A. THE OPPRESSORS: JUDGES 4:1-22; 5:1-26
1. Threat from the north. “The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord . . . sold them into the hand of the Jabin king of Canaan . . . the captain was Sisera” (4:1-2).
2. The latest in warfare scares us. “Jabin had 900 chariots of iron” (v. 3).
3. Punishment for Joshua’s victory. “Jabin . . . he harshly oppressed the children of Israel” (v. 3).
4. God was not unable to help, but He wanted His people to repent of evil and turn to Him.
1. Israel sinned
5. Israel had peace
2. Defeated by enemies
4. Delivered by Judge
3. Israel cried to the Lord
B. GOD USES UNLIKELY DEBORAH: 4:4-14
1. “Deborah, a prophetess” (v. 4). She preached against evil, and predicted the future.”
2. “The Israelites went up to her for judgment.” Also a judge.
3. Held court in the open. “Under the palm tree of Deborah” (v. 5).
a. Tree named for Rachel’s nurse (Gen. 35:8).
b. Tree normal place for judges.
c. Deborah the judge named after the nurse.
4. She called for Barak and commanded/predicted:
a. The Lord called you.
b. Call 10,000 men.
c. Gather on Mt. Tabor.
d. The Lord will “lure” Sisera’s army to the (river) Wadi Kishon.
e. Victory.
WOMEN IN MINISTRY
If women had not done – what they did,
where would the church be today?
If men would have done what they should do,
where could the church be today?
5. Barak is an unlikely leader, afraid. “If you will go with me, I will go” (v. 8).
a. Did he need a woman?
b. Did he need God?
6. Rebuke. “You will receive no honor . . . the Lord will sell Sisera into a woman’s hand” (v. 9).
7. Mt. Tabor has about one mile of flat space on top. “10,000 men followed him” (v. 10). Logic told him to hold the advantage of the high spot.
8. Give up advantage to change enemy. “Barak came down Mt. Tabor with 10,000 men following him” (v. 14).
9. Great faith seeing they didn’t have swords. “Not a shield or spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel” (5:8).
10. A miraculous victory comes from:
a. Altering the laws of nature.
b. Timing.
11. God timed a vicious thunderstorm.
a. “The earth trembled, the heavens poured rain, the clouds poured water” (5:9).
b. A thick black storm. “They fought from the heavens; the stars from their courses fought against Sisera” (5:20).
c. The dry Wadi became a torrent. “The river Kishon swept them away” (5:21).
d. The horses ran away. “The horses hoofs stampeded, then galloping away” (5:22, ELT).
12. The army ran away in panic. “The whole army of Sisera fell by the sword, not a single man was left” (4:16).
13. General Sisera fled, wet and scared. “Sisera had fled away on foot” (4:17). “While he was sleeping from exhaustion” (4:21).
C. GOD USES UNLIKELY JAEL: 4:15-24
1. Jael and her husband Heber were from the clan of Kenites, the family of Ishmaelites.
a. Distant relations (from Abraham).
b. Peace agreement with the Canaanites. “For there was peace between Jabin . . . and Heber” (4:17).
c. Blood is thicker than water.
2. The home belongs to the wife. “The tent of Jael” (v. 17) not Heber.
3. Was Jael deceptive? “Come in . . . don’t be afraid” (v. 18).
a. She didn’t know who he was at first.
b. She planned.
4. Jael showed hospitality. “She opened a bottle of buttermilk” (v. 19). “Covered him” (v. 19).
5. Sisera tried to get Jael to lie. “If any man asks you . . . “no.”
6. Sisera went to sleep without a worry in his head, and got a tent peg there. “Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground” (v. 21).
7. Jael showed Barak what she did. “Sisera lay dead, the peg was in his temple” (v. 22).
D. DEBORAH’S PSALM OF VICTORY: CHAPTER FIVE
1. No singing until victory. “Deborah . . . and Barak sang” (5:1).
2. Give thanks for spiritual victory because of your leaders. “When the leaders led in Israel . . . praise the Lord” (5:2).
3. Recognize your problem before God intervenes. “The main ways were deserted, because travelers kept to the side roads” (5:6).
4. Confess their past sins that brought God’s punishment. “Israel chose new gods, then war was in the gates” (v. 8).
5. Praise for God’s works. “Let them tell the righteous acts of the Lord” (v. 11).
6. People who were captive to sin are now captive to God. “Awake . . . and lead thy captivity captive” (v. 12, see Eph. 4:8 predictive of Christ).
7. Women put out their best when company comes. “She brought out buttermilk in a lordly (majestic) bowl” (5:25).
8. Pray against God’s enemies (not yours). “Lord, may all your enemies perish” (5:31).
9. Rather than criticize women for what they do, let’s praise God for what they have done. “Then she hammered Sisera, she crushed his head” (v. 26).
10. Jael was an unlikely tool in God’s hand, in the next chapter; her people attacked and raided Israel.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Video presentations of the PBC are available online at trbc.org/pbc
Television Airing Times for the PBC
Go to hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
