Deborah and Barack - Crisis of Leadership in Israel

Deborah And Barack

The interaction between Deborah the prophetess and Barack the deliverer expose the spiritual and societal crisis in Israel during the days after Ehud the Judge. There is much we can learn today from the record we have of these days in scripture.

Judges 3:31 based on the name Shamgar is not a man of Israel, its an Egyptian name.  Probably included to introduce the next section: which addresses  the sad state of leadership in Israel. He is considered part of the Deborah and Barack saga…

The Crisis

Judges 4:1-3 these verses give us a brief description of the problem among the people. After entering the land from across the Jordan Israel had spread out and taken possession of parts of the land… but not all. Israel were mostly located in the hill country while the Canaanites dominated the valleys, highways and strategic fortified cities such as Hazor. The Canaanites also had superior technology [armored chariots allowed them to dominated the flatter valleys]… but their chariots could not get up into the hills.

Israel had stopped making progress on fulfilling God's command to drive out the Canaanites and take possession of the land [which they had to do to become established as God’s holy nation. Why had they stalled?

1) they had started to go astray spiritually, God had chosen and commissioned Israel to serve as His representative nation.... but instead of holding true to that commission they had started adopting the religious and cultural practices of the Canaanites… the very people God was driving out!. God responds "OK, if you think the Canaanite ways are so great lets see how you like it when they are in control". Note: they didn't like it when the Canaanites were in control… it was oppressive and dangerous.

 2) there was a lack of leadership among the people of Israel [they were more concerned about their own comfort that fulfilling their part in God's plan and promise to give Israel the land]. As new generation took over leadership they lost sight of the vision and all that had been accomplished before them.

The Setting

Geographically we are in Naphtali… a region in the northern edges of the promised land. Over the years, many of the other tribes had already moved into the portion of the land allocated to them… At first they all fought together to gain control of these eastern territories… but now some did not want to make the effort, or take the risk, to help out the tribes that had not yet successfully moved into their own territory… such as Naphtali

God had warned the tribes not to do this [Numbers 32].

Leadership Issues

Judges 4:4-10 the interaction between Deborah the prophetess, and Barack the deliverer appointed by God exposes some underlying issues that were contributing to the spiritual, political, and military problems in Israel.

God's model for government is based on the family structure. Within that family structure God has given the husband authority. He is to exercise that authority with love and outgoing concern. For their part, the wife and children are to respect the husband/father and the authority given him.

Female leadership: If you have spent any time observing how families work you cannot fail to have noticed that it is the wife who establishes the spiritual core of the family unit. The husband will have to answer to God for the spiritual outcomes. With that in mind men are advised to: 1) be careful who you marry… and once married… 2) pay attention to what is going on intervening when necessary.

I see this same dynamic at work on the congregational level.  God has ordained men to provide administration and instruction... but it is the women of the congregation who seem to set the tone and spiritual heart of the congregation. Strong, spiritual congregations have strong spiritual spiritual women within them [so please bring your best to the Church… we cannot succeed without you].

The Battle

Deborah is clearly the spiritual powerhouse in this narrative. Notice that: She is not spoken of as a deliverer raised up as a political leader by God. Nor is she a military leader in charge of troops. God put a man named Barack in charge. Yet, Barack would not have accomplished what he did without her.

When Barack [God's designated deliverer] wants Deborah to go with him to help lead the troops... God is not pleased. Through Deborah, God decrees that as punishment the glory of victory victory will be taken from him and given  to a women...  that woman will not be Deborah.

Men like Barack not fulfilling their God given responsibilities before God are why Israel had stalled out!

Judges 4:11-13 The Kenites appear to be playing both sides, and through their treachery the Canaanite army is lured onto the floodplain of the Kishon river. God has determined a strategy for victory that will bring about victory in a manner that shows His divine power as the decisive factor.

Normally this flat ground would be ideal for chariots to maneuver and lead to a quick slaughter of Israel’s badly armed foot soldiers. It must have looked like an easy victory to Sisera.

Judges 4:14-16 Deborah reluctantly goes with the army of Israel and has to prod them into battle. Ironically, she does this by reminding them of their responsibility to fulfill the role that God has assign them.  "Has not the lord gone before you" is a reminder of God's command to go forth… and of His promise to assistance with power Deuteronomy 9:3.

Judges 4:17-22 Moses had married a Midianite woman and this was her side of the family. Moses had invited them to go with Israel because their knowledge of the territory could be helpful. In hindsight not a good idea.

Heber is a double dealer, dwelling among Israel as a friend, yet cutting secret deals with Canaanites for his own advantage... it is to the wife of this dubious person that God delivers the honor of victory.

Judges 4:23-24 the conflict we just read about is not between different governing systems, a battle of the sexes, or even between nations. It is between the divine king YHWH who rallies His army to punish and subdue kingdoms of darkness.

Barack, Deborah, the army of Israel are merely the agents through whom God operates. However, the attitudes, faith, and personal zeal of the people through whom God operates  is important.

The Song of Deborah and Barack

This poetic recap fills in some of the background and spiritual issues behind the crisis and battle.

Enthusiasm and Participation

Judges 5:1-3 God wants enthusiasm and participation from His people concerning the mighty work He is doing… yesterday and today. He wants those appointed as leaders to lead... and He wants all the people to freely and willingly offer their support and engagement.

Verse 3 reminds us that God is the primary hero of this story of battle, therefore His name is listed first before the other participants.

Judges 5:4-5 the battle demonstrates YHWH's clear superiority over Baal. YHWH is the true God of all creation. Baal was said to be headquartered in the northern mountains [Seir] and his primary superpower was control over rain and storms... which is why they gave offerings and worship to Baal. Without rain in due season crops in Canaan would fail, they had no irrigation, they had no mighty river Nile to provide the necessary water.

Baal is a figment of human imagination... whereas YHWH is real. To make this point the true living God comes forth out of those same northern mountains and pours down rain on to the battle field causing a flash flood in the Kishon floodplain. The mud bogs down the chariots of Canaan and the army of Israel swarms them and kills them all.

Without YHWH fighting for them Israel would have been slaughtered. This is God's battle and He provides the victory... He could have dealt with the Canaanites Himself… but He wants Israel to participate and learn, to do that they must be present and accounted for.

Judges 5:6-8 spiritual and leadership problems led to hard times in Israel. The people had started to copy the Canaanite practice of worshiping Baal. God basically said, "if you want to be subject to Canaanite culture I will give you just that... I'll remove my protection and let them dominate you".

Israel was cruelly oppressed by the Canaanites. 1) they had all their weapons taken away so they could not defend themselves 2) the Canaanites controlled the main highways so people were afraid to travel 3) people abandoned the small towns which had no way to protect themselves. They moved to the cities that had walls built around them… which would cause a decline in agriculture.

Whatever crops they produced were likely to be stolen and confiscated when the well armed Canaanites swooped in. The people are suffering the consequences of bad choices.

God Want His People Present and Accounted For

Judges 5:9-12 some of the leaders of Israel were willing to take action and God was pleased with them. Other leaders chose to play the role,  ride around on fancy white donkeys, and collaborate with the Canaanite overlords down in the flat valleys where the main roads were. The men of Israel… who were willing… gathered at the gates for action.

Deborah was filled with the spirit of prophecy and Barack was appointed as  deliverer… God was not please that Barack did not have the spiritual drive of his own to fulfill God’s appointed tasks.

Judges 5:13-18 a rag-tag remnant came out, but many did not. God asks Reuben, Gilead, Dan... Asher… "why weren't you there? You are part of the chosen people, you've reaped the benefits when the other tribes fought to help you secure your lands... but where are you now?

Answer: you were sitting around a warm fire, contemplating your vast flock of sheep, or tending to your trade on the coast lands… they had their reason… But God is not pleased with those who hang back... who are not present... who are not participating... and who have no enthusiasm.

But some did come… even at their own personal risk.

Judges 5:19-23 here is the recount of the battle and the role the deluge of rain had in securing victory.

This is God's victory... but He wants Israel to participate. He did not need the strength of the people to beat down Canaan... but He wanted them there to learn the lesson He was teaching. It was an important lesson about His almighty power and the worthlessness of Baal worship.

[Woody Allen] Showing up is 80% of life, this was delivered as a witty joke. It's true up to a point. Let me add a logical extension to it: you cannot succeed if you don't even show up.

God has some sharp criticisms of those who refuse to show up when He sends forth the call!

Judges 5:24-27 it was not a mighty warrior who dealt the fatal blow… it was a tent dwelling woman… God brought it about to shame the men of Israel.

Judges 5:28-30 the pathos of defeat {haiku]

Conclusion

Judges 5:31 the land had peace... but it didn't last. It only endured for a generation. As it was for Israel so it is today.

Each generation of people must take up the cause, fight for, and uphold the truth. You can try to hang on to victories won in the past.. victories won by other people. But they will fade and they will slip out of your hands like sand.

You day of battle and victory is now. Be present and accounted for, willingly participating, and be spiritually focused.