and she immediately wanted to know what was going on.
It turned out that he had read a magazine article that suggested working wives would be more romantically inclined if they weren't so tired from having to do all the housework, in addition to holding down a full-time job.
The next day, she couldn't wait to tell her girlfriends at the office. "How did it work out?" they asked.
She said, "Well, it was a great dinner, he even cleaned up, helped the kids with their homework, folded the laundry and put everything away. I really enjoyed my evening."
"But what about afterward?" her friends wanted to know.
"It didn't work out, he was too tired."
But what I want you to notice, is this: Deborah was a smart woman, but there were some things she could not do, and God gave her A MALE WORKER TO ASSIST HER BY THE NAME OF BARAK.
Lead by the Lord, she summons Barak and commissions him to lead the battle against Sisera.
She gives him assuring words. Look at Judges 4:6-16, we read, “And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, 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. 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. And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. And they showed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. 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? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. 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.”
Barak had such confidence in Deborah as a leader that he said he would go only if she would go with him. She agreed.
But she made it clear that he would not get the credit, but it would be a woman who got the credit.
Something I have learned as a pastor is that you can get a lot done if you do not care who gets the credit.
Deborah told him he would not get the credit, but a woman other than herself would.
So they gather their 10,000 volunteers from the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali and went off to battle. Everything goes Israel’s way.
All of Sisera’s army retreats and Barak pursues the chariots all the way to Sisera’s headquarters.
Sisera, however, has gone in another direction. He has cowardly abandoned his troops, and finds a friend among the tent dwelling people called the Kenites.
The Kenites are not Jews, but they do have a connection with the Jews. In fact, Moses married a Kenite girl and they had been friendly to the Jews in earlier days.
The Kenites now however have friendly relations with Jabin.
So Sisera flees there because he expects to find a friendly people. And it looks as if he does.
A Kenite woman, Jael, comes out to meet him; gives him some milk to drink and a place to rest.
Sisera makes himself look like he’s running from something because he says to Jael, “If anybody comes by don’t tell them anyone’s here.”
At that point something possesses Jael to take action.
• Maybe she’s heard of the Jews victory. Maybe her intuition simply says that something is not right with a man who insists that no one find him.
• Maybe there are forces working here that are beyond our understanding.
I’m told in the Ancient Near East, women were responsible for setting up the tents, so this woman has probably swung a hammer or two.
Anyway, she picks up a tent peg and a hammer. She takes the tent peg, places it at Sisera’s temple, raises the hammer and Sisera is killed – by a woman. A non-Jewish woman.
Meanwhile, Barak is roaming the countryside looking for Sisera. Deborah’s prophecy has come true – the honor goes to a woman, not to Barak!
They begin a period of forty years of peace after this great victory. God comes through again for his people.
Conclusion:
After this great victory, Deborah breaks out in song.
• Judges 4 tells the hard facts about the story,
• Judges 5 is the emotional response to the whole affair and it’s in this song that we see the emotional impact the victory has had on the Israelites.
And it’s in this song that we learn something more about possessing the promises of God.
In this song we learn that:
Barak, Jael, the fighting men and Deborah herself are praised, but the song clearly indicates that it was God who was leading this battle.
GOD IS THE SOURCE OF VICTORY!
We have looked at:
I. THE WISDOM OF DEBORAH
II. THE WORKER WITH DEBORAH
