Reflections on "Here Comes the Judges: Deborah Plus" Judges 4

Part of this sermon addresses how we look at the violence and killing in Judges.  Or, at least it introduces the question without fully answering it!  

“Here Comes the Judges:  Deborah Plus” June 20, 2021; St. Andrew; Judges 4; Judges series

When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the troops who were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the Wadi Kishon. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. The Lord is indeed going out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand warriors following him. 15 And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic[b] before Barak; Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot, 16 while Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-ha-goiim. All the army of Sisera fell by the sword; no one was left.

17 Now Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael came out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no fear.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 Then he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anybody comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 But Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, until it went down into the ground—he was lying fast asleep from weariness—and he died. 22 Then, as Barak came in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went into her tent; and there was Sisera lying dead, with the tent peg in his temple.

23 So on that day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 Then the hand of the Israelites bore harder and harder on King Jabin of Canaan, until they destroyed King Jabin of Canaan.

Introduction:  Another week when the story begins with the Israelites doing evil in God's sight and being defeated because of it.

Another week with an assassination and war.

Another week of fascinating characters God uses to save Israel:  we began with a judge seldom heard of; 

last week, a left-handed judge; 

and now a woman judge, plus another woman who figures in dramatically in the outcome of the story.

As we move through Judges, our expectations are being set:  we now expect Israel to turn away from God;

we expect God to save Israel from itself and from its enemies;

we expect God to use people who would not necessarily be the stereotypes judge or leader.

Move 1: The featured judge this week is Deborah, not only a woman but a prophetess.

a.  A woman in a position of power and authority in a time when that was not the norm for women.

1. Note – she still is referred to as “Deborah, wife of Lappidoth...” Like other women in her time, who she is depends on her husband or father or some other male in the household.
2. But as the story plays out, we realize that she is an important, powerful person. Not just giving good advice, but commanding Barak to go into battle, and even joining him as they lead the Israelite soldiers.
   

3.  the text gives us a great image of Deborah underneath the palm tree judging cases that the Israelites brought to her. brings to mind the painting from my TX history days when General Sam Houston is lying under a tree from an injury, propped up and orchestrating the surrender of the Mexican army.

Can’t you just see her there underneath a tree, issuing decrees, her commanding presence and her connection to God on full display for all to see?

b. The role of women does not stop with Deborah.

1. As the story plays itself out, she tells Barak that Sisera would be defeated by a woman.

2. naturally, we expect that woman to be Deborah, the judge, the one who commands Barak.

3. But instead the one who kills Sisera is Jael, a minor character, who ordinarily would not be noticed.

4. Jael does the expected task by providing good hospitality when Sisera arrives. 

4. In fact, when Sisera asks for water, she provides him with milk. What a great hostess – providing a place to take a nap and some milk to help Sisera get to sleep.

5. Kind of a sweet, scene - Jael  great hostess up until the moment she hammers the tent peg through his head!

6.  Israel’s enemy defeated in surprising ways.

Move 2: Speaking of unexpected actions, what do we do with Barak?

a. When Deborah tells him that God wants him to go defeat the enemy Barak wavers.

1. Instead of rushing off to do what God has told him to do, he hedges his bets
2. How would you respond if the person who spoke God's Word to you told you that God wanted you to do x, y and z. Would you do it?

1. He tells Deborah that he'll go do what God wants him to do, but only if she will go with him.

1. Hardly a picture of faithfulness and commitment.

b. On the other hand, do not forget that Barak does lead the Israelites into battle with Deborah.

1.  Despite his doubts and hesitation, he does respond.

2.  do we give him credit for doing what God asks, however reluctantly he does so?

    c.  As we reflect on Deborah, Jael, and Barack, we discover that the story is not about women in power, or men in power, but about God who works through all of them to save Israel.

Move 3: Make no mistake about it, Israel needs to be saved.

a.  King Jabin and Sisera not only threaten Israel’s defeat, but Israel’s annihilation.

1.  We recognize that when the weapons Sisera had at his disposal are mentioned.

1. Sisera and his men had 900 chariots.

2. Chariots were not just used to overcome the enemy and win the battle;  

Chariots not only allowed an army to break through the enemy's line, but to pursue and slaughter the enemy as they fled.

3.   Chariots were grisly, killing machines, and the Israelites did not have any of them.

2.  Israel had swords.

3.  Chariots were much more powerful weapons than swords.

4.  Sort of like David with his slingshot against Goliath and his huge sword.

5.  Israel was threatened not only wiht defeat, but with being wiped off the face of the earth.

b. But the God of Noah who saved God’s people from the raging waters that threaten their existence, now saves Israel from the raging enemy. 

1. Israel and its undermanned army wins.

                2.  Somehow, the swords overwhelm the chariots.

                3.  Well, not somehow. We know how the Israelites defeat the enemy – God hands the enemy over to the Israelites.

3. God's desire to save Israel carries the day.

A powerful comment on the God whose desire is salvation for God’s people.

move 4:  A final thought from this blood story from Judges.

a. To fully understand who God is and what God desires, we have to read the stories from Judges in tandem with other stories from the biblical text.

2.  for example, we also read about God’s desire to save God’s people when we read of God coming the the flesh.

3.  In Christ, we discover the God who decides to redeem and save the world from sin and death.

4. In Christ, we see God who chooses not to go to war or assassinate, but instead finds victory through Christ’s death on the cross.

5. In Judges, God’s saving actions lead to the battlefields; in Christ, God’s saving action leads to the cross.

b.    It's hard to figure out what God is doing in Judges.

1.  Certainly Jesus’ words to love our enemies seem far different than the action detailed in Judges.

2.  Reading through Judges gives us some fascinating stories, but also asks us the question:  If Jesus is the truest and fullest expression of who God is, how do we interpret the stories from Judges in our own context?

3.  Maybe we acknowledge that before embracing the violence of judges in our time, we need to be reminded of how Jesus lived among us and called us to live.

4.  Our world has plenty of stories of war that would fit right in with the stories in judges; 

Perhaps our calling is to bring to the world more stories of Jesus’ love.

Conclusion:   One thing we know for sure from both the stories of Judges and the story of Christ is God’s persistent, unstoppable desire to save and redeem us.