Judges 4: 1-7
After Ehud died, the Israelites once again did evil in the eyes of the Lord. So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of the army was Sisera, who lived in Haroshebth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help.
Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’ ”
A Thought
All throughout the reign of judges, the Israelites would do evil in the eyes of the Lord followed by God placing them in bondage under a foreign king. The Israelites then would cry out for God to delivery them. Currently the Israelites have been oppressed for twenty years under the army’s commander Sisera, because of their disobedience. Now they cry out to the Lord for his help. God sends a prophetess, Deborah, to lead Barak to defeat Sisera. And once again the Israelites grew stronger and stronger.
Our Prayer
Father thank you for delivering your people when we cry out to you. Forgive us when we turn our back on you. Awaken us to turn from our evil ways as we cry out to you as our deliverer. Strengthen us in your word that we will be strong, filled with your Spirit. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
