SCRIPTURE: Judges 4:1-24
OBSERVATION:
When it says that they did “evil in the eyes of the Lord”, we need to see this as extreme evil (immorality, child sacrifice, crime, violence and injustice), this was the normal pattern of life in that day, and God was calling them to a higher morality.
Israel was often tempted to live like their neighbours, and when they did they reaped the consequences.
God is showing His people that He will be their strength if they will trust and obey Him. Deborah’s strength, Barak’s weakness and the ultimate victory of the common woman Jael is another way that God shows that He works in a different way than the world – not by might nor by power but by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6), through humble, obedient servants.
The account of how Jael killed Sisera is brutal and disgusting, yet that is a reflection of the times, those days were not pretty!
In the end, it is God’s victory over Israel’s enemies (v.23).
APPLICATION:
Do I put my confidence in human wisdom and strength, rather than in the Lord?
God continually shows that He works in a different way than the world: He prefers the small, the weak, the humble, the foolish, the insignificant; those whom society disregards are often the one’s God prefers to work through.
Although the church may not be doing evil in the eyes of the Lord, we are in danger of imitating the world more than Jesus, and the longer we allow the worldly spirit to shape us, the more distant we will move away from God and His purpose.
May we not reach the point where it can be said of us, “everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25), i.e. what was right in their own eyes, not God’s eyes.
PRAYER:
Lord, we call You Lord because You are our Master, our Leader, our Ruler. Yet often we live as if we could do as we pleased, as we saw fit. Forgive us for not honouring You as our King, and living in a way that imitates You! Amen.
The land had rest before this chapter, indicating a time of properity. During this time they ‘lost’ their relationship to the Lord their God. They thought they didn’t need Him during this time of properity. But . . . His people cry out to Him out of their distress. God hears their cry and raises Deborah, His voice among His people. She is His Voice among His people. She must also be willing to go and do what the Lord commands. Deborah was a willing instrument of God’s mercy.
We also see that the kings put their trust in chariots, which was contrary to the Word of the Lord. Rulers who trust in their own powers, their might, their armies will be defeated. Their reliance also must be on the Lord their God. Our God must go before us in all of our activities. As He was the salvation of His people Israel then, He is my salvation today. Jesus Christ is the Captain of my soul.
Oh Lord, help me to hear Your Word also today through the various means You use – the Bible, preachers, teachers, friends, students, etc. Help me to see You and hear You always as I live for Jesus. Today I saw Jesus in . . .
He is Lord!
He is Lord!
He is risen from the dead and He is Lord
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess,
That JESUS CHRIST is LORD!