Word of the Day: Distinguished
Marked by excellence or being different
Deborah was a lady who served her nation and she was a homemaker before her service. Deborah's name meant "bee" and she is also known as the Deborah the Patriot, for her faithfulness to her people. She does not come from an aristocratic background but the Bible says that she was the wife of Lapidoth.
Judges 4:4
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
Deborah is also described as the "mother of Israel", there is no record that she ever had children with her husband. This was a strong woman married to a weak husband but that does not mean that she was above him or that she did not respect his authority. Lapidoth's name means "torch" or "lightning flashes", in reality, they were both one flesh which means that she was the bee and he was the light.
Judges 5:7
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
This lady was a woman of a great personality, she was first a counselor as she displayed her leadership skills under a large palm tree near her home. This is where the people of Israel would come to get guidance from the Lord and they greatly respected this prophetess. Why did God choose a woman? we don't know why. What we know for sure is that God would use rocks if necessary to speak His Word.
Judges 4:5
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.
Like in any other story from the Bible we hear again that the children of Israel had done evil in the sight of the lord. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan. This means that the Lord had abandoned the people of Israel.
Judges 4:1–2
And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.
2 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
Israel suffered twenty years of oppression under the hand of Jabin, his name meant "intelligence". Once again the people of Israel cried unto God for help.
Judges 4:3
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.
Who was Deborah besides being the wife of Lapidoth, well, Deborah was the judge of Israel in those days. That means that she had a close relationship with the Lord and because of this close relationship with the Lord she was able to deliver her people at the time of war.
Judges 4:4
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
She was a leader in her home but was also a leader in her town, and every time she spoke she spoke with the authority from God. This was demonstrated when she challenged Barak the son of Abinoam which is the same person as Lapidoth her husband and this was just another name for him. Deborah was able to discern God's purpose and knew how to declare His Word to others.
Deborah told her husband to recruit men from his tribe and the tribe of Zebulum. Israel was afraid to go into war for they feared the multitude of the army and chariots Jabin possessed. Israel's military was weak in faith as well as inept, normal life was no longer available for them and Deborah was tired of the situation but they did not want to fight.
Judges 4:6
And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
Judges 4:7
And 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.
Barak agreed to gather the men but insisted for Deborah to accompany him, Deborah not only accompany him but also suggested the strategy. God was speaking through this woman, she awoke in them the determination to freedom. This time God was using a woman to speak to His people and I don't mean this in a way for women to diminish men. The reason why Barak wanted her to join him was because she not only had a close relationship with God but also with His people. He knew right away that this was the right plan for the task.
Judges 4:8
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.
Deborah being that submissive woman warned her husband that, if she accompanied him to the war, the glory of the journey would not be for him but for her, but he needed that strong woman and he did not care.
Judges 4:9
And she said, 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. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Their army consisted of 10,000 men, Sisera had 100,000 fighters and 900 iron chariots which now days we would call tanks, and the Lord delivered his people from the bondage. Israel won the battle with only 10,000 men and that was to prove Israel that it was God who won the battle.
Judges 4:15–16
And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.
16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.
Before Deborah exercise her uncommon skills as a leader of Israel, she was a homemaker, wife, and mother to Israel. She made herself available to win this battle for the Lord. The love for her people inspired others to trust God. Deborah was also a poetess she wrote a song in Chapter 5 of the Book of Judges which offers a narrative of what happened in the same book chapter 4.
This story typifies the victory of the seed of the woman over sin, and Deborah was acting on behalf of God's commandment. The story never implies a woman to disobey her husband. Let's not use this book as a way to say that it is okay for women to preach to men.
Deborah possessed many characteristics: she was a wife, a prophet, a judge, a leader, a warrior, a poetess, a mother to Israel, and as a bee she was quick to respond to the Word of God. In other words she was not a lazy woman, she was a woman who got the strength from God.
Conclusion: Deborah reminds me so much of the children's Sunday school teachers, the Bible describes her as the Mother of Israel although she never had children of her own she still carried that maternal instinct.
*Please let me know if this post has been a blessing to you through a comment, for it would be a blessing for me to know.
have added some verses down below for those who are not sure if heaven is your future home. Please share with me if you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior through this post. I will be happy to rejoice with you!
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Romans 10:9–13
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