"Of course I will go with you, Deborah answered, but you will not get credit for the victory. The Lord will let a woman defeat Sisera." Judges 4:9 (NCV)
Margaret Thatcher once said, "If you need something, ask a man. If you need something done, ask a woman." We all have laughed at "man verses woman" jokes. I know we all have one we love to tell! The book of Judges tells the story of Deborah and a man named Barak. I had to giggle to myself as I realized the implications of the strength and confidence of this woman, in comparison to the man, Barak. I also wondered if I would have responded as Barak did. In the ending of the story, I gave out a cheer for women!
In Judges 4, Deborah, a prophetess and wife, was judging Israel and would sit under a palm tree listening to her people. The Israelites once again had fallen into the hands of the enemy, the Canaanites, because they did evil in the sight of the Lord. The Canaanite army, under king Jabin, boasted nine hundred chariots and ruled with unbearable circumstances for twenty years. Finally, the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance and He used Deborah to lead them.
Deborah approached Barak, a military general, and told him, "The Lord commanded, go and gather ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them to Mount Tabor. I will make Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, and his chariots, and his army meet you at the Kishon River. I will hand Sisera over to you." Then Barak said to Deborah, "I will go if you will go with me, but if you won't go with me, I won't go." (verses 6 and 7)
God gave very specific instructions and information. He said He (God) would gather Jabin's army and hand Sisera, the Canaanite general, to them. Why then did Barak refuse to go without Deborah? His request shows a glimpse of his character. He trusted human strength more than God's promises. A person of real faith will trust God and step out in faith, even if that means being alone.
Deborah's response is awesome! "Of course I will go with you." She did not ridicule Barak for his weakness and lack of confidence in God. She walked beside him. She led by example. It is no wonder the people of Israel respected her. How often do we face difficult circumstances and feel so alone and weak in our faith, and fail to trust in God and His promises? I can imagine the relief that Barak felt as he heard her words. He drew strength from Deborah's confidence in God and pursued the task
Because of Barak's cowardly behavior, God did not allow him to take credit for the victory. God used another woman, Jael, to kill Sisera and defeat the Canaanite army. Take the time to read the entire chapter and see for yourself the details of God's plan to restore His people again. It is an incredible story!
Deborah shows us how to lead with confidence and grace, and encouraged others to trust God at His word. She was in a very powerful position, yet she did not rule with her nose in the air. She served God with humility and gave Him credit for the accomplishments in her life. She shows us much can be accomplished when God is in control.
Lord, help us to be a Deborah in our faith. We want to be leaders who can be trusted by others and used by You in every circumstance of our lives.
Janet Stutzman
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