March 17, 2022

Now Deborah, a prophet, 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 went up 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 them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’”

Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.

Judges 4:4-9

On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites. And the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan until they destroyed him.

Judges 4:23-24

Villagers in Israel would not fight;
they held back until I, Deborah, arose,
until I arose, a mother in Israel.

Judges 5:7

Devotional

My father grew up near Manning, SC, on his father’s farm. His father was a WW1 veteran, severely disabled from mustard gas, and his mother was the district nurse. She dispensed medicine and gave nursing advice. In that rural place, when people needed help or counsel, whether legal or personal or medical, they came to Mr. Jake’s house and consulted with him and his wife. People would bring disputes or dilemmas and put them before these two people of character. All the parties would agree to abide by whatever Mr. Jake decided about their problem. He served in this way for many years.
 
I think of him and his wife whenever I read the book of Judges. These two lived in a time when community leadership was needed, and it arose from informally chosen people who were recognized as leaders by everyone in that community. People in the time of the Judges and in the time of my grandparents knew a deep need for Godly leadership. The time of the Judges was a rather lawless, rough-and-ready time, and the people did not yet have a king. There wasn’t always a prophet. So the Lord appointed judges, leaders who had a fluid job description.  Sometimes people brought disputes to them to be settled. Sometimes the problems they dealt with were political. In other times, the judges led the people in battle. No matter what their role, the Spirit of the Lord was with them.  
 
Today’s Scripture has the story of a remarkable judge named Deborah. It was rare but not unheard of for the people of God to be led by a woman. While Deborah was a wife and mother, she also had an “office,” a palm tree called by her name where people knew they could come and consult her. One day she called the military leader Barak and told him that he and Israelite forces should attack the army of Jabin, led by Sisera, and that God would give them victory.  Barak’s reply was rather surprising and cowardly: “If you don’t go with me, Deborah, I won’t go.”  She assures him that, of course, she will go with him. But she added that now a woman will take the glory of this battle when it is won. So Deborah and a wily woman named Jael do indeed take the glory of the battle. Deborah sings a song of victory, which you can read in Judges chapter 5.  
 
God will always raise up Godly leaders who give good advice, who solve problems, and who lead God’s people into battle. (If you think about it, that is what is happening in Ukraine right now: Godly-inspired leaders are rising up to do battle and solve problems for their people.) God knows we need Godly leadership in our families, in our cities, and in our world.

For Reflection

Have you ever stepped into leadership at a particular time to help resolve an issue or fight for what is right?  
 
Do you respond well to informal leaders, be they women or men?  
 
Do you recognize leadership when it comes upon you or when you see it in others?

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to know leaders when I see them. Help me respond well to Godly leadership. Help me to know when it is my time to lead a battle for You or solve a problem for God’s people. Lord, let me be responsive to Your leadership and know when it is time to rise and lead. In Christ’s name, Amen.