The LORD sold the children of Israel into the hand of Jabin, the king of Canaan because they did evil in the sight of God. The commander of Jabin’s army was Sisera who harshly oppressed the children of Israel and they cried out to their God.
Deborah was a prophetess, who was also a judge in Israel during this time. One day she called for Barak and said to him, “Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded? Take with you the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun and against you, I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude and I will deliver him into your hand?”. Judges 4:6
And Barak said to Deborah, “If you will go with me, then I will go but if you will not go with me, I will not go!”.
This statement of Barak has amazed me. After Deborah says a word from the LORD that Sisera’s army will be defeated by him, he asked for Deborah to accompany him. On the other hand, Moses pleaded to God, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here”. Exodus 33:15
Deborah replied to Barak, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the journey that you are taking, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.”
My belief is that this privilege of defeating Sisera, a commander who owned 900 iron chariots and a multitude of the army, was given to a woman because Barak asked for Deborah’s accompaniment instead of God’s. Even after God had given His Word that He will give Sisera in their hand, as Barak did not dare to go forward in faith, I believe, the privilege got delegated to a woman.
Barak took 10000 men with him. Sisera had a multitude of army which included 900 iron chariots. And yet, Sisera’s army was defeated at the edge of the sword before Barak. Sword of 10000 Israelite men? No, the Sword of God Almighty. Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. Not a man was left in Sisera’s army.
On foot, Sisera reached the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite who was in peace alliance with King Jabin and Sisera. Jael offered a peaceful welcome to Sisera and covered him with a blanket. Sisera instructed her to tell anyone who came looking for him that there is no one else in the tent. He asked her for some water and she brought him a jug of milk instead. He drank it and fell into a deep sleep as he was exhausted from the run.
Jael wasted no time. She took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand and drove the tent peg into his temple and it went down into the ground. He died instantly. In the meantime, Barak pursued Sisera and reached Jael’s tent. Jael came out to meet him and said, “Come, I will show you the man whom you seek.” He went into the tent and saw Sisera dead with the peg on his temple.
Thus God gave Sisera and his army in the hands of a woman just as He gave the Word. God equips the ones whom He calls. So if we get God’s call to do something, may we not fear. Because the One who gives us a task will equip us for it, for there is none faithful as Him. May we not delegate the tasks to others or ask for others’ company rather than God’s company to finish His task.
Even though Barak led the army, the victory was delegated to Jael, a simple woman who lived in the tent. God used the tent peg that was in her hand rather than the sword that was in fearful Barak’s hand. May we use our smallest skills to accomplish big tasks for the LORD so that His name is glorified. Amen!
