Judges 4
A SECOND Jabin, king of Hazor in the north country now rules with a heavy hand over the sinful Israelites. The former king and his capital city had been destroyed (Joshua 11:1-131And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 2And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, 3And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. 4And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. 5And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. 6And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. 7So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. 8And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. 9And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. 10And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. 11And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire. 12And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. 13But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. (Joshua 11:1‑13)), but the unfaithfulness of God’s people gave occasion to rebuild the city and re-establish the kingdom.
It will be noticed that the source of the trial, its exact form and its length vary in each of the cases we have been noticing, but God’s purpose is the same in every one, —to exercise the people, who had professed to serve Him in regard to their ways. The crying to God always brings an answer from Him in grace, though we may think rightly that there was a great deal more in the people’s prayers of complaint about their sufferings, than of confession of their departure from God and His Word.
Considering the deliverers in order, from Othniel to Deborah and Barak, we see a gradual increase in weakness; their names—for nothing is in vain in Scripture, —themselves indicating it as well as the circumstances in which each appears.
(Othniel—God is force; Ehud—strong; Shamgar—cup-bearer; Deborah —bee, or wasp; Barak—lightning; Jael—chamois or deer).
That a woman judged Israel was contrary to God’s ordinary dealings, and a disgrace to men. It was however a sign of God’s over-ruling power, for Deborah was a prophetess. She learned the mind of God and passed it on to Barak (verses 6, 7), here was safe ground for faith to tread: would Barak act, thus directed and assured from God Himself? He obeys, but sadly lacks faith for the undertaking, for he will not go without the presence of Deborah, who he rightly judges, is walking nearer to God than himself.
The case has a certain parallel in the experience of Moses who was directed of God to appear before the monarch of Egypt, and demand of him liberty for the people of Israel, but, unwilling to act on the hare word of God, has to share his appointment with his brother (Exodus 4:14-1714And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 17And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. (Exodus 4:14‑17)). So the honor will not be Barak’s (verse 9) but a woman’s, and that one not of the children of Israel, but a stranger (verses 11, 17-22).
Following the slender faith of the feeble army under Barak and Deborah, the mighty God, ever interested in and acting, though often unrecognized, for those whom in grace He has picked up, proceeds on behalf of Israel, so that the enemy’s leader, Sisera, flies for his life, his army destroyed to the last man. The stranger, Jael, now takes his life using such a weapon as came to her hand, —the whole incident manifesting God’s power displayed in “earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of Him, and not of us”. (2 Corinthians 4:77But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)).
ML 10/25/1925