Extensive portions of the Kishon River dry up seasonally, and at that particular time, the Kishon River was empty. Judges 4:15 says, “And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak.” And in the song of Deborah, we read, “Lord, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens poured, the clouds also poured water the mountains gushed before the Lord, this Sinai, before the Lord God of Israel” (Judges 5:4-5).Īlmighty God fought the battle as only He could. How could ten thousand foot soldiers defeat an army of nine hundred chariots and thousands more soldiers? They could not! God went before them. Centuries later, the apostle Paul echoed the same kind of resolve when describing our eternal security: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Such boldness stems from an unshakable faith in God’s goodness and power. The Israelites did not need to fear death. Knowing the outcome was settled in heaven, Deborah spoke as if Israel had already secured the victory. Has not the Lord gone out before you?’ So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him” (Judges 4:14). “‘Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. As they prepared for battle, Deborah gave a brief motivational speech. Deborah was confident in God’s work.Īfter Deborah pledged to accompany him, Barak recruited ten thousand men to meet Sisera’s nine hundred chariots. Whatever the reason for Barak’s reply, we can be sure that Deborah placed her confidence in Almighty God. Knowing that God had given Deborah His blessing, Barak wasn’t willing to enter the battle without her. But it also may have been a sign of wisdom.
Some have interpreted Barak’s response as a sign of weakness, and it may have been. In her speech to Barak, Deborah said, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded… ‘Against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon and I will deliver him into your hand’?” (Judges 4:6, 7) In the next verse, Barak replied, “If you will go with me, then I will go but if you will not go with me, I will not go!” In effect, she told him, “We can do this because God has told us this is what we should do.” Deborah was confident in God’s will. Judges 4:6 tells us, “She sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, ‘Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, “Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun.”’” So, she asked Barak to join her. When no one else would take a stand, Deborah arose. The situation got so bad that she assumed the role of a military leader and rallied the people against God’s enemies. As Deborah heard complaints of Jabin and Sisera’s oppression, her heart filled with anger and concern for her nation. When people came to her with their issues, she would preside over their disputes. The Bible tells us that Deborah lived somewhere between Bethel and Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim, and there under a palm tree, she held court. The people of Israel were her children, and Deborah’s deep commitment to God gave her a deep passion for His family. While this points to her esteemed role in Israel, it does not necessarily mean that she had biological children.
#Bible lesson for today how to#
Ask, Seek, Knock: How to Seek God’s Guidanceīeyond her marriage to Lapidoth, Deborah refers to herself as “a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7).Mother’s Day Bible Study: 4 Qualities of Great Encouragers.Because of their teamwork and commitment to the Lord, they accomplished great things. In this situation, God appointed a powerful woman, and He provided an equally forceful man to support her divine assignment. Deborah was devoted to her family.ĭeborah’s husband was named Lapidoth, which means “lightning flashes.” Scripture doesn’t give us any other details about Lapidoth, but I do not doubt that he was Deborah’s ideal counterpart. Notice verse 2: “When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!” As a woman of high resolve and commitment, Deborah devoted herself to God. In Judges 5, she describes the joy of leadership when God’s people are responsive. Deborah accepted her responsibilities with enthusiasm. The Scriptures weren’t complete in biblical times, so God called prophets and prophetesses to give the people His messages.
Judges 4:4 says, “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.” She is one of several women in the Bible who were prophetesses. Deborah’s Commitment Deborah was devoted to God.
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