Judges 4

Israel is once again in a cycle of sin and judgment. This time, Israel is oppressed for 20 years before they cry out to the Lord for help. During this time, God raises up Deborah as a judge & prophetess over Israel. Through Deborah, Barak is called to lead Israel to victory. His doubt & hesitation cause the glory of victory to go to a woman, Jael. Nevertheless, Barak leads Israel to victory.

In this passage we see two kinds of faith. We see Deborah who walks in faith and obedience to the Lord’s command, which comes in the form of calling Barak to free Israel. But, then there is Barak, who is willing, but wants to bring a woman into battle. While obedient, his lack of faith caused him to lose the glory of battle in defeating his enemy. For us, we need to be confident in God’s command and trust that he can use whomever he wills to accomplish his purpose.

Do you recognize that God will use whomever he wills to do his will?