Moment of Meditation: Deborah & Barak (Judges 4:4)

Original Broadcast: July 2009

Monthly Theme: The Judges of Israel

Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.
(Judges 4:4)

Deborah and Barak

Deborah. The only female judge of Israel. The only prophet among the judges. Why is she numbered among all the men? The man who was supposed to be the commander of Israel's army, Barak. He refused to go into battle without her. He refused to accept his responsibility before God. Before going into battle, Deborah tells Barak, "Because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will hand Sisera over to a woman" (Judges 4:9)--more about that next time.

Ten thousand men follow Deborah and Barak into battle. Sisera, the commander of the armies of Hazor, fled in terror. This battle led to the complete destruction of Hazor by the Israelites (Judges 4:24). Judges 5 is the victory song for the Israelite army. Deborah praised herself highly saying, "Village life in Israel ceased, ceased until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel" (v7). Deborah ruled as judge and almost "queen mother" for forty years in Israel because the surrounding nations knew that God fought for them. The same God who fought for you on the Cross. Amen.