2022: A Year of Peace and Restoration (Part Five)

—Judges 6:31 NASB

Heroine!

Heronie, yes, but no, not the drugs! The female of ‘hero’: heroine! Not the Marvel Superhero fantasy stuff (no offence!). Let’s talk about a powerful woman, a true Wonder Woman of history, who brought great blessing and restoration to Israel in a difficult time: Deborah, the prophetess (Judges 4—5). Similar to Gideon, the leader in the story brought about peace and restoration for the nation. It’s another good example of how God can work through individuals and a team of people, armies in this case, to defeat oppression and usher in peace and bring about restoration.

Heroes and heroines are an inspiration, aren’t they? The young generation seems, however, to be more into fantasy Superheroes, rather than real-life giants that shaped history and made the world a better place. It’s good to get into historical sources and find inspiring figures who made the seemingly impossible possible. And I mean social reformers and nation changers beyond tech gurus like Elon Musk or Steve Jobs. I mean people like William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas Gandhi or Nelson Mandela, who said, ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ History has shown how people can make a difference despite the odds against them. Let’s have a look at this story.

Bad Decisions cause Bad Consequences

To recap the historical context in which Deborah arose to make a difference, here’s a short summary. Israel was oppressed due to their idolatry and sin. After the death of a strong leader, the people would revert to false gods and sinful lifestyles, which in turn brought about oppression and hardship. As the people did ‘evil in the sight of the Lord’ (Judg 4:1), divine protection was removed and enemy forces gained the upper hand to oppress Israel (vv 2–3). They reaped what they had sown.

This had been a cyclical phenomenon for years because they kept repeating their mistakes. Hence, bad decisions cause bad consequences. We need to be aware of this and make smart decisions that will affect the future positively. Always think with the future in mind.

Inspiring Speech Causes Decisive Action

The oppression was strong, the enemy army was mighty: 900 iron chariots (v 3). The people cried out to God because of this military might that seemed too overwhelming for them. There is no evidence that they even tried to do something against the armies of king Jabin under commander Sisera. They were oppressed for 20 years (v 3). That’s a long time of oppression, intimidation and misery. Perhaps you find yourself in a similar, overwhelming situation, be it financially, pain, sickness or otherwise. What you are facing is simply too much for you. But don’t despair, I have good news for you! All too often we just accept bad circumstances and learn to live with them rather than seeking a way to change things. Others, simply seek an escape because they can’t handle it. That ‘run and hide’ strategy is bad, as it brings with it many bad and undesirable consequences. Doing the right thing in tough situations is key. As Parker said, you've got three choices in life: 'give up, give in or give it all you've got.' Which one do you choose?

Here goes the biblical story, it's encouraging! Despite this overpowering enemy, ‘suddenly’ Barak, Israel’s army general (not Barak Obama!), called some boys together and stood up to the oppressive military power (v 10). How come? After 20 years of oppression, intimidation and passivity, ‘all of a sudden,’ as it appears, someone found the courage and a task force to do something about their pressing problem. What happened?

The answer to the question is found in the words of the Lord spoken by Deborah, the prophetess (v 4). She was the judge in Israel at the time (vv 4–5). She summoned Barak and spoke to him what God was saying (vv 6–7).

—Judges 4:6–7

What made all the difference that turned an intimidated army hiding from a powerful enemy into a courageous force that would challenge the strong oppressor, was the Word of the Lord! It was what God spoke through His prophetess that inspired decisive action. Inspiring speech causes decisive action. That’s why it’s crucial to hear from God, especially in difficult situations or impossible circumstances in which taking good decisions and taking decisive action is vital for success. God promised them victory and the people didn’t doubt that God was able to perform what He had said. As they say, ‘What God’s mouth speaks, His hand performs.’ Just believe. I know it’s difficult to pray when things are bad or painful, but that’s exactly when prayer is the most important issue. Only prayer can bring peace and clarity (Phil 4:6–7).

Harmonious Partnerships bring Good Results

In order to be successful within the framework of God’s will, we need to hear and obey. It requires God’s guidance and human obedience. This is what Barak and Deborah demonstrated. They followed God’s guidance, had a harmonious partnership and this brought about good results. Eventually they defeated the enemy (4:24) and were undisturbed for 40 years (5:31c). In other words, they had peace and restoration. How exactly did they achieve this?

As stated above, Deborah released the Word of the Lord to Barak, the military leader. She did so before the battle to give him God’s promise of deliverance (4:6–7) and then again on the very day of the battle to give him the strategy for victory (4:14). This prophetic guidance was the basis for their success; human obedience was the condition for victory. The army followed the prophetic utterance of the prophetess and was successful: God would go ahead of the army (4:14) and then God routed the enemy in battle (4:15). What God says will come to pass. What He promises He will do. We need only believe and obey.

Barak wanted Deborah to be with them in battle (v 8), to which she agreed (vv 9–10). A brave woman at the forefront of the battlelines, standing with the men in battle! A leader must lead by example. A leader must lead from the front. Here is something important we need to point out.

There was no issue here that she was a woman. Israel accepted her as a judge and prophetess without any problematic reference to her gender. Barak listened to the Word of the Lord she spoke and followed it, he and the whole army. No one objected to her being a female. This may strike some people, as in recent times we are taught that people used to live under some sort of tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women. This type of ‘toxic masculinity’ was bad for women. Although some abuses in history are undeniable, these radical theories are greatly exaggerated. There have been influential women throughout history with tremendous achievments. Here we have humble men blessed by the competency of a powerful woman!

What we find here, however, is a positive example of harmonious partnership between both God and humans, as well as between male and female. This is how God intended it to be, having created them male and female in His image and likeness. God doesn’t want the men and women to be in competition or struggle, but rather to complement one another and make it work together. Barak showed considerable humility taking the guidance of a woman. Even more so, when Deborah said that the honour of battle will not fall to him but to a female! (4:9). Barak had no ‘toxic ego’ issue here and rejected what some might consider to be offensive talk. In times of war, infighting will weaken us even more. Civil war is always very destructive, as every war is. We don’t have the luxury of these kinds of internal battles, especially not when an overwhelming enemy is about to crush us. We all need to humble ourselves and work together in harmonious partnership for the common good and God’s glory.

It's a Matter of Competence and Calling

The issue should not be gender, but competence and calling. Deborah was called and anointed by God to be judge and prophetess. She had the competence for her position. There’s nothing worse than an incompetent person in a position of power. We must look beyond gender to competence.

The Bible does point out that Deborah was married (4:4), hence a woman under authority in the proper sense of the meaning. One cannot have authority without being in right relationship to authority. Beyond that, she was honourable towards the men she passed God’s message onto. There’s was the right content communicated in the right way with the right attitude. That speaks of competence in both skill and character. Some people may be very good at their job, but treat people in awful ways. Who would want to work with or under such? Sometimes nice people simply lack the skills. That’s also a problem. But once people can balance character and charism, there’s good prospect of success.

In the poetic rendering of the story (Judges 5), we find additional hints at their strategy for success. Comparing the two chapters, one a narrative, the other poetry, is a fascinating matter. In their song, Deborah and Barak rightly point out that when leaders lead and people follow voluntarily (5:2), great things can happen. It’s about harmonious partnership based on God’s calling and human competence, as pointed out above.

Deborah’s compassionate heart (v 9) again speaks of her good character that qualified her for the position. She arose at a time of trouble and war (vv 6–8), hence at the hour of need. And she inspired others to ‘arise’ and do something about the present suffering (v 12). It’s not just what you can do in a situation, but how you can get others to do something as well. With Barak the encouragement was crucial as he was a strategic man. He obviously took security and support from the female prophetess (4:8), but she rightly told him that he himself must also do something about the nation’s captivity (5:12). Unless people are willing to do something for their own misery and problems, nothing you do for them will bring about good results or positive change. People must be willing to help themselves. You can’t do it all for them, no matter how rich or powerful you are. Taking responsibility for our own lives is key to improvement and success.

The inspiring example of both Deborah and Barak had a good effect on the army. There was ‘great resolves of heart’ (5:15) among the soldiers. Although some failed to join the fight (v 17), others took up arms and fought for their freedom (v 18). Heaven was behind them (v 20). Don’t worry whether or not others are doing the right thing. Make sure you do it! Never make the passivity or failures of others an excuse to do the same nonsense. Do the right thing even if you’re the only one doing it. Don’t allow others to discourage you. Know the right thing, and ‘just do it’ (even without a Nike outfit!).

An Unlikely Heroine

This exciting story has not got one but two heroines. Who was the person Deborah spoke of when she told Barak before the battle that Sisera would fall by the hand of a woman and that the honour would not be his (4:9)? Let’s find out.

There is a curious verse in this story that seems to be totally unrelated to the war preparations being related. It’s verse 11, about ‘Heber the Kenite’ who ‘pitched his tent’ somewhere ‘far away.’ It might seem strange to us that suddenly in the narrative of war preparations a man’s camping adventures should be reported! Well, it wasn’t camping, actually, as people lived in tents, a sort of portable housing unit. But there’s nothing coincidental in biblical history. That place became a strategic place towards the end of the battle.

The issue is, that this tent was placed in the very place Sisera would seek to find refuge from a lost battle, only to meet his death. Heber’s wife was the unlikely heroine, the second heroine in this story. Her name was Jael (v 17). Hospitable as she first appeared to be, she knew what she had to do to contribute to Israel’s victory: defeat the army general. And she did, in a rather brutal way, at least for us modern readers, although people today are not less brutal than they used to be, it’s just that killing is done in different ways with different weapons. The effect is the same: ‘so he died’ (v 21). It was a ‘necessary evil’ as we might call it to subdue and defeat the oppressive enemy (v 23). In the words of the poetic song, in which Jael is presented as ‘most blessed of women’ (5:24), ‘let all Your [God’s] enemies perish’ (v 31). We don’t like war, but when forced on us, it’s necessary to fight. Just look at the Ukraine at present. Defensive wars or wars of liberation have moral legitimacy (although in certain conflicts the definitions are complex). In this biblical case, God rescued His people from oppression and gave them peace with the restoration.

God wants to do the same for you as you trust Him to help you in your battles in life, whatever troubles you might be facing. At the right time, in the right way, God will ‘let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might’ (v 31), because He is a ‘sun and shield,’ not withholding any good thing ‘from those who walk uprightly’ (Ps 84:11). Trust and obey Him!