Reading
SAA Notes
Deborah and Barak are in a similar relationship as Moses and Joshua. Joshua trusted the Word of the Lord through Moses the prophet of the Lord – Barak does not trust the Word of the Lord through Deborah the prophetess of the Lord! This is the major difference. God is gracious to Barak and to Israel.
SJA Notes
* Dear God, let those who seek after our life be put the shame and dishonor, those who devise evil against us be turned back and disappointed.
“Then the people of Israel cried to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.”
900 chariots of iron!
Probably comparable to the weaponry available to super-powers today. A great deal of military might.
From the world’s point of view, unbeatable.
Often we can be bound up in what the world’s view is.
Science. Politics. Story-telling. Sport. Intellect. The list goes on – We listen to what the world tells us.
Deborah’s words ring true for us today as they did for Barak then,
“Does not the LORD go out before you?
The Lord goes out before us! What a thought this is, what a truth to wrestle with and grasp hold of.
God goes out before us!
* Father God,
We are told here that You go out before us, to protect and win the victory.
Please help us believe, to trust in this – That You go out before us, that You are the one who saves.
Amen.