Deborah and Barak

Deborah and Barak – Female Leaders in the Bible

Bible Study Lesson — Judges 4:1-24

A strong woman in the Bible? Yes, the Scripture had women leaders too.

Deborah was a prophetess who led the people for a period in Judges.

This story of Deborah and Barak shows not only were there female leaders in the Bible, but ones who could truly command when needed.

One of the most interesting facts which seems to be omitted is; how a woman could come to power at a time in history when women were thought of as possessions and not to be put into leadership roles.

Deborah and Barak

Deborah seems to have broken all the rules for that school of thought. The Bible study lesson today comes from Judges 4 and gives compelling evidence of women leaders in the Old Testament. Let’s read the story…

Woman as Leader – Deborah and Barak

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, “Behold, the Lord, the God of Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun.

I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.’”

Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.”

Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. – Judges 4:1-9 NASB

Faith in Who?

Although Barak was a general and undoubtedly fully capable of leading an army, he did not seem to have faith that God was behind this mission.

He needed encouragement from Deborah instead.

When a Woman Prophet Speaks ..

As stated in the verses above, Deborah was a prophetess so her instructions from God should have been enough for Barak – it wasn’t.

His faith was more embedded in military might, not what God could do.

Are We More Like Deborah, or Barak?

Deborah and BarakWhen we are asked by God to do something, do we step out completely on faith, or do we need to consult with someone else to justify our actions?

I have been in that second group many times so my thought (for us) today is that we make an effort to trust in God’s ability — Not our own, not that of someone else.

A little faith goes a long way as Christ has said many times. Pentecost led 3,000 people to Christ. But then, that faith had to be grown. So does ours.

Love in Christ

– Bob

If you would like to discover how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to read John 3:16 here.

 

 

Read Today’s Passage Here..

 

 

 

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