Pastor Rusty Milton
Judges 4:1-9 ESV

"Deborah and Barak"

Faith that has not been through trials may be genuine, but may not be strong. Tests and trials grow our faith. As a result, the reality of trusting God comes when our entire security and trust is in him no matter our circumstances. In Judges 4, Israel had returned to oppression because of idolatry (vv. 1-3). God therefore raised up Deborah as a prophetess and leader of the nation (vv. 4-5). In her ministry to the nation, the Lord moved through her to bring hope to Israel. In revealing God's will to the people, she commanded Barak, the military leader, to take his men and march against their oppressors. He hesitated in unbelief, however, fearing to go into battle without her.

Deborah and Barak's roles and actions run parallel to our relationship with Christ. Like Deborah, Christ is our prophet and the clearest revelation of God. Barak, like us, must learn to rely solely on God when we go through trials. Trust, therefore, that God will do what he says. Obey him wherever he is calling you to go. No matter what you face, Jesus is with you through his Spirit. Go and have faith.

Judges 4:1–9
Deborah and Barak

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 ccried 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 ethe hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned fBarak 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 ithe river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, jand 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.