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JUDGES

CHAPTER 5

1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,

This is a song composed concerning the battle in the previous chapter. Songs are expressions of fact and sentiment mixed in a very intimate teaching. The book of Psalms is somewhat composed in this very manner. An event of history deserves songs with which descendents are reminded. IE - The Star Spangled Banner.

2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.

The praise is to God Who is always faithful when people "offered themselves."

3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. 4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.

The song is addressed to LEADERS .. and begins with a brief synopsis of Israel's deliverance by the Lord from Egypt. The mountains literally shook because of the presence of God.

6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. 7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

Now the song turns to the present, and the state of israel since the days of Shamgar (3:31). Notice that Jael is mentioned here. During this period of Israel's history people were afraid to walk in the highways, instead they took the "byways" (verse 6). But then God raised up Deborah as a "mother" to Israel.

8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?

The reason for the difficulty is stated here. Israel began to serve other gods, and God sent warriors against them. But Israel was not prepared. They didn't even have shield or spear.
How can we be prepared to defend against that which God sends? For who can stand against God? Then let us go before Him and beg Him to be our "defense," and let us not be sidetracked by slothfulness and apathy. Let us be faithful to serve God and Him alone, and not corrupt ourselves with the worship of idols like "luck" and "government."

9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. 10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

Those leaders who offer themselves willingly to God, must be willing to stand and "speak" (verse 10). Words of warning may be the key to turning a nation from evil.

11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

The people were even afraid to go and "draw water," because they might have been killed just for target practice by a vicious army. But God is RIGHTEOUS, and He will deliver His peole. And because of His power, the people who were afraid to draw water now storm even the "gates" of the enemy.

12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. 13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

Those that endure to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22), and shall have dominion over the enemy (Matthew 25:21, Revelation 20:4).
Though Deborah was of the weaker sex, she was given power to command the leaders of Israel because she was faithful to God. And she was given victory over the mighty armies of King Jabin. There is nothing impossible with God (Matthew 17:20, Luke 1:37).

14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

A few faithful ones is all that God requires! These were marshalled under the faithful hand and leadership of Deborah and Barak, and they became victorious. Some from Ephraim, from Benjamin, from Manasseh (Machir's tribe), some from Zebulun and leaders of the tribes of Israel came.

16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

Reuben, Gilead, Dan and Asher did not join in the battle. These preferred to stay among their "comfort zones." Those who are Christ's must be willng to exit their comfort zones and become involved in the battle against evil.

18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. 19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

Zebulun and Naphtali fought at the risk of death. And their leadrs fought without thought of personal gain!

20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.

god sent a heavy rain (see 4:15) and caused a flooding so that the chariots and horses were ineffective. God has the power to ruin the enemy in ways we never thought of!

23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

The city of Meroz wouldn't help in the battle, and were cursed because of it.

24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

Jael is exalted because of her courageous faith. She took an awful chance with her life to kill Sisera. Sometimes we must risk a lot in order to follow God's will.
Esther was asked to go before the king unannounced, which meant she COULD have lost her life. But her uncle Mordecai said, "..who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)

28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? 29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

The song gives a visionary reference to what mush have happened in Sisera's home. His mother and ladies wondered why it was taking so long, and they believed he had surely conquered.
But the truth is THEY LOST!
May all God's enemies come to the same end! (verse 31)
After this incident Israel had rest from any oppression for 40 years.
How long could we deliver our USA from pornography, abortion, gambling, etc. if we stood strong in God's power that He gives us and stood AGAINST the enemy, the ole devil?

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