Deborah

Introduction

A part of leadership is setting aside your own comforts to help others. God needs leaders. God needs people who will sacrifice their desire to receive honor and yield themselves to God’s direction. God needs people who are willing to sacrifice their own comfort in order to help others. God needs people who will not seek their own benefit but the benefit of others. God has used all kinds of folks to lead. Some were of questionable character. Some would not have been the first choice. Some were from the list of “Who’s Not.” But God used each one to do his will. Most did not want to lead, but God used them anyway.

Consider Noah. He built an ark while the world laughed—leadership in the face of ridicule. Consider Abraham. He left family, homeland, and security to follow God—leadership in the face of uncertainty. Consider Moses. He was a poor communicator—leadership in the face of disability. Consider Peter. He was a crude man, impulsive and often unthinking—leadership in the face of crudeness.

Consider Deborah. She was a wife, a mother, and a prophetess. The people recognized her leadership. They continually came seeking God’s answers to their problems and difficulties. Deborah served Israel at a time when leadership was non-existent. The people were floundering. They had no clear direction or goal. They had turned to other gods for solace. In order to regain their attention, God had sent an enemy to attack Israel. Northern Israel was currently under attack from Jabin, king of Hazor. Who would God use to lead Israel? Who would step forward and announce God’s will for the people? In Judges 4 and 5, two women take the lead. Deborah and Jael serve God and lead the people. These were the only two willing to set aside their own desires and bring honor to God. From Deborah’s story we gain insight into two truths: God is the real leader and God uses all kinds of folks to lead. Let’s be part of the willing volunteers for God.

The Story

There is a dearth of leadership in Israel. After one ruler dies, the people begin to lose their focus. Directionless, they begin to do what seems right to them. They turn to other gods and forget about the God who brought them to this land. God uses enemies to punish Israel and to help them regain their focus. When they have reached a certain level of suffering they cry out to the Lord. As an ever gracious God, he answers by providing a leader who helps Israel regain her focus. Deborah is such a leader.

Northern Israel is in bad shape. Jabin, king of Hazor has nine hundred iron chariots. For twenty years he has been oppressing the people. According to Judges 5:6–8, the people no longer walk the roads between cities. They are hiding in the hills. They had given up their weapons. They were living in fear of Jabin and his general, Sisera. For twenty years they had cowered in fear. For twenty years they had lost their willingness to fight. They were a scared, frightened, and defeated people. God has chosen Deborah to provide leadership. He has chosen Deborah to be his spokesperson. She is not a military leader, but she is a prophetess speaking on God’s behalf.

She calls Barak and tells him that God wants him to lead ten thousand soldiers into battle against Sisera. This battle is to take place near the Kishon River. Barak balks at the prospect. Iron chariots and no weapons do not make for a quick victory. His response is conditional. If Deborah will go with him, then he will go. If not, then he will not go. Reluctance and conditional response to God’s command is not what is needed. Deborah agrees to the condition but with the condition comes the promise that the honor of killing Sisera will go to a woman.

The battle lines are drawn. Sisera appears with his fine iron chariots. According to Judges 5:4 and 5:21, God caused a huge downpour to occur. From this deluge of water, the river Kishon becomes a raging body of water. The plain in which the battle was to take place is flooded. Heavy iron chariots have no advantage in mud. Barak and the army of Israel sweep down out of the mountains and attack Sisera. One by one the enemies of Israel die. Sisera literally runs from the scene in order to escape death.

He comes to the camp of Heber, an ally. Heber is not in camp at the time, but his wife, Jael offers protection. Sisera is offered a place to rest and drink for his thirst. While Sisera slept, Jael took a mallet and tent spike and nailed his head to the ground. Thus ends the life of Sisera and the taunting of Israel’s enemies.

Application

First, notice the work of God in this passage. He tells Barak to lead Israel into battle. He tells them where to assemble for battle. He tells Barak that Sisera will meet him there because he, God, is going to lure him close to the Kishon River. God causes the downpour to occur. He causes the river to become a roaring menace to Sisera. In Judges 4:23, it is God who subdues Jabin. Israel was no match for such a powerful army. God’s actions allowed Israel to destroy their enemies. God is the real hero in this passage. Deborah, Barak, and Jael are instruments whom God uses to carry out his plan. But it is God’s plan, God’s rain, God’s action, and God’s victory.

We worship today the same God. We worship a God who is busy putting plans together for our lives. He has a clear focus about where he wants us to be next year, five years, or a decade from now. He envisions things that we don’t even realize yet. His plans are not our plans. Our God never quits working on our behalf. Look at your own life. See the times God has worked on your behalf in order to bring about his will. Perhaps he used someone like a Deborah to help you know the truth. Maybe he sent a storm cloud to destroy your strength so that in your weakness you would come back to him. As painful as that might be, it demonstrates that our God is not willing to sit back and watch you go through the motions. He wants your life to be lived with intent and purpose. Our God sees the big picture. He is the real hero of our lives. Whatever good may come, it is God who makes it all possible.

The second lesson has to do with leadership. Some want to take Deborah’s story and immediately start talking about the role of women in the church. That is stretching the point of this story and the context of the book of Judges. What is seen here is the way God uses different people to accomplish his will.

First, there is Deborah. God uses a woman to accomplish his will. All of the other judges have been and will be men. Yet, in the midst of chaos, Deborah is called on to help Israel see God’s will. While this passage is not about the role of women in the church, it does remind us that women are valuable parts of the kingdom. Park Avenue has been well served by women throughout its history. We have a number of women who provide good strong leadership among us. Their gifts come from God.

We don’t know if Deborah wanted to be a leader, but we do know she was willing for God to use her in whatever way he wanted. God’s gifts are not to be shunned or ignored. Deborah uses her gift of prophesying for God.

Second, there is Barak. Barak is a reluctant leader. His obedience is conditional. If one thing happens, then I will lead. He is commended for his faith in Hebrews 11, but from this passage he seems hesitant at best. Yet even though he makes a deal with God, God still uses him to accomplish his work. Reluctant obedience is still obedience. God uses a reluctant man to accomplish his work.

Leaders don’t always want to be leaders. Moses, Jeremiah, Amos, and Hosea were all reluctant leaders. God called each one and each one had a reason not to lead. But God didn’t let them off the hook. His call was valid whether they wanted to accept or not. Barak obeys reluctantly. His reluctance costs him the honor of being recognized as a great warrior, but according to Hebrews 11 he is still recognized as a man of faith. Even reluctant leaders can honor God.

Third, there is Jael. She is Heber’s wife. She is obscure in the scheme of things. But she is the one who receives the honor of killing Sisera. Notice Judges 5:6—“in the days of Jael,” the days are reckoned according to her life. Out of her obscurity came recognition.

The overall point has to do with God using all kinds of folks to be his leaders. Those like Deborah who are prominent. Those like Barak who are reluctant. Those like Jael who are obscure. Leadership comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. God uses each one to bring about his will. The key to each one was obedience. They obeyed God. They knew that what was most important was listening and obeying.

Are you listening to God? “God can’t possibly use me,” you might think. Leaders are the ones who are out front. First of all it is God who does the leading and second when he calls we need to obey. God understands better than we where we need to go and how we need to get there. Let’s learn to be obedient in responding to God.

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