As we continue to navigate these weeks marked by the
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are beginning to question/debate who
has the authority to make which decisions and which leader should be taken
seriously on particular issues. Whether these questions are asked of governing
bodies (i.e. local vs. state vs. federal government) or medical institutions (CDC,
WHO, DHS, Dr. Fauci), many, I imagine are left wondering “who is in charge here?”
or “who should I listen to?” Many crave courageous, clear, and compelling
leadership, especially during these difficult times. Israel found herself with
similar questions and desires in Judges 4:1-10. Under their own set of
difficult circumstances, people were left wondering, “who is in charge?” and “who
is going to lead us out of this?” Thankfully, God, steps into the gap and assembles
a coalition that will be used to provide victory for his people. However, the
process of putting this coalition together highlights an important lesson that
leaders must heed, especially today.
1. A Familiar Situation-4:1-3
Judges 4-5 offers the same story in two versions—one in
narrative form and one in poetic form. In other words, the same story of
victory is celebrated in two different ways—in story and in song. That said, we
are going to begin looking at Deborah/Barak judge cycle by reading part of the
story in chapter 4. The story begins as almost every cycle does, with what some
call a “negative evaluation formula”—“Then the sons of Israel again did evil in
the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died” (4:1) (Block, Judges and Ruth, 188).
Similar statements kicked off Ehud’s cycle in 3:12 and Othniel’s cycle even
earlier in 3:7. The same formula is repeated here. Unable to kick their habit
of sin and idolatry, Israel finds herself once again in a familiar
situation—bereft of a leader and steeped in sin.
The Lord responds to this loathsome display of disobedience
the same way he has already proven to earlier—with forceful discipline—“And the
Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and
the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim” (4:2). Jabin
is probably not a personal name as much as it is a title of the head of this
regime (like “Caesar”). Hazor was a strategic location on the road between
Damascus and Megiddo in northern Galilee with a colorful past. This city that
was destroyed once in the days of Joshua (see Josh. 11:3) appears to have
experienced something a resurgence and is used by God to place his people into
involuntary servitude. Think of how embarrassing this must have been—to be
ruled by a people from a location that had already been destroyed by your former
leader.
In addition to king Jabin, the reader is introduced to the
general of his massive army—“ the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived
in Harosheth-hagoyim,…”Exactly where or what this location refers to is
relatively unknown, but what is known is this ruling regime held considerable
sway over God’s people during this time due to this massive army.
As in every cycle thus far, “the sons of Israel cried to the
Lord;” (4:3a). It is important to recognize, as with each and every case up to
this point, that this cry is not the cry of contrition or repentance given from
a people who have learned the error of their ways and want to do better; it is
the cry of pain and agony for simple relief (whining for lack of a better word).
Something of the motivation of this cry is learned in the next phrase—“for he
had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely
for twenty years,…” (4:3b). Intimidated by the supply of iron-clad chariots
(powerful and superior technology for this day and age, rendering the
Canaanites near-invincible to Israelite armies marching out in their own
strength), frustrated, and a bit scared, God’s people finally have enough after
twenty years of being pushed around by their neighbors to the north.
2. A Fascinating Coalition-4:4-10
In response to this familiar cry, God assembles a
fascinating coalition (or, perhaps more appropriately, a “rag-tag team”). The
first member of this team mentioned is Deborah—“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the
wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at the time,…” (4:4). The quick mention of this heroine highlights
the unprecedented nature of her leadership and would have caused original
readers to wonder whether or not she would/could be as victorious as her
predecessors in leading the Israelites to victory. Typically at this point in
the cycle pattern, some mention of divine intervention would be given (see “The
Lord raised up” in 3:15 and 3:9). Here, Deborah is simply introduced. Breaking
the pattern calls unique attention to this woman—attention that would have
certainly led the original audience to question her suitability for delivering
God’s people. However, as in many situations before, this cycle will prove the
Lord’s ability to rescue his people regardless of how expected the means he
chooses to use may be. Deborah’s role comes as a real surprise, “for nowhere
else before or after this do we find a woman functioning in such a leadership
position in Israel” (Chisholm, Judges and Ruth, 222). This causes many
scholars and historians alike to ask, “Why was a woman leading in this way?” Some
suggest that perhaps the people of God had run out of Calebs, Othniels, and
Ehuds and, by default, looked to this prophetess (which is an entirely
different and distinct office) to fill in the leadership vacuum (Block, Judges,
Ruth, 192). Regardless of how this fell to Deborah, the original text and
surrounding context suggest that having this prophet serve, even superficially,
in the capacity of judge was unexpected and, perhaps, less than ideal. After
all, consider the following questions:
1) Why is she not introduced as one whom Yahweh had raised
up?
2) Why is there no reference to her inspiration and
empowerment by God’s Spirit?
3) Why is Barak tapped to accomplish the deliverance?
4) Why is the verb yasa “to save” never applied to
her? (consider 8 more questions outlined by Block, Judges, Ruth, 194).
Something is off (isn’t everything in Israel during the
period of Judges). In fact, while little is criticized about the first two
judges (Othniel and Ehud), following Deborah’s cycle, the judges exhibit a
rapid downward spiral and instead of being compelling solutions to the syncretism
that was taking place between Israel and Canaan during this period, Gideon,
Jephthah, and Samson prove to be part of the problem. Deborah, in many ways is
the midpoint between the noblemen of the beginning of Judges and the antiheroes
to follow. She is unique, and probably because she is first and foremost a
prophetess (one who speaks for God), Perhaps this is why in later lists of the
deliverers, Barak’s name appear and not hers. Many believe that while Deborah
communicates God’s response to his people’s cry, she is not the ultimate answer
to their request. This will play out in the remainder of chapter 4 and 5.
As unexpected as Deborah’s introduction may be, so too is
what follows this in verse 5 when the author reports “She used to sit under the
palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim;
and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment,…” (4:5). Her location her
places her in a central location where she would have been easily accessible to
the majority of Israel. Though interpretations about exactly what she was
offering here abound, Chisholm concludes
that the most reasonable interpretation of Judges 4:4-5 is “Deborah was
exercising a dual role of prophet and [de facto] judge, much like Samuel did at
a later time” (Chisholm, Judges and Ruth, 226). In this role the
individual can offer decisions on important matters such as war and his/her
advice is followed because it is believed to be from God. Therefore, when it
says “the sons of Israel came up to her for judgement” it probably means
something like “they came up to her for godly advice and wisdom on a whole host
of matters.” Others, like Block believe that people were treating her as a
mediator between them and God—coming to her instead of priests to voice their
complaint before God. If this is the case, this would no doubt reflect poorly
on the state of the priesthood during this dark period in Israel’s history
(Block, Judges and Ruth, 197). Again, to put things simply, something is
off here one way or another, leaving readers wondering, can God bring about a
victory in this confused situation? Regardless of exactly what she was doing,
the text quickly shifts from her role to another character.
The text reads, “Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of
Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, ‘Behold, the Lord the God of
Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten
thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun,…” (4:6). In
answer to the people’s cries, the response is to call upon a man named Barak to
lead an army again the Canaanites. Why Barak (“lightning”) is chosen is
unclear, but perhaps his being from Kedesh-naphtali (relatively close to Hazor,
the seat of Jabin, Israel’s oppressor) may have something to do with it. Her
message to Barak is clear. God has commanded him (notice, not herself) to go
and assemble a large coalition to mount an attack against their enemies and deliver
God’s people.
She continues in verse 7 with by sharing the following
message from the Lord: “I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s
army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will
give him into your hand” (4:7). God promises Barak here (through Deborah) that
he would lure the Canaanite forces to the river, set up the ambush, and bring
about ultimate victory for Israel.
This message to Barak demonstrates two important things
about the way God works. First, God not only calls people to do his bidding, he
determines the strategy that he wants his people to take. Second, God maintains
ultimate control over the lives of his people in good times and bad. The same
one who had sold Israel into the hands of Jabin in verse 2 will engineer this
enemy’s defeat. While the Israelites may have perceived their enemy here as a
mighty force of opposition, God reveals here that ultimately Jabin and his
forces are puppets that he can easily string along as he wills to bring about
their demise.
Though this cycle has been a bit mysterious from the start,
this call of Barak and the promise of victory for Israel seems promising and
headed in the right direction. One might hope that upon being introduced to
Barak we are going to see a confident and bold hero figure ready for battle, leading
an army into victory. However, instead, we are met with hesitation—“Then Barak
said to her, ‘If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go
with me, I will not go” (4:8). It is clear that Barak is not impressed with nor
inspired by what he has heard in and of itself (some lightning flash he is
proving to be!). Instead of responding to this commissioning with courage and
decisiveness like Othniel and Ehud before him, Barak sheepishly asks for the
support of Deborah, the prophetess, further supporting the idea that Israelite
male leadership in this era had fallen on hard times.
Also, Barak’s desire to have his hand held in this
enterprise might also betray his desire to be accompanied by God’s confirming
presence (after all, Deborah is a prophetess). This sounds holy, but following
a clear commissioning from the Lord and promise of victory, one ought not
respond to the call of God with “Not unless X, Y, Z.” Barak’s failure to
believe God at his word and be obedient to the call is inexcusable and Deborah
lets him know as much in what she shares next.
“She said, ‘I will surely go with you, nevertheless, the
honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the
Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman,…” (4:9a). Here, Deborah
assures Barak of her presence (and, more importantly God’s presence). However,
she also informs him that his hesitation and weak faith has caused him to
forfeit the full glory of the victory that God would accomplish (Chisholm, Judges
and Ruth, 228). In a sad commentary on his leadership capacity (and
perhaps, even his masculinity), she predicts that ultimately the Lord would
deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman. While most readers at this point
might assume that Deborah is referring to herself with this statement, little
do they know that there is more to the story (STAY TUNED).
Following through with her promise, “Deborah arose and went
with Barak to Kedesh” (4:9b). These two—Deborah and Barak—form the core of a
fascinating and unexpected coalition that God would use to deliver his people
from the hands of Jabin and Sisera of Canaan.
Added to these two, “Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali
together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up
with him…” (4:10). No explanation for why these men respond positively to Barak
is given, however, one might assume that having Deborah with him (a person
recognized as a prophet throughout Israel) was a critical factor. By the end of
this passage, Deborah’s mission has been successful. A reluctant general has
been commissioned and a coalition of ten thousand men has been gathered. This
lays the groundwork for what will unfold in the remainder of this cycle.
So What?
However, before we get to the rest of the story next week, let
us examine what application we might draw from this account. In this precarious
situation we learn that while God can certainly move in spite of a lack of
courageous leadership and provide much-needed direction when no one else will.
However, we also learn that failed/absent leadership is a sad commentary on a
people that has lost its way. Here we have Israel in a difficult, but familiar,
predicament—they are under the oppression of a pagan entity. If there was ever
a need for courageous leadership, especially among the men that God had appointed
and called to lead during this era, it was now. And yet, instead of rising to
the occasion, we see Deborah, a prophetess, having to leave her own post, approach
Barak, and agree to hold his hand prior to him agreeing to be a part of God’s
program of victory. If nothing else, this text demonstrates how pathetic it can
be when leaders who are called are unwilling/hesitant to lead.
May this not be said today in the midst of our present and
precarious circumstances. If there was ever a time for courageous leadership,
it is now, especially among those who have been called to lead.
This goes for
you Husband/Father in your household. This present situation ought to be used
by some of you to reclaim your spiritual leadership of your household. Are you
leading your wife and kids in the word and in prayer, providing godly
perspective in all the noise? Now is not the time to be hesitant or sheepish
about your God-given role in your family as articulated in places like
Ephesians 5:22ff and 1 Peter 3. This goes for you Moms/Dads as your lead your children
as stipulated in places like Ephesians 6:1-4. This goes for pastors, bosses,
servant leaders, and others whom God has called to exercise influence in
appropriate ways. If ever there was a time for godly and courageous leadership,
it is NOW. May we not prove like Barak and need added coaxing to do what God
has called and expects of us. May we, in response to this text, pray for godly
and courageous leadership, and, if you have been given a leadership role, now
is the time to own it and fulfill your calling. We need you, your family needs
you, your churches need you, this world needs you, and God has called you!
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