Sunday, June 4, 2017

Transcription

1 Sunday, June 4, 2017 Lesson: Judges 4:1-10; Time of Action: around 1237 B.C.; Place of Action: Ephraim; Mount Tabor Golden Text: And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh (Judges 4:9). I. INTRODUCTION. Throughout the time of the judges of Israel, the people followed a regular cycle. First, they sinned by breaking God s Law and worshiping the gods of the Canaanites. Then God would punish them by sending an enemy to fight them and forcing them to serve a foreign king. The people would soon cry out to the Lord in repentance and He would answer by sending them a judge to deliver them. Then Israel would enjoy peace until the next time they turned away from the Lord and the cycle was repeated. When we consider the role of an Old Testament judge as being a warrior-leader, we most likely think of a

2 male to fill that role. In fact most of the judges in Israel s history were men. There were thirteen judges in all. Twelve were men and one was a woman, Deborah, the fourth judge. In today s world, it s not unusual for women to reach positions of prominence. However, in Bible times it was unusual. Deborah was an exception. She was described as being a prophetess, a wife and a judge. A prophet or prophetess was one who brought a message from God. Deborah was a judge both in the sense that we define judges today as one who settles matters of the law, and in the sense that the book of Judges reflects, a champion and a leader who along with Barak, delivered her people from oppression. II. LESSON BACKGROUND. After entering the land of Canaan under Joshua s leadership (see Joshua 1:1-4; 2:1) the Israelites served God during the days of Joshua and the elders who outlived him (see Judges 2:7). However, after that they quickly departed from serving the Lord doing evil deeds and serving false gods (see Judges 2:10-11). Judgment followed quickly. The Israelites were oppressed first by Chushan-rishathaim of Mesopotamia for eight years (see Judges 3:8) and then by Eglon of Moab for eighteen years (see Judges 3:12). But in every case of oppression, the people cried for help, and the Lord brought deliverance. God raised up two judges, Othniel and Ehud to rescue Israel. During the eighty years of peace that followed Ehud s defeat of Moab (see Judges 3:26-30), Shamgar, another judge

3 delivered Israel from the Philistines (see Judges 3:31). But again, the Israelites returned to their evil ways (see Judges 4:1). This is where our lesson begins. III. DELIVERANCE REQUIRED (Judges 4:1-3) A. Israel s punishment for sin (Judges 4:1-2). 1. (vs. 1). Our first verse says And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead. During the time that Ehud served as judge, the Israelites enjoyed peace from their enemies for eighty years (see Judges 3:30). But when Ehud was dead or after his death, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. Unfortunately, these sad words would often be repeated throughout the time of the judges (see Judges 10:6; 13:1). The fact that the Israelites were true to the Lord during Ehud s lifetime as judge speaks well of his influence on the people. But the seeds of disobedience had already been sown (see Judges 3:5-6), and would bear fruit in spite of his leadership. 2. (vs. 2). This verse says And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. The phrase

4 the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan means that the Lord let His people be conquered and oppressed by King Jabin of Canaan as punishment for backsliding. Unlike the earlier oppressions, this enemy came from the north and afflicted the northern tribes. This oppression also came from peoples who lived in the land prior to the Jews conquering it. In other words, these were Canaanites from the northern part of the land and not foreigners. Whereas, earlier oppressors had come from foreign territories like Mesopotamia (see Judges 3:8) and Moab (see Judges 3:12), this oppression by the Canaanites came from within Canaan itself. The Canaanites that the northern tribes had failed to drive out when they entered the Land (see Judges 1:30-33) now arose to oppress them. Therefore, their oppression was God s judgment. An earlier king Jabin of Canaan who also reigned in Hazor had led a coalition against Joshua, but he was defeated (see Joshua 11:1-14). This Jabin in our lesson was also king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor and was no doubt a descendant of the Jabin Joshua defeated earlier, and therefore he was thirsty for revenge. After the defeat by Joshua, Hazor which was located in northern Canaan between Damascus and the Mediterranean Sea, was burned down (see Joshua 11:1, 10), and had been rebuilt and once again posed a serious threat to Israel. But Jabin its king, does not figure prominently in this story; the focus is entirely on the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. We are told that Sisera was the captain or leader of Jabin s host or army. The phrase Harosheth of the Gentiles, if it refers to a specific city, most likely was located along the Kishon River

5 east of Mount Carmel. However, it may also refer to a more general territory. The fact that it was identified with the Gentiles indicates that it was close to the border of foreign nations that lay beyond Canaan. Note: When Israel forsook God, He forsook them; and then they became an easy prey to every spoiler. Whenever we are disobedient, we alienate ourselves from God as if He was not ours (see Colossians 1:21); and then God alienates us as if we were not His. Those who remove themselves out of God s service also remove themselves out of His protection. This Canaanite enemy was closer to the Israelites than any of their former enemies, because they dwelt within their borders. This gave them greater opportunity to oppress the Israelites. B. Israel s cry for help (Judges 4:3). This verse says And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. Following their usual pattern, Israel turned to the Lord for help when they saw no other hope. So the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. The words cried unto the Lord indicate the depths of their despair. Distress and despair drove them back to the Lord. For sure, those who slight God when they are prosperous will find themselves desperately seeking Him when they are in trouble. Under Jabin, king of the Canaanites, we are told that for twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. This means that the oppression was especially severe and there seemed

6 to be no hope of relief since the Canaanites had nine hundred chariots of iron. The use of iron chariots for warfare was advanced technology and it provided the enemy with overpowering ability. In contrast, the Israelites would not produce their own iron products for many more years (see I Samuel 13:19-22). Iron weapons and chariots gave Sisera, the captain of the Canaanite army an advantage over the Israelites who at this time had not mastered the technique of smelting and fashioning iron. Therefore, it s not surprising that Sisera mightily oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. However, during that time the Israelites had the opportunity to examine their ways and cry for help. Note: It s sad that the Lord has to use prolonged and severe hardship to bring sinners to their knees. The peace and prosperity that should produce thankfulness to God more often lead men to forsake and forget Him. Let us learn from Israel s experience to give God His due before He is compelled to wring it from us through discipline. IV. DEBORAH S LEADERSHIP AND ISRAEL S DELIVERANCE PREDICTED (Judges 4:4-7) A. Deborah s ministry (Judges 4:4-5) 1. (vs. 4). This verse says And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at

7 that time. At this point in the narrative, we are introduced to Deborah the person through whom God would initiate Israel s deliverance. She is described as a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. Her name means bee and she was a prophetess. As a prophetess Deborah spoke for God to the people. She received revelation directly from the Lord and used what God revealed for His glory. Note: The Bible indicates that several other women served as prophetesses. They include Miriam, the sister of Moses (see Exodus 15:20); Huldah who lived in the time of King Josiah (see II Kings 22:14); Anna who saw Jesus as a baby in the temple (see Luke 2:36); and the four daughters of Philip (see Acts 21:8-9). Although Deborah was the wife of Lapidoth we know nothing more about her husband. Deborah was the exception to the rule in ancient Israel where men usually overshadowed women. Deborah was not only a prophetess, she also judged Israel at that time. The words at that time refers to the time the Israelites were under Canaanite oppression. Note: Generally speaking, the thirteen judges in the Book of Judges were military heroes or deliverers who led the nation of Israel against their enemies during the period between the death of Joshua and the establishment of kings. During the period of the judges, from about B.C., the government of Israel was a loose confederation of tribes gathered about their shrine, the Ark of the Covenant. Without a human king to guide them, the people tended to rebel and fall into worship of false gods time and time again. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (see Judges 17:6; 21:25) is

8 how the Book of Judges describes these chaotic times. To punish the people, God would send foreign nations or tribes to oppress them. Therefore, the judges were charismatic leaders who God would raise up to rally the people to defeat the enemy. With the exception of Deborah, the judges were more military leaders than spiritual leaders. 2. (vs. 5). This verse goes on to say And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. Deborah s work as a prophetess was conducted under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim. Since she conducted her work under this particular tree, it was called the palm tree of Deborah. This palm tree was probably located near her home in mount Ephraim and was between Ramah and Bethel. The city of Bethel was on the border between the tribes of Benjamin and Ephraim, and Ramah was farther south. Mount Ephraim was not a single mountain but the central range of mountains in Samaria in northern Israel that extended south to Ramah and Bethel. Therefore, the term Mount Ephraim could be rendered as the hill country of Ephraim. In her position as both prophetess and judge, the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. In other words, the Israelites came to her to decide their disputes. It is implied here that her fair settlement of disputes through divinely given wisdom had spread her reputation far and wide. Her godliness and knowledge of the law brought many to her in a day when

9 authoritative messages were few (see Judges 21:25; I Samuel 3:1). Note: Of all the judges mentioned in the Book of Judges, Deborah comes closest to our idea of what a judge does. Unlike the other judges, who were known for their military exploits, Deborah sat under a palm tree, making just rulings in cases brought to her by the people involved. Therefore, she fulfilled the role of a judge that was defined in the Law of Moses (see Deuteronomy 16:18). Her chief responsibility was settling disputes. B. Deborah summons Barak to lead the Israelite army (Judges 4:6-7). 1. (vs. 6). This verse says And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? Since Deborah herself was not called as a military leader, she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali. We are not told how Deborah knew that Barak was God s choice to lead Israel into battle against Sisera. However, since she was a prophetess, it s likely that the Lord spoke to her either directly or by some other revelation. Barak was the son of Abinoam and was from Kedesh-naphtali. This community was about eighteen miles north of the Sea of Galilee and had originally

10 been taken by Joshua in his campaign to conquer northern Canaan (see Joshua 12:7, 22). It was one of the designated cities of refuge where individuals under suspicion of committing crimes could go until they could be scheduled for trials (see Joshua 20:1-7; 21:32). When Deborah summoned or sent for Barak, she made it plain that the message was not only from her, but from the Lord God of Israel. Deborah s message to Barak was Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? Although she phrased this message as a question, it was more of a statement of fact, for God had commanded him to Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun. The Lord had revealed to Deborah how the Canaanites would be defeated and who should lead the army; so she placed Barak in the position of having to obey or disobey a divine command. He was commanded to Go and draw toward mount Tabor. In other words he was to mobilize or march towards Mount Tabor which was a cone-shaped peak that was distinct from the surrounding hills and could be seen from a great distance. It was located at the northeastern corner of the Plain of Jezreel where the tribal territories of Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came together. Mount Tabor is more than eighteen hundred feet high and provided the Israelite army some safety from Sisera s chariots. It was also a place from which Barak could launch his attack into the valley below. In other words, Mount Tabor would be the rallying place for the ten thousand soldiers who would

11 make up Barak s army when it went to face Sisera s forces (see Judges 4:14). Barak was to take with him ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun. His army was to come from the children or tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. These were the two tribes most directly affected by king Jabin s oppression. Note: It should be noted that men from the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir (Manasseh), and Issachar also joined in (see Judges 5:14-15). However, a number of tribes decided not to get involved (see Judges 5:14-18). This is a reminder that the unwillingness of God s people to serve in churches today can be discouraging to God s leaders. Therefore, church leaders should follow the example of Deborah and Barak who willingly worked with the imperfect workers they had, accepting them as sent by God. 2. (vs. 7). This verse says And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. The Lord s words continued as He said I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin s army, with his chariots and his multitude. As noted in verse 6, it was Barak s responsibility to get his ten thousand men to Mount Tabor. But God would see to it that the enemy would be nearby for them to fight. He would draw Sisera, the captain of Jabin s army, with his chariots and his multitude to Mount Tabor where Barak and his ten thousand men will be waiting. The word draw indicates that only God was able to cause Sisera and his chariots and his multitude to

12 come to the place of the battle as if they were being pulled by an invisible force. The words his multitude refers to Sisera s vast number of foot soldiers or infantrymen who would mop up after the chariot assaults. The Lord promised to lure Sisera with his chariots and foot soldiers into the valley below Mount Tabor. Barak would have to come down from the mountain and attack them. But he had God s assurance, for the Lord said I will deliver him into thine hand. God only required that Barak believe His promise even though he did not know how the victory would be accomplished. V. BARAK S RESPONSE (Judges 4:8-10) A. Deborah fulfills Barak s need for reassurance (Judges 4:8-9). 1. (vs. 8). This verse goes on to say And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. After receiving Deborah s summons, Barak sent a reply back to Deborah that might have startled her. He said If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. Men of course, traditionally led military campaigns. So why then, would Barak insist that Deborah go with him before he agreed to go? Barak had God s promise through the prophetess that

13 He would bring victory, yet he hesitated. He lacked the confidence in himself to undertake the task alone; he would only go if Deborah went with him. His hesitation is understandable, for he knew that the prophetess, God s chosen judge symbolized the Lord s presence. If she was there with Barak at the battle, both he and his men would be infused with a confidence of divine power. Note: We should not criticize Barak because he would not fight unless a woman went with him. We need only turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 11, the chapter of faith to find that Deborah s name is not mentioned among the heroes of faith (although she demonstrated mature faith), but Barak s is (see Hebrews 11:32). Therefore, it seems that Barak s need for Deborah to accompany him was not because he was a coward. Instead, he wanted a prophetess there to represent God and to give any further word from the Lord that might come. Barak s insistence on having a visible sign of God s presence was like that of a later generation of Israelites who believed that the presence of the Ark of the Covenant would deliver them from the Philistines (see I Samuel 4:3-4). Their faith was not mature enough to understand that the Lord s presence is not confined to a person or an object. We too, must beware that we don t confine God to a building, a day of the week, or a class of men we call clergy. We must also remember that our gracious God does not reject believers who at times respond to His call with hesitation. The list is long of those who have needed a more mature faith. For example, God has patiently worked with men such as Moses (see Exodus 3:11), Gideon (see Judges 6:15), and Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 1:6). God s calling is His

14 enabling. The Bible says Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God (II Corinthians 3:5; see also Philippians 2:13). We might ask: Did Barak have faith? Yes he did. He demonstrated it by going with Deborah, calling together an army, and trusting the Lord to bring the enemy to him. We might also ask: Was Barak s faith all that it should have been? No, it wasn t. That s why in the end, it was a woman named Jael, not Barak who killed Sisera. God chooses men and women of faith to serve Him. And it doesn t take a lot of faith, just a mature faith (see Luke 22:32), even the size of a mustard seed is enough (see Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6). God does not choose people whose faith is perfect because there are no such people. But He knows that those who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ are capable of great things through faith in the Lord. 2. (vs. 9). This verse says And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. Deborah replied to Barak saying I will surely go with thee. She was not a military leader, and she would go unarmed; yet her faith in the Lord gave her confidence in the success of the venture. In addition, her presence would inspire the army, for to them she would symbolize the presence of the Lord. However, Deborah quickly let Barak know that he had to pay a price for putting a

15 condition on obeying God. She said notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour. In other words, the battle would be won, as the Lord promised; but Barak would not receive the honor that a victorious general could normally expect. Specifically, Barak would not be the one to decide the fate of the defeated general, Sisera. That would be determined by a woman as Deborah declared for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. To Barak, the woman spoken of would have seemed to be Deborah. However, this was not the case. Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite would slay Sisera (see Judges 4:17-22). Thus Barak would relinquish the honor normally due to a victorious commander, but he achieved the reassurance he sought, for Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. She left Mount Ephraim (see Judges 4:5) and traveled up to Kedesh in the tribal territory of Naphtali (see Judges 4:6) in order to join Barak and his soldiers. Note: Ironically, in spite of Barak s immature faith, his name appears in the New Testament as one of the heroes of faith (see Hebrews 11:32). Let us remember that none of those on that list were perfect in faith, and that some of them suffered serious lapses of faith. Their inclusion in the list of heroes of faith is evidence of the grace of God who prefers to stress the strengths not the weaknesses of His people. Nevertheless, like Barak, our lack of trust always restricts the blessings we hope to enjoy in God s service.

16 B. Barak answers the call (Judges 4:10). Our final verse says And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. The phrase And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh means that Barak sent out calls from Kedesh, to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali for men to come and join him. Note: Since Israel at this time had no standing army as we have today, Barak and Deborah had to depend on citizen-soldiers to fight the Canaanite forces. These volunteers would bring their own weapons and perhaps their own tents, food, and other provision. Since there was no training program such as we have now, these volunteers would be expected to know how to fight and obey orders. After this military campaign ended, they would be free to return to their homes. When the volunteers arrived at Kedesh, they were met by Barak and Deborah. The phrase and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet simply means that the ten thousand men from the various tribes followed at the heels of Barak and Deborah as they moved toward Mount Tabor as the Lord had directed (see Judges 4:6). Note: This is probably a good place to reveal the results of the battle and how a woman received the honor Barak should have received. Realizing that he had been defeated by Barak and his army, Sisera fled and headed towards Heber s tent. Heber had a good relationship with king Jabin, so Jael, Heber s wife had no problem luring Sisera into the tent promising him food and rest (see Judges 4:17-20). But while he slept, Jael drove a tent peg into his temple, killing him instantly (see

17 Judges 4:21). When the pursuing Barak finally arrived at Heber s tent, he found Sisera dead; and just as Deborah had prophesied (see Judges 4:9), Jael, a woman was the one whose praises would be sung (see Judges 5:24-27) not Barak s. VI. Conclusion. This week s lesson, revealed how Israel sinned and was oppressed by the Canaanites for twenty years as God s punishment. When the people cried out to the Lord, Deborah was God s choice to be their deliverer. Deborah, a prophetess and a judge, enlisted Barak to raise an army and to go to war against Sisera, the captain of the Canaanite army. At Barak s insistence, Deborah went with him into battle. Through their leadership, the Lord won a great victory for Israel. Deborah had to be willing to be used by God in such a special way. Barak needed to be willing to cooperate with the leader God had chosen. Likewise, Christians today should be sensitive to the Lord and willing to fill the roles that the Lord gives us. We also need to cooperate with the Lord s leaders. ***The Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Union Gospel

18 Press*** Sunday, June 4, 2017: Deborah and Barak Commentary