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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'all');">Jdg 4</a> - Deborah and Barak</h2>
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<p>A. Deborah, the fourth Judge.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'1-3');">1-3</a>) The cycle begins again: apostasy, servitude and supplication.</p>
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<p class="c2">When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. So the <span class="c6">Lord</span> sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army <i>was</i> Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth Hagoyim. And the children of Israel cried out to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he harshly oppressed the children of Israel.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: The continual drift to disobedience makes us less and less confident of man but more and more impressed with the mercy and grace of God. Though Israel kept forsaking Him, He kept working with them.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">So the <span class="c6">Lord</span> sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan</span></b>: God loved Israel too much to let them go their own way. There may be times when we wish God would leave us alone, we are ultimately thankful for His continued dealing with us, even when it isn't comfortable.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Even when God is dealing with us in this way, it still may take a good while until we turn our hearts to Him - it took Israel twenty years of bondage before they <b><span class="c3">cried out to the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>. But we can do that right now!</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Jabin king of Canaan</span></b>: God used an entirely different oppressor this time. God can, and will, use anything to get our attention and keep us in line with His will.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'4-5');">4-5</a>) Deborah: a prophetess and a judge for Israel.</p>
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<p class="c2">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.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">And Deborah, a prophetess</span></b>: Some consider it unexpected for God to raise up a woman as prophetess. But the New Testament makes it clear that God grants the gift of prophecy unto women also, and they are to practice it appropriately (<a onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,5);">1Cr 11:5</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The Bible tells us of several other prophetesses: Miriam (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',15,20);">Exd 15:20</a>), Huldah (<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',22,14);">2Ki 22:14</a>), Anna (<a onclick="return mV('Luk',2,36);">Luk 2:36</a>), and Philip's four daughters (<a onclick="return mV('Act',21,'8-9');">Act 21:8-9</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. From <a onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,5);">1Cr 11:5</a>, we find that the essential element to a woman's ministry as a prophetess in the early church was her obvious submission to the male leadership in the church (evidenced by her wearing of a veil). A woman was to use her gifts in the context of order established by the leaders of the church - just like anyone's gift.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. This is always possible because the gift of prophecy never "overwhelms" the one who receives it; <i>the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets</i> (<a onclick="return mV('1Cr',14,32);">1Cr 14:32</a>).</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">She judged Israel at that time</span></b>: Even more consider it unexpected for God to raise up a woman to be a judge - a <i>shaphat</i>, a heroic leader for Israel. Deborah was a woman greatly used by God and she was also a woman who respected the people God put in authority over her - notably, Barak.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The issue, from a New Testament perspective, is not whether women can be used greatly by God. <i>Of course they can</i>. The issue is one of headship, final accountability, and authority - and God has granted these responsibilities to men in both the home and the church. Women can be used greatly by God, but it is to be under the headship of male authority in the church.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. The reasons have nothing to do with any notion of male superiority; they have to do with God's ordained order (<a onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,3);">1Cr 11:3</a>), in light of God's order of creation (<a onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,'8-9');">1Cr 11:8-9</a>), in light of the presence of watching angels (<a onclick="return mV('1Cr',11,10);">1Cr 11:10</a>), and in light of the nature of the fall (<a onclick="return mV('1Ti',2,14);">1Ti 2:14</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. The reasons also have nothing to do with any notion of female inferiority; even as Jesus was under the headship and authority of His Father (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',5,19);">Jhn 5:19</a>) without being inferior in any way (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',1,1);">Jhn 1:1</a>;<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',10,30);">10:30</a>).</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment</span></b>: Often it is assumed that Deborah's was allowed leadership because men failed to take the position. While later we will see that Barak doesn't seem to be all he should be, we have no indication that he failed to do something God told him to do in taking leadership.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'6-7');">6-7</a>) Deborah calls Barak with a message from God.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "Has not the <span class="c6">Lord</span> God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy <i>troops</i> at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; 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'?"</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">And she sent and called for Barak</span></b>: Deborah does not immediately believe that God called her alone to deliver Israel. She realized that God would do much of the work through Barak.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Has not the <span class="c6">Lord</span> God of Israel commanded?</span></b> The use of this phrase suggests that Deborah is <i>confirming</i> something that the <b><span class="cmscap">Lord</span></b> already spoke to Barak. God often brings confirmation when He speaks to us, especially if what we believe He wants us to do will affect other people.</p>
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<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'8-10');">8-10</a>) Barak will only lead if Deborah accompanies.</p>
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<p class="c2">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!" So she said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; he went up with ten thousand men under his command, and Deborah went up with him.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">If you will go with me, then I will go</span></b>: It doesn't seem unwise of Barak to ask Deborah to come with him. But the fact that he <i>demands it</i> shows that he is trusting more in Deborah's relationship with God than with his own relationship with God.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">There will be no glory for you</span></b>: Because of this, Barak will not be the one to personally defeat Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army - but a woman will. We would expect that the woman to do this would be Deborah, but this prophecy will be fulfilled unexpectedly.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">He went up with ten thousand men under his command</span></b>: Nevertheless, Barak and all who went with him showed real courage and trust in God to go out against Sisera and his army. The had essentially no weapons to fight with against a technologically advanced army (having 900 chariots of iron), and God led them to fight on a plain, putting them at a big disadvantage.</p>
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<p>C. Israel's defeat of Sisera.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'11-13');">11-13</a>) The armies gather together against one another.</p>
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<p class="c2">Now Heber the Kenite, of the children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, had separated himself from the Kenites and pitched his tent near the terebinth tree at Zaanaim, which <i>is</i> beside Kedesh. And they reported to Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. So Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who <i>were</i> with him, from Harosheth Hagoyim to the River Kishon.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Heber the Kenite</span></b>: These were distant descendants of Israel, through Jethro, the priest of Midian and the <b><span class="c3">father-in-law of Moses</span></b>, back to Abraham and his second wife Keturah (<a onclick="return mV('Gen',25,'1-4');">Gen 25:1-4</a>).</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">So Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron</span></b>: This was sophisticated and impressive military technology. The armies of Israel, under the direction of Barak and Deborah, were at a great disadvantage.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'14-16');">14-16</a>) Sisera and his army are utterly defeated.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this <i>is</i> the day in which the <span class="c6">Lord</span> has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the <span class="c6">Lord</span> gone out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> routed Sisera and all <i>his</i> chariots and all <i>his</i> army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from <i>his</i> chariot and fled away on foot. 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.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> routed Sisera and all his chariots</span></b>: Because of Barak's great trust in God (as well as the trust his armies had in the <b><span class="cmscap">Lord</span></b>), God granted them a great victory against great odds.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The <span class="c6">Lord</span> routed Sisera and all his chariots</span></b>: We know from <a onclick="return mV('Jdg',5,'4-5');">Jdg 5:4-5</a> and <a onclick="return mV('Jdg',5,21);">5:21</a> that God helped Israel to victory by bringing a flash flood. The muddy conditions made the chariots of iron a hindrance, not a help in the battle.</p>
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<p class="c4"></p>
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<p class="c5">i. God has infinite resources available for your victory, even when you can't see what they will be ahead of time.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Has not the <span class="c6">Lord</span> gone before you</span></b>: This is a phrase that speaks of a king or general leading his troops (<a onclick="return mV('1Sa',8,20);">1Sa 8:20</a>). Therefore, Deborah played a big role in this victory. She was an encourager, building up the faith of Barak and his men. Her encouragement is that God, as a king, will go out before His people into battle.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'17-22');">17-22</a>) The death of Sisera by the hand of a woman.</p>
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<p class="c2">However, Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for <i>there was</i> peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, "Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; do not fear." And when he had turned aside with her into the tent, she covered him with a blanket. Then he said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty." So she opened a jug of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him. And he said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' you shall say, 'No.' " 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; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. And then, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, "Come, I will show you the man whom you seek." And when he went into her <i>tent,</i> there lay Sisera, dead with the peg in his temple.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite</span></b>: Here the story takes an unexpected turn. God promised (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,9);">Jdg 4:9</a>) that a woman would defeat Sisera. We would logically assume that this would be Deborah, but God had something else in mind. He will use the wife of a <b><span class="c3">Kenite</span></b> to accomplish Sisera's end.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; do not fear</span></b>: Because <b><span class="c3">there was peace between</span></b> the people of Sisera and the people of Jael, he had reason to believe he could trust Jael's invitation.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. In addition, "Any pursuer would hardly think to look in a woman's tent for any man, let alone a weary fugitive, for this would be a breach of etiquette." (Cundall)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Drove the peg into his temple</span></b>: The gory detail of this account supports the fact that this is an eye-witness account. Jael knew how to handle a tent-peg because it was customarily the job of women to set up the tents. She struck the peg so hard that <b><span class="c3">it went down into the ground</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Jael broke a fundamental principle of hospitality, and many in the ancient world would think her a treacherous woman. She broke her promise to Sisera and killed a man that her own husband had made peace with.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Yet God used even her treachery to accomplish His purpose. Surely, Sisera deserved to die; he fought against God's people on behalf of a leader who had <i>harshly oppressed the people of Israel</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,3);">Jdg 4:3</a>). The lesson for us is important - God can make even the evil of man serve His purpose: <i>Surely the wrath of man shall praise You</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',76,10);">Psa 76:10</a>). Yet, that <i>never</i> diminishes the personal responsibility of the one doing the evil. Judas' betrayal of Jesus served the eternal purpose of God, yet he still answered for that evil deed.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. Charles Spurgeon preached a wonderful sermon titled <i>Sin Slain</i> on how the we can take Sisera as a type of sin, and his boss (Jabin) as a type of Satan. Just as Jael asked Barak to look at the dead body of Sisera, Spurgeon said we should look at sin slain by the work of Jesus, knowing He has already won the battle.</p>
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<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',4,'23-24');">23-24</a>) After this decisive battle, full victory soon won for Israel.</p>
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<p class="c2">So on that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan in the presence of the children of Israel. And the hand of the children of Israel grew stronger and stronger against Jabin king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">And the hand of the children of Israel grew stronger and stronger</span></b>: The battle against Sisera was important, but it did not end the struggle. It was an important <i>event</i> that Israel must develop and walk in.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan</span></b>: The war was not over until <b><span class="c3">Jabin</span></b> was <b><span class="c3">destroyed</span></b>. Israel could not think the war was over when a great battle was won.</p>
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