Deborah

Judges 4

Think about the last time you asked God for help. Was it with a decision? Was it for healing? Was it for comfort? Forgiveness? I’ve had a rough couple of months when it comes to anxiety. I’ve been waking up on edge, making me worry and easily overwhelmed by emotion. As I asked God to help me trust him, I noticed that he had answered my prayer through the actions and words of my community. When I start to spiral, a close friend always has a word for me at the perfect moment. Have you seen God use a friend to answer a plea for help recently?

God used Deborah’s leadership and fierce commitment to answer the plea of the Israelites. Not only was she a strong leader, but she was a dependable friend.

Let’s first take a look at Deborah’s role in the Israelite community.

Before being governed by a king, the Israelites Beforethe Israelites were governed by judges who were in charge of helping them maintain allegiance to God. These Judges are regional political/military leaders in charge of driving out nations that would influence Israel to become more corrupt. We would not consider them “judges” here in the US.

Deborah was one of these leaders. Additionally, the text notes that she was a prophet. This means she was someone attuned to justice, the voice of God, and the needs around her.

After the former Judge Ehud had passed away, the Israelites began to do evil like their Cannonite neighbors. And eventually, God let them have their way and allowed them to be sold into the hands of the King of Canaan. They are part of the Canaanite community, but they are being oppressed.

Not what they imagined, but here is what we learn from the story of Deborah.

God hears our cries for help and desires to deliver us.

There is so much we can learn from Deborah’s character here. However, we are honestly more like the Israelites: rebellious and easily influenced by culture.

But no matter what kind of trouble you are in, when you call on the name of God through the authority of Jesus, he will deliver you. This does not mean that there will be no work required on your end (in Deborah’s case, there was a lot of work to be done to deliver Israel), but God desires to deliver you from evil. He hears your cries and is compassionate towards them.

God hears you in your suffering and your sin. Just as he heard Israel, he is gentle, approachable, and compassionate. Through His power, you will ultimately be delivered from your hardship when all things are restored. It might not always look like you thought it would look, but God will restore it.

God wants to use people to be agents of his deliverance

God could’ve struck down the Canaanites in an instant but instead sent Deborah to deliver them and used Jael to deliver the final blow. Take a look at Deborah’s character through all of this. She was a constant friend to Barak. When he calls upon her help and support, she says, “Certainly I will go with you” (Judges 4:9). She listened to God’s voice and acted decisively as she rallied Barak, reminding him that the Lord has gone ahead of him (Judges 4:14).

The answer to Israel's cry was a constant friend who listened to God’s voice.

We have a friend in Jesus who is our ultimate deliverer. He hears us and desires to deliver us.

Like Deborah, God desires for us to help others find freedom in Christ. Let us be friends and leaders who listen to God on behalf of our community and point them in the direction He leads.