Deborah –other great women in similar circumstances –1 Samuel 25:2–3
Our context today- progressive Christianity’s rise —
• An amazing woman –but used in an unbiblical way.
• Evidence for complementarianism or egalitarianism?
• Dealing with gender issues – is there two sexes/genders—roles –etc…
Important truths to remember when reading scripture.
• Scripture in many places is descriptive not prescriptive.
• When Gods Word tells us history, he reveals what happened –not meaning that God approved of all people did.
• God reveals the result of what they did as a lesson for us to see.
• What this story reveals and what it doesn’t –some say….
Context of the state of Israel:
Judges 2:10 (NASB95) Judges 17:6 (NASB95) Judges 21:25 (NASB95)

God steps in:
Judges 4:4–24 (NASB95) 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, “Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 7 ‘I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.’ ” 8 Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 Deborah said to Barak, “Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 15 The LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left. 17 Now Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! Do not be afraid.” And he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a bottle of milk and gave him a drink; then she covered him. 20 He said to her, “Stand in the doorway of the tent, and it shall be if anyone comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there anyone here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’ ” 21 But Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went through into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” And he entered with her, and behold Sisera was lying dead with the tent peg in his temple. 23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the sons of Israel. 24 The hand of the sons of Israel pressed heavier and heavier upon Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin the king of Canaan.

1. This story reveals Deborah Who is Deborah?
• Why the NASB version —
• Where in the story she fits –Judges 4
• What some have done with Deborah—not the norm
• She was a wife – scripture tells us she was married.
• She was a judge – she had the role of a judge where people came to her to settle civil disputes. Much like a judge we have in our culture today.
• The priests were the ones who taught the word of God and led spiritually.
• She was also a prophetess – prophets only spoke on behalf of God to the people. God gave the gift of prophecy to two women in the Old Testament.

Foretelling vs. forthtelling – more on this in our overtime podcast
• As a prophetess, she spoke in a foretelling sense, predictive about what would happen in advance. Vs.6-7
• A foreteller had no power or authority to teach. Teaching was only given to the priests.
• Forthtellers – to proclaim a message truthfully, clearly, and authoritatively to those for whom God intended.

Notice
• God will work around and in spite of –He chooses a woman when men won’t play their role –
• A woman of God stepped in when men were passive or evil.
• She was a prophetess of God when the nation was far from God.
• Deborah stepped into the gap for the nation.

2. In Deborah’s case – She delivered the Lord’s message faithfully and courageously.
• She stirred up courage and showed what it looked like – this was not a war they could have won.
• She went with Barak to the war zone.
• Judges 5:21 – flashflood on the plain – chariots stuck.

3. In Deborah’s case she gave credit to God and called up Barak (not just called out but called up) – humility and submission to God.
• They became partners –She did not take the role he was supposed to have but encouraged him and helped him in his role.
Proverbs 14:1 (NASB95) 1 The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Judges 5:12 (NASB95) 12 “Awake, awake, Deborah; Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and take away your captives, O son of Abinoam.
To us men
• God called us to take our role with the same kinds of characteristics we see in Deborah.
To women
• In situations where there is no spiritual leader – God can use you to raise up men – Eunice and Lois in Timothys life.
• Like Abigail and Nabal
• In this story – to call up the men in your life to be who God called them to be.
• A willingness to step beside when men start taking their role –victory is raising people up not keeping them down.

For Small Group Discussion
Opening Question: Have you ever been thrust into service or responsibility in an unexpected way or at an unexpected time? How did you respond?
Main Point: During a time in Israel’s history when ‘everyone did what they saw fit’, Deborah stood out for her faith and obedience to God. Her story reminds us that God will use anyone who believes in God, is being changed by God and is committed to His mission.
Main Scripture: Judges 4-5
Head Questions
• What role did Deborah find herself in and why do you think she was in that position?
• Why do you think Barak asked Deborah to go with him?
Heart Questions
• Barak initially hesitated to go into battle without Deborah. Do you hesitate when God asks you to step out in faith?
• What are some things that stand out to you from Deborah’s song in Judges 5? Why is her response something we should also model in our own life?
Hands Questions
• How has God been at work in your life in significant ways?
• While most of us aren’t poets or songwriters, how might you write your own psalm of praise to celebrate what God is doing? This week, take some time to write something like that down. Additional Scripture: Exodus 15:1-18, James 1:22, 4:7

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