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Mims Chapel Church 

Week 8 • April 21

LESSON 8

DEBORAH

Lesson Text:

Judges 4:4-9,14-22, Judges 5:2-7( ESV) 12-31; James 1:4

Memory Verses:
"And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of /srael came up to her forjudgment."
Judges 4: 4

Key Terms
Prophetess • A female prophet
Judge • A public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law
Influence • The capacity to have an effect on the character-, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Suggested Emphasis

Key Leadership Lesson—

When Leaders Lead

When the people of Israel cried out to God for help because of oppression, he raised up Deborah, judge and prophet­ess. God instructed Deborah to command Israels armies to send thousands of troops against King Jabin. God led Deborah, Barak and others to great victory. "When the battle was over, Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise to the Lord. The song began with these words: When lead­ers lead in Israel, when the people will­ingly offer themselves, bless the LORD!" (Judges 5:2, NKJV). It's amazing what can happen when leaders lead! It's important that we realize that when God moves to fulfill His plans, He often calls on leaders to carry out the work. Most of us would wholeheartedly agree that we want God's plans to be fulfilled on earth, but we also have to understand that each of us has a responsibility in that regard. When He calls on us to move, we must move! God gives people the gift of leadership for a reason. We may not always fully under­stand those reasons until we step out in faith and start leading. We need to be people who cooperate with the Lord, not stand in His way" (Evan M Jackson, 2021).

Emphasis 1:

Wisdom to Rule

Leaders should ask God for wisdom to lead, to rule, and to handle all matters. Jamesl : 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. Deborah wore a few hats. While she judges Israel, she prophesied, she led a military campaign and she pre­sided as a mother. She did this well be­cause of the wisdom she had. "Deborah is called, or calls herself, a "mother in Is­rael." (Judges 5:7). Perhaps the character is meant to be a biological mother, but no children are mentioned in the text. More likely, the phrase indicates that her arbitration powers as judge were parental, even maternal—though hardly in a tender, nurturing sense. "Mother," like "father," can be an honorific title for an authority figure or protector in the community (com­pare 1 Sam 24:1 and Isa 22:21)." ( Glen, Raiger, 2022)

Emphasis 2:

Awake, Awake Oh Leader

Judges 5:12 "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, 0 son of Abinoam. Leaders must remain sober, remain alert regarding their environments and staying ready for any circumstance. Deborah demonstrated this skill. She sat under a tree judging Israel, but was ready for a military campaign when needed. She was prepared. Leaders Awake and stay ready for all circumstances.

"With all of the turmoil in the world these days, we can relate to Deborah as a role model who lived in troubled times. After twenty years of oppression, while most of her people cowered in fear, God awakened within her a zeal to do something. As Deb­orah awoke, she arose as a leader to awak­en others to stand up and fight. Think of it, on an ordinary day The Lord awakened Deborah to take action that would require courage and faith. Could today be the ordinary day that God is waking you from your own slumber to do through you more than you ever dreamed or imagined for His Kingdom and His glory? Be inspired to realize that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. He wants to awaken you to all that He has planned for you" (Rhonda Stoppe, 2022).

Emphasis 3:

Influence to Impact Modern Day
"Type" of "Jaels"

Jael did the deed. She killed the enemy of Israel. Leaders must have the type of influence that will propel us to great vic­tory from unexpected sources and re­sources. We need sympathizers who will support what God has assigned to our hands. Don't underestimate why influence is important. "Heber, husband of Jael was a descendant of Moses' father-in-law, who settled near the City of Refuge. Heber lived in peace with the Canaanite leader, Jabin, an ally of Sisera and enemy of Is­rael. When Sisera heard that Barak was leading the Israelites against him, he called together 900 iron chariots and all of the people with him to crush the 10,000


Israelites. Sisera ran to Heber's camp be­cause he clearly believed that a friend of his ally, Jabin, would protect him. Instead, he encountered Heber's wife, Jael, who sympathized with the Israelites" (Crystal Luton, 2016) "And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Turn aside my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid." So, He turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And 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 And he said to her, "Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' say, 'No.— 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a ham­mer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down to the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness and he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing 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 lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple" (Judges 4:18-22).

Missions Application Questions

Why do you think God chose Deborah to be the only woman Judge?
What can we learn from the example of Deborah and Barak in terms of men and women working in ministry togeth­er?
Jael is a "type" of_________ please finish and discuss.

World Missions Prayer Points

Pray that we will be leaders that lead.
Pray that missions will raise Global lead­ers to lead and impact their generation.
Pray for all believers to have anointed influences in our environments so that the "Jaels" will recognize when assis­tance is needed and act accordingly.