Judges 4
McGeeCHAPTER 4THEME: Third apostasy; God delivers Israel from oppression through Deborah and Barak
Judges 4:1
DEBORAH AND BARAKAfter the death of Ehud, Israel again turned to idolatry, and a new period of oppression began. The Lord sold Israel into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan. Sisera, captain of the host, had nine hundred chariots of iron. These chariots caused dread among the Israelites who had no such armaments. For twenty years Jabin oppressed Israel.
Judges 4:4
Here we have a mother in Israel, Deborah, who is described as being both a prophetess and a judge. We are also told that she was the wife of Lapidoth, but I like to turn that around and say that Lapidoth was the husband of Deborah. She was quite a woman. She was raised up by God to judge Israel, and she called upon the general to get busy. He was not doing his job. He should go against the enemy that Israel might be delivered from slavery.
Judges 4:6
If there ever was a general who was a sissy, it was Barak. He should have been out in the thick of the battle, but here he is hiding behind a woman’s skirt. Barak will not go into battle unless Deborah goes along. If this prophetess went with him, he felt he would be successful in battle. No wonder God had to use a woman in that day!
Judges 4:9
Deborah promised to go with Barak but told him that a woman would be the heroine of the battle.
Judges 4:16
THE DEATH AND DEFEAT OF SISERADeborah was a forthright woman who, as we shall see, wanted deliverance for her people. Barak called together his army, and they got ready to go against the enemy. God gave them the victory. They exterminated the army.
Judges 4:17
She was a Gentile.
Judges 4:18
Since the rest of his army was destroyed, Sisera’s primary desire was to save his own life. Apparently the Canaanites had not bothered the Kenites, and Sisera believed he would be safe among these people. He went to the house of Heber, and his wife Jael offered the weary soldier hospitality. Her kindness led him to believe he could trust her. When he went to sleep, she took a tent pin and hammer and let him have it, friends. She got rid of him. This brought a great deliverance for Israel.