Lesson 262: Deborah and Barak

Judg. 4

Full Lesson HERE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvzyE3VQzlo

INTRODUCTION. The next judge after Ehud was Shamgar who killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad and saved Israel. At that time oppression was so bad the highways were unsafe, and the people had to travel on the byways or secluded paths (Judg. 3:31; 5:6). This is the first mention of the Philistines as enemies of the Israelites.

Again the Israelites did evil, and the Lord brought Jabin, a king of Canaan, against them who harshly oppressed them for twenty years. The captain of Jabin's army was Sisera who had 900 chariots of iron.

The judge at this time was Deborah, a prophetess and the only woman judge. She lived in the hill country of Ephraim, sitting under a palm tree where the children of Israel came to her for judgment.

Deborah called for Barak out of Naphtali and said God commanded to take 10,000 men of Israel from Naphtali and Zebulun to Mount Tabor. God would draw Sisera and his army to Barak and the Israelites, then deliver the army of Sisera into the hand of Barak. However, there would be no glory for Barak in this undertaking, for the Lord would sell Sisera himself into the hand of a woman.