Bible Study - Sidekicks (2) - Deborah and Barak - Judges 4:4-8, 12-16; 5:1-5 - July 28, 2024

 

Bible Study – Sidekicks (2) – Deborah and Barak – July 28, 2024

This is lesson two (2) in our series “Sidekicks.” A former pastor encouraged our young people to pick a trusted fellow young person, who would agree to stand with each other, when either one or both faced tough decisions, regarding their walk with JESUS during their teenage years. This was wise counsel.

In our study, Deborah

Our focal scripture is Judges 4:4-8, 12-16; 5:1-5.

Sidekicks can be very valuable as we walk with JESUS.

Women in ministry are often frowned upon. Does GOD call women to ministry the same as men? YES!! It is hard for me to understand why there is such opposition for women being called to minister. The key is “Those who are called by GOD.” GOD calls all who have been Spirit-born to function according to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. When we accept JESUS as our Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells our body and as such according to 1 Corinthians 6:19 - ¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.^[a]

Our study is a case in point for a woman GOD called to minister for HIM as a Judge and leader. In our study we will see how a man, Barak, saw great value in being aligned with a GOD honoring female leader, Deborah.

Let’s explore!!!

Let’s read Judges 4:1-3: (Background)

Deborah and Barak

4 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died. ² So the Lord sold them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.^[a] 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

Ehud was the second judge of Israel. Ehud killed King Eglon, King of the Moabites. (Ehud was left-handed, which is believed why those who cleared Ehud to approach King Eglon did not find Ehud’s weapon.)  The Moabites sent 10,000 warriors to defeat the Israelites after they discovered that Ehud killed King Eglon. The Israelites anticipated that the Moabites would come after them. The Israelites were prepared and defeated the Moabites which resulted in the Israelites enjoying 18 years of peace.

Let’s read Judges 4:4-8:

Sisera, King Jabin’s commander had 900 iron chariots. This is a formidable force to battle against in that period. As a result of this formable force, King Jabin ruled the Israelites for 20 years.

4 Deborah, a prophet, and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes.

This would suggest Deborah was a wise person and, as stated, a judge. She had a special spot where the Israelites could go to consult her to settle disputes and give guidance.

Being a “prophetess,” GOD spoke to her directly. Deborah had a question for Barrak to complete what GOD had called him to do.

6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? 7 Then I (GOD) will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I (GOD) will hand him over to you.’”

This is very interesting since Commander Sisera had an army of iron chariots. When an army of warriors in iron chariots and on flat dry ground, would mean a bloodbath for an enemy of ground troops.

Israel only had ground troops but when GOD is on their side or our side, that is all that is needed.

GOD said, “I will hand him over to you.” That takes faith and trust in GOD to respond.

8. Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

Was Barak testing Deborah or did he know the relationship she had with GOD and wanted her to be him? We do not know but on the surface, it appears that Barak was telling Deborah, “If you are so sure of victory, then you go with us.” The key is that GOD told Deborh to go, and Deborah had faith in GOD. Did Barak’s faith need to be built? All speculation but often reflects our journey with our LORD.

Being honest with JESUS is the first step toward building our faith walk with JESUS.

9 “I will gladly go with you,” she said, “but you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take, because the Lord will sell Sisera to a woman.” So, Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

Deborah agreed to go with Barak because she had faith in GOD. There are times when we, who have walked with our LORD JESUS and know HIM and trust HIM need to come along the side and stand with others, who may be still building their faith and trust in JESUS.

11. Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the sons of Hobab, Moses’s father-in-law, and pitched his tent beside the oak tree of Zaanannim, which was near Kedesh.

Let’s read Judges 4:12-16:

12 It was reported to Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera summoned all his nine hundred iron chariots and all the troops who were with him from Harosheth of the Nations to the Wadi Kishon. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has handed Sisera over to you. Hasn’t the Lord gone before you?” So, Barak came down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

15 The Lord threw Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army into a panic before Barak’s assault. Sisera left his chariot and fled on foot. 16 Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth of the Nations, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left.

What did the LORD do to create such chaos? Barak was at a serious disadvantage fighting against an army of warriors in iron chariots on a flat surface. But GOD had HIS plan for the Israelites victory. We read in Judges 5:20-22:

20 The stars fought from the heavens;
the stars fought with Sisera from their paths.
²¹ The river Kishon swept them away,
the ancient river, the river Kishon.
March on, my soul, in strength!
²² The horses’ hooves then hammered—
the galloping, galloping of his^[l] stallions.

GOD sent a deluge of rain that resulted in the iron chariots and their horses getting stuck in water-soaked soil or mud. GOD leveled the battlefield which resulted in the defeat of Sisera. Victory for the Israelites!!! Deborah got the credit.

Sisera takes off on foot to seek refuge.

17 Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink for I am thirsty.” She opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again. 20 Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance to the tent. If a man comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 While he was sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife, Jael, took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She hammered the peg into his temple and drove it into the ground, and he died.

WOW!!! That took courage.

22 When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, “Come and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So, he went in with her, and there was Sisera lying dead with a tent peg through his temple!

23 That day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 The power of the Israelites continued to increase against King Jabin of Canaan until they destroyed him.

WOW!!! Jael had taken care of business!

Let’s read Judges 5:1-5:

Deborah’s Song

5 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang:

² When the leaders lead^[a] in Israel,
when the people volunteer,
blessed be the Lord.
³ Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes!
I will sing to the Lord;
I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
⁴ Lord, when you came from Seir,
when you marched from the fields of Edom,
the earth trembled,
the skies poured rain,
and the clouds poured water.
⁵ The mountains melted before the Lord,
even Sinai,^[b] before the Lord, the God of Israel.

 

This is a message to all who have placed our faith in JESUS. We live in uncertain times, but the Good News is that GOD is still in control and will be until HE establishes HIS Kingdom upon earth. To whom does GOD depend upon?

 

² When the leaders lead^[a] in Israel,
when the people volunteer,
blessed be the Lord.

 

GOD still depends upon leaders leading and people who know the truth stepping up when HE calls them to action. The call could be a small as a “cup of water.”

 

When GOD calls, we who know the truth are to respond and GOD will equip and go before those HE calls.

To GOD be the Glory!

 

When we who have been Spirit born by the Holy Spirit and trust in GOD through faith in JESUS see GOD at work, it is our invitation join HIM. This is true today as we journey through life trusting in JESUS and the ONE TRUE GOD, YAWEH – I AM.

 

JESUS said it best in Luke 17:6 -
“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

 

Blessings!!!

 

⁴ Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. ⁵ She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes.

⁶ She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? ⁷ Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’”

⁸ Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.”