Here Come the Judges Part 4: Deborah – An Exceptional Judge Judges 4:1-10.

Here Come the JudgesHere Come the Judges

Part 4: Deborah – An Exceptional JudgePart 4: Deborah – An Exceptional Judge

Judges 4:1-10Judges 4:1-10

Judges 4:1Judges 4:1

And the people of Israel again did what was And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died.evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died.

Same story…Same story…with a few unexpected eventswith a few unexpected events

And the people of Israel again did what was And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.


Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. (Judges 4:1-3)twenty years. (Judges 4:1-3)


• Same story…Same story…• The Israelites do The Israelites do evilevil. .


• Same story…Same story…• The Israelites do The Israelites do evilevil. . • The Lord hands the Israelites over to The Lord hands the Israelites over to

oppressingoppressing nations. nations.



oppressingoppressing nations. nations. • The Israelites The Israelites crycry outout to the Lord. to the Lord.



oppressingoppressing nations. nations. • The Israelites The Israelites crycry outout to the Lord. to the Lord. • The Lord The Lord rescuesrescues them through a them through a judgejudge who who

delivers them for a period of time. delivers them for a period of time.


• Unexpected events…Unexpected events…• This context of the story is after This context of the story is after EhudEhud died. died.


• The oppressor has the same name of a king The oppressor has the same name of a king who was who was killedkilled by by JoshuaJoshua. .


• Unexpected events…Unexpected events…• God God placedplaced his his ownown peoplepeople under the under the

oppression of King Jabin.oppression of King Jabin.


• Unexpected events…Unexpected events…• This context of the story is after This context of the story is after EhudEhud died. died.• The oppressor has the same name of a king The oppressor has the same name of a king

who was who was killedkilled by by JoshuaJoshua. . • God God placedplaced his his ownown peoplepeople under the under the

oppression of King Jabin.oppression of King Jabin.

Deborah – the Deborah – the exceptionalexceptional judge judge

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


She sent and summoned Barak the son of She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.


And I will draw out Sisera, the general of And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” (Judges 4:4-7)give him into your hand’?” (Judges 4:4-7)


• Deborah had a Deborah had a husbandhusband (4:4) (4:4)• ““isshah lappidot”, isshah lappidot”, • ““wife of Lappidothwife of Lappidoth” ” • ““woman of torcheswoman of torches


• Deborah had a Deborah had a husbandhusband (4:4) (4:4)• Why is she the judge and not her husband? Why is she the judge and not her husband?

Because God Because God calledcalled herher and not and not himhim. .


• Deborah had a Deborah had a ministryministry (4:4) (4:4)

She was a prophetess- which means she was She was a prophetess- which means she was endowed with the ability to discern the endowed with the ability to discern the mindmind and and purposespurposes of God and of God and declaredeclare it to others. it to others.


• Deborah had Deborah had spiritualspiritual authorityauthority (4:4) (4:4)• The word “The word “judgejudge” lets us know that she ” lets us know that she

settledsettled disputesdisputes among the people of Israel. among the people of Israel.


• Deborah had Deborah had

spiritualspiritual authorityauthority (4:4) (4:4)


• Deborah had Deborah had limitslimits (4:6) (4:6)

She sent and summoned Barak the son of She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.


• Deborah had Deborah had divinedivine plans (4:7) plans (4:7)

‘‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?”troops, and I will give him into your hand’?”


• Deborah had Deborah had motivationalmotivational skills (4:6-9) skills (4:6-9)

She confronts Barak with God’s She confronts Barak with God’s commandcommand (6) (6) and strengthened him with God’s and strengthened him with God’s promisepromise (7) (7) and encouraged Barak with her and encouraged Barak with her presencepresence (9). (9).

Barak – an Barak – an unacceptedunaccepted challenge challenge

Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.”will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.”


Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called out Zebulun and Kedesh. And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. (Judges 4:8-10)(Judges 4:8-10)


• Barak puts a Barak puts a conditioncondition on his on his obedienceobedience (4:8) (4:8)


• Barak puts a Barak puts a conditioncondition on his on his obedienceobedience (4:8) (4:8)• Barak forfeited the Barak forfeited the honorhonor of a of a championchampion (4:9) (4:9)


• Barak puts a Barak puts a conditioncondition on his on his obedienceobedience (4:8) (4:8)• Barak forfeited the Barak forfeited the honorhonor of a of a championchampion (4:9) (4:9)• Barak was not Barak was not dismisseddismissed from God’s from God’s who’swho’s

whowho of heroes. of heroes.


And what more shall I say? For time would And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice,faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice,


obtained promises, stopped the mouths of obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness,became mighty in war, put of weakness,became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. (foreign armies to flight. (Hebrews 11:32-34 )Hebrews 11:32-34 )

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

• A creative God is not bound by conventional A creative God is not bound by conventional methods!methods!

For those not yet living Jesus-centeredFor those not yet living Jesus-centered

• Sin will offer a high price to own you as a Sin will offer a high price to own you as a slave – but it’s resources are slave – but it’s resources are bankruptedbankrupted by by God’s God’s gracegrace!!

For those not yet living Jesus-centeredFor those not yet living Jesus-centered

• If you are caught in a cycle of If you are caught in a cycle of sinsin – quitting – quitting your your sinssins will not will not breakbreak the cycle – being set the cycle – being set free from free from sinsin is what is what breaksbreaks the cycle. the cycle.

For those living Jesus-centeredFor those living Jesus-centered

• Listening for God’s voice means I refuse to Listening for God’s voice means I refuse to predictpredict how God will speak how God will speak


• You become powerful over your enemies You become powerful over your enemies when you depend on the power when you depend on the power inin you not you not aroundaround you. you.


• God delights to God delights to honorhonor those who assume He those who assume He is worthy of our faith and is worthy of our faith and demonstratedemonstrate it by it by faithfulfaithful behavior. behavior.

Here Come the Judges Part 4: Deborah – An Exceptional Judge Judges 4:1-10.

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Transcript of Here Come the Judges Part 4: Deborah – An Exceptional Judge Judges 4:1-10.