The Word This Week
Mother’s Day 2024…
The saying goes, ‘when men fail to lead women must.’
There may come a time in any family when a mother’s love calls for the family to drive a stake in the ground and say, “No more!â€
The Book of Judges tracks the falling away and then the restoration of the nation of Israel through seven cycles. Each falling away led to destruction in the land and the devastation of the families living there. Each time as a result of rejecting the word of God the nation was brought under the control of foreign kings and the tyranny of oppression. Each time as they cried out to the Lord, God rescued them by raising up ‘judges’ – or rulers - to rescue them by God’s divine power. (This why the Book of Judges is called The Book of Judges.)
In Judges 4, we are introduced to a woman named ‘Deborah,’ which means, ‘Bee.’
The nation of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and so His protection was removed from the people who turned away from God. They came under the pending oppression of the Canaanites under king Jabin, led by his commanding general named Sisera. They were an overwhelming force, and by appearance Israel was defenseless against their advance.
Deborah was judge over Israel during this time. (Apparently there were no men in the land worthy of God’s calling to leadership.) We are not told the back story of Deborah’s calling, but we are informed she is a prophetess.
With the impending storm clouds of war gathering, Deborah called Barak to lead the army of Israel against the Sisera. Barak refused the job unless Deborah would accompany his army.
Long story short, Israel routed the Canaanites under Sisera, despite his 900 iron chariots, and despite a man by the name of Heber betraying the location of the army of Israel. Canaanite general Sisera took off running in fear for his life. (We later learn how the battle was won by God’s intervention.)
Sisera wound up in the tent of the traitor Heber, assuming since Heber had betrayed Israel, he would be safe hiding out in his tent as he sought rest from the exhaustion of battle.
It was a mistake. It turns out Heber’s wife - a woman named Jael - had had enough of the oppression of the Canaanites, and the Godlessness in Israel. And even though her husband had cowered in fear, becoming a traitor to God, Jael took matters into her own hands and drove a stake in the ground on behalf of her family, and on behalf of her nation.
This little-known woman Jael became an example of what it looks like to stand up against oppression in the face of God on behalf of her family, and on behalf of the people of God.
Pastor Bill
The saying goes, ‘when men fail to lead women must.’
There may come a time in any family when a mother’s love calls for the family to drive a stake in the ground and say, “No more!â€
The Book of Judges tracks the falling away and then the restoration of the nation of Israel through seven cycles. Each falling away led to destruction in the land and the devastation of the families living there. Each time as a result of rejecting the word of God the nation was brought under the control of foreign kings and the tyranny of oppression. Each time as they cried out to the Lord, God rescued them by raising up ‘judges’ – or rulers - to rescue them by God’s divine power. (This why the Book of Judges is called The Book of Judges.)
In Judges 4, we are introduced to a woman named ‘Deborah,’ which means, ‘Bee.’
The nation of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and so His protection was removed from the people who turned away from God. They came under the pending oppression of the Canaanites under king Jabin, led by his commanding general named Sisera. They were an overwhelming force, and by appearance Israel was defenseless against their advance.
Deborah was judge over Israel during this time. (Apparently there were no men in the land worthy of God’s calling to leadership.) We are not told the back story of Deborah’s calling, but we are informed she is a prophetess.
With the impending storm clouds of war gathering, Deborah called Barak to lead the army of Israel against the Sisera. Barak refused the job unless Deborah would accompany his army.
Long story short, Israel routed the Canaanites under Sisera, despite his 900 iron chariots, and despite a man by the name of Heber betraying the location of the army of Israel. Canaanite general Sisera took off running in fear for his life. (We later learn how the battle was won by God’s intervention.)
Sisera wound up in the tent of the traitor Heber, assuming since Heber had betrayed Israel, he would be safe hiding out in his tent as he sought rest from the exhaustion of battle.
It was a mistake. It turns out Heber’s wife - a woman named Jael - had had enough of the oppression of the Canaanites, and the Godlessness in Israel. And even though her husband had cowered in fear, becoming a traitor to God, Jael took matters into her own hands and drove a stake in the ground on behalf of her family, and on behalf of her nation.
This little-known woman Jael became an example of what it looks like to stand up against oppression in the face of God on behalf of her family, and on behalf of the people of God.
Pastor Bill