An Unlikely Hero Of The Faith Hebrews 11:32-33/Judges 4:1-24 Message by Michael J. Barnard February 25, 2018 Teaching Aim: To examine the cultural climate in Israel that led to Deborah taking the lead as Israel s Judge. To recognize the absence of male leadership in those days was symptomatic of the godless culture in which they lived. To compare the similarities between Deborah and Barak s day with our own today. To realize men are called by God to be the spiritual leaders in their families and in the Church. When men don t take this role; women will! DIGGING DEEPER INTO GOD S WORD (BIBLE STUDY) Part I: With a lack of male leadership; Deborah arose to be Judge (Judg. 4:1-5) 1. Ehud, Israel s 2 nd Judge, had led Israel into an 80-year period of rest. According to verse 1, what happened following the death of Ehud? Israel once again entered the vicious cycle of apostasy, servitude, supplication and salvation. Where do we find Israel at in verse 2? Have you ever walked away from the Lord and had to pay the consequences? If so, when? 2. Who was Jabin and what was the importance of the city-state called Hazor (vs. 2)? (See Commentaries) What can we learn about Hazor s previous history from Josh. 11:10-11? Who is one of the main characters in this story and commander of Jabin s army (vs. 2b)? 3. What part of the cycle of apostasy, servitude, supplication and salvation do we find taking place in verse 3? Have you ever found yourself crying out to God for help? If so, when? 4. What can we learn about the oppression of Jabin and Sisera from verse 3? What military weapon brought fear into the hearts of the oppressed? Why? What kind of military advantage did this weapon give the Canaanites over Israel s lightly equipped army? 1
5. What unusual biblical personality is introduced in verse 4? What made this woman so unique? While the elders of the people sat at the gates of the city, where did Deborah do her judging? Did the children respect Deborah according to verse 5? 6. What is the meaning of Deborah s name? (See Commentaries) How was her name related to the sweet judgment she offered to Israel? Why do you think Deborah was also called, the mother of her people? 7. Deborah is one of only four women to be called a prophetess in the Old Testament. Who are the other four? (See Exod. 15:20; 2 Kin. 22:14; 2 Chr. 34:22; Isa. 8:3; Neh. 6:24) Which of these ladies was a false prophetess? Part II: Deborah calls on the men of Israel to fight Sisera and his troops (Judg. 4:6-16) 1. What commander of Israel s army did Deborah call upon in verse 6? What tribe was this commander from? What special message did Deborah pass on to this commander from God? How many men was he to gather from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun? 2. What is the meaning of the name, Barak? (See Commentaries) What famous mountain was Barak commanded to lead his troops to (vs. 6)? What other biblical event is believed to have taken place on this mountain? (See Matt. 17:1-13) What famous valley was this unusual looking mountain located next to? 3. What was the purpose of Barak leading his troops to this mountain (vs. 7a)? What usually dry riverbed would play an important part in this story (vs. 7b)? 2
4. Did Barak immediately follow God s command, or did he require a condition be met first (vs. 8)? If so, what condition? Barak probably saw this as a suicide mission. Why do you think he wanted Deborah to go with him? 5. There are consequences when we doubt God s Word. What were the consequences here (vs. 9)? When Deborah said, the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman, who do you think Barak thought she was talking about? Is Barak acting like a hero of the faith here or is this the kind of situation that is referred to in Isa. 3:12? 6. In verse 10, Barak finally obeyed God and took his troops to Mount Tabor. What individual enters the story in verse 11? What ties did he have to the Israelites? In Hebrew, the name Heber can mean ally. Who is he now allied to (vs. 12)? Heber was an informant and a traitor to the Jewish people. Note: It is important to realize God will at times allow evil to take place in the world in order to bring about His purpose and demonstrate His glory! 7. How did Sisera react to the news from Heber (vs. 13)? Do you think God used the evil intent of Heber s heart to unknowingly draw Sisera into a trap that God Himself had set up? 8. What command and promise did Deborah give to Barak in verse 14? How did Barak respond this time? On what basis could Barak know that the victory was already his? Can we say the same in our own lives today? How can we as born-again Christians know that we are in a win-win situation, regardless of what we face in life? 3
9. According to verse 15, who was responsible for the routing of Sisera and his soldiers? In Judges chapter 5, we learn of details from the story from the Song of Deborah and Barak. What can we learn about this battle from Judg. 5:4,19-21? What supernatural act of God tilted the battle to the Israelites? What other miracle in Israel s history was similar to this one? (See Exod. 14:24-25) 10. What happened to Sisera at this point in the story (vs. 15b)? How did the torrential rain and the torrent waters of the Kishon change the battle (vs. 16)? Can you think of any other examples where God used the weather to sway a battle? Part III: Sisera is delivered into the hands of a woman, but not Deborah (Judg. 4:17-24) 1. Sisera was probably fleeing by foot to the city-state of Hazor (vs.17). Fatigued and defeated, whose tent did he seek refuge in? Why? Who met Sisera at the tent (vs. 18)? What welcome news was given? What Middle Eastern customs made Sisera think he would be safe? 2. What did Jael (Heber s wife) give to Sisera when he asked for water (vs. 19)? What will milk and a blanket do to you when you are tired? What suspicious instructions did Sisera give to Jael as he prepared to go to sleep (vs. 20)? What did this reveal to Jael? 3. In Middle Eastern culture, the women were expected to put up and take down the tents. What skill would Jael have as a result (vs. 21)? What gruesome act did Jael do to the Canaanite commander Sisera? What can we learn about Jael s loyalty from this action; was it to her wicked husband Heber, or was it to her distant relatives, the Jews? Was it considered a disgrace for a man to be killed by a woman in ancient days? (See Judg. 9:52-54) Is it still considered a disgrace for a Muslim man to be killed by a woman today? 4
4. What surprise did Barak find when he arrived at the tent of Jael (vs. 22)? Which woman fulfilled Deborah s prophecy (vs. 9)? How did Barak react to Jael s brutal act in the Song of Deborah and Barak? (See Judg. 5:24-27) 5. Who subdued Jabin king of Canaan on that day (vs. 23)? As cowardliness is contagious, so is bravery! What happened to the Canaanites as a result of the bravery and obedience that followed (vs. 24)? Deborah means honeybee; Jael means mountain goat. Interestingly the land flowing with milk and honey had been saved by milk and honey. 6. What practical applications can we learn from the story of Deborah and Barak? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. MINER S CORNER ~ Manna to live by! Fighting an enemy stronger than yourself requires both faith in God and obedience! It is important to remember during times of difficulty, God plus you equal a majority! When men don t fulfill their God given roles of responsibility, women will! Women often demonstrate more godliness than men, both at home and in the church! Men are called by God to be the spiritual leaders of their families and their churches! The story of Deborah doesn t allow for a new norm today; rather it is a challenge for every believing man to stand up to the leadership responsibilities God has called them too! The victory is already ours, all we have to do is trust God and follow His marching orders! 5