GOD LOVES WOMEN
Judges 4
Throughout the Bible, Old, and New Testament women have played key roles in God's divine plan for mankind. Including Eve, the birth mother of mankind, Noah’s wife and daughters the mothers of mankind after the flood, Sarah the mother of Israel, Mary the birth mother of Jesus Christ, and women spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Today in the home, schools, the cooperate world, and all levels of government women play increasing roles.
Today let's look at Debroah a Jewish woman and Jael a non-Israelite woman. Deborah and Jael were used by God to bring victory over the Cannaite army.
GOD CHOSE A WOMAN TO GOVERN ISREAL
Debrah was the fourth Judge of Israel after the death of Joshua. She
Was a woman of God, a prophetess, and judge. Deborah was
Anointed by God 200 years after Israel came into the promised land.
After Joshua died God anointed judges to rule Israel. The people
Of Israel had a history of idol god worship. rejecting God’s rule over
them and disobedience to God’s commands. While the Judge
Lived the Israelites followed God with their mouths, but not their hearts.
When the judge died, they worshiped idol gods and fell into the hands
Of enemies of Israel.
DISOBEDIENCE IS THE CAUSE OF YOUR TROUBLES
Judges 4:1-3
After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the Lord. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help.
Israel’s disobedience was the reason for their 20 years of bondage.
God has a way of getting our attention. His discipline may be harsh but is also just and merciful.
GOD WILL COME WHEN WE CALL FOR HELP
Judges 4:4-6
4 Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.
NIV
Our past disobedient behavior does not preclude us from calling
On God when we have a problem. When we recognize our sins,
Repent, He is ready to hear our prayers.
God works through leaders He put in place to answer our prayers
When God gives instructions we must follow them as He directs.
Judges 4:4-7
THE RESUME OF DEBORAH
4 Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. 5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided.
Notice how pleased God was with Deborah. When God is your focus, He will recommend you to the world.
SHE WAS A PROPHETESS
SHE WAS A WIFE
SHE WAS A JUDGE
SHE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
SHE WAS OBEDIENT TO GOD’S COMMANDS
SHE WAS AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
SHE HAD THE RESPECT OF THE NATION
SHE HAD A REPUTATION FOR BEING JUST
OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S COMMANDS IS KEY TO SUCCESS
6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, "The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: 'Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. 7 I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.'"
The word GO is in Matthew 28:19. When God calls, our job is to go.
Notice it was God who set the Canaanite Army up for defeat. It was God who gave Israel the victory. When we follow God we will be led
To victory. We will face trials but they are put in place to strengthen
Us.
Notice, Deborah was married, but God chose her to lead, not her
Husband. Notice, God chose another man to go with Deborah in battle, not her husband. There is no mention that Deborah’s husband was included in the men selected for battle. God is no respecter of person. God chooses thoes He can rely on.
Women are just as qualified to do what men do. In this case much
More qualified
IF MEN DON’T STEP UP, GOD’S GOT WOMEN WHO WILL
Judges 4:8-9
8 Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go."
9 "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman."
Notice God called Barak to go into battle. Barak only needed to respond to God’s command, but he refused to go without Deborah.
I don’t know what Barak’s problem was. He was a warrior and leader of the Israelite army. Let me suggest He was not confident in God. even though he had courage in battle. In my mind, Deborah had to hold Barak’s hand to go against the Canaanite army
In other words, Barak did not MAN UP.
The name Deborah means bee. The name Barak means flash of lightning. Deborah had the power of God. Barak was just following
orders.
.
THE LORD CAN CAUSE YOUR ENEMY TO RUN
Judges 4:15-16
At Barak's advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim. All the troops of Sisera fell by the sword; not a man was left.
The word routed here means disturbed. The Lord can disturb your enemy Into defeat. Why would the commander of the Canaanite army
Abandon his chariot pull by a well-trained strong horse? Why did He
Abandon his troops? When God is at work for you. He can cause the enemy to destroy themselves.
Notice God used the weather flooding a dry river bed to immobilize
The Canaanite 900 iron chariots. The answer is found in Debroah’s
Song in chapter 5
Judges 5:20-23
20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.
21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.
22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.
With the chariots stuck in mud and and legs of the horses broken, the
Canaanite army fled on foot.
GOD USES PEOPLE YOU DON’T KNOW TO WORK FOR YOU
Judges 4:17-19
17 Sisera, however, fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there were friendly relations between Jabin king of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite.
When God is for you, He will cause your enemy to run into a place
Of destruction. Sisera, being confused left His troops and ran to a place to hide.
YOUR HOSPITALITY CAN GAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF THE ENEMY
18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come, my lord, come right in. Don't be afraid." So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him.
Judges 4:21
21 But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.
The name Jael means wild goat which indicates her temperament.
She was sympathetic to the Israelites because of the harsh treatment
Of the Canaanite King. She may have known the God of Israel and
Knew what had to be done. There is no mention that she consulted
With her God or her husband before killing Sisera
God blessed two women with insight and desire to please Him
to accomplish His plan for Israel. I guess you could say
Deborah built the coffin and Jael put the nails in it
God has a plan for your success. All you have to do is show up
For the battle that He will fight.
GOD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES
The enemy may be more powerful, more well-trained and have more
Men, but they are no match for God, Our Job is to trust in His Word
and follow His directions. Deborah trusted the Lord. Being Judge she could have taken charge. But God told her to add Barak to the team
She had authority, prestige, and respect, but she realized that God was in charge. Each of us has a role in God’s plan. God has planned your success in the battle. We don’t know how He will do it. We must trust that He will do it
God may use people who are not related to you and you may not
Know to bless you. Jael was not an Israelite. Her family was at peace with the Canaanites. Jael knew God and who the enemy of God was.
The only information we have that Jael was God directed is found in
Chapter 5
Judges 5:24-27
24 "Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite,
most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk;
in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk.
26 Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple. 27 At her feet he sank.
Deborah’s name means bee. Jael’s name means wild goat.
God used a bee and a will goat to bring victory.
GOD IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL. OUR JOB IS TO TRUST HIS
WAY OF BRING US THE VICTORY
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