WHEN A WOMAN LEADS
July 9, 2023
Pastor Brian
“After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight.” (Judges 4:1, NLT)
“So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim.” (Judges 4:2, NLT)
“Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years…” (Judges 4:3, NLT)
“…Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment.” (Judges 4:3–5, NLT)
“She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you 10,000 men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s forces, his chariots, and his army at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’ ”” (Judges 4:6–7, HCSB)
“Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.” “Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.” (Judges 4:8–9, NLT)
“Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. When Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors. Not a single one was left alive.” (Judges 4:14–16, NLT)
“Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. “Please give me some water,” he said. “I’m thirsty.” So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again. “Stand at the door of the tent,” he told her. “If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no.” But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.” (Judges 4:18–21, NLT)
“So on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him.” (Judges 4:23–24, NLT)
POINTS TO PONDER
- God loves us too much to allow us to
“So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin…” (Judges 4:2, NLT)
“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” (John 8:34, NLT)
“A wicked person will be trapped by his own wrongs, and he will be caught in the ropes of his own sin. ” (Proverbs 5:22, GW)
2. You cannot fix what you will not
“Issachar’s princes rallied to Deborah, Issachar stood fast with Barak, backing him up on the field of battle. But in Reuben’s divisions there was much second-guessing. Why all those campfire discussions? Diverted and distracted, Reuben’s divisions couldn’t make up their minds. Gilead played it safe across the Jordan, and Dan, why did he go off sailing? Asher kept his distance on the seacoast, safe and secure in his harbors.” (Judges 5:15–17, The Message)
3. God never ignores a
“Call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” (Psalm 50:15, NLT)
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22–23, ESV)
“Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time.” (Judges 4:4, NLT)
4. God uses
Deborah was decidedly different.
• She
“…The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them…” (Hosea 14:9, NLT)
• She lived by
“…people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, NLT)
“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (Judges 21:25, NLT)
• She used her
“Deborah the wife of Lappidoth was a prophet and a leader of Israel during those days.” (Judges 4:4, CEV)
“Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.” (Proverbs 15:33, NLT)
5. Everything rises and falls on
“On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang: When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, blessed be the LORD.” (Judges 5:1–2, CSB)
Real leaders…
•
“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” (Proverbs 12:15, NLT)
•
“And I will draw out Sisera…and I will give him into your hand” (Judges 4:7, ESV)
MOSES: “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT)
•
“My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you?” (James 2:14, CEV)
•
“At Kedesh, Barak called together the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, and 10,000 warriors went up with him. Deborah also went with him.” (Judges 4:10, NLT)
6. The battle belongs
“Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle.” (Judges 4:14, NLT)
“…It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” (Zechariah 4:6, NLT)
“Lord, when you set out from Seir and marched across the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the cloudy skies poured down rain…The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their orbits fought against Sisera. The Kishon River swept them away— that ancient torrent, the Kishon. March on with courage, my soul!” (Judges 5:4, 20–21, NLT)
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7, ESV)
“…for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman…” (Judges 4:9, ESV)
Reading Plan