Judges 4
Traditionally, women are often being tagged as “lower” than man; and even though the Bible also instructs that women are to be submissive to their husbands (cf. 1Cor. 14:35, Eph. 5: 22 & 24, Col. 3: 18, Tit.2: 5), women are not to be despised and generalized as weaklings.
In today’s Bible reading, let’s see how God uses 2 women to deliver the people of Israel from their oppressor.
Bible Passage: Judges 4
Constant Disobedience…
Again in this chapter, and more in the subsequent chapters in the Book of Judges, we will read of the constant disobedience of the Israelites.
This all began from the time when they did not obey the commands of the Lord to utterly destroy all the inhabitance of Canaan (ref. Jud. 2: 2-3); therefore the undestroyed inhabitants became a snare to the people of God!
This is also a very good lesson for all of us, that we must totally get rid of the enemy in us, i.e. our sins!
If we let sins linger in us, it will grow to become a trap to our souls, thus resulting in greater separation in between us and God, and then the consequence would be disastrous.
We all know that it is like a battle in fighting against sin, and fighting battles are never easy, but we all must still do our utmost to get rid of the sins that still linger in us!
Once we have gotten rid of the sins, never go back to them again!
Therefore, we need God; and we need to obey His commandments to rule over our lives for our salvation sake.
…But Constant Deliverance
Throughout this Book, these 2 phrases often repeat, “The children of Israel [again] did evil in the sight of the LORD” and “But when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them.”
This time God raised Deborah and Barak to deliver the people from the oppression of Jabin, king of Canaan, whose commander was Sisera.
The description of the oppressor seemed so powerful,
So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.
The commander of his army was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth Hagoyim.
And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots
of iron, and for twenty years he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel.
4:3
but God used 2 women, a tent peg, and a hammer to subdued them. Truly amazing wasn’t it?
The faith of the prophetess and judge Deborah is worthy of our emulation, for she carried out the command of the Lord with obedience and much faith.
The bravery of Heber’s wife, Jael, was also admirable, for she nailed the oppressor’s head to the ground!
The faith and obedience of one person can make a difference in history, but more importantly, the deliverance of the entire nation from the oppression of the enemy.
Likewise, we must persevere in standing firm in our faith and obedience to the Lord, be courageous and so that no matter what challenges may come our way, we know that God will face them with us according to His great love, mercy and faithfulness towards us.
Since we are called by God, we are His, and since we are His, He is for us, then who can be against us? (cf. Rom. 8:28 – 31)
May God continue to strengthen us in our faith and obedience to His commands.
Shalom!
One Comment
PS
If the 900 chariots in Judges 4:3 and 13 were the same chariots, the Canaanites had gone against the sons of Naphtali and Zebulun in full force.
The Israelites won bec God routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak…(Judges 4:15) and Sisera was killed by a woman according to the plan of God (Judges 4:9, 21)
God had practically destroyed the whole army of King Jabin by Judges 4:16. Judges 4:23 So on that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan in the presence of the children of Israel.
Yet in Judges 4:24 it was recorded that the hand of the children of Isarel grew stronger and stronger against Jabin king of Canaan, until they destroyed him.
Although God the LORD was with the Israelites, they had to grew stronger and stronger to destroy Jabin themselves.
There was a most interesting discussion during youth service this morning of the question whether the cup in holy communion has the effect of forgiveness of sin.
The conclusion was no bec the forgiveness of sin was at baptism and the blood at holy communion is to give life (John 6:53).
Through holy communion, Lord Jesus wants us to grow stronger and stronger so that we can glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are His (1 Cor 6:20).