When leaders lead in Israel,
When the people willingly offer themselves,
Bless the Lord! – Judges 5:2
In my last post we looked at the need for godly leaders who lead.
“When leaders lead… bless the Lord!”
But the church is more than its leaders.
The church is the people.
If you are part of a church, it is: You.
A church is not just the pastor.
A church is not just a preaching centre.
A church is:
– leaders and people together
. – who willingly offer themselves
. – in the service, first of the Lord
. – and of one another.
It is when there are leaders who lead AND when the people willingly offer themselves, that we bless the Lord.
If you sincerely pray:
– “Your kingdom come – on earth, as it is in heaven…”
– “Your will be done – on earth, as it is in heaven…”
…then, you will pray for leaders to lead AND for you to willingly offer yourself, in the service of the Lord, and of one another.
First though:
A Quick Recap
When the Lord raised up Deborah and Barak to lead His people it really was the worst of times. We saw, in Judges chs 4 and 5 Israel had hit rock bottom.
It was a time of, Great Apostasy: “The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (4:1)
Yes, “again”!
It was a time of, Great Trouble: “The Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.” (4:2)
Hazor was the enemy right inside Israelite territory.
These were the Canaanites Israel’s forefathers had failed to completely wipe out, as the Lord had commanded.
These were a, Great Enemy: Hazor was the head a strong confederation of Canaanite city states that dominated six of the 12 tribes of Israel.
And they possessed a weapon of mass destruction that Israel did not, i.e. the chariot! Nine hundred of them.
Hence, it was a day of, Great Despair
– “Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel.”
– “The highways were deserted, and the travellers walked along the byways.”
– “Then there was war in the gates.”
– “Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.”
They had lost the will to fight. Even if they hadn’t, they had nothing to fight with.
They were completely demoralised.
In this hopeless situation, the Lord appeared in mercy to give A New Hope.
Throughout these two chapters in Judges “the Lord” appears more than 20 times.
The Lord is in control.
But this Lord used means:
He sent a flood to wash away the Canaanite chariots.
Especially, He used people:
– He raised up godly leaders in Deborah and Barak.
– And He raised up people, ten thousand of them!
Two leaders did not defeat the Canaanites.
Ten thousand who followed their leaders did.
Praise God: “Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power.” (Psa 110:3)
Those God “made willing” were these same poor pathetic specimens, bruised reeds under the heel of the Canaanites, cowering like worms in their holes.
These now emerge from their dark holes, ready to plunge headlong into the valley to take on a vastly superior enemy.
“When the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!”
Who were they?
The Tribes
1. Zebulon, Naphtali
These two tribes were specifically called to this fight.
The Lord commanded Barak: “Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun.” (4:6)
These two tribes were at the epicentre of the Canaanite Confederation:
– Hazor (the city of Jabin) was in Naphtali
– Harosheth (the city of Sisera) was in Zebulon.
These two tribes had the most to gain if they won.
But they had the most to lose if they lost.
“Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death; Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.” (5:18)
The odds were stacked against them. It simply was not humanly possible for 10,000 Israelites to prevail against an enemy, of vastly superior numbers, backed by 900 iron-clad tanks.
Remember also that, until just recently, all these:
– were thoroughly demoralized,
– had no weapons to speak of,
– had no training in warfare; they had forgotten how to fight.
Did they count the cost?
I’m sure they did – and knew the cost would be too high, if they lost.
2. Ephraim, Benjamin
“From Ephraim were those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples.” (5:14)
Ephraim (the homeland of Deborah) was well south of all the trouble; Benjamin further south still.
It would have been easy for these two tribes to say: “Out of sight, out of mind.”
But, as followers of Christ, we can’t say that.
We dare not forget those who are fighting on our behalf.
We dare not forget those who are still held captive to sin and death and need to hear the gospel.
There can be no “out of sight, out of mind” in this battle.
3. Machir, Issachar
“From Machir rulers came down… And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah.” (5:14-15)
Machir refers to the half tribe of Manasseh who dwelt on the other side of the Jordan. They were relatively safe from attack by the Canaanite Coalition.
Issachar though (like Zebulon and Naphtali) were right in the thick of it. They took an incredible risk going into battle against the Canaanites.
These two tribes: Machir and Issachar, provided captains, rulers, and other leaders: “My heart is with the rulers of Israel who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the Lord!” (5:9)
The previous two tribes: Ephraim and Benjamin, provided foot soldiers.
Each provided what they were good at.
It is like that in the Church: “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Pet 4:10)
Not all are good at leading. In fact, most are not. Why would the Lord make everyone a leader in the church?
But everyone has some gifts that they can bring to the fight. As long as each one brings his gifts willingly – what incredible things the Lord will do!
“When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!”
Individuals
There was one individual in particular: Jael!
In this battle, the Lord of Hosts again chose to use “means” to obtain the final victory.
He chose to use an obscure woman, in a remote area, living in a tent!
This woman, Jael, drove the final nail – literally – into Sisera’s coffin.
You might find what she did a bit gruesome.
You might even wonder at the rightness of her action in inviting Sisera into her tent, assuring him all would be well – then driving a tent peg through his skull.
But before you feel too sorry for Sisera, remember who he was.
He was the enemy of the Lord’s people:
– who had “harshly oppressed” them for 20 years (4:3),
– and who enjoyed raping captured girls (5:30).
This was no time for a “Jesus-loves-you-and-has-a-wonderful-plan-for-your-life” message.
This was time for some serious “let’s-put-an-end-to-all-this”!
And before you are too hard on Jael, note that in this Holy Spirit inspired song, she is praised as: “Most blessed among women is Jael.” (5:24)
The only other woman (that I know of) that the Bible describes that way was Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Jael was a very ordinary woman, who used her very ordinary gifts, to great advantage.
Her very ordinary gift was putting in tent pegs.
In those days, it was usually the women who put up the tents. (Those of you who love camping might want to keep that in mind next time you go. Or not.)
Every time they pitched camp, Jael – a woman – would go round with her mallet and tent pegs: peg after peg, blow after blow, she would drive those tent pegs into the ground.
Maybe she sometimes even wondered: “There has to be more to life than this!”
Perhaps she dreamt (like Scuffy the Tug Boat): “I was meant for bigger things.”
She had this one simple gift.
But she used that gift, that day (again, at some risk to herself) to turn the tide of battle.
God had said (4:9): “The Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” – and He did.
So it is in the church:
God chooses the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. (1 Cor 1:27-29)
What very ordinary gifts do you have?
There are lots of ways you can be fighting the Lord’s battle here upon this earth.
Don’t tell me you have no gifts – because the Bible says you do. “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” (1 Cor 12:7)
How are you profiting “all” by the gifts God has given to you?
Remember, the most important thing is not how great those gifts are – especially, not how great they are measured by worldly standards; but whether you bring those gifts (however meagre you think they are), and offer them willingly in the Lord’s service!
“Willingness” is the best gift of all.
It is sweet perfume to God!
People Who Don’t Want to Get Involved
Unfortunately there were some in Israel that just didn’t want to get involved.
They were part of the Lord’s people. But they didn’t want to put themselves out if it involved anything like sacrifice:
1. Reuben
Among the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart.
Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, to hear the pipings for the flocks?
The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart. (5:15-16)
Reuben was far, far away to the south – and across the Jordan River. They were about as far away from the conflict as it was possible to be.
He had “great resolves”. He always spoke as though he were ready to throw down everything, and rush out to help you.
But, when the time came… it was always: “Hmm, not just now…”
“You’ve caught me at a bad time,” Reuben would say. “I’ve got my own sheep to look after. I can’t really up and leave them just now – after all, they are my first responsibility, you know.”
“We would like to be more a part of life in the church…
“We would really like to join you in the battle, as you come together for prayer…
“We would love to be more involved in Bible studies and evangelistic outreach…
“But, we’ve got our sheep to consider. I’ve got my family, my job, my hobbies.
“Look, I agree 100% with the principle of sacrificial service for the Lord.
“It’s just that, at this stage, and with my circumstances – well, it’s just not convenient.”
Reuben had “great searchings of heart.”
2. Gilead, Dan, Asher
Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan,
And why did Dan remain on ships?
Asher continued at the seashore, and stayed by his inlets. (5:17)
Gilead (in Gad) was also across the Jordan – and hence was reasonably safe.
Dan (way up in the north) and Asher, on the other hand, were right there in the thick of it. They were right on the borders of the Canaanite Coalition – and hence were very vulnerable.
But it seems, unlike Zebulon and Naphtali (in v 18), they were not prepared to “jeopardize their lives to the point of death.” They were not prepared to stick their necks out.
They counted the cost – and decided it wasn’t worth it: they had too much to lose.
Dan pretended he couldn’t leave his ships. It just wasn’t a good time to be away from his commercial interests.
Asher, too, stayed at home because the fishing was good. Why risk your neck in battle, when you can go fishing?
They all had their excuses as to why they couldn’t get involved in the Lord’s battle “just at this time”!
3. Meroz
The fiercest condemnation is reserved for Meroz.
“Curse Meroz” (5:23)
Meroz was an Israelite city that was closest of all to Hazor.
If Israel lost, it would be the very first place King Jabin would seek revenge. They could expect no mercy!
They had the most to gain – if Israel won. But they had the most to lose, if Israel lost.
They chose… not to get involved:
‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord,
‘Curse its inhabitants bitterly,
Because they did not come to the help of the Lord,
To the help of the Lord against the mighty.’
“Come to the help of the Lord”!?
“No, no,” they argued, “the Lord doesn’t need our help. He is the Lord.
“Whatever we decide one way or the other doesn’t really matter in the end. The Lord will look after His church; the Lord will provide.
“So, why put ourselves out?”
So, they argued.
But argue that way however much you like, Meroz. The Bible still says, “You did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.”
“You did not come to the help of the Lord.”
Yes, we believe in the sovereignty of God.
And we believe that it is the Lord who gives the victory in the end.
But in this work, the Lord chooses to use “helpers”; He chooses to use you and me.
On this occasion, He chose to use:
– Deborah and Barak,
– Ten thousand from Zebulon, Naphtali, Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir and Issachar
– As well as one solitary woman, living far away in a tent, whose gift was that she knew how to drive tent pegs into the ground (and other equally hard objects).
Paul says: “We are God’s fellow workers.” (See “Shared Leadership” in the previous post; also here.)
We work with the Lord in this work; we help the Lord.
That is a huge privilege – to be called to help the Lord who does not need our help.
If we refuse, if we excuse ourselves, saying, “You’ve caught me at a bad time, not now, maybe later” then, we are refusing to help the Lord!
Whether He needs our help or not is not the point. The point is: He is the Lord; He has called us to help Him.
Meroz was cursed because they refused to come to the help of the Lord against the mighty.
Meroz, we think, was a considerable city at that time. The Lord expected great things from her people.
But in the day of conflict, they ran away from the battle; they refused to get involved.
We never hear of Meroz again.
They turned their back on this opportunity to help the Lord.
They never had that opportunity again.
They discovered that when leaders refuse, and people are unwilling, then they are cursed.
But:
When leaders lead in Israel,
When the people willingly offer themselves,
Bless the Lord!