Copyr. 1997, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D.
INTRODUCTION: LAST WEEK WE SAW THAT EHUD, WHO WAS LEFT-HANDED
BECAUSE HIS RIGHT HAND WAS IMPAIRED, KILLED THE BLOB-KING EGLON AND
SAVED ISRAEL FROM THE MOABITES. PEACE REIGNED FOR 80 YEARS.
BUT THIS WEEK IS A NEW DAY, SO LETS GET INTO IT!
I. DEBORAH AND BARAK
A. READ JUDGES 4:1-3. WE SEE THAT EHUD HAS DIED. DID GOD'S
PEOPLE REMAIN FAITHFUL TO HIM?
B. SO WHAT IS THE NOW PRETTY FAMILIAR PATTERN? (THE CANAANITES
TOOK OVER AND "CRUELLY OPPRESSED" THEM FOR 20 YEARS.)
1. NOTICE THE PROGRESSION: CUSHAN HAD THEM IN SUBJUGATION
FOR 8 YEARS (3:8) AND EGLON HAD THEM IN SUBJUGATION FOR
18 YEARS (3:14), SO THIS IS THE LONGEST THEY HAVE BEEN IN
SUBJUGATION IN THE PROMISED LAND.
C. WHY DID GOD'S PEOPLE CALL TO HIM FOR HELP? (TWO REASONS ARE
GIVEN IN v.3: THEY WERE OPPRESSED AND IRON CHARIOTS.)
1. WHAT DO "IRON CHARIOTS" HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?
(THEY WERE HURTING, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO
ABOUT IT WITH THEIR OWN POWER.)
2. DO YOU REMEMBER THIS TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEM FROM THE
PAST? (YES. JUDGES 1:19 TELLS US THAT THE ISRAELITES WERE
ABLE TO DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITES FROM THE HILL COUNTRY,
BUT THEY JUST COULD NOT BEAT THE PEOPLE OF THE PLAINS WHO
HAD IRON CHARIOTS AND COULD USE THEM IN THE PLAINS.
3. FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW THE PROBLEM WAS HOPELESS!
D. READ JUDGES 4: 4-10.
1. LETS TALK FIRST ABOUT DEBORAH. WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT
HER?
(a. PROPHETESS (v.4);
b. LEADING (NIV) JUDGING (KJV), THE HEBREW CAN MEAN
EITHER JUDGING OR GOVERNING) (v.4); AND,
c. JUDGED DISPUTES (v.5))
2. CAN ANYONE REMEMBER A WOMAN LEADING ISRAEL BEFORE? (I
CANNOT) WE DISCUSSED EARLIER THAT THE USE OF THE TERM
"JUDGES" IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES MEANS MORE A DELIVERER
THAN A JUDGE AS WE THINK OF THEM TODAY. BUT WITH DEBORAH,
WE FIND SOMEONE WHO IS TRUELY ACTING AS A "JUDGE" AND
LEADING ISRAEL.)
3. DEBORAH MUST HAVE BEEN A REMARKABLE WOMAN!
4. LETS TALK NEXT ABOUT BARAK. GOD GIVES HIM 10,000 MEN
(v.6) A BATTLE PLAN (v.7) AND THE PROMISE THAT HE WILL
WIN (v.7).
a. WHAT ELSE COULD HE NEED? (A SPINE)
b. WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT THIS GENERAL? (THAT HE IS
NOT HEADING INTO BATTLE UNLESS DEBORAH GOES
ALONG.(v.8)
c. WHY DO YOU THINK HE DEMANDS THIS?
d. (I CANNOT TELL IF HE IS JUST A COWARD, OR WHETHER
THIS IS BARAK'S IDEA OF A WAY TO BE SURE DEBORAH IS
NOT JUST MAKING UP MESSAGES FROM THE LORD!)
E. IS THERE ANY INDICATION IN THIS TEXT THAT WOMAN WERE
CONSIDERED INFERIOR TO MEN IN THIS CULTURE? (YES. DEBORAH
MAKES THE POINT IN v.9 THAT SISERA WILL BE HANDED OVER TO "A
WOMAN.")
1. KEEP THIS POINT IN MIND AS WE CONTINUE.
II. SISERA'S END
A. READ JUDGES 4:11-15. HOW DID THE TWO ARMIES GET TOGETHER?
(v.11-12. IT APPEARS THAT HEBER THE KENITE INFORMED SISERA
ABOUT THE LOCATION OF BARAK'S ARMY!)(ALTHOUGH THE HEBREW IS
"IT WAS MADE KNOWN." SO NOT CLEAR THAT HEBER TOLD HIM.)
1. WHO ARE THESE KENITES? (JUDGES 1:16. YOU REMEMBER THAT
MOSES MARRIED A NON-JEWISH WOMAN. A SOURCE OF SOME
CONTROVERSY. SHE WAS A KENITE. YOU RECALL THAT MOSES AND
HIS FATHER-IN-LAW GOT ALONG JUST FINE (HE GAVE MOSES
ADVICE ON SETTING UP A JUDICIAL SYSTEM), AND SO THE
KENITES ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND WITH THE 12 TRIBES!)
2. IS HEBER A RENEGADE? IS HE HELPING SISERA OR HELPING
BARAK? (THIS IS PART OF THE LORD'S PLAN. LOOK AT 4:7. GOD
PROMISES BARAK THAT HE WILL LURE SISERA TO THE KISHON
RIVER AND THEN HAND HIM OVER. SO, THIS "TIP" FROM HEBER
RESULTS IN SISERA GOING EXACTLY WHERE GOD PROMISED -- THE
KISHON RIVER (v.13)
B. SO SISERA IS DOWN IN THE RIVER VALLEY AND BARAK AND HIS
TROOPS ARE UP IN THE MOUNTAIN TABOR.
1. WHY? (THAT IS WHERE EACH IS AT THE BEST ADVANTAGE FOR
THEIR TROOPS. CHARIOTS NOT DO WELL IN MOUNTAINS. TROOPS
DO NOT DO WELL IN THE PLAINS AGAINST CHARIOTS)
C. SO, HOW WAS THE BATTLE JOINED? (BARAK ATTACKED ON THE
EXPRESS COMMAND OF DEBORAH! THE PROPHET TELLS THE GENERAL WHEN
TO ADVANCE -- AND INTO A STRATEGICALLY UNWISE (IN MEN'S EYES)
POSITION!
1. THERE IS A LITTLE PHRASE THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS FOR A
MOMENT. NOTICE IN v.14 DEBORAH SAYS, "HAS NOT THE LORD
GONE AHEAD OF YOU?"
a. WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS MEANS? (I SUSPECT THAT IT
MEANS THAT GOD DID SOMETHING WITH/TO THEIR
CHARIOTS.)
D. IN VERSE 15 WE FIND THAT SISERA, THE COMMANDER GENERAL OF
THE CANAANITE ARMY "ABANDONED HIS CHARIOT AND FLED ON FOOT."
1. WHO DO YOU THINK HAD THE BEST CHARIOT IN THE ARMY?
a. THE FASTEST?
b. BEST ARMORED?
c. BEST HORSES AND DRIVER?
2. SO WHY WOULD HE GIVE UP THE BEST OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANTAGE THAT HE HAD OVER THE ISRAELITES?
a. IF YOU WERE AN ARMORED DIVISION AGAINST
FOOTSOLDIERS, WOULD YOU GET OUT OF YOUR TANK IF YOU
WERE RUNNING AWAY?
(GETTING OUT ON FOOT WOULD SEEM TO BE THE DUMBEST OF DECISIONS. SO
ASSUMING THAT SISERA IS NO DOPE, THIS SEEMS TO CONFIRM THAT FACT
THAT THE LORD SOMEHOW INTERFERED WITH THE OPERATION OF THE
CHARIOTS.)
E. LETS TURN AHEAD TO CHAPTER 5. CHPT 5 IS A SONG OF VICTORY
IN WHICH THE PEOPLE RECOUNT THEIR DEFEAT OF SISERA.
1. TURN WITH ME TO 5:19-22. LETS READ ABOUT THE ACCOUNT
OF THE BATTLE IN THIS SONG.
2. IN THIS DO YOU SEE ANY CLUE AS TO HOW THE LORD
INTERFERED WITH THE CHARIOTS? (IT SAYS THAT THE HEAVENS
AND STARS FOUGHT FOR ISRAEL; IT SAYS THE RIVER KISHON
SWEPT THEM AWAY; IT SAYS THE HORSES GALLOPED AWAY.)
a. (I THINK THERE WAS A THUNDER STORM, A FLASH
FLOOD, AND THE CANAANITES CUT THE HORSES LOOSE TO
PREVENT THE IRON CHARIOTS FROM DROWNING THEM. IF
THOSE HORSES HAD BEEN GALLOPING OFF PULLING THE
CHARIOTS AND SOLDIERS BEHIND, BARAK'S FOOTSOLDIERS
WOULD NEVER HAVE CAUGHT THEM!)
F. READ JUDGES 4:15-19. WHAT DO WE LEARN HERE ABOUT HEBER THE
KENITE AND SISERA'S BOSS, KING JABIN? (SAYS THEY HAD FRIENDLY
RELATIONS.
1. DO YOU THINK THIS WAS PROPER? (NO. IF THE KENITES HAD
BECOME A PART OF GOD'S PEOPLE, THEY WERE TO HAVE THE SAME
ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE CANAANITES AS THE REST WERE SUPPOSED
TO (BUT DID NOT) HAVE!)
2. WHERE IS HEBER? (APPARENTLY HE IS NOT AT HOME.)
3. IS JAEL TREATING SISERA IN A KINDLY WAY?
a. NOTICE THAT SHE INVITES HIM IN (NOT USUAL FOR A
WOMAN);
b. GIVES HIM A BLANKET; AND
c. GIVES HIM MILK INSTEAD OF JUST THE REQUESTED
WATER!
G. READ JUDGES 4:20-21.
1. THIS IS APPARENTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU START GIVING
A WOMAN COMMANDS!
a. WAS IT SOMETHING THAT SISERA SAID?
2. DO YOU SENSE THAT HEBER'S WIFE, JABER, DOES NOT SHARE
HIS SPIRITUAL BELIEFS OR POLITICAL VIEWS?
H. READ JUDGES 4:22-24. DOES THIS GIVE YOU THE SENSE THAT JAEL
KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS DOING?
I. LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT EHUD AND EGLON. THE BIBLE GAVE US
THE GRAPHIC DETAILS OF THE WAY EHUD KILLED EGLON. ALTHOUGH IT
CERTAINLY WAS NOT A FAIR FIGHT BETWEEN THEM, WE DECIDED THAT
EHUD DID NOT LIE TO EGLON ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING.
1. HOW DOES JAEL COMPARE? DID SHE AFFIRMATIVELY DECEIVE
SISERA? (YES. 4:18, "COME RIGHT IN. DON'T BE AFRAID.")
2. OUR LESSON SUGGESTS THAT THIS IS NOT MURDER. WHAT DO
YOU SAY?
3. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHAT JAEL DID?
a. THERE ARE TWO CRITICAL VERSES TO CONSIDER ON
THIS:
(1) JUDGES 4:23 SAYS, "ON THAT DAY GOD SUBDUED
JABIN, THE CANAANITE KING."
(2) JUDGES 5:24 SAYS, "MOST BLESSED OF WOMEN BE
JAEL ... MOST BLESSED OF TENT-DWELLING WOMEN."
(THIS SUGGESTS THAT GOD WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.)
J. WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT GOD?
1. BETWEEN THE EHUD/EGLON STORY AND THE SISERA/JAEL STORY
WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT GOD? (IN BOTH CASES WE HAVE
VICTORY THROUGH THE WEAK. A WOMAN WITH A TENT PEG KILLS
A MIGHTY GENERAL)
2. WHY DID GOD DECIDE TO INCLUDE THIS STORY (THESE TWO
STORIES) IN THE BIBLE? (IN BOTH CASES IT SHOWS THAT THOSE
WHO DO EVIL COME TO A BRUTAL END. (NOT JUST A BRUTAL END.
THESE STORIES ARE CLEARLY LAUGHING AT GOD'S ENEMIES. A
MIGHTY GENERAL GETS KILLED BY A WOMAN WITH A TENT PEG!)
WHILE THOSE WHO STAND WITH GOD ARE VICTORIOUS. THIS
SHOWS THE "EXECUTE JUDGMENT" SIDE OF OUR LOVING FATHER.
HE WILL EXECUTE JUDGMENT ON THE WICKED.)
a. (IT ALSO SUGGESTS THAT HOW WE LIVE MAKES A
DIFFERENCE TO GOD, AND HE INTERVENES BASED ON OUR
FAITHFULNESS.)
3. DO YOU SEE ANY OTHER WAY THAT THIS STORY COULD END?
THAT IS, ONE SIDE WAS GOING TO DIE. IT TURNS OUT THAT
THIS DAY THE BAD GUYS DIED. JUDGES 4:24 TELLS US THIS WAS
A TURNING POINT, AND AS A RESULT, ISRAEL FINALLY
DESTROYED KING JABIN OF THE CANAANITES. FF. BRUCE'S
COMMENTARY (p. 318) SAYS THAT THIS BATTLE WAS PIVOTAL "IN
THE SALVATION HISTORY OF THE TRIBES," BECAUSE "NEVER
AGAIN DO CANAANITE FORCES MOUNT A FULL-SCALE BATTLE WITH
... ISRAEL." PRAISE GOD!
III. NEXT WEEK: JUDGES 6: GIDEON. STUDY!