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Series 5:
Lesson 79: |
JOSHUA, JUDGES & RUTH
DEBORAH AND BARAK |
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Passage to Study: Judges chapters 1:11-15; 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Read with the class: Judges 4:1-7, 5:1-9.
Memorization Text: Younger: Psalm 9:10 "They that know Thy name will put their
trust in Thee".
Older: Psalm 9:10.
Objectives: To show:
1. That an ungrateful people is easy prey for Satan whose desire is that they disobey God
and take away the glory that is His due.
2. The importance of putting faith only in the One who is able to save.
3. That God is merciful and saves whoever repents and seeks Him.
4. That the enemies of God can succeed in things of this life but in the end, they will be
destroyed.
5. That those who put their faith in Christ will share with Him in His victory.
SCENE NO. 1. VISUAL AIDS: Figures that represent previous judges. Also figures of Deborah
and Barak, and a figure of their current enemy, Sisera, and his iron chariot.
DEVELOPMENT:
- Throughout Joshua's life, the Israelites were victorious in many battles as they took
possession of the land of Canaan.
- The generation of Israelites that grew up later was not interested in knowing about what
God had done for them.
- They soon began to worship Baals. These were gods of the people who had lived in Canaan
previously (Judges 2:11 and 13).
- Because of their disobedience, God withdrew His help and they were without this source
of strength when they needed it to face their enemies.
- Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar were three of the men that God raised up to free His people
from the oppression of their enemies.
- Othniel was a younger half-brother of Caleb although the word in Hebrew could also mean
that he was Caleb's cousin (Judges 3:9).
- Israel had enjoyed prosperity for 80 years under the governments of judges such as Ehud
and Shamgar.
- However, because they were not thankful, they turned their backs on God and practiced
idolatry (Judges 2:10).
Lsn. This willful ignorance led to the unthankfulness that is a serious sin in the eyes of
God. This in turn led them into idolatry.
Sug. Draw the student's attention to the fact that if they willfully refuse to open their
minds to hear the Word, ignorance will lead them to do things that are sin in the eyes of
God.
Exm. The Lord Jesus, during His lifetime, asked about the nine missing lepers (Luke 17:7).
This shows God's concern that people be thankful.
Apl. Lack of appreciation of what the Lord Jesus did on the cross is one reason why people
today are not getting saved.
- Because of their lack of gratitude, God turned Israel over to the power of Jabin, king
of the northern city of Hazor.
- For 20 years, Jabin cruelly oppressed the Israelites through Sisera, the fearsome head
of his army.
- This took place early in the period called today the Iron Age.
- An indication of Jabin's power is seen in that he had 900 chariots of iron.
- During these difficult years, no man came forward to take the leadership in Israel.
- In the absence of a man to lead, Israel was governed by a woman, Deborah.
- Deborah lived in mount Ephraim, between Jerusalem and Jabin's territory.
- Deborah was a prophetess and lived in touch with God.
- Recognizing this, the people came to her with their problems, to hear through her what
God had to say.
- Deborah would be found under what came to be known as the palm tree of Deborah.
Cns. The palm tree stands out from other trees because of its height and this makes us
think of Deborah as one who stood out unique among the rest of the people of that time.
- Without doubt, Deborah cried to God on behalf of her people.
- After 20 years of oppression, the people also began to seek God.
Cns. When we think of how many times God had to punish His people, we see an illustration
of the hardness of the human heart.
- Directed to do so by God, Deborah sent a message to Barak, who lived in the northern
part of Israel in a place near Hazor, Jabin's city.
SCENE No. 2. VISUAL AIDS: A battlefield with the figure of a man running toward a tent
which has the figure of a woman standing nearby.
DEVELOPMENT:
- Barak accepted Deborah's call, gathered an army of 10,000 men and led them to mount
Tabor.
- Barak accepted the challenge but, fearful, asked Deborah to accompany him.
- The place chosen by God for the battle was only some 25 kms. to the west of Hazor.
- Informed of the preparations being made by the Israelites, Jabin gathered his 900
chariots and his soldiers.
- Afterward they gathered on the plain near mount Tabor where the horses and chariots
could move about easily.
- The battle began and from heaven, God fought for His own, using rain and hail.
Note: According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, the hail and heavy rain beat into the
faces of Israel's enemies.
- The waters of the Kishon River rose, transforming the plains where the chariots were
deployed into a swamp.
- No one could manoeuvre the chariots for they were stuck in the mud.
- Many perished in the waters of the river Kishon (Judges 5:20, 21) that rose suddenly and
surrounded them.
- Seeing that the battle was lost, Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled, seeking refuge
in some safe place.
There was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and Heber the Kenite, and Heber's wife Jael
welcomed him in.
- This woman attended to his needs and soon he was asleep.
- Sisera had placed his trust in a haven that would prove to be inadequate to escape the
judgment of God.
Sug. Point out to the students what a fatal mistake Sisera made. He trusted in a hiding
place, which gave him false security.
Apl. Many people face Eternity with a false sense of security. They think their good life
will save them without taking God and His Word into account.
Sug. Ask the students to suggest some of the beliefs that give a false sense of security
today.
Exm. Some trust in their baptism as children, others in that they have had their first
communion. Others think that because some relative is a nun, a priest, or an elder or
preacher, the devotion of that person will serve to make them safe.--
Cmt. Many children have a "secret" belief that their good and bad behaviour will
be calculated by God and taken into account for salvation. Ask the students first of all
what OTHERS think, and then what THEY think.
Ccl. Those not trusting in Christ have their confidence placed in something that cannot
bring them salvation.
SCENE No. 3. VISUAL AIDS: A tent with figures of Sisera lying dead and the nail (tent
stake) visible in his head. Jael, with a hammer in her hand, with a figure of Barak coming
towards the tent.
DEVELOPMENT:
- Just when he felt safest, death comes to Sisera.
- Thinking he was among friends, he fell asleep, never to awake again.
- Barak arrives (v.22), having obeyed God in going to war (Vs.7-10).
- The body of his enemy, now dead, proves the truth of God's promise to give victory.
- The sight of Sisera now dead demonstrates that Barak's faith was well founded when
placed in the word of God.
Apl. Sisera is a figure of those who are enemies of God and launch an attack against those
who belong to Him.
Cns. Although some success is enjoyed by the enemy, in the end, they will be destroyed.
See Matt.22:44; Mr.12:36; Lu.20:43; Acts 2:35; Heb. 1:13.
Lsn. Those who believe in Christ will share with Him in His victory.
SCENE No. 4. VISUAL AIDS: Figures of Deborah and Barak, a line of music and some of the
words of Deborah's song.
DEVELOPMENT:
- This victory granted by Jehovah is reason for a new song.
- The song reveals that what fills Deborah's heart is not the great victory they have won
but deep gratitude to God.
- Near the beginning of the song are the words "I will sing unto the Lord" and
it ends expressing the desire that all those who love the Lord will be like the sun in its
strength.
- The song speaks of the weakness of the people and exalts the power of God.
- It speaks of the courage of those who went to help in the battle and the negligence of
those who did not help the army.
- The song celebrates Jael's triumph and refers to the mother of the feared enemy Sisera,
who would be waiting for her son who was never to return.
- In heaven, there will be a new song with which the saved will celebrate the triumphs of
Christ over the enemy of His people.
- In that day, what will matter to us will be what the Lord has done and not what we have
done. |
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