NOTES:
Deborah: Anointed Warrior (Judges 4:6-24)
Evil will not stop itself, so evil must be stopped!!
TODAY: don’t believe in evil = open borders, defund police = Lawlessness (Jud 21:25)
20 years Judges 4:3 “oppressed cruelly”, “ruled with cruelty & violence”, “made life unbearable”, “forcefully oppressed” & “ruthlessly oppressed”.
Judges 4:1-5 People’s cry went up. God anointing came down on Deborah!
For good to start, bad must end.
= ARE YOU IN A DESPERATE PLACE?
Judges 4:6-10 She [Deborah] sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.
Sisera – Bin Laden of his day
Deborah
1. Anointed = 1. judge, 2. prophetess, 3. military strategist, 4. worship leader
2. Courageous = more bold/faithful; “Has not the LORD…commanded you”
3. Faith-filled = God said, “I will give him into your hands”
4. Not a feminist. Husband “Lappidoth”. Barak leads men=Strategist NOT soldier
5. Strong personality – “will not lead to ur glory…The Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.”
Barak – “lightning”
- High ranking military general wanting female civilian to go w/him = MEN WEAK
- Barak – a bit timid, struggles with insecurity, fear, passivity = MANY MEN
??? Bring Deborah? anointing? God promised victory = understandable fear? YOU?
1 Samuel 12:11 “the Lord sent…Barak…and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.”
Hebrews 11:32-33 “time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises”
Just War Theory (vs War in Israel today)
1. Legitimate authority. Mobs, terrorists, & anarchists are not legitimate authorities.
2. Defensive, not offensive. Surrounding nations invaded, terrorized 20 yrs.
3. Noble cause. If human lives are going to be sacrificed, then the cause must be worthwhile.
4. Proportional force. The response must be commensurate to the attack.
5. Soldiers, not civilians, targeted. Invading soldiers attacks civilians. Soldiers vs soldiers.
6. More lives preserved than taken. Invaders can go home safe.
7. Last resort. 20 yrs invader oppression (vs 132 hostages today)
- GOD Authorized & Fought (Jesus’ rules = peace through strength)
B. VS Pacifist (THANK YOU CURRENT & FORMER MILITARY/1st RESPONDERS)
Should Believers Be in Politics and Government?
1. Ungodly governments in the Bible and history attack God, godly principles, & God’s people.
2. Godly leaders serve in godless governments throughout the Bible, including Joseph, Obadiah, Nehemiah, Daniel, Kings like David, and Judges like Deborah and Gideon to honor God and protect God’s people.
3. Today, the government has sought to replace God and rule over the Church by redefining gender and marriage, educating children, punishing Christian leaders who hire and fire by their convictions, killing innocent human life, and closing churches.
4. Jesus is returning as a King with a government to rule His Kingdom forever, as our eternal destiny is helping King Jesus rule His Kingdom.
2 Lanes – Church & State (stay in your lane – sexualize kids, harass XN biz, close churches)
STAY IN YOUR LANE. IF YOU SIDESWIPE ME, I WILL RUN YOU OFF THE ROAD!
Judges 4:11-16 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.
- God is patient, but eventually His patience wears out. (20 years, 4:3 cried out)
- God works thru ANOINTED leaders (Deborah & Barak)
?? How did they defeat 900 iron chariots ??
-Judges 5:19-22 “The kings came, they fought…From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might! “Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.
= 900 iron chariots stuck in mud – God sent torrential rain (natural miracle)
GOD is in your fight!
A). The men fought. B). “the Lord routed Sisera”
Judges 4:17-24 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’ ” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. 23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Sisera fleeing
Kenites – related to God’s people through Moses father in law, Sisera assumed Jael ally
Sisera – Funny text “So he died”
- Anointing is everything. If God is for you, who can be against you?
- Some miracles happen in an instant, others happen over time.
- The battle belongs to the Lord. Small non soldier army defeats larger stronger.
male vs female; warrior vs civilian; Canaanite vs Israelite
The Hand of the Lord
Judges 4:2 the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan
Judges 4:7 I [Deborah] will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army…and I will give him into your hand…
Judges 4:9 the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman [Deborah]…
Judges 4:21 Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand.
Judges 4:24 the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan
Human responsibility & divine sovereignty. = Mystery
What is the difference between killing and murder?
Exodus 20:13 [ESV, HCSB, NASB, NIV, NLT, NKJV] You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13 [ERV, GNV, KJV, NLV, RSV, NCB] You shall not kill.
At least 8 OT words for taking a human life.
- Kill – justifiable taking human life – soldier war, cop returning fire, self-defense
- Murder = sinful taking human life – unauthorized killing, manslaughter, abortion,
=Israeli soldiers killed invading soldiers. NOT MURDER
=Jael killed Sisera. NOT MURDER
Band Up
Little story Deborah 1. Judge 2. Prophet 3. Worship Leader 4. Warrior
Big tory = Jesus Greater Deborah
Jesus Came as Lamb. Jesus is Coming Again as a Lion
Revelation 19:10-16 Worship God, because the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on His head. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself. He wore a robe stained with blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. A sharp sword came from His mouth, so that He might strike the nations with it. He will shepherd[h] them with an iron scepter. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
