Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-01-08
DEBORAH AND BARAK DELIVER
ISRAEL.


LESSON TEXT-Judges 4:4-16
GOLDEN TEXT-The righteous cried.
and Jehovah heard and delivered them
out of all their troubles.-Ps. BAIT r. v.
There are two inspired accounts OF
this victory, one in prose tch. a and
one in poetry Judges 50. They pre-
sent different views of the same
event. Israel had been oppressed for
20 years under Jabin and Sisera, his
chief captain {4:2) though it seems
to have been that the northern tribes
of Naphtali, Asher and Zebulun. the
Galilee of Christ's day, were chiefly
concerned.
Mother In Israel.
!. Deborah's Call to Service, w. 4-9.
AS the people forsook God he forsook
them, and they became easy prey. If
we withdraw from his service we also
withdraw from his protection. Al
though Joshua had burned Hazor
(Joshua 11:1-1D, yet because of Is
rael's backsliding it is now strong
enough to become the ruler. 1t is so
with sin-allow it to exist and it will
conquer. When, however, Israel re-
pented and cried unto God ". 3) he
raised up deliverer and in this case
it was a mother in Israeli (ch. 5:D.
The word Deborah means "bee," and
it is suggested that ''she answered
her name by her industry, sagacity
and usefulness to the public, her
| R-4- l. -F,r
ness to her enemies" (Matthew Hen
ry). Her husbands name is given,
but none of his achievements. From
| her dwelling place at Jebus, as she
sat beneath a palm tree she gave forth
her wisdom and Judgment TO the peo-
pie who brought their difficulties be-
fore her eek. 1878; Deut. 17:S-12).
Judgment of sin always precedes any
manifestation of grace q Cor. 1881,
| 32). Deborah, the judge, recognized
the gravity of the situation, for she
was not only Judge, but prophecies
by divine appointment QI Pet. 1:21).
When she called Barak at once recog-
nized her note of authority ". 81.
Deborah gave Barak explicit instruc-
ton and direction. In this chapter
only the two tribes most interested
are mentioned (5:17, 1S).
Bold, sagacious Leader.
n. 5arak's Conquest of sisera, w.
1916. Barak was bold sagacious
leader and chose one of the worlds
best and most famous battlefields, Es-
draelon. Barak led his men to Mt.
Tabor, from which could be seen the
whole region where Sisera's armiei
were spread out upon the plain. From
chapter it appears that some came
to the battle from the tribes Of
Manasseh and Issachar (5:14, 15). and
that others were expected who failed
to obey the summons (5:15, 17). From
the slopes of Mt. Tabor, Deborah and
Barak saw Sisera and his iron char
lots advancing across the plain. One
of the descendants of Hobab, Moses
brother-in-law Mum. 24:22 r. v. m,
and Judges 1:1e) had revealed the
place of Barak's camp ". III. Heber
should have been In the land of judah
and Simeon and not In such close
proximity to the enemies of Israel
Josephus says that when Barak saw
Sisera's army drawn up. and attempt
ing to surround the mountain of his
encampment his heart failed him, and
he determined to retire to place OF
greater safety. Deborah, however,
urged Barak to attempt the battle.
'for this is the day in which the Lord
hath delivered Sisera into thine
hand" The thing was as sure to be
done as If it were done already. As
we read verses IL and -, together
with 5:17-19, 1t would look as though
Sisera seemed to have the advantage
against Barak and his ten Thousand
men. Sisera did not, however, count
upon Barak's powerful ally-God. "Is
not Jehovah gone out before them p
Deborah had enthusiasm and zeal, but
needed Barak's action. She depended
upon the sure word OF God and was
devoid of fear (Rom. S:31). She knew
that victory was certain, for God had
said so ". y. Her charge, up,
Barak!" was q clarion call and served
to nerve the entire army Of Israel.
Verse Is tells us who 1t was that won
the battle that day (see also $50, 21;
Josh. 1910; I Chron. 15:15-1O. Even
the stars fought against Sisera, mean
ing that God turned the elements to the
advantage Of Israel's army. Showers
of meteors have been recorded in this
land in recent times and 5:21 tells OF
the floods of water that swept away,
,verthrew, the chariots of Sisera- The
! word discounted" we are told
scarcely suggests the sudden terror
, and confusion which fell upon Sisera's
army. Like all of Gods victories, II
was most complete. BY this battle
the resistance of the Canaanites Is
completely overthrown and the Israel
ties secured the complete ascendency
, over the land Sisera fed northwart
toward Hazor, the capital city, alonl
in 1899, when Napoleon and his allies
defeated their army on this same field
Barak followed the main army anC
the chariots and thereby missed the
chief prize. Sisera in his flight came
= to q settlement Of the Kenites, which
!. he thought he could trust, and turned
: into the tent of Jael, the wife OF He
!, Der. Weary, he fell into deep sleep
which gave Jael her opportunity
Taking hammer and tent pin shs
drove it through his temples into the
ground, completing the victory of De
borah and Barak, and fulfilling the
= prophecy of verse 9. We are told thai
= the Bedouin tents of the women are
!. always closed, whereas those of tbs
!. men are always open on one side
For a man to enter the tent of 4
woman, other than that of his wife. ii
punishable with death.
Jael defended her life and her repu
tation by the only course open to az
Arab woman, and especially in tim,
% of war.
A brave, outraged woman execute,
a sentence which some male membe
of her family would certainly hav