The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1958-06-14

Ramah and Bethel in mount
Ephraim: and the children of
Israel came up to her for
judgment"-The lack of a CEN
trail government was one of
the problems of this period.
And she sent and called
Barak the so nof Abinoam out
of Kedesh-naphtali, and said
unto him, Hath not the Lord
God of Israel commanded,
saying, Go and draw toward
Mount Tabor, and take with
thee ten thousand men of the
children of Naphtali and of
the children of Zebulon" i.
Barak was not judge but a
military leader called and di-
rected by Deborah.
"And 7 will draw unto thee
to the river Kishon Sisera, the
captain Of Jabin's army, with
his chariots and his multitude;
and | will deliver him into
thine hand" The answer
to their prayers was given
through Deborah, the prophet
ess, who instructed Barak, a
heretofore unnamed warrior,
what to do. AT the signs of
mobilization of the Children
of Israel, the Canannites would
be drawn into that area to
crush the uprising, but would
suffer crushing defeat at the
hand of Israel. The comman.
der-in-chief of this Canaanite
army was Cisera, a man known
for his military victories and
conquests over several ma
lions. And Barak said unto
her, If thou wilt go with me,
then l will go: but if thou
wilt not go with me, then l
will not go" = Barak was very
positive in the position he
took toward assuming the COM
mand of Israel's undisciplined,
unorganiZed recruits. The re-
ply he sent Deborah was final
with no alternative included.
And she said, l will surely
go with thee: Notwithstanding
the journey that thou takest
shall not be for thine honour;
for the Lord shall sell Sisera
into the hand of a woman. And
Deborah arose, and went with
Barak to Kedesh" - The Lord
chooses what instruments he
pleases to do his work.
THE SONG OF DEBORAH:
In the days of Shamgar the
son of Amnath, in the days of
Jael, the highways were unoc-
cupied, and the travellers walk
ed through byWays" - They
were afraid to travel the high
ways, but travelled, as it were,
in secret by-paths and byways,
for fear of their enemies and
oppressors. 'The inhabitants
of the villages ceased, they
ceased in Israel, until that
Deborah arose, that | arose a
mother in Israeli
Then came Deborah as judge
and prophecies, and with the
help of Barak's leadership, de-
livered Israel a fourth time.
But this was not to last for
ever, for Israel was soon to sin
gain and fall into the hands
of the Midianites. "They chose
new gods; then was war I'm the
gates: was there a shield or a
spear seen among forty thou
sand in Israeli Choosing
new gods was Israels basic
problem, for it antagonized
the Lord, and 1t was a bad in
flUence upon the thics and
morality of the nation. When
ever a nation or nations choose
strange gods that ALLEVIATE the
mind and distort their vision
for peace and justice, war will
inevitably be at the gate. my
heart is toward the governors
OF Israel, that offered them
selves willingly among the
people. Bless We the Lord
Deborah recognizes the diff
Guilty of leading this stubborn
people Alright and honors those
who would try. The Lord is
to be praised for relieving the
condition of his people.
PRACTICAL POINTS ON
THE LESSON:
In these days of racial strife
when the ruling powers are
seeking to Cypress a race OF
people, God has raised up a
leader to champion the cause
of his people. This leader is a