For the next few sessions we will be dipping into Judges, one of the most interesting, harrowing, and violent books of the Old Testament. It covers a period of Israelite history after God's people settled into the promised land, and after God led Joshua to victories over the residents of Canaan. But Joshua and the leaders of that time were now dead, and a generation of Israelites grew up who "knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10).

Various pagan tribes still lived in the land, and the Israelites began to worship their gods. God punished them by allowing other tribes and nations to enslave the Israelites again and again. Judges displays a repeated pattern: first, the Israelites follow other gods. Then enemies oppress them. And finally God delivers them from their enemies by raising up "judges," who function as military leaders and also as arbiters for the disputes the people had with one another.

One of these judges was unusual in that she was a woman, a prophetess (4:4). This means she was uniquely anointed by God's Spirit to speak to the people on God's behalf. The great "Song of Deborah" in chapter 5 bears testimony to this. She was first a judge in the nonmilitary sense, settling disputes between individuals and tribes. Then, when the Canaanites attacked, Deborah called Barak to lead Israel's army against Sisera, a powerful Canaanite ruler. Barak begged Deborah to join him, and she did, but evidently because of his lack of faith, she prophesied that he would gain no honor "for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman" (4:9).

The text makes it clear again that the victory belonged to the Lord: "The Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword" (4:15), and Sisera became so afraid that he dismounted from his chariot and fled on foot, hoping not to be recognized.

Sisera wandered into the land belonging to Heber and his wife Jael. (It seems that while Jael was not an Israelite, her husband was.) Jael went out to meet Sisera, recognizing who he was, and Sisera felt safe in the hands of a presumed fellow Canaanite. Jael put him up in her tent, giving him a bed and a blanket. He asked for some refreshing milk. He also asked her to guard him, telling anyone who happened by that there was no one inside.

Jael, however, knew who Sisera was and determined to kill him. After he fell asleep in her tent, she went in with a tent peg and a hammer and pounded the peg through his temple. Barak came upon Jael's tent and discovered the dead Sisera. And so Deborah's prophesy was fulfilled.

What an interesting message in the middle of this ancient text. God will use anyone who trusts in him to bring about the victory, and in this case it's these two women, Deborah and Jael, who have the trust and the cunning to be God's agents in the defeat of Sisera.

Looking forward, it's interesting to note that it's the women who are in attendance at God's greatest victory on Easter day, and who bring the message to the frightened disciples: "He is risen!"

Deborah's song closes, "So, may all your enemies perish, Lord ! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength."