Inspiration for the Battle- Judges 4:11-24

Have you ever been asked to do something that you believed you were ill-prepared to do? Perhaps even now you wonder whether you are up to the challenges we are all facing. Added to simply “making it” and keeping sane are the callings upon us as God’s people as found in his Word. It is a lot and given the present circumstances, you might be led to wonder if it isn’t too much or if you should even try. These thoughts and feelings, while understandable, can be overcome if we remember what Barak was reminded of in Judges 4:11-24. In this passage, God hands three victories to his people despite their many limitations and reminds us of the confidence we all can have when we recognize that God’s presence, power, and promises go with us in whatever season we may face. 

Remeber from last week (in Judges 4:1-10), Deborah, a prophetess, has called Barak, a hesitant deliverer, to assemble a coalition of troops to drive out a Canaanite general, and his army. Now that the coalition has been formed, the plan can be put into action that would ensure victory for God's people. 

However, the narrative of this cycle is interrupted by what appears to be an unrelated detail that is awkwardly inserted in verse 11—“Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites from the sons 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,…” (4:11). The original audience and today’s reader might wonder, “okaaaay? Sooooo?..... can we get back to the story?” Little do people know that what appears to be a literary red herring is actually a piece of foreshadowing that will be satisfied in just a few verses. For now, all we know is that a man connected to the family of Moses left his homeland to “pitch his tent” on the outskirts of the region.

1. Victory over the Iron Chariots-4:12-16

As the author moves back to the unfolding action, the bait is set in verse 12—“Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,…” (4:12). Remember, Deborah had called Barak on God’s behalf to assemble troops and lead an insurrection against Sisera and his army. Hesitant at first, Barak finally concedes once Deborah is willing to hold his hand and go with him. They form a coalition, and by this point, they have made it to their post. Remember, the plan was recorded earlier as follows: “I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his many troop to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand,…” (4:7).

Sisera takes the bait in verse 13—“Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon,…”. Confident in his military advantage and excited to prove his might against what appeared to be inferior Israelite forces, Sisera lead his huge brigade through a valley that was well-suited for his brad of warfare. “Verse 13 is written from the perspective of the casual observer, who sees the massive Canaanite force moving into a strategic battle location, but does not detect the invisible hand of God drawing it to its demise” (Chisholm, Judges and Ruth, 229).

That said, you wouldn’t know that Sisera and his men were vulnerable at all if you took your cue from Barak. While Sisera proved decisive in the initiative he exhibits to meet the threat the Israelites posed head on, Barak has to be reminded of where he is, what he is doing, and who called him there, before he is willing to execute the plan. Thankfully, Deborah is there to jolt this “lightning bolt” to action—"Deborah said to Barak, ‘Arise! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the Lord has gone out before you.’ So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him…” (4:14). Notice what Deborah says to get him moving. First, she wakes him up with “arise!” Then she reminds him of who is really handling this for them all—“this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera you’re your hands” (because Lord knows that Barak isn’t going to earn/achieve this himself). After reassuring Barak of God’s power, promise, and presence, and only after this reassurance, “Barak went down.”

Barak’s behavior here has me considering how some of us fail to answer the call of God until we are convinced of God’s presence in our lives. If you are paralyzed today or just a bit hesitant concerning what God has called you to do, let the words of Deborah also serve as a reminder to you: God is with you, he goes before you, and the victory is dependent on HIM not YOU! What are you so afraid of? Why are you discouraged? Get going and let God do his work!  

This theme of God granting the victory to Barak is verified in the very next verse when it explains that “The Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot” (4:15). Like a skilled fisherman reeling in a “keeper,” God leads the army of Canaan into the ambush laid before them. While the pagan army suffers fits that leads to disaster at the hands of Barak and his coalition, Sisera, the army’s commander, flees the scene.

When Sisera leaves his army behind, it is almost as though he and Barak switch roles. Sisera goes from the decisive and bold leader to the coward who leaves his men to die. Barak, the hesitant leader, turns into a successful military commander. What explains this change?—the hand of God. God picks the winners and losers on the worlds stage and can determine the outcomes despite the players involved. In the battle between Barak’s coalition and Sisera’s legions, God saw to it that “Baraka pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left,…” (4:16). This account demonstrates that when God comes through for his people, he does so completely. Now for that pesky Sisera who escaped.

2. Victory over Sisera-4:17-22

“Now Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kennite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite” (4:17). Remember that odd interruption offered in verse 11? Here is where we see/learn a bit more about who was introduced there. Some have speculated that perhaps Heber—that distant relative that moved out of town—was a Canaanite sympathizer and that Sisera believed that he would find friends in this tent that would help him hide out until Barak and his forces passed by. After all, because there was peace between Heber and Jabin (the ruler of the Canaanites and Sisera’s boss), Sisera probably believed that fortune was smiling down on him as he stumbled upon this dwelling. Little does he know that God is orchestrating his demise.  

Sisera is greeted, not by Heber, but by his wife Jael. The text reads, “…Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, ‘Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.’ And he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. He said to her, ‘Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.’ So she opened a bottle of milk and gave him a drink; then she covered him…” (4:18-19). Notice to what lengths Jael goes to make Sisera feel welcome and comfortable in his new hide out. In fact, according to historians, her offering of hospitality was something that the man of the house typically took care of, illustrating that Jael is transgressing cultural norms with her friendliness. Readers have already been tipped off that something else may be going on here. Remember what Deborah told Barak in verse 9—“For the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” This prediction along with the glass of warm milk and a warm blanket, demonstrates that Jael is offering more than what is asked for so that she might have the opportunity to take care of Sisera herself (and I mean that sarcastically). I mean, come on, the only thing missing here is a bedtime story!  

Right before catching some shuteye, Sisera has the wherewithal to ask for Jael to keep on the lookout for Barak’s men who are currently searching for him. If approached, she is supposed to divert their investigation and have them look elsewhere—“ He said to her, ‘Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ and you shall say, ‘No.’” (4:20).

However, instead of taking care that nothing happened to Sisera, “Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died” (4:21)—well I guess he did! Vulnerable and defenseless Jael does what Barak and his army hadn’t yet had the chance to do and she kills Sisera, the leader of the Canaanite army.

The victory over Sisera concludes with Barak showing up too late—"And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, ‘Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.’ And he entered with her, and behold Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple,…” (4:22). Much as Deborah took the initiative at the beginning of this cycle, Jael takes the initiative here by being the first and only speaker upon Barak’s arrival. Before Barak can get a word in, Jael invites him into her tent to see that she has already “taken care of business” (to put it mildly). The reader is left to wonder how Barak would have responded to such news. The author seems to cast Jael as the agent of divine deliverance, the fulfillment of Deborah’s prediction in verse 9. Jael’s husband probably marveled at the fact that his wife had transgressed so many ancient cultural norms not only in offering hospitality to this stranger but also in carrying out this shocking act. To Barak, Jael had triumphed  in a masculine role, and in so doing had shamed and robbed him of the glory of victory. No matter how she was perceived and by whom, Jael had all but guaranteed Israel’s victory over Jabin’s regime by assassinating his decorated general (Block, Judges, Ruth, 209).

3. Victory over the Jabin-4:23-24

The destruction of Jabin and Canaan is described in verses 23-24—“So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the sons of Israel. The hand of the sons of Israel pressed heavier and heavier upon Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin the king of Canaan” (4:23-24). This is the third victory described in the passage. First there was the victory of Barak’s coalition over the 900 iron-clad chariots. Then there was Jael’s victory over Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite forces. These two victories inevitably lead to the third—Israel’s victory over Jabin and, by proxy, Canaan.

So What?

In the midst of the many victories, fascinating characters, shocking brutality, and peculiar details of this story, there is a clear principle that readers ought to glean: God’s people have every reason to believe that He will keep his word to them and this confidence ought to result in obedience. In this particular case, God called Barak to lead his people to victory and promised him that he would be successful doing so. When he was hesitant God brought Deborah to be by his side. When he was slow to start, God reminded Barak of the promise of victory and that he would go with and ahead of him. Despite the situation and players involved, God came through and executed his will.

That was Barak’s story. What is yours? What has God called you to do, me to do, the church to do? I can think of at least one commission we’ve all been given regardless of where we are or in what situation we find ourselves: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20a). In lieu of such a tall order and all the circumstances around you, perhaps, like Barak, you are a bit hesitant or doubtful. Maybe you are tempted to put this calling off until things return to relative normalcy. However, let me assure you, if there was ever a time to be obedient to the mission at hand, it is NOW. Feeling a bit like Barak today and need a little reassurance? Consider the very end of verse 20 of Matthew 28 when Jesus says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." God goes with you and ahead of you whenever we are on mission for him. He does not give us a commission without the promise of his power and presence. Need a little more to push you over the edge? Consider that you are one member of the body of Christ called the church and God himself has promised that the gates of hell itself will not prevail against it! Friends, if the gates of hell are no match for the church, certainly COVID 19 isn’t either, certainly physical distancing isn’t either, certainly whatever we may face today or tomorrow isn’t either. The same encouragements Deborah offered Barak--the promises, power, and presence of God-- are available to you today. Embrace these, rise, and be obedient to the call on your life and watch what God can do!