Scripture Text: Judges 4:1-24
Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgement.
Judges 4:4-5
God anointed the fourth judge named Deborah, she was one of the major judges of Israel. She was called a prophetess (v. 4), and one of such women in the Old Testament; Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Isaiah's wife (Isaiah 8:3) and Naodiah (Nehemiah 6:14). Deborah functioned as a civil leader and as a judge who decided cases, and a mother of Israel (vv. 4-5). She lived in southern Ephraim, near Judah.
Why did God anoint Deborah as the fourth judge of Israel?
To save the Israelites from 20 years cruelty of King Jabin, a Canaanite. The king had 900 chariots of iron with huge and strong armies led by his commander named Sisera. Those ancient chariots were equivalent to tanks today. While the Israelites armies had no chariots, what they only had were traditional weapons like swords, spears, etc.
How did the Israelites won the battles?
God told Deborah to challenge Barak to gather ten thousand Israelites armies to fight the Canaanites armies led by Sisera. But Barak hesitated to lead the Israel's armies without Deborah's presence. Thus, Deborah agreed to go with him but predicted that the glory for the battle would go to a woman.
During the battle, the Lord confused Sisera and his army and chariots. They did not know what to do. Barak and his men defeated Sisera’s army, but Sisera left his chariot and ran away on foot to the tent where the woman name Jael lived. Sisera approached the woman to hide in her tent and asked for a drink of water. But the woman gave a fresh milk instead of water.
While Sisera was sleeping because he was so tired, the woman got a tent peg and a hammer and struck it to the side of Sisera's head. Then the tent peg went through the side of his head and into the ground. Sisera died. When Barak entered the tent with Jael he found Sisera lying dead on the ground, with the tent peg through the side of his head.
On that day, God defeated King Jabin of Canaan for the Israelites. So the Israelites became stronger and stronger until they defeated King Jabin of Canaan. The Israelites then finally destroyed him (v. 24).
Reflect
When God calls you for His divine purpose, do you hesitate to obey Him? Or do you really want to glorify His name?
Remember
We, as believers-followers of Christ and saved by His grace, are called not to hesitate to follow and obey His will. He expects and He obliges us to glorify our God through Him by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Read
Judges 5:1-31
Pray
Dear God, thank You for the lessons that I've been learning from You and from the characters of Your Scriptures. Truly, You call whoever You want to be used in fulfilling Your divine purpose. Lord, I acknowledge very much Your ways for the sake of Your people. Please help me to do only what is pleasing and glorifying to Your name. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen!
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