Women of the Bible - Deborah #2 and Jael

Last week, we talked about the lesser known of the 2 Deborah's mentioned in scripture....today, let's talk about the other Deborah.  I'm going to include Jael this week, too, because she played such a huge part in this story.

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Deborah was the 5th judge of Israel and was also a prophetess.  She was the only female judge.  The Bible doesn't tell us about her family, other than she was the wife of Lapidoth.  She lived in the hill country of Ephraim, sitting under a palm tree, as she judged Israel.  She summoned Barak and told him that it was God's will that he lead her forces against the mighty warrior, Sisera, who was the commander of the army of the king of Canaan.  This king had terrorized Israel for twenty years.  Barak accepted on one condition....that Deborah go with him.  Deborah and Barak's army  consisted of only 10,000, while Sisera had a huge army and 900 chariots of iron.  

But God....don't you love those 2 words....but God was on Israel's side.  When the battle ended, not a single man of Sisera's army had survived, except Sisera himself.  He fled on foot until he came upon a tent owned by Heber.  

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Jael, Heber's wife, invited Sisera to hide in the tent.  She covered him with a blanket, gave him some milk to drink, and promised to stand guard against any intruder.  Instead....she killed Sisera while he slept by driving a tent peg thru his temple.  

(OUCH....what a woman!!!) 

In Deborah's song in Judges 5, she honored Jael by saying "most blessed above women is Jael".

Conclusion:

What a brave woman Deborah was, showing that there is absolutely nothing we cannot accomplish....even as women....if God is on our side. And, I can't even begin to understand the bravery of Jael.  Both of these women should be an example to us girls today!!!

  I'm reminded of this verse of scripture....


Philippians 4:13:

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

AMEN...and AMEN!!!

In His Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!