If women are the spoils of barbarous conquerors, they are also the sinews, the strength, the soul of defenders.”
–Zane Grey (The Desert of Wheat)
“Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!”
–Psalm 118:15 (NLT)
——————————
I am going to only look at another portion of Deborah’s hymn/song. You can go back and read all of it at one time. But pause to think of what is happening; it would be good to read Judges 4, then come back to Deborah’s Song. The people were living in fear. William Petersen says, “Fear paralyzes; faith frees. And a fearless faith inspires others.” Keep that in mind as we read the next few verses from Judges 5.
12 — Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam!
13 — Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; the LORD came down for me against the mighty.
14 — From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, from Machir rulers came down, and from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter’s staff. (NKJV)
Fear had paralyzed Israel, that is all except for a woman named Deborah. Deborah was not the one to lead the armies; it was to be Barak, but he too was frightened and was not up to the task. Finally, he said he would not go to war unless Deborah went with him. Deborah, obedient, went with him into battle and the Lord brought about a great victory. As we read these verses and the rest of the song, we note that there were some of the tribes that did not follow her. Perhaps it was because she was a woman, and whoever heard of a woman leading an army into battle. Perhaps it was because they were too afraid. Either way, they simply were not obedient to the call of the Lord.
We read in Judges 4:14 where Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone out before you?” (NKJV) Get this! The Lord has already paved the way for our victory if we would but take the step to follow Him.
There is one more little section I want to draw your attention to simply because I like the little rhyme, “Jael, drove the nail.”
24 — Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed is she among women in tents.
25 — He asked for water, she gave milk; she brought out cream in a lordly bowl.
26 — She stretched her hand to the tent peg, her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; she pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, she split and struck through his temple.
27 — At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; at her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell dead. (NKJV)
If we are obedient the Lord will act on our behalf. If we have the courage to take the step He will give up faith and then add more faith, until the victory is won. It may not be the way you expected. The Lord may have someone to “drive the nail,” or He may simply confuse the enemy but if we have faith, He will supply the means and the victory. We either accept challenges that come our way with fear or with faith. Let your faith inspire others.
“Encamped along the hills of light, ye Christian soldiers rise,
And press the battle ere the night shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below, let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know, that overcomes the world.”
–John H. Yates