Today's Reading:

Judges 2
Judges 3
Judges 4
Judges 5

During the time of Israel’s oppression, God raised up Deborah, a faithful prophetess and judge, who honored Him and trusted in His victory. She spoke His words to Barak, helped with the battle over Sisera, and celebrated the deliverance by writing a song. This showed God’s grace in empowering women to lead, prophesy, and bring about peace in the land. There were other women in the Bible who were given grace to prophecy God’s word: Miriam (Exodus 15:20-21), the sister of Moses, who led joyful praise. Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20), who guided the nation during Josiah’s reforms. Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14), a false prophetess, is mentioned, who tried to stop Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem through intimidation and opposition. And Anna (Luke 2:36-38), who recognized baby Jesus as the Messiah in the temple. Through Deborah and these women, God calls and uses the faithful, whether man or woman, to reveal His will and point to redemption. Deborah stepped up in a male-dominated world, and God used her voice to deliver Israel. Where in your own life might God be calling you (regardless of gender, age, or background) to speak His truth or lead in an area where you feel unqualified or overlooked? How can you respond with faithful obedience as she had?

 

In the book of Judges, chapter 2 sets up the rest of the book. Joshua had died, and the angel of the Lord (Christophany) appeared to Israel themselves, as there was not an appointed leader at the time. The angel chastised them for not driving out the Canaanites as God had demanded, asking, “Why disobey?” Israel wept and named the place Bokim, meaning weepers. This introduced the cycle of sin, oppression by enemies as divine judgment, a cry for help, God raising a judge to deliver them to victory, a time of peace, and then the cycle repeated itself after the judge for that period of time died. Joshua and the elders who had fought to secure the Promised Land have all passed away. This generation is the second that had come out of the Wilderness, and they do not know the Lord in the same intimate manner. Israel has turned to idolatry, worshiping the Canaanite gods of Baals and Ashtoreths, which made God angry. He allowed their enemies to become thorns in their sides and plunder them and make them subject (meaning be oppressed, under their rule as military, and paying tribute money to them). Israel had tears of sorrow, although this was not true repentance, but was a start. God raised up Judges during these cycles to help bring restoration of Israel to Him, showing that His judgment and mercy work together. They needed judges instead of a permanent leader due to these cycles as a way to test their faithfulness and show that they had a true leader in God Himself, and that salvation came from Him, not human leadership.

God left enemy nations (Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians, and Hivites) to test Israel as their failure in driving them out was a cause of disobedience. At this time, Israel may not have had an official army, they were volunteers from the tribal sections. Othniel, was the first judge. Here is an overview of the first few judges:

• Othniel: From the tribe of Judah (Caleb’s nephew), fought against the king of Aram (Mesopotamia). Oppressed for 8 years, then peace for 40 years.
  Note- Nephew of spy Caleb and was given Caleb’s daughter Achsah as wife in reward. (Joshua 15)
• Ehud: From the tribe of Benjamin, he was left-handed, therefore could hide his dagger where the right-handed guards would not check. Fought against Eglon, the king of Moab, who had allied with the Ammonites and the Amalekites. Oppressed for 18 years, then peace for 80.
  Note- Eglon was killed with a double-edged sword, and his fat closed over the handle. He was described as “very fat” and had been gorging on Israel’s tribute, like fattening a calf for slaughter. The stabbing was graphic as the sword was sucked into the fat and Eglon’s bowels released (creating a foul smell), making the guards think he was “relieving himself”.
• Shamgar: Possibly from a non-Israelite area due to his foreign name. Fought against the Philistines using an oxgoad (long wooden rod with a metal tip like a spike or a spear with a hook, used to move oxen in the desired direction for plowing). This was a very short account.
  Note- In Ecclesiastes 12:11, the term oxgoad was used to spur people toward correct action.
• Deborah: The only woman judge, and judge who was also a prophet. Associated with the tribe of Ephraim/Issachar, Was the judge in Ephraim. Fought against Jabin king of Hazor. The tribes involved were Naphtali and Zebulun (under Barak), and others were Ephraim, Benjamin, Makir (west Manasseh), and Issachar. While the tribes of Reuben, Gilead, Dan, and Asher were criticized for not helping. Oppressed for 20 years, then peace for 40 years.
  Note- Deborah sent for Barak and said God commanded he go to Mount Tabor so they could flush out Sisera, the commander of Jabin. Barak refused to go without Deborah, which was typically dishonorable to surrender his position to a woman. Deborah agreed to and prophesied that due to his cowardice, another woman would take the honors of defeating Sisera. There were a few things to unpack here. Heber means ally and Kenite is a metalworker; from those, we can infer that the chariots of “iron” possibly meant that Heber, an ally, was the one who told Sisera that Barak was on his way. Sisera, being flushed out of the Jezreel valley, fled to Jael’s tent. Jael was Heber’s wife- why go to her tent? With the peace alliance between Heber and the king of Hazor, he would have expected safety and hospitality from her. A woman’s tent would have offered her protection and sanctuary while her husband was away, therefore it may not have been searched as aggressively. She did offer hospitality when Sisera asked to be hidden and for water. In generosity, she gave him milk instead of basic water to build trust.

In a turn of events, she drove a tent peg through his head and into the ground. This fulfilled Deborah’s prophecy (the victory would go to a woman). The milk was not random; it was her way of showing hospitality (giving something better than the water asked for) and masking her true intentions, going against the cultural norms and leading Israel to victory. The Kenites were previously aligned with Israel through Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro. Jael herself undid the alliance Heber had with the Canaanites.

Note- the Song of Deborah was a praise to celebrate as God chose leaders, and as the Canaanites assembled near the waters of Megiddo (same area that was defeated before by Joshua in Joshua 12:21). There was a contrast between Deborah’s victory and Sisera’s mother awaiting his return, thinking that he was only being delayed only by the spoils of war. Through it all, God’s sovereignty shone; He used the overlooked, the outsider, and even a tent peg to bring glory to His name. Deborah’s song was not just about a battle won; it was a reminder that when we trust God’s plan over human expectation, He turns the unexpected into victory.

Today's Discussion question: 

Deborah stepped up in a male dominated world and God used her voice to deliver Israel. Where in your own life might God be calling you (regardless of gender, age or background) to speak His truth or lead in an area where you feel unqualified or overlooked? How can you respond with faithful obedience as she had?

 
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