Wk 3 Judges
It’s a Woman’s World- Deborah
Judges 4:5-6
May 7 2023     
John Arobio

Judges had two roles. 

1. To Judge (mishpat)- To help people work through disputes
2. To Lead- (shofet) To Lead God’s people back to God

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. (Judges 4:4) ESV

Who is Deborah?

• Deborah is the fourth judge. The first judge that we did not look at was Othniel, son of Kenaz and Caleb’s younger brother. The second was Ehud and the third was Shamgar.
• Deborah was the only female judge mentioned.
• Deborah is also a prophetess. She was both a judge and a prophet. The only other person to be both in the bible was Samuel.

She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgement. She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali— (Judges 4:5-6a) ESV

What did she do?

• She was judging disputes between two parties that came to her.
• Led by God she called Barak the general to find out why he did not do what God commanded and to get him to do it.

Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” (Judges 4:8) ESV

How did he respond?

• He refused to go unless Deborah, a woman, went with him.
• Deborah agreed but told him that it would not bring him glory and the general of the enemies army would be killed by a woman.

The army under Deborah and Barak was successful and killed all the enemies troops after God sent a rain that caused so much mud the chariots were useless. The general Sisera fled on foot from the battle and hid in the tent of Jael the Kenite.

But Jael, the wife of Heber took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So, he died. (Judges 4:21)

What can we learn from this story of Deborah?

1. Be Obedient

If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people will go to their place in peace. (Exodus 18:23) ESV

2. Be Courageous

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalms 20:7) ESV

3. Stand True

Only let us hold true to what we have attained. (Philippians 3:16) ESV

God wants us to look at Deborah as an example of how God can use anyone no matter their status or physical nature. He will use us all according to his will, whether we are men or women, young or old, healthy or sick as long as we have faith, trust him and obey.

Bottom Line

Be a Deborah, trusting and obedient to God in faith.

1. What are some ways we can pre judge people before we have any facts to form a proper judgement? Is it wrong to pre-judge?
2. What is the pattern for the Israelites in the book of Judges?  Who are some of the Judges in the Bible and what are some of the characteristics you can recall about them or their leadership?
3. Read Judges 4:1-3, does God let us go through hard times?  Why or why not?
4. Read Judges 4:4-7, what is a prophet/prophetess?  What is the significance of a prophetess in scripture?  What are some reasons we don’t do what God commands us to do?  Are there any consequences when we don’t obey God?
5. Do you think there are leadership problems in today’s society?  Why or why not?
6. Read Judges 4:8-10, why do you think Barak would want Deborah to go with him?  How would you describe Barak’s faith?
7. Read Judges 4:17-21, what is the significance of Jael finishing off Sisera?  When God appoints us to a task and we fail and He uses someone else to complete the task what does that tell us about God?  What does that tell us about our own walk?
8. What are some of the things we can learn from the verses about Deborah in the Bible?
9. Please continue to pray for God’s leadership in our church and pray for the Pastor and His family. Pray for the new small group that will be starting this summer. Please pray for a host and a leader.