Jael - Judges Chapter 4
Judges Chapter 4 is a
very unusual chapter in the Bible, in
that God used women to bring victory to Israel. It is violent, but it is important in that it shows that the LORD's commands must be obeyed or consequences will follow.
In this chapter it is a woman, Deborah who has the position of authority
in that she judged Israel, V4 "and
Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that
time. And she dwelt under the palm tree
of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of
Israel came up to her for judgment." which is truly in opposition to God's
natural order in Genesis 3:16 where ".......thy desire shall be to thy
husband, and he shall rule over thee".
Chapter 4 is the chapter in which Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite
appears briefly, but importantly.
Chapter 4 begins
"And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the
LORD...". So we know that at this
time, Israel was not walking with the LORD God.
We are told in V2-3 that "the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin
king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was
Sisera.......and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine
hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children
of Israel". This is very important,
because the oppression by Sisera caused Israel to cry unto the LORD.
And isn't this the
way with us? When we grow cold of heart
and try to do things by our own strength, instead of following the Lord and
desiring to be led by His will in our lives, do
not trials and temptations come upon us which are designed to bring us
back to Him? James 4:6-10 "But he
giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith,
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw
nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn and weep: let your
laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and he shall lift you up."
In Verse 6 Deborah calls
upon Barak, the son of Abinoam to follow the LORD's commands in going to battle
against Sisera,"and she sent and called Barak...and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor.".. and in V7 Deborah says "I will draw unto thee to the river
Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his
multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand." But in V8 Barak dishonours himself by
refusing to go alone, "And Barak said unto her, if thou wilt go with me,
then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go", this
even knowing that the LORD had commanded him to go and promised him the
victory. And so in V9 Deborah tells him
"I 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....". This then is the reason for what is to come, a man of Israel
has disobeyed the command of the LORD, but the LORD will have His victory, and this by the hand of a woman.
