Read the Word:
Judges 4:1-16
Meditate on the Word:
The book of Judges is a 400 year cycle of God’s people doing the same things and never learning their lesson. They “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord,” were oppressed by an enemy, called out to God, and He sent a judge to rescue them. Then they behaved until that judge died. Lather, rinse, repeat. Deborah was one of twelve judges mentioned in the book.
In verse 6, we read that Deborah summoned Barak and (at least in most translations) said, “Hasn’t the Lord commanded you.” In other words, Deborah, is not presenting new information to Barak; she is telling him something that God has previously told him. Sure, a couple of translations, like the NIV simply say, “the Lord commands you,” but I am certain that God had been telling Barak to go, and he simply had not. God’s style is to tell the individual directly. There are plenty of instances in scripture of God (or His angel) telling an individual directly what to do: Abram, Moses, and Gideon serve as examples. It seems that Barak was being disobedient to God, and had to be reminded.
Then we read in verse 8 where Barak places a condition on his obedience (Deborah going with him). What if she had said no? After all, God had called Barak to go, not Deborah. She was already doing what God had commanded her. Her going was not God’s command, it was Barak’s lack of trust.
Pray the Word:
Is there an area where you are ignoring God, or trying to place a command on your obedience? Confess and repent now.
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