Until I Deborah Arose A Mother

Jdg 5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

Jdg 5:7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

Jdg 5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

The book of Judges aims to demonstrate that defection from Jehovah incurs severe punishment and servitude. Only by turning back to God can restoration be enjoyed. Thus the judges were charismatic leaders, raised up by God to deliver His theocratic people. Only by heeding their Spirit-directed message and following them in deliverance against their enemies could restoration be accomplished. The OT judges performed two functions. By divine power and Spirit-anointed leadership they delivered the people from enemy oppression. Having accomplished this, they ruled over them and administered government in the name of Israel’s God… Since the book reports seven apostasies, seven servitudes to seven heathen nations, and seven deliverances, it is evidently put in a symmetrical form (From: The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary).

The activity of the Spirit of the Lord in the book of Judges is clearly portrayed in the leadership of the period. The deeds of Othniel, Gideon, Jepthah and Samson are attributed to the Spirit of the Lord. This same Holy Spirit is available to us today to do extraordinary spirit empowered exploits for the Kingdom of God. We just have to be willing to “Go” and to listen to the direction of the Lord.

2 key verses of Judges:

Judges 2:16: “Then the lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.”

JUDGES 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25: “IN THOSE DAYS THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL; EVERY MAN DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES.”

Sermon title: Deborah Prophetess!

Thesis: Deborah was a leader in Israel and revealed that a women can be chosen by God to lead His people. She was a woman of faith and she flowed in the prophetic realm getting divine insight in solving disputes and in hearing from God what to do and how to do it.

Historical Background:

Deborah is a unique character in the Bible. She is the only woman to be a Judge of Israel. Her story takes place between the years 1209 and 1169 B.C. She was a prophetess and Judge of Israel. her leadership was honored. As Judge, she was also leader of the army of Israel.

The Israelites intermarried with other tribes in the land and turned away from God into pagan practices. With each apostasy Israel suffers oppression and wars. And with each apostasy, God raises up a deliverer to rescue the Israelites from their oppression.

Women in the New Testament church did flow in the prophetic ministry of the church and helped in leading the church forward to victory all across the Roman Empire. It all started in Acts 2 but note especially verse 17-18 “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women. I will pour out my Spirit in those days and they will prophesy.”

Case in point:

A number of women helped lead in the spread of Gospel and within the leadership of the church – See Acts -Priscilla, Chole, Lydia, Apphia, Nympha, the mother of John Mark, Phoebe literally called a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea (Romans 16:1).

Women flowed and functioned in the prophetic ministry of the church Philip had four daughters who were recognized as prophetesses in the church (Acts 21:8-9).

“Paul speaks about Junias, referring to her as being “outstanding among the apostles” (Romans 16:7, Nas). Some have debated the exact meaning of this verse.

a. Prophecy is the testimony of Jesus’ heart for His people. An angel told the apostle John that the “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10). When the Holy Spirit reveals aspects of Jesus’ heart and will to us in various supernatural ways, we often refer to it as receiving or operating in the spirit of prophecy.

b. Grudman states, “Most prophecy is human words reporting something that God brings to mind.”

i. , “The Spirit conveys to our mind thoughts we communicate in contemporary language. They are a mixture of God’s words and man’s words that combine divine inspiration with the human process

c. Bickle states, “It is the will of God for everyone who loves Jesus to prophesy. This really is the inheritance of every born again believer. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied (1 Corinthians 14:5). For you can all prophecy (1 Corinthians 14: 31). The manifestation of the Spirit means a demonstration of God’s Power. First Corinthians 12:7 says, ‘The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.’ I remind you again of the three purpose of simple prophecy. There are to bring edification, exhortation, and comfort to people: “he who prophesies speaks clarification and exhortation and comfort to men.” (1 Cor. 14:3) (Page 169).