Week of May 1, 2016: Deborah and Barak

Bible Passage: Judges 4–5
Main Point: God sent judges to help His people.
Key Passage: Isaiah 33:22Big Picture Question: Whom does God use in His plan? God uses people in His plan.

Christ Connection: Everything God does is for His glory and our good. (Psalm 115:3; Romans 8:28) God used Deborah, Barak, and Jael to help the people of Israel win battles against Canaan. God also uses people to help us and teach us about Jesus. God sent His Son, Jesus, to do what is very good for us: to save us from sin.

During the time of the Judges, the Israelites fell into a continuous cycle of sin, bondage, deliverance, and peace. The people of Israel were oppressed by the king of Canaan. At this time, Deborah was the judge of Israel. Deborah sent for Barak and encouraged him to take up an army and fight the army of Canaan and its leader, Sisera.

Barak agreed to go under one condition: that Deborah would go with him. Deborah went, but she informed Barak that he would get no glory for the battle; God was going to use a woman to defeat Sisera.

When Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men, “The Lord threw Sisera and all his army into confusion with the sword before Barak”. Everyone in the army died, but Sisera escaped on foot

Judges 5 records a victory song Deborah and Barak sang on that day, praising God for defeating the Canaanites. The land had rest for 40 years.

Deborah and Barak willingly served God and used their gifts for His glory.