Bibledoorajar Deborah con't

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To free their fellow Israelites meant that Deborah and Barak would have to risk the battle. Barak may have been in the military, but Deborah was a wife and mother. She left everything and everyone that was important to her in order to meet the needs of her fellows. Her actions reveal that she had been watching the events of the day. Watching is a part of being available to God for people like Deborah. She had been disciplined and trained in handling less difficult things at her palm tree. Now God could use her in a more demanding role. The record reveals no hesitation on her part of any kind. Remarkable. But then, how could the Lord who strengthened her be honored if she did not stand ready to obey? Obeying was a part of all she had learned about her God. If she obeyed, God could give new life through her actions. New life for people; it was worth everything. Remember the words of Jesus? He who is faithful in little will be given much to rule over. Christians are in training for bigger things to bring life to our fellows.

The battle called for strategy, Deborah instructed Barak to summon 10,000 men from the tribes of Napthali ("satisfied with favor and full of blessing on the Lord") and Zebulon ("rejoice in their going out; they will summon peoples to the mountain and there will offer sacrifices of righteousness"). She went with him just as he had requested. Barak and his men were to gather up on Mt. Tabor. (Seems like God was also doing divine things from mountains!) Someone reported Barak's actions to Sisera. He positioned his 900 iron chariots and men at strategic points from his hometown territory of Harosheth Haggoyim in northern Canaan all the way to the Kishon River which flowed down from Mt. Tabor. From the mountain heights, Deborah, Barak and the 10,000 valiant Israelites could see "the array" below. What happened next was the equivalent of a modern calvary charge. Deborah gave this word to Barak:
         "Go! This is the day GOD HAS GIVEN Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of
          you?" (Judges 4;14)
So, Barak charged down the mountain with his 10,000 men. It took faith and courage for Barak to lead those men down that mountain into what awaited. But according to the writer of Hebrews there was much at stake: conquering kingdoms, administering justice, and gaining what was provided when God would turn weakness into strength. God, indeed, did have a couple of things up his sleeve that day on Mt. Tabor and He was out front.

We have a tendency to say we could not fight in battles like the one described here. But the truth is we do. When we join together in humble intercessory prayer fighting for life for our fellows, it is as if we can hear Deborah saying, 'Go! hasn't the Lord gone out before you? He wants you to go with Him'. Paul, writing in Titus 1:1 says that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ for the FAITH of God's elect. We who truly belong to God bear this infallible mark because we know that without faith it is impossible to please Him (Heb.11:6) Onward, christian soldiers, and remember the Lord is out front leading the charge. If you hear of someone this week who needs "life", God may just be calling you to participate in a victory! Have a blessed week.