God's People: Deborah
At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.’” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him.
Now Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite. Jael came out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no fear.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. Then 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. He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anybody comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” But Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, until it went down into the ground—he was lying fast asleep from weariness—and he died. Then, as Barak came in pursuit of 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 was Sisera lying dead, with the tent peg in his temple.~ Exodus 4:4-10; 17-22
There are still many Christian denominations and faith communities that believe that the Bible expressly forbids women as leaders in the church.
What do they do with Deborah I wonder?
Everything about her flies in the face of what we tend to believe about the place of the woman in God's kingdom.
There is a hint here that the prejudice against women in the Old Testament comes not from God, but from the human beings of God's creation.
Now that the Israelites are in the promised land, rather than give them kings, the Lord has set up judges over them. Deborah is the first judge of any importance mentioned.
She has God-given qualities that we've so far only seen with men. She is a military strategist. She is a prophet. She is wise enough that people willingly come to her for advice. She is a leader: leader enough that her general, Barak, doesn't feel confident going into battle without her present. Barak knows her worth and value.
It will not be Barak who kills the enemy general, Sisera. It will be another woman. Two women ultimately defeat the Canaanite army: one by her leadership and one by a tent peg.
Following this, we hear from the author of Judges that "the land had rest for forty years."
Clearly Deborah knew her business.
If we have learned anything about God to this point it is that God is a God of surprise who doesn't like to be pinned down to our expectations. God sees the gifts and strengths in everyone.
So just when you think something is out of reach - that you don't have what it takes to do a certain job or take, God shows up and says: "Surprise! You can do it."
No matter who you are or what limitations anyone told you you have.
And that surprise works for those you least expect as well.
Prayer: God of all, help us to never discount anyone for any stereotype or prejudice we might have for them, whether it is of others or even ourselves. With you there is no longer Jew or Gentile, servant or free, male or female. We are all your people. Help us to live into that reality always. Amen.
Now Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite. Jael came out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no fear.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. Then 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. He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anybody comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” But Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, until it went down into the ground—he was lying fast asleep from weariness—and he died. Then, as Barak came in pursuit of 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 was Sisera lying dead, with the tent peg in his temple.~ Exodus 4:4-10; 17-22
There are still many Christian denominations and faith communities that believe that the Bible expressly forbids women as leaders in the church.
What do they do with Deborah I wonder?
Everything about her flies in the face of what we tend to believe about the place of the woman in God's kingdom.
There is a hint here that the prejudice against women in the Old Testament comes not from God, but from the human beings of God's creation.
Now that the Israelites are in the promised land, rather than give them kings, the Lord has set up judges over them. Deborah is the first judge of any importance mentioned.
She has God-given qualities that we've so far only seen with men. She is a military strategist. She is a prophet. She is wise enough that people willingly come to her for advice. She is a leader: leader enough that her general, Barak, doesn't feel confident going into battle without her present. Barak knows her worth and value.
It will not be Barak who kills the enemy general, Sisera. It will be another woman. Two women ultimately defeat the Canaanite army: one by her leadership and one by a tent peg.
Following this, we hear from the author of Judges that "the land had rest for forty years."
Clearly Deborah knew her business.
If we have learned anything about God to this point it is that God is a God of surprise who doesn't like to be pinned down to our expectations. God sees the gifts and strengths in everyone.
So just when you think something is out of reach - that you don't have what it takes to do a certain job or take, God shows up and says: "Surprise! You can do it."
No matter who you are or what limitations anyone told you you have.
And that surprise works for those you least expect as well.
Prayer: God of all, help us to never discount anyone for any stereotype or prejudice we might have for them, whether it is of others or even ourselves. With you there is no longer Jew or Gentile, servant or free, male or female. We are all your people. Help us to live into that reality always. Amen.