Débora – Preaching
Preaching Outline on Judges 4:14 – “…Arise, for this is the day the Lord delivered Sisera into your hand…”
Introduction to Judges 4:14
Deborah lived in a period characterized in Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what seemed good in his own eyes.” There were abuses and abominations.
The Lord raised up servants to deliver his people from the hand of their oppressors, and so he raised up Deborah, Lapidoth’s wife, as a prophetess and judge, and the people went to her to judge their causes.
Judges 3:9 “But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, and he delivered them.”
Development
Judges 4:4 “Now Deborah the prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.”
Deborah knew God’s voice, SHE WAS STRONG, because God’s Word remained in her.
The Lord gave him a prophecy in which he revealed his desire to free his people from the oppression of Jabin the Canaanite, king of Hashor.
Judges 4:6-7
v.6 “And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam, of Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him: Does not the Lord, the God of Israel, command you, saying, ‘Go and draw people to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and the sons of Zebulun;
v.7 And I will draw to you, to the brook Kishon, Sisera, chief of the army of Jabin, with his chariots and his troops, and I will deliver him into your hand?”
THE PROPHECY ( Judges 4:6)
IT IS UP TO MAN TO OBEY
v.6 “Go draw people to Mount Taboe and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and the sons of Zebulun.”
VICTORY COMES FROM GOD
v.7 “…and I will draw Sisera, commander of the army of Jabin, to you at the brook of Kishon.”
Delivering this prophecy revealed the courage that is based on the Word of God on which she stood, not letting herself be dominated by the fear of the oppressor, but WAS STRONG.
Judges 4:3 “Then the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the children of Israel cruelly for twenty years.”
Barak’s position on the prophecy delivered by Deborah
In the midst of oppression, man tends to get used to defeat, yet Barak was willing to heed the prophecy and replied to Deborah: “If you go I will go, if you don’t I won’t.”
Barak was a man of God, and he discerned that the Spirit that was upon Deborah was the Spirit of God, so he didn’t want to be separated from her on such a serious mission(if you go with me I will go).
RESULT OF OBEDIENCE TO PROPHECY
– ENCOURAGEMENT
v.14 “Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Arise, for this is the day on which the Lord delivered Sisera into your hand; has not the Lord gone out before you? So Barak came down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.”
Who, in the midst of battle, doesn’t feel encouraged by such a comforting word? “The Lord has gone out before you.”
Deborah symbolizes the voice of God who encourages the servant who is willing to serve him.
Because of his position, Barak is mentioned in Hebrews among the men of faith.
Heb 11:32 “And what more shall I say? For I shall be short of time if I tell of Gideon, of Barak, of Samson, of Jephthah, of David, of Samuel, and of the prophets.”
– VICTORY (Judges 4:14 and 15)
v.15 “And the Lord struck down Sisera with all his chariots and all his army by the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.”
The victory was wonderful.
The evil one, who wanted to defeat God’s people, was defeated.
Awakening to instrumentality:
Barak is awakened to instrumentality.
The warriors of Israel heeded the Lord’s call and rose up. They came out of their slumber and went in search of victory.
Judges 5:20 “From the heavens the stars fought; from their orbits they fought against Sisera.”
VICTORY OVER THE OPPRESSOR
The universe is moving towards the fulfillment of prophecy
But those who love him shine like the sun when it rises in its splendor.
Judges 5:31 “So let all your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.”
Conclusion
The power of man is nullified by the power of God. The nine hundred broken chariots and twenty years of oppression had no power over the little people of Israel.
Preaching Outline on Judges 4:14 – “…Arise, for this is the day the Lord delivered Sisera into your hand…”
More Preaching Outlines
- Itai’s response – 2 Samuel 15:18-22
- If you buy a Hebrew servant… – Exodus 21:2-6
- The meal offerings – Leviticus 2:4-8
- Put your seal on my heart – Song of Songs 8:6
