When leaders lead in Israel,
When the people willingly offer themselves,
Bless the Lord! – Judges 5:2
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
No, actually, it was:
The worst of times
In Judges chs 4 and 5 Israel had hit rock bottom.
Great Apostasy
The story opens with: “The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (4:1)
“Again”!
In the Book of Judges, the most depressing word you read, over and again, is that word: “again”.
They “again did evil in the sight of the Lord.”
Ralph Davis comments: “It is difficult to be creative in sin; there’s a certain monotony about it; most all of it has been done before; it is simply that we do the same thing again.”
There is a staleness to our sinning: we do what we have done before.
There is slavery in sinning: we keep on doing what we have done before.
Here was Israel returning, again, to idolatry: “They chose new gods.” (5:8)
“New gods”. Same sin.
They return to their sin, (as the Bible says) “like a dog returning to its vomit.”
Because of this, there was:
Great Trouble
“The Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.” (4:2)
Hazor was right inside Israelite territory.
In the period of the Judges, each time God’s people turned away from the Lord, the Lord sent a foreign power to oppress them to bring them back to their senses.
First of all (in the previous chapter) it was Mesopotamia – which was way off to the east, in what is modern day Iraq.
The next time Israel cheated on the Lord, He sent against them the Moabites: these were a lot closer to home – not far to the east of Israel.
Then, it was the Philistines: they were on the south-west flank of Israel – closer again.
And now: it is Hazor: this is the enemy that lives right inside Israelite territory; the enemy is now in their bosom.
Every time Israel disobeyed God, God brought their chastening closer to home.
Every time, their yoke became heavier.
When we keep returning to the same sin, every time the consequences become heavier. And every time, the consequences come closer to home.
Maybe you are tempted to go on in the same besetting sin.
Maybe, you think: “It will be easier to deal with, if I just give in to this temptation one more time.”
But it won’t: it only gets harder: It becomes more and more a part of who you are. You find yourself nurturing sin in your bosom.
Here, the enemy are Canaanites who live in their own midst.
These are those that Israel was supposed to have wiped out more than 100 years before.
Now, for the first time, it is these (that God had once commanded Israel to completely wipe out) that are the cause of their grief.
Israel’s failure, 100 years before, is finally catching up with them… or rather, with their children, and their children’s children.
That’s what happens when we are less than wholehearted in putting away those sins God commands us to utterly wipe out.
They re-appear, like a festering sore. They flare up, having a devastating effect – not only upon us, but upon our children, and our children’s children.
Great Enemy
This Hazor was a powerful enemy.
Joshua had defeated the kingdom of Hazor back in the days when Israel first entered the Promised Land. Hazor, at that time, was led by another King Jabin.
Joshua had thoroughly defeated him: so thoroughly, that it had taken Hazor 100 years to recover; but not so thoroughly that they were utterly wiped out.
Archaeologists have excavated the city of Hazor in the last 100 years.
It was a huge city: covering 100 hectares, with a population of (maybe) 40,000 people.
Compare that with Jericho (the first city that Israel defeated). It is estimated the population of Jericho may have been a mere 1½ thousand.
And Hazor was not on its own.
They led a strong confederation of Canaanite city states – those which (along with Hazor) had recovered from the days of Joshua when they had been defeated.
One of those cities was the home of Jabin’s general: Sisera. He came from Harosheth Hagoyim (meaning Harosheth of the Nations), about 60 km away from Hazor.
This confederation of Canaanite city states dominated the whole of the northern region of Israel, encompassing six of the 12 tribes of Israel, i.e. Naphtali, Zebulon, Issachar, Asher, Manasseh and Dan.
Six of the 12 tribes! That’s half of the whole of Israel.
If those six tribes were to disappear, the very existence of Israel as a nation was doomed.
This hostile coalition possessed a secret weapon of mass destruction.
Well, probably not so secret; but definitely a WMD, i.e. the chariot!
Nine hundred of them (4:3)
Imagine facing an iron chariot, 
charging against you:
– drawn by fearless horses, themselves suitably protected,
– carrying two men: one driving furiously, the other firing arrows and hurling spears,
– with razor sharp scythes protruding from each axel, hacking to pieces any enemy soldier that came too close.
The enemy had 900 of them (in round figures).
In round figures, Israel had none (it doesn’t get much rounder than that).
In the mountains chariots weren’t much use.
But down on the fertile plains in the north, and north-west of Israel, they were unstoppable.
Great Despair
At this time, God’s people were completely demoralised – and had been for 20 years now!
“For twenty years Jabin had harshly oppressed the children of Israel.” (4:3)
“Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel.” (5:7)
The highways weren’t safe: “The highways were deserted, and the travellers walked along the byways.” (5:6)
This meant there was:
– no travelling – except by extreme necessity; and then only along difficult back routes.
– no social life: everyone was hiding in doors, or skulking around corners.
– no trade: you can’t trade if you can’t travel.
This was worse than any lockdown we are experiencing here in Australia.
The economy in Israel had collapsed.
“Then there was war in the gates.” (5:8)
The “gates” was where justice was administered. They were the law courts of cities in those days.
But instead of the “gates” being places to find justice, they were places of violence and war. There were scuffles and fights; people were killed, rather than receiving justice.
The whole judicial system had collapsed.
Israel had no weapons: “Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.” (5:8)
They had lost the will to fight anyway.
But even if they had the will, they had nothing to fight with.
They were completely demoralised.
Willing? “When the people willingly offer themselves…”?
No! The people were completely un-willing. They had lost all will to fight.
They had lost hope.
Sometimes, as Christians, we lose the will to fight.
Sometimes churches just give up.
We grow weary of the constant spiritual warfare; we grow tired of being different from the world around about us.
So, we come to terms with the world.
We say (in effect): “You leave us alone, and we’ll leave you alone. Just leave us in peace to slowly vegetate where we are – and in return, we’ll leave you alone and won’t claim your territory for the Lord.”
We lay down our weapons; we give up the fight.
We abandon any attempt to conquer the world (that lies under the sway of the Great Enemy: Satan) with the gospel.
Where is hope to be found?
You cannot read these two chapters without it being evident that this is the Lord’s doing.
The “Lord” is mentioned more than 20 times throughout these two chapters.
The Lord is in total control.
It was the Lord:
– who “sold Israel into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan” (4:2)
– to whom Israel “cried out” (4:3)
– who commanded Barak to “deploy troops” – and where to deploy them. (4:6)
– who would “deliver Sisera” into Barak’s hand, and who would “go before” him. (4:14)
– who would finally “sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” (4:9)
So, it is to the Lord that Deborah and Barak compose their song of victory (5:3), celebrating the Lord:
– who “went out from Seir, and marched from the field of Edom” (5:4)
– before whom “the mountains gushed” (5:5)
– who “came down against the mighty.” (5:13)
– who sent “the torrent of Kishon” and “swept them away.” (5:21)
In all this, it was the Lord who did it!
It was the Lord who sent a flood to defeat Sisera.
But the Lord used a flood. The Lord used means to defeat Sisera.
In fact, the Lord rarely works apart from means. He often uses means to bring about His purposes.
The most important means He uses is:
You!
It is people that God prepares and uses, most often, to bring about His purposes.
It was people God used here:
– leaders who led
– people who willingly offered themselves…
Godly Leadership
This sorry saga begins by emphasising the importance of good leadership:
When Ehud was dead, then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. (4:1)
While Ehud lived he led them; the people followed the Lord.
When Ehud died, the people turned again to idols.
Never is it more critical for “leaders to lead” (and “people to willingly offer themselves”) than in difficult times.
Here, in “the worst of times”, God raised up a godly leader.
A Woman!
Deborah was a remarkable woman.
She ranks with Miriam (the sister of Moses), and Huldah the prophetess (in the days of Josiah) as one of the great women in Israel.
This was the leader God raised up!
She was the only woman ever to have been a leader, chosen by God, in Israel.
It might seem strange God would call upon a woman to lead in view of what the New Testament has to say about women in leadership (in the church), eg. 1 Cor 14:34, Tim 2:13.
But in the end, it is up to God (not us) how He distributes His gifts.
We are not authorised to put women in positions of leadership – at least, in the church.
But Deborah is a reminder that this is simply because this is the way God has ordained it.
It is not because of any inferiority in women, or any superiority in males.
Most men, anyway, God does not put in positions of leadership.
If God has put you (a male) in a position of leadership today, remember Deborah. This is simply and solely because God has ordered it this way.
Authority is a gift; it is not a right. It is a gift from God.
In this particular instance, God did something very unusual: He chose to bestow this gift on someone we would not expect.
Willing Leadership
Sadly, in difficult times, some leaders opt to get out while the going’s good.
Like the “hireling” that Jesus describes in John ch 10: “He sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees.”
But not Deborah. She chose to get involved when she could have stayed away.
She came from far away from the trouble: “She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim.” (4:5)
Deborah was from way down south, in Ephraim. This was about as far south of the Canaanite threat as you could get, before you landed in the “Deep South” of Judah itself.
She could probably have survived comfortably (at least, for her life time) where she was.
But Deborah chose to get involved.
Never mind the people being “willing”. It all began with the people’s leader being “willing.”
Unwillingness makes a leader unapproachable. A leader who is always talking about “how busy he is”, “what a burden leadership is”, etc. is a liability.
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly.” (1 Pet 5:2)
Diligent Leadership
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: he who leads, with diligence.” (Rom 12:6,8)
Deborah was diligent in exercising the gift God had given her.
In doing so, God’s people revived; they were given A New Hope.
As leaders exercise godly leadership in the church, God’s people gain hope.
(Conversely, where leaders abuse their role, God’s people lose hope.)
This is true also of the gifts God has given you.
Each of you (if you are part of God’s church) has been given gifts by God.
Please realise that, it is as you exercise whatever gifts God has given you, that God’s people will gain hope.
It’s not only leaders; it is as each of you stir yourself up, and exercise the gifts God has given you, that God will breathe new life into the church.
That is an awesome responsibility we have.
Don’t waste it.
Servant Leadership
Perhaps you think the gift/s God has given you are not much. You may even be tempted to resent what God has given you and envy others their gifts.
Then think about what God called Deborah to do.
It wasn’t much. (In one sense, it was everything; the fact that she even did it was a tremendous risk.)
But, in the cold light of day, it wasn’t much.
She wasn’t the one chosen to lead the people into battle.
She could’ve been; there have been some formidable women warriors throughout history – like Boudicca, or Joan of Arc.
But, she wasn’t called to do that. God chose another to do that.
Deborah probably wasn’t even suited to that task.
She was there to inspire the one God had chosen to lead Israel into battle.
A good leader is there to serve, using whatever gifts God has given.
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers.” (1 Pet 5:2)
Shared Leadership
Paul, the eminent apostle, delighted to call upon others (leaders and non-leaders alike) as:
– fellow workers (Rom 16:3,9,21; 1 Cor 3:9; 2 Cor 1:24, 8:23; Phil 2:25, 4:3; Col 4:11),
– fellow labourers (1 Thes 3:2; Philem 1,24 ),
– fellow servants (Col 1:7, 4:7),
– fellow soldiers (Phil 2:25; Philem 2).
A good leader is part of a team, made up of leaders and non-leaders:
– he accepts what he can’t do, and what he can do.
– he accepts what God would have him do, and what God would not have him do.
A good leader doesn’t try and do everything; or feel insecure if he is not doing everything.
You don’t have to do everything. Try and do that, and you’ll end up doing nothing: at least, nothing very well.
A good leader inspires others in the team to be doing what they do.
This is what Deborah was about here:
She sent and called for Barak, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops… against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?” (4:6-7)
Again: “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?” (4:14)
The result: “So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.”
Deborah, by herself, was not enough. She needed others.
She needed Barak. Without Barak, Deborah was helpless. She needed this man who had the gift of being able to fight, and lead men into battle.
Without Deborah, Barak was helpless. Because, he didn’t have the will to fight unless Deborah was there, spurring him on: “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!”
He’s inspired. But, without the one who inspires him, he’s “not goin’ nowhere”
We need each other in the church!
Leading by Example
Leaders in the church who “say”, but don’t “do” are not “leaders”, eg. those who preach against gossip (especially about them), but gossip amongst themselves. Rulers who don’t follow their own rules lose credibility.
Jesus warned against such: “They say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” (Matt 23:3-4)
Rather, lead by example: “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you… not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Pet 5:2,3)
Deborah only commanded Barak to do what she was prepared to put her own life on the line to do herself.
When Barak says: “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!” she immediately responds: “I will surely go with you.” (4:8,9)
If you are going to encourage a brother or sister in the Lord…
If you are going to tell them: “Take the risk – this is what God says in His Word…”
If you are going to inspire them to take that risk and step out in faith…
… then be prepared to take that risk yourself.
Because (you never know) you just might have to put your money where your mouth is.
It was the “worst of times”.
But “when leaders lead, bless the Lord!”
We need godly leaders who lead.
…to be continued