Judges 4, 5
Leaders Prep Section
Watch this video, read these notes, and send the pre-written email (below) to your group 2-3 days before you meet.
Notes
Deborah, one of a handful of women prophets in the bible, is taking the stage. Not only is she tough one on one, she will lead an army of 10,000 men into battle. As we’ve seen before, God is the one really fighting and winning against the enemies of his followers. But he uses people in his plan…and apparently tent pegs.
Group Guide Starts Here
Context of scripture
The fighting is rampant now. More than a century had passed since the time of Eglon and Ehud1 (left handed, killer judge from the last discussion) and a new Canaanite king is oppressing the people.
Read Judges 4:1-3
Hazor was the head of the armies that fought Israel back in Joshua 11. Under God’s leadership while following Joshua, the Israelites burned their chariots, hamstrung their horses, and burned the city of Hazor to the ground. Without Israel continuing to push out the Canaanites and finish the job given to them by God, their enemies have rebuilt.
Consider the Canaanites rebuilding after the wars with Joshua’s. What kind of a culture of hatred can develop in a society after a devastating defeat?
Read Judges 4: 4-10
Prophets and leaders during this time would meet under a well-known tree in or near a village. These trees retained their significance. Later, the Israelites would offend by God by worshiping other gods at these “sacred trees.”2
While it’s tempting to view Barak as weak for asking Deborah to join them in battle, some scholars believe Barak wanted Deborah to come because he believed the presence of a prophetess would encourage the troops and sanction the uprising against Jabin.3
Barak had lost the will to act on God’s instruction. But after being reprimanded by Deborah, he gets 10,000 men and goes to battle. All in all, would you say Barak had faith in God?
Read Judges 4:11-16
Notice that Sisera instructed his own men to go to the Kishon river (v12), a maneuver earlier foretold by God to Barak and Deborah (v7). The geographical movement of Israel’s troops tells us about their confidence. They descended from Mt Tabor (giving up the high ground) and ran into a valley against chariots (a strategically risky move). In Judges 5: 4, 20-21, we learn what happened. God brought a huge storm, likely locking the chariots in mud and forcing the Canaanites into hand-to-hand combat against the Israelites.4
These are the same Israelites that whored after other gods, creating the problem from the beginning. What do you think changed in their minds that made them follow God again?
Read Judges 4: 17-24
According to the customs of nomadic people at this time, receiving a stranger into the inner part of the tent and offering drink creates a duty to defend and conceal against pursuers.
In v 9, Deborah told Barak God that would sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. Now we know she mean Jael.
How do you explain the situation where God sells Sisera into the hands of Jael, who murders him; when one of God’s commands to his people is “don’t murder?”
Note to leader: have the group read Ch 5 if they haven’t already. It’s a story of what happened during and around the battle.