This particular book is unique in that is it spearheaded by a female. The prevalence of male judges, leaders and prophets is more likely owed to the fact that society has been patriarchal throughout most, if not all, generations. We know that our God is impartial, Romans 2:11. Deborah, of this book, will further serve as evidence that all of God's children are capable of being viable hosts for His spirit to dwell it and perform through.
4:1 Eighty years of peace ends after Ehud dies. The cycle continues: the children of Israel only trust and follow God as long as someone is faithful on their behalf.
4:2-3 The children of Israel reject God and instead choose an abusive master. Consequently, they are harshly oppressed for many years... but again, they reach a point when they cry out to God for rescue.
4:4 Our introduction to Deborah, the next judge: she is a prophetess, which tells us that she both hears and listens to God's voice and will.
4:5 With the God-given ability to lead, Deborah is well-respected in the community. We learn that she sits under a tree, named after herself, and receives the children of Israel's concerns.
4:6-7 We learn from Deborah that the children of Israel are, again, in a season of rescue. Their repentant hearts have cried out to God and He has a plan. Deborah instructs a man named Barak from the tribe of Naphtali to follow God's command: he is to gather an army of 10,000 from Naphtali and Zebulun and confront their oppressors head on in battle. God promises to deliver the enemy into their hand.
4:8 Barak is too afraid to go alone; he will only go if Deborah goes with him.
4:9-10 Deborah readily agrees to accompany Barak. However, Deborah explains that he will not have any glory out of this endeavor. Truly faithful children of God do not act out of desire for glory. They act out of righteousness. Barak is not a bad person, but his faith does not mean as much to him as glory does.
Deborah is a prophetess, God has supplied her with wisdom. She knows that because Barak's faith was too weak, God's mission will be given to another - a woman. God is constantly looking for faith within individuals which will host Him. Barak declines and subsequently, someone else is chosen for the glory of carrying out God's will.
This applies to each of us as individuals because we have the same opportunity as Barak. Electing to be a co-worker with God is to be elected by God as a coworker. Out of righteous, faithful acts comes glory and not the other way around (as Barak confusedly believed).
4:11-13 A distant relative of Moses is introduced: Heber. It will be Heber's wife who is able to kill Sisera, the commander of the enemy army. The intricate details provided here show us how meticulously the victory over our enemies is planned.
4:14-16 Deborah alerts and encourages Barak that the day has come for him to act on the will of God. The battle begins and soon after, Barak takes the victory. Sisera flees on foot.
4:17-18 Sisera runs away to the camp of Jael, the wife of Heber. Jael deceives Sisera into believing that she is an ally. She welcomes Sisera in and, provider shelter and comfort.
4:19-20 Sisera requests a drink of water, Jael brings him milk, continuing her guise as generous hostess. Sisera then tells Jael to deny his presence should anyone come to ask.
4:21 Jael kills Siscera. Siscera is killed deceptively, a blow to the head. If we dissect this metaphorically, we can deduce that Siscera was this type of ruler: a deceptive man. And it led to his downfall. He lost at his own game.
4:22 When Barak arrives as Jael's camp, she shows him that Sicera has been killed.
4:23-24 On that day, the children of Israel received their freedom from the oppressive king and his army. The children of Israel grew stronger and stronger as their faith grew. The more room we give God to act on our behalf, the more massive His transformations have the space to be.
4:6-7 We learn from Deborah that the children of Israel are, again, in a season of rescue. Their repentant hearts have cried out to God and He has a plan. Deborah instructs a man named Barak from the tribe of Naphtali to follow God's command: he is to gather an army of 10,000 from Naphtali and Zebulun and confront their oppressors head on in battle. God promises to deliver the enemy into their hand.
4:8 Barak is too afraid to go alone; he will only go if Deborah goes with him.
4:9-10 Deborah readily agrees to accompany Barak. However, Deborah explains that he will not have any glory out of this endeavor. Truly faithful children of God do not act out of desire for glory. They act out of righteousness. Barak is not a bad person, but his faith does not mean as much to him as glory does.
Deborah is a prophetess, God has supplied her with wisdom. She knows that because Barak's faith was too weak, God's mission will be given to another - a woman. God is constantly looking for faith within individuals which will host Him. Barak declines and subsequently, someone else is chosen for the glory of carrying out God's will.
This applies to each of us as individuals because we have the same opportunity as Barak. Electing to be a co-worker with God is to be elected by God as a coworker. Out of righteous, faithful acts comes glory and not the other way around (as Barak confusedly believed).
4:11-13 A distant relative of Moses is introduced: Heber. It will be Heber's wife who is able to kill Sisera, the commander of the enemy army. The intricate details provided here show us how meticulously the victory over our enemies is planned.
4:14-16 Deborah alerts and encourages Barak that the day has come for him to act on the will of God. The battle begins and soon after, Barak takes the victory. Sisera flees on foot.
4:17-18 Sisera runs away to the camp of Jael, the wife of Heber. Jael deceives Sisera into believing that she is an ally. She welcomes Sisera in and, provider shelter and comfort.
4:19-20 Sisera requests a drink of water, Jael brings him milk, continuing her guise as generous hostess. Sisera then tells Jael to deny his presence should anyone come to ask.
4:21 Jael kills Siscera. Siscera is killed deceptively, a blow to the head. If we dissect this metaphorically, we can deduce that Siscera was this type of ruler: a deceptive man. And it led to his downfall. He lost at his own game.
4:22 When Barak arrives as Jael's camp, she shows him that Sicera has been killed.
4:23-24 On that day, the children of Israel received their freedom from the oppressive king and his army. The children of Israel grew stronger and stronger as their faith grew. The more room we give God to act on our behalf, the more massive His transformations have the space to be.
