A Wonderful Woman Leader

O. T. #515  "A Wonderful Woman Leader"
May 11, 2015
Judges 4-Part 2
And she dwelt under the palm tree of...   Judges 4:5


LET IT GLOW

Everyone came to her for advice. She had wisdom for every situation. She was a humble leader, a judge of a great nation. She sought the Lord for the right answer to each problem. Who was this unusual, wonderful woman in this Old Testament time? What well respected woman did God choose to use to help deliver Israel? Read on to find the answer.

For twenty years Israel was under the oppression of Jabin and his military leader Sisera. Then God chose to use two women for their deliverance-Debra and Jael. Shall we take a closer look at the details? (Having some background always gives me a better understanding of the situation.)

What do we know about this woman?

• She was a prophetess in Israel. The word prophetess in the Hebrew language is nbiy'ah (pronounced neb-ee-yaw'), is the feminine form of nabiy'. It means a prophetess or inspired woman; a poetess; by association a prophet's wife. (Strong's Concordance)
• She was the wife of Lapidoth. (verse 4)
• Deborah judged Israel at that time as a non-military leader, according to Falwell.
• She judged the children of Israel under a palm tree of Deborah, as the people came up to her for judgment. (verse 5)
• Her place of residence was between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim, putting her about 50 miles south of the battle scene. (verse 5)
• She rallied the tribes together and assists Barak in leading them to victory. (Wiersbe)

Liberty Bible Commentary adds more to help us understand this situation:

 The fact that she (Deborah) was a woman has caused questions as to why she occupied the position of a judge. Women played the predominant roles in this entire incident, and their significance is a reflection on the weakness of male leadership in Israel at that time. The book of Judges exposes the spiritual decline and weakness in Israel at this time. Nothing in the Mosaic law directly prohibited women from taking a place of responsibility that was normally the place of men; and the principle seems clear that when a man was not on the scene to deliver the people, God chose to use a woman.

Falwell goes on to say, "this incident cannot be taken as a justification for contradiction the pastoral qualifications listed in the New Testament Epistles. That pastors of churches should be men, not women, is made clear by such passages as I Timothy 3 and I Corinthians 14; and there are no records of women pastors in the New Testament. However, there are extensive references to the important place and activity of women in the New Testament congregations."

She was an unusual woman of wisdom and influence who did the tasks of a judge, except for military leadership. God can use women mightily for civil, religious, or other tasks. Deborah's rise to such a role (prophetess) is the exception in the book because of Barak's failure to show the courage to lead courageously (verses 8 and 14). God rebuked his cowardice by the pledge that a woman would kill Sisera (verse 9).  (MacArthur)

Are you and I women surrendered to God for His use and purpose, in Kingdom work?
Are we known as women of faith?
Are we submissive to our husbands and the church as far as the roles and lives we lead?
Are we teaching other women and children the Word of God?

LET IT GROW

Deborah, the Jewish prophetess, is the only judge of Israel that the text says people came to her for judgment. Despite his name, Barak (meaning Lightning) was reluctant. Deborah was confident in God's word, God's will, God's work, and God's way.  (David Jeremiah)

Deborah got a battle plan from the Lord God of Israel and she passed it onto Barak:

• Go, take 10,000 men of Naphtali and Zebulun tribes and lead the way to Mount Tabor. (verse 6)
• God would lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots (900 iron) and his troops to the Kishon River. (verse 7)
• God said He would give Sisera into Barak's hands. (verse 7)

How did Barak answer Deborah?
In verse 8, he said, If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go.

She agreed to go, but under what condition?
The honor (of the victory) would not be Barak's but the Lord would hand Sisera over to a woman.

So Deborah and Barak summoned the two tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. The military men of 10,000 followed Deborah with Barak to war. Let it begin.

• A man named Heber, a Kenite who left his family, and pitched his tent under the tree at Kedesh, informed Sisera where Barak and his army were.
• Deborah told Barak, Go! This is the day the LORD has given sisera into your hands. Has not the LORD gone ahead of you?
• Then Barak and his men advanced down Mount Tabor.
• The Lord discomfitted Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword. Discomfitted means to put into commotion; to disturb; drive; destroy; crush; routed.
• While the battle went on, the chariots of Sisera wee caught in a sudden downpour, flooding the swollen river in such a degree that the chariots became bogged down in the mud, and the drivers were forced to flee for their life on foot. (And some say the Bible is  boring to read!)
• This normally dry riverbed filled with water by God's design, at the right place and at the right time. (A similar thing happened to the Egyptians as they followed after the Hebrews, drowning them.)
• The Israelites were able to pursue the fleeing army and annihilate the entire force.
• What a battle plan the Lord carried out. Although, the details as to how He would accomplish the victory for Israel is not mentioned previously. Perhaps God did not tell them the details, but expected Israel to go, walking by faith.
• In the meantime, Sisera, the military leader of the Canaanites, fled on foot.

We are going to leave the story there and continue it tomorrow. So stay tuned for tomorrow's exciting and unusual outcome of Sisera. Here's a hint: It involves the other woman, Jael.

Are we going when God tells us to go?
When God speaks, do we obey?
Are we walking by faith, following the Lord Jesus?
Are we expecting victory given by Him?

May I add that I believe a woman will be a great leader only if she seeks the Lord's wisdom and will in situations. Otherwise, her leadership will not be successful when she relies upon herself for making decisions.


 LET IT GO

Walk by faith, not by sight.

When God speaks, I obey.

Watch God work and give the glory to Him.

Trust God's Word, will, work, and way.