The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1920-04-09
IMPROVED UMFoRM INTERNATIONAL
SUNDMSQIOOL
LESSON
By REV. +. Is. FITzwATER, d. D.
Teacher OF English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicago)
tcopyrlght. 1929. Western Nswspaper UnIonl
LESSON FOR APRIL II
DEBORAH AND eARAK DELIVER
ISRAEL.

LESSON TEXT-Judges 44-5:3L
GOLDEN TEXT-God Is our refuge and
strength, u very present help In trouble
rs. 1911.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Judges
4:i-3: Heb. 1872. 49,
PRIMARY \ -PIC-A Brave Woman
Helping a General.
JUNIOR TOPIC--A Story OF a Hero
aud q Heroine.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Fighting on Gods Side
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Services Of Women in National
Leadership,
The book Of Judges covers the pc
riOd from the conquest Of Canaan and
death of Joshua 10 the judgeship Of
Samuel While Joshua and the cid
ers Of his generation lived the people
In some measure remained faithful to
God in obedience to his Word, but the
very next generation went into apos-
tasy. Their decIenson may be ac-
counted for as follows:
!. Failure to drive the Canaanites
from their midst.
>. Their amalgamation with the Ca
naanites. Their close proximity to
the people had its leayening effect, for
they soon intermarried with the heath
I'm. Tolerance with the enemy is close
~ followed by union herewith, and
quick disaster comes in the wake Of
such union.
g. Id0latrN Intcrmarriage With the
heather was soon followed By the
worship Of the heather gods. Thus Is
rael's power was gradually weakened,
50 that instead Of being conquerors
they became the conquered.
In chapter 2:G-3 is given synopsis
OF the book Of Judges:
/. The sin OF the people wv. 6-1S).
=. Gods judgment for their sin wv.
il. 80.
3. Repentance Of the people go.
4. Gods deiyerance at the hands Of
the judges wv. 16-19).
A repeti ion of s4n. oppression by the
enemy, repentance on the part Of the
people, and Gods deliverance, is the
story of the book CT Judges.
1. The Judoeship of Deborah a.:
A. -.
Her name means "Bee," suggesting
orderly instincts. AS suggested by an
other, "She answered her name by her
industry, sagacity, and great use to
the public" The period was marked
by awful oppression. The Israelites
were helpless, for the enemy had 800
chariots of iron Deborah was an
unique character. God raised. her up
for such time as this. Under palm
tree she held an open court for the
administration of justice.
II. Deborah Summons Barak a.:
6-10).
Barak means "kghtning." Deborah,
being a prophecies, was able to select
the man whose gifts would enable him
to rally the forces needed to gain the
victory over the formidable foe.
l. Deborah's cal. wv. 6, y. 1t was
Gods call through her. She gave def
mite instruction us to the number of
men and the strategy to be employed,
assuring Barak that God would deliver
Sisera, the captain OF Jabins army,
into his hand.
.. Barak's reply ". 81. Expression
Of unwilingnesS to go unless Deborah
would go with him should hardly be
considered as cowardice or weakness,
as it is a well-recognized fact that the
presence of woman, especially the
prophecies, would inspire courage on
the part of the warriors. However, he
should have believed Gods ability to
give the victory without the aid of a
woman.
8. Barak's rebuNe (vv. ., 10Y. De-
borah yielded his request, bur made it
plain to him that it would dctract from
his honor as a CO sueror, FOR the
Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand
of woman"
III. The Defeat of Jabin's Army wv.
11-lG).
Ssera, the captain, gathered
mighty army and went forth with full
assurance of victory, bur he made a
sad mistake; he did not consider that
it was the Lords battle ". 49,. At the
psychological moment Deborah gave
the signal to charge, assuring Barak
that the Lord would give the victory
". 14). Through supernatural inter-
position the enemy became panic
..,,,t,i-,r, fsno = .s9ON
~. sisera Killed by Woman wv.
172D.
In his flight he took refuge in Jaers
tent. Under the guise of friendship,
she committed the most heinGuS muir
der. She fastened his head to the
ground by means of tent pin.
V, Deborah and sarak's Song Of Vic
tory (chap. 81.
This was composed and sung in Gel
ebration of the marvellous victory
which God had wrought.