DEBORAH AND BARAK
JUDGES 4:1-5:31
Reading:
Songs:
Theme: encouragement to lead
INTRODUCTION
A. If a person went each time on a trip and got lost, the solution would be to seek the guidance of a map. As long as the person followed it strictly, the person would not get lost.
B. Straying from God to sin results from leaving the guidance of his word. If we would follow his word strictly, we would not get spiritually lost. That is the lesson Israel of old had to learn. It is also a lesson Christians have to learn. There is one true God and only one way of making their approach to him, the way he has announced. Though he has always given mankind the freedom to choose his worship, true worship of God or false worship, there were always consequences for straying from the truth worship. Stepping away from God has always cost God's favor. The freedom to choose differently then what was spiritually proper brought to Israel bondage.
C. The writer of Judges has explained the cause of Israel’s problems were their refusal to obey God’s word, rather than their stubborn determination to do evil. Over and over they entered into a cycle of sin, repentance, confession and return to God. In chapter four of the Book Of Judges we see:
Discussion
I. CONFLICT (4:1-9).
The Situation
A. ... the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD ... And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan ... (4:1-3).
1 ¶ And the children <01121> of Israel <03478> again <03254> (8686) did <06213> (8800) evil <07451> in the sight <05869> of the LORD <03068>, when Ehud <0164> was dead <04191> (8804).
1. Once the godly judge Ehud had passed away, the nation slipped back into a dull spiritual existence, losing their identity as God's chosen people by doing those things which were contrary to God’s ways, the spiritually incorrect ways!
a. Rather then following after God with acceptable worship, they copied the false worship, the wayward ways of the nations around them.
b. A man in Utah had bought a store but it was not having much success. Though he was on a main road no one entered the store. Since he wasn’t making any sales he had almost no business. One day he got an idea. Knowing that most people are copy cats, he went out and purchased several used cars. He then parked them in front of his store. Thinking all the cars out in front of the store meant that other people thought the new store was a good place to shop, people began shopping at the man’s new store. [adapted] [2]
c. Israel over and over proved itself to want to do what the other people of the nations were doing.
d. Like Israel many religious people go where the crowds are going and do what the crowds were doing, even when it was spiritually incorrect!
e. As a result of Israel’s actions the Lord was angry with them.
2 And the LORD <03068> sold <04376> (8799) them into the hand <03027> of Jabin <02985> king <04428> of Canaan <03667>, that reigned <04427> (8804) in Hazor <02674>; the captain <08269> of whose host <06635> was Sisera <05516>, which dwelt <03427> (8802) in Harosheth <02800> of the Gentiles <01471>.
2. The northern Canaanites had recovered from the conquest of Hazor years earlier by Joshua, when he led Israel into the promised land (Jos 11:1, 10-11).
3 And the children <01121> of Israel <03478> cried <06817> (8799) unto the LORD <03068>: for he had nine <08672> hundred <03967> chariots <07393> of iron <01270>; and twenty <06242> years <08141> he mightily <02394> oppressed <03905> (8804) the children <01121> of Israel <03478>.
3. God used the Canaanite domination over Israel to draw Israel back to him.
a. So we learn the principle about freedom from repetitious bondage to sin.
(1) Though some come to their senses about their sin and confess their wrong doing its not long before they are right back where they started, again entangled in bondage to sin.
(2) It is a terrible and costly mistake to think the job of doing battle against a particular sin is done upon confessing it and admitting wrong doing!
(3) It is not enough to just not partake of sin with those who live around us, to just say, “No!” but we also need to cease from allowing sinful influences from tempting us by having nothing to do with those things, people or situations through which come those influences.
(4) Sin isn't properly dealt with until it's forsaken and replaced with holy habits.
b. God's didn’t free us from the penalty of sin (Rom 6:23a) that we should constantly move in the pathetic cycle of committing sin, repenting of it, confessing it, only to later, return to it (cp. Eph 4:17-22).
(1) First, it is necessary to put off of the old self (Eph 4:22).
(a) This is not just confessing to God how bad the old self has been but is a decisive, total, final casting away of the old habits and sins.
(b) Absolutely nothing holy is going to happen in our lives until we make up my minds to cast the sins that entrap us, away from us and all that leads us to them.
(2) Second, it is necessary to develop a new mind (Eph 4:23)
(a) Frequently we make repentance and conversion far too mechanical.
(b) There must be a deep, personal commitment to Jesus Christ which involves all our heart, soul, mind and strength if we want to avoid returning to the same sins.
(3) Third, it is necessary to put on a new man in Christ, a new way to conduct ourselves (Eph 4:24).
Deborah The Judge
B. ... Deborah, ... judged Israel at that time ... And she sent and called Barak ... (4:4-9).
4 ¶ And Deborah <01683>, a prophetess <05031>, the wife <0802> of Lapidoth <03941>, she judged <08199> (8802) Israel <03478> at that time <06256>.
1. At the time, Deborah was a judge over Israel.
a. She was called a prophetess, meaning she was inspired of God to speak his word.
(1) Miriam (Exo 15:20),
(2) Huldah (2Ki22:14),
(3) Anna (Luk 2:36), and
(4) Philip's four daughters (Act 21:8-9)
(5) (1Co11:5)
b. She was called a wife, but, she called herself simply "a mother in Israel." (Jud 5:7).
c. She was called a judge, one who settled disputes by God's laws.
5 And she dwelt <03427> (8802) under the palm tree <08560> of Deborah <01683> between Ramah <07414> and Bethel <01008> in mount <02022> Ephraim <0669>: and the children <01121> of Israel <03478> came up <05927> (8799) to her for judgment <04941>.
2. Deborah provided both godly leadership and a godly example.
6 And she sent <07971> (8799) and called <07121> (8799) Barak <01301> the son <01121> of Abinoam <042> out of Kedeshnaphtali <06943>, and said <0559> (8799) unto him, Hath not the LORD <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> commanded <06680> (8765), saying, Go <03212> (8798) and draw <04900> (8804) toward mount <02022> Tabor <08396>, and take <03947> (8804) with thee ten <06235> thousand <0505> men <0376> of the children <01121> of Naphtali <05321> and of the children <01121> of Zebulun <02074>?
3. Though Deborah was a judge, in her godly example she made no effort to usurp the authority God had placed in the leadership of men, by exercising her own authority over men of Israel.
a. Instead she called upon Barak to inform him of God’s command for him to lead Israel into battle.
b. God’s message should have been motivating having been filled with:
(1) direction about where to do battle "draw toward mount Tabor"
7 And I will draw <04900> (8804) unto thee to the river <05158> Kishon <07028> Sisera <05516>, the captain <08269> of Jabin’s <02985> army <06635>, with his chariots <07393> and his multitude <01995>; and I will deliver <05414> (8804) him into thine hand <03027>.
(2) hope, "I will draw unto thee ... Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver into thine hand”
(3) All Barak had to do was obey in his going.
8 And Barak <01301> said <0559> (8799) unto her, If thou wilt go <03212> (8799) with me, then I will go <01980> (8804): but if thou wilt not go <03212> (8799) with me, then I will not go <03212> (8799).
4. It would seem that the men in Deborah’s day had become weak and cowardly in that Barak, the captain of the armies of Israel, though he had gathered the armies for battle, probably out of fear, after considering the might of the Canaanites, refused to go into battle unless Deborah went with him.
a. He obviously lacked confidence in God’s word.
9 And she said <0559> (8799), I will surely <01980> (8800) go <03212> (8799) with thee: notwithstanding <0657> the journey <01870> that thou takest <01980> (8802) shall not be for thine honour <08597>; for the LORD <03068> shall sell <04376> (8799) Sisera <05516> into the hand <03027> of a woman <0802>. And Deborah <01683> arose <06965> (8799), and went <03212> (8799) with Barak <01301> to Kedesh <06943>.
b. Consequently, Deborah clearly realizing that Barak’s demand was not proper, told Barak she would go but the honor of victory in the battle was to go to a woman.
Transition: Overcoming fear requires motivation to courage in order to conquer the fear.
II. CONQUEST PROMISED (4:10-16).
A. And Barak ... went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him... (4:10-14).
10 ¶ And Barak <01301> called <02199> (8686) Zebulun <02074> and Naphtali <05321> to Kedesh <06943>; and he went up <05927> (8799) with ten <06235> thousand <0505> men <0376> at his feet <07272>: and Deborah <01683> went up <05927> (8799) with him.
1. Once motivated, Barak was ready to perform what God had commanded
11 Now Heber <02268> the Kenite <07017>, which was of the children <01121> of Hobab <02246> the father in law <02859> (8802) of Moses <04872>, had severed <06504> (8737) himself from the Kenites <07014>, and pitched <05186> (8799) his tent <0168> unto the plain <0436> of Zaanaim <06815>, which is by Kedesh <06943>.
12 And they shewed <05046> (8686) Sisera <05516> that Barak <01301> the son <01121> of Abinoam <042> was gone up <05927> (8804) to mount <02022> Tabor <08396>.
13 And Sisera <05516> gathered together <02199> (8686) all his chariots <07393>, even nine <08672> hundred <03967> chariots <07393> of iron <01270>, and all the people <05971> that were with him, from Harosheth <02800> of the Gentiles <01471> unto the river <05158> of Kishon <07028>. {together: Heb. by cry, or, proclamation}
2. When Sisera learned about Israel's plan to fight he assembled all of his chariots and all his fighting men at the river Kishon.
a. In Judges 1:30-32 we were told that Zebulun and Naphtali didn’t drive out from the land given them, all of the Canaanites as commanded by God.
(1) Naphtali was specifically assigned settlement of the very region Joshua defeated when he took the city of Hazor.
(2) Having defeated the Canaanites Israel probably no longer saw them as a threat.
(3) No doubt it was thought the enemy could easily have been managed and controlled.
(4) All the while the Israelites were leaving the Canaanites alone, the Canaanites were building nine hundred chariots of iron with which to do battle against Israel!
(5) Similarly, when we fail to follow God’s word, when we allow the practicing sinful or sin itself to remain among us, we keep him from protecting us.
(6) As with Israel in our passage, once we return back to the Lord in repentance, he is able to again help us.
14 And Deborah <01683> said <0559> (8799) unto Barak <01301>, Up <06965> (8798); for this is the day <03117> in which the LORD <03068> hath delivered <05414> (8804) Sisera <05516> into thine hand <03027>: is not the LORD <03068> gone out <03318> (8804) before <06440> thee? So Barak <01301> went down <03381> (8799) from mount <02022> Tabor <08396>, and ten <06235> thousand <0505> men <0376> after <0310> him.
3. With Sisera’s forces readying themselves, Barak may have been becoming reluctant, but with Deborah’s encouraged Barak to go and he went.
B. ... the LORD discomfited Sisera ... before Barak ... (4:15-16).
15 And the LORD <03068> discomfited <02000> (8799) Sisera <05516>, and all his chariots <07393>, and all his host <04264>, with the edge <06310> of the sword <02719> before <06440> Barak <01301>; so that Sisera <05516> lighted down <03381> (8799) off his chariot <04818>, and fled away <05127> (8799) on his feet <07272>.
16 But Barak <01301> pursued <07291> (8804) after <0310> the chariots <07393>, and after the host <04264>, unto Harosheth <02800> of the Gentiles <01471>: and all the host <04264> of Sisera <05516> fell <05307> (8799) upon the edge <06310> of the sword <02719>; and there was not a man <0259> left <07604> (8738). {a man: Heb. unto one}
1. Following the Lord’s word and as he had promised, Barak with Israel had victory.
Transition: With victory Israel saw that God remained true to his promise.
III. COMPLETED PROPHECY (4:17-23).
A. (4:17-21).
17 ¶ Howbeit Sisera <05516> fled away <05127> (8804) on his feet <07272> to the tent <0168> of Jael <03278> the wife <0802> of Heber <02268> the Kenite <07017>: for there was peace <07965> between Jabin <02985> the king <04428> of Hazor <02674> and the house <01004> of Heber <02268> the Kenite <07017>.
18 And Jael <03278> went out <03318> (8799) to meet <07125> (8800) Sisera <05516>, and said <0559> (8799) unto him, Turn in <05493> (8798), my lord <0113>, turn in <05493> (8798) to me; fear <03372> (8799) not. And when he had turned in <05493> (8799) unto her into the tent <0168>, she covered <03680> (8762) him with a mantle <08063>. {mantle: or, rug, or, blanket}
19 And he said <0559> (8799) unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little <04592> water <04325> to drink <08248> (8685); for I am thirsty <06770> (8804). And she opened <06605> (8799) a bottle <04997> of milk <02461>, and gave him drink <08248> (8686), and covered <03680> (8762) him.
20 Again he said <0559> (8799)