Deborah, Barak, and Jael

The Glory of Yahweh Revealed Through the Heroes of Israel

Lessons for our Times

Deborah, Barak, and JaelThe Pattern of Judges

Principle As revealed in Judges chapter 4

1. Sin Vs. 1 – “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.”

2. Suffering Vs. 2 and 3 – “And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera....and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.”

3. Supplication Vs. 3 – “And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron...”

4. Salvation Vs. 4 through 9 - “And Deborah, a prophetess… judged Israel at that time.... And Barak said unto her, ‘If thou wilt go with me, then I will go’.... ‘for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman’.”


Lessons for our TimesCharacters in the Account

1. Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth: Deborah means “orderly motion” (like a bee), from the Hebrew root dabar – “to arrange, to speak, to declare or pronounce, and to subdue.”



2. Lapidoth, the husband of Deborah

Lapidoth means“to shine forth as lightning, a lamp or flame, a firebrand, or a burning lamp.”



3. Barak, the son of Abinoam: Barak means “lightning” or “a flashing sword, bright, glitter.” Abinoam means “Father of delight, beauty, grace, and pleasantness.” ….Lightning then (the meaning of Barak), ultimately becomes the Truth energized with spirit power in believers that have been transformed from flesh and blood to flesh and spirit.



4. Jabin, king of Canaan: Jabin means “to be cunning, eloquent, or intelligent.” Jabin is a title like Pharaoh or Caesar that was given to the kings of the Canaanites. As his name suggests, he was a cunning man who sought out how to take advantage of Israel while they had no (visible) king.



5. Sisera, the captain of the host: Sisera, according to Young’s, means “array”. Interestingly similar to Deborah, the word array from the teutonic root means “ready; a collection or assemblage of men or things disposed in regular order, as an army in order of battle. To place or dispose in order, as troops for battle” (i.e., “in battle array”; Webster Encyclopedic Dictionary).



6. Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite: Jael means “to ascend as in climbing, to be sure footed, as a wild goat.” Though she was a Gentile woman, she showed great courage and faith in Yahweh (Isa. 62:2; Mal. 1:11; Heb. 10:23; II Thes. 2:15; Psa. 95:1; Hag. 1:8; Psa. 24:3-4; Isa. 33:15-17).





“For Adonai-Tzva’ot will care for his flock, the people of Y’hudah; he will make them his royal war-horse. From them come cornerstone and tent peg, from them the bow for battle, from them all the rulers together. They will be like warriors…”

(Zech. 10:3-5, Complete Jewish Bible).



1. Israel delivered into bondage (Judges 4:1-3)

2. The place where Deborah dwelt (Judges 4:4-5):

3. Barak out of Kedesh-Naphtali (Judges 4:6)



4. Deborah joins forces with Barak (Judges 4:6, Continued…)



4. Deborah joins forces with Barak (Judges 4:6)

5. The “hooks in the jaws” (Judges 4:7)



4. Deborah joins forces with Barak (Judges 4:6)

5. The “hooks in the jaws” (Judges 4:7)

6. Sisera’s chariots of iron (Judges 4:13-14):



7. Barak descends into battle (Judges 4:14-15)

8. Barak pursues Sisera (Judges 4:16)

“The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth [the political heavens and peoples of the earth] shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.”(Joel 3:16)



Judges 5, The Song of Deborah

Overview…

Armageddon foreshadowed…

Megiddo, from the Hebrew root gadad, means “to gather self in troops”.



“Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err” (Isa. 30:27-28).



The Apocalypse in the Judges

“Yahweh, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water” (Judges 5:4).



The Apocalypse in the Judges

“They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera”(Judges 5:20)

“They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:3; cp. Rev. 2:26-28).



Sisera’s Mother

Summary: Deborah, Barak and Jael

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Deborah, Barak, and Jael