THE SONG OF DEBORAH & BARAK

(Message by Tanny Keng)

1. The song of Deborah & Barak

a) Where? Judges 5:2-31

i) 2 “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the Lord! 3 “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to the LordI will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song. 4 “When you, Lord, went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water. 5 The mountains quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai, before the Lord, the God of Israel.

6 “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths. 7 Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel. 8 God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. 9 My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord!

10 “You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider 11 the voice of the singers at the watering places. They recite the victories of the Lordthe victories of his villagers in Israel. “Then the people of the Lord went down to the city gates. 12 ‘Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam.’

13 “The remnant of the nobles came down; the people of the Lord came down to me against the mighty. 14 Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you. From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s staff. 15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, sent under his command into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. 16 Why did you stay among the sheep pens to hear the whistling for the flocks? In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. 17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he linger by the ships? Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves. 18 The people of Zebulun risked their very lives;
so did Naphtali on the terraced fields.

19 “Kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought. At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, they took no plunder of silver. 20 From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. 21 The river Kishon swept them away, the age-old river, the river Kishon. March on, my soul; be strong! 22 Then thundered the horses’ hooves—galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds. 23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LordCurse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the Lordto help the Lord against the mighty.’

24 “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. 25 He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk. 26 Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple. 27 At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.

28 “Through the window peered Sisera’s mother; behind the lattice she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’ 29 The wisest of her ladies answer her; indeed, she keeps saying to herself, 30 ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera, colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck—all this as plunder?31 “So may all your enemies perish, LordBut may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years. (Judges 5:2-31 NIV)
 
2. The purpose of song
 
i) Deborah and Barak's song of praise thanking God for Israel's victory over King Jabin's army at Mount Tabor.
 
3. What is the text all about?

a) Music and singing were a cherished part of Israel's culture. Chapter 5 above is a song and possibly composed by Deborah and Barak. It sets to music the story of Israel's great victory recounted in Chapter 4. This victory song was accompanied by joyous celebration. It proclaimed God's greatness by giving him credit for the victory. It was an excellent way to preserve and retell this wonderful story from generation to generation.

b) In victory, Barak and Deborah sang praises to God. Songs of praise focus our attention to God, give us an outlet for spiritual celebration, and  remind us of God's faithfulness and character. Whether you are experiencing a great victory or a major dilemma, singing praises to God can have a positive effect on your attitude.

c) War was the inevitable result when Israel chose to follow false gods. Although God had given Israel clear directions, the people failed to put his words into practice. Without God at the center of their normal life, pressure from outside soon became greater than power from within, and they were an easy prey for their enemies. If you are letting a desire for recognition, craving for power, or love of money rule your life, you may find yourself besieged by enemies - stress, anxiety, illness, fatigue. Keep God at the center of your life, and you will have the power you need to fight these destroyers.

d) Even against great odds, the Lord helped his people "against the might." If you are struggling with something greater than you can handle, turn to the Bible for God's encouragement. When the odds seem stacked against us, God can swiftly turn them to our favor.

e) Four tribes - Reuben, Gilead (either Gad or Manasseh), Dan and Asher - were accused of not lending a helping hand in the battle. No reasons are given for their refusal to help their fellow Israelites, but they may be the same ones that stopped them from driving out the Canaanites in the first place:

@1 lack of faith in God to help,

@2. lack of effort,

@3. fear of the enemy, and

@4. fear of antagonizing those with whom they did business and thus from whom they prospered.

f) This disobedience showed a lack of enthusiasm for God's plan.

g) Meroz was probably a city near the scene of the great battle between the Canaanites and Israelites. It must have been an Israelite city, because it was cursed for not sending help against Sisera's forces.



The End ...

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