- The apostasies of the Israelites became continually worse ( Judges 2:19 ), and their punishments became worse. Whereas they served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years ( Judges 3:8 ) and were subjugated by Eglon for 18 years ( verse 14 ), they were cruelly oppressed by King Jabin of northern Canaan for 20 years ( Judges 4:3 ).
- Whereas Othniel and Ehud were apparently called directly by God ( Judges 3:10, 15 ), Barak was called through Deborah, a prophetess ( Judges 4:4-7 ). Because of her prophetic gift, the Israelites submitted their legal cases to her for judgment ( verses 4, 5; compare Lev. 24:13, 14; Num. 36:5 ).
- Can you think of other women in the Bible who were specially inspired by God? Exodus 15:20, 21; 2 Kings 22:12-20; Luke 2:36; Acts 21:9.
- Barak accepted Deborah's prophetic gift and believed that God would use him to deliver Israel ( Heb. 11:32, 33 ). But he insisted that she go with him ( Judges 4:8 ). Asking a woman to put herself in mortal danger by going into a battle situation was highly unusual. Even more surprising is the fact that she agreed to go ( verse 9 ). Her courage, based upon absolute trust in the word of God, is astounding.
- Why did Barak want Deborah to go with him? Judges 4:4-7; 5:7.
- Deborah, an established leader ( Judges 4:4 ), had initiated the action. Her presence would inspire soldiers with confidence in the reliability of God's message of victory. She would go where she had told others to go. Also, if a woman could go to the battle, any able-bodied man who did not go would risk the humiliation of cowardice!
- Are we willing to accept messages from God that are delivered to us by a woman?
- When Barak asked Deborah to go with him, she said: "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman" ( Judges 4:9, NRSV ). It is natural to assume that Deborah was referring to herself as overcoming Sisera.
- Surprise! Another woman enters the story. She is Jael (pronounced Ya-ale), a tent dweller of the Kenites, who were related to the Israelites through Moses ( verses 11, 17 ).
- In what predicament did General Sisera find himself? Judges 4:12-17.
- Sisera's fearsome iron chariots and army were gone. Footsore and weary, he finally found a place of refuge and rest in a Kenite camp. Jael went out of her way to be helpful, inviting him into her tent and hiding him there ( verse 18 ). She went out of her way to be hospitable, giving him milk to drink instead of water ( verse 19 ). And when he fell asleep, she went out of her way to be helpful to the Israelites! Her real loyalties were with them and with the Lord. She could have waited until Barak arrived to deal with Sisera ( verse 22 ), but instead, she was courageous enough to dispose of the general herself ( verse 21 ).
- Compare the role of Jael ( Judges 4:17-22 ) to that of Ehud ( Judges 3:15-25 ) in terms of the way they acted and the results that they achieved for the Israelites.
- Ehud had acted alone in assassinating Eglon and leading the Israelites against the Moabites ( Judges 3:15-30 ), but God used a team against Jabin: Deborah, Barak, and Jael. Jael was to Sisera what Ehud was to Eglon. Both Ehud and Jael acted in response to God's command to destroy His enemies. Their acts were not murder; they were punitive acts, capital punishment, commanded by God, of those whose probation had closed. (See Judges 5:24-27; Acts 5:1-11; Heb. 10:26-31.)
- In our setting, what are the results when we, as a team, cooperate with Christ in the spiritual battle of delivering sinners from the power of Satan? Acts 2:43-47.
- The name Deborah means "bee," and Barak means "lightning." Their forces struck like lightning and stung like a bee. After the main battle, King Jabin was still alive in Hazor ( Judges 4:2 ), one of the largest cities of ancient Palestine. But the Israelites went on to destroy him too ( verse 24 ). At the end of the climactic day of battle ("on that day," Judges 5:1; compare Judges 4:14, 23), Deborah and Barak sang a victory song, a national anthem of praise to God ( Judges 5 ).
- What are the main themes of Deborah and Barak's song? Judges 5.
- Since the Hebrew song preserves many ancient poetic features and words, it is among the most difficult passages in the Bible to translate. Nevertheless, the poem clearly emphasizes the same overall idea as the preceding narrative: deliverance by God through human beings who fully cooperated with Him and trusted in His strength. Compare Judges 4:14
- The song begins with a reminder that God was with the Israelites at the time of their journey toward Canaan in the time of Moses ( Judges 5; compare Deut. 33:1, 2 ). Then the song describes the situation in Israel before the battle ( Judges 5:6-8 ), tells of the call to battle and its success ( verses 9-13 ), and lists tribes who answered the call and those who failed to do so ( verses 14-18 ). The remainder of the song vividly recounts the battle itself ( verses 19-22 ), curses the inhabitants of Meroz for not helping when their assistance was of vital importance ( verse 23 ), and portrays the death of Sisera ( ver ses 24-31 ).
- Why do you think a conversation between Sisera's mother and the wisest of her ladies is included? Judges 5:28-30.
- How ironic that the wisest of the Canaanite ladies imagined that Sisera was delayed by victory! Their "wisdom" was completely wrong because they did not take the God of Israel into account.
- What different results do we experience when we rely on God's wisdom rather than our own? (Compare Gen. 3:6 with 1 Cor. 1:18-31.)
Wednesday April 24: Willingly Coming to the Help of the Lord (Judges 5:2, 9, 13-18, 23).
- The song of Deborah and Barak praises the Lord for the Israelites who volunteered to go into battle ( Judge s 5:2, 9 ). What is the effect of willingly contributing to the service of God? Ex odus 32:26-29; Exodus 35:4-9, 21-29; 36:2 -7; 1 Chron. 29:5-9, 14-18; Neh. 11:1, 2; 2 Cor. 9:6-15.
- When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach and heal, He said to them: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8, NIV). When we acknowledge that we have received freely from God, we are ready to give freely to His service.
- What was so wrong about what the people of Meroz did, or rather, failed to do? Judges 5:23.
- "The Israelite inhabitants of Meroz, on the path of the retreating hosts of Sisera, refused to render assistance in any form. With the aid of these men the pursuing Israelites could probably have prevented any of the Canaanites, perhaps even Sisera, from escaping the field of battle."--SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 336.
- Do you do nothing in times of spiritual crisis? If so, why? What is the connection between the state of your relationship with Christ and your courage?
- In their song, Deborah and Barak spoke of retelling the victories of the Lord ( Judges 5:11 ), which He had won on behalf of His people.
- Compare Judges 5 with other songs of deliverance by God that are recorded in the Bible. Exodu s 15:1-21; Psalms 107; Isaiah 12; Rev. 15:3, 4. What is the effect of such triumphant celebration?
- The song of Deborah and Barak begins with a reminder of God's presence when the Israelites journeyed toward Canaan ( Judge s 3:2-5 ). The rest of the song, telling of deliverance from King Jabin and Sisera, shows that God was again with His people in the time of Deborah and Barak. They could trust God completely in the present and in the future because He had demonstrated His trustworthiness time and again.
- What did God's greatest triumph accomplish? Col. 1:13, 14; Rev. 15:2-4.
- Oppression by Pharaoh, Jabin, and Sisera is nothing compared with subjection to Satan, who through deceit usurped the dominion that God gave to Adam and Eve ( Gen. 3:1-24 ). But at the price of incredible self-sacrifice, the Lord has delivered from the power of Satan all who have believed in Him and has made them citizens of His kingdom, under His protection. Jesus is the ultimate Judge-Deliverer. By dying the death of the wicked in place of human beings, He delivered His willing ones by casting out Satan as having any claim to authority over human beings. At His second coming, Christ will take over the world, exercising the right that He bought with His blood ( Rev . 19:11-20:3 ).
- Why are personal testimonies to the triumphs of the Lord in individual lives so powerful? Mark 5:18-20.
- "True Christian character is marked by a singleness of purpose, and indomitable determination, which refuses to yield to worldly influences, which will aim at nothing short of the Bible standard. If men will permit themselves to become discouraged in the service of God, the great adversary will present abundant reasons to turn them from the plain path of duty to one of ease and irresponsibility. Those who can be bribed or seduced, discouraged or terrified, will be of no service in the Christian warfare. Those who set their affections on worldly treasures or worldly honors, will not push the battle against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places."-Ellen G. White, "A Test of Faith," Signs of the Times, June 30, 1881.
- Discussion Questions:
- How single-minded and determined are you to overcome the power of Satan, by Christ's strength, in your own life and in your ministry for others? If you lack such determination, how do you get it? (See Ac ts 4:12, 23-31.)
- How can we have an "indomitable determination, which refuses to yield to
worldly influences," and "push the battle against principalities and powers"
and at the same time be sensitive to the needs of those with whom we come in
contact? Study this question in the context of Jesus' life. For example,
compare John
2:13-17 and Matt
. 23:13-36 with Matt.
23:37; 12:20. See also Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 12: "Tears were in
His voice as He uttered His scathing rebukes."
- Even though we are never called today to perform the kind of work which God directed Ehud and Jael, are Christians today sometimes called to unpleasant duties? (See Matt . 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5.)
Summary:
Under Deborah and Barak, the Israelites were victorious because they trusted in God's power to deliver them from superior forces. Their faith was shown by their actions. Without works resulting from our faith, our faith is dead (James 2:26).
Last updated on April 4, 1996.