Fri, 21 July, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.

Judges 4:1-10

¹ And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. ² And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. ³ Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

⁴ Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. ⁵ She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. ⁶ She 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.

In today’s reading in Judges, we go through another round of sin, judgment, repentance and deliverance. God sends another deliverer, Barak. But Barak refuses to carry out God’s orders without the prophetess Deborah’s assistance in the war.

What do we learn from this?

God ordered Barak to lead Israel into the war. He is God’s appointed instrument for the salvation of the people. Barak’s refusal to carry out God’s command without making conditions is a serious violation.

God will still accomplish His own will despite the imperfection and rebellion of His instruments. Deborah goes with Barak, and the victory is won. But due to his conditional obedience to God’s command, the glory of the victory does not go to Barak.

Where is Christ in this passage?

Barak was one of Israel’s deliverers, bring temporal salvation to God’s people, and so Barak points us to Jesus Christ, the perfect deliverer of His people.