The Flawed People of a Flawless God

Scripture: Judges 3:30-31

C.I.: Deborah & Barak: The Musical!

Judges is the story of the faithfulness of God…! – Today we will again see God's faithfulness towards His people!

•  The Story and the Song, (Judges 4-5)

A. The Story, (Judges 4)

1. God's people have gone and done it again, ( vs. 1-3 ), “Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord,
after Ehud died. {“The Cycle of Sin” - Rebellion } And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reined
in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera { Oppression } … and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord; for he had
900 iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for 20 years {Repentance}.”

a. Hazor, Jabin's capital city, had been defeated once . – But God's people let the enemy return!

•  ( Josh. 11:10-11 ), “Joshua captured Hazor, and struck its king with the sword, and struck every person in it with the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed.”

•  The same thing happens spiritually, ( Matt. 12:43-45 ), “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and it does not find it. – Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes it finds its house unoccupied, swept, and put in order. – Then it goes and takes with it 7 other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” – Those saved, but don't put Jesus in their lives…FALL!!!

2. The “evil” that Israel “did” – included men abdicating their role as spiritual leaders. – ( v. 4 ), “Now Deborah, a
prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.”
a. The issue is not that men are better than women, or that women can't lead. – The problem is not one of
gender – but of the tasks God has given to each gender!
1) As God's people they should have felt ashamed – for having done this, ( Isa. 3:12 ), “O My people!
Their oppressors are children, and women rule over them. O My people!”
2) Even when a man is put into a leadership role – he hides behind a woman, ( vs. 6-8 ), “Now she
sent and summoned Barak, the son of Ahinoam, and said to him, ‘Behold, the Lord, the God of Israel, has
commanded, “Go and march on Mt. Tabor, and take with you 10,000 men from the sons of Naphtali and
from the sons of Zebulun … and I will give Sisera into your hand.” – 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.”'”

b. Deborah went, but the honor that day did not go to Barak, ( v. 9 ), “And she said, ‘I will surely go with
you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera
into the hands of a woman.'”

3. With only 10,000 men, Barak was able to defeat the army of Canaan (including its 900 iron chariots)!
a. ( vs. 15-16 ), “And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army, with the edge of the sword before
Barak; Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled on foot … and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the
sword; not even one was left {Deliverance}.”

b. But the promise of God was fulfilled. – ( vs. 17-21 ), Now Sisera fled on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of
Heber … And Jael went out to meet Sisera, an said to him, ‘Turn aside, my master, turn aside to me! – Do not be
afraid.' – And 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 a drink; then she covered him. – And he said to her, ‘Stand at the doorway of the tent, and if anyone
comes and inquires of you, and says, “Is there anyone here?” that you shall say, “No.”' – But Jael, Heber's wife,
took a tent peg and seized a hammer in her hand, and went secretly to him and drove the tent peg into his temple,
and it went though into the ground; for he was sound asleep and exhausted. So he died.”

B. The Song, (Judges 5)

1. ( v. 1 ), “Then Deborah & Barak the son of Ahinoam sang on that day, saying….”
a. In the Bible, a song (psalm) is a prayer of the heart which has been set to a melody.
1) Sometimes a song is a cry for help, or a lament of sorrow, or as here a paean of thanksgiving.
2) We can learn a lot from a song (as we are supposed to), ( quote Col. 3:16 ).
3) Indeed, in this song – we learn details which are not give in chapter 4 .

2. During the times of “Oppression” – things were not good in the Promised Land…
a. On the roads, “…the highways were deserted, and travelers went by roundabout ways,” ( v. 6 ) – In the cities,
“Then war was in the gates,” ( v. 8 ).

b. Sadly, the problem was not just w/the actions of the “bad guys” – but the inaction of the “good guys”!
1) There were “the idle” – ( v. 16 ), “Why do you sit among the sheepfolds, to hear the piping for the flk?”
2) Then there were the “busy” – ( v. 17 ), “Gilead remained across the river. – And why did Dan stay in ships?
– Asher sat at the seashore & remained by its landings.”
3) Finally, there were the apathetic, ( v. 23 ), “‘Curse Meroz,' said the angel of the Lord, ‘Utterly curse its
inhabitants; - because they did not come to the help of the Lord, against the warriors.'”
4) The same exist today, ( Lk. 14:16-24 ), “A certain man was giving a big dinner and invited many … The 1 st
one said, ‘I have bought a piece of land … I have bought 5 yoke of oxen … I have married a wife, and for that
reason I cannot come.' I tell you that none of those who were invited shall taste of my dinner.”

3. Yet during the times of “Deliverance” – God acted on behalf of His people – who came to Him in faith!
a. ( v. 20 ), “The stars fought from heaven, from their courses they fought against Sisera.”
1) God sent a storm (heavens) to impede Sisera's 900 iron chariots.

b. ( v. 21 ), “The torrent of Kishon swept them away.
1) The storm caused the river Kishon to overflow its banks.

c. ( v. 22 ), “Then the horses' hoofs beat, from the dashing, dashing of his valiant steeds.”
1) 900 irons chariots became 900 pieces of scrap metal! – THE VICTORY WAS THE LORD'S!!!

d. God will move heaven & earth – to help His people who fully trust in Him.
1) ( 4:16 ), “…and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left.”
2) ( Rom. 8:31 ), “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
3) The tragedy for today - is not that God isn't there to help His people; - the tragedy is that God's
people don't fully trust in Him!

4. Sisera's mother is a type of all unbelievers.
a. Without faith in God, all they have are questions with no answers.
1) ( v. 28 ), “Out of the window she looked and lamented, the mother of Sisera through the lattice, - ‘Why does his
chariot delay in coming? – Why do the hoof beats of his chariots tarry?”

b. The answers they give - are only for the things of this life.
1) ( v. 29 ), “Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil? – A maiden, 2 maidens for every warrior; to
Sisera a spoil of dyed work, a spoil of dyed work embroidered. – Dyed work of double embroidery on the
neck of the spoiler?”

CONCLUSION:

1. Today, we have a song, “And they sang the song of Moses… and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and marvelous are Your works
Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, You King of the nations,'” ( Rev. 15:3 ).

2. And we have a story, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to everyone. The one who has believed and has been baptized
shall be saved; the one who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” – SO WHAT WILL YOU DO…?!