A WOMAN-LIKE A MAN (DEBORAH, A CASE STUDY)
(Judges
4:1-24)
PREAMBLE
“And Deborah,
a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt
under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel
in Mount Ephraim:
and the children of Israel
came up to her for judgement. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam
out of Kadeshnaphtali, and said unto him, hath not the Lord God of Israel
commanded, saying, go and draw toward Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten
thousand men of the children of Nephtali and of the children of Zebulun?” –Judges 4:1-6.
In the programme of God for
you, you were created, called and commissioned to make a big impact
for Jesus Christ. God created you with a distinct design and placed in you a
unique vision. You cannot impact the world until your God-given vision is being
rightly and righteously implemented.
You have
been designed by God to make a difference in your generation. God wants you to
do something that the world will not be able to ignore. You were born to be impact
maker. You were born to accomplish greater things for the Almighty God.
You have a significant, ineffable purpose to fulfill in life. Therefore,
by destiny and by creation, you are not an object of ordinary impact. You
are very special and unique. Your coming into the world is for a purpose.
Nobody is an island. Nobody is a failure except the person admits to be one. Do
not see yourself as a dreg in the world. You have been specially created and
designed to fulfill your God- given destiny. You possess the power to be above
and not beneath. You have been endowed with the power of distinction. You should not allow yourself to be
relegated. You will make it in Jesus’ name.
Womanhood
is such a wonderful and challenging experience. The woman was created
by divine plan to fulfill a unique and definite purpose. Some women, not only
by choice but also by divine enablement, have excelled extraordinarily in
fulfilling heir God-assigned roles. These have singled themselves out of many women
to make a name for them in time and in eternity.
Right from
Bible days, many women have chosen to be celebrated and not
to be relegated. Despite the loads of responsibilities on them as
typical women – domestic chores, secular occupations, spiritual assignments et
cetera. They defied all odds to accomplish great things for God, for themselves
and for others around them.
We owe a
lot to these pioneers of great success. We may never be able to exhaust the
rich benefits and blessings their lives offer. Imagine a world without a woman!
Now that
the biblical cannons are closed, many more significant women will be celebrated
for their spectacular contributions to the kingdom of heaven and to humanity in
general.
Can God
count on you? Would you line up with these ones: Deborah, a strong-minded
administrator and deliverer;
Ruth, an epitome of loyalty and virtuousness; Hannah, a woman of importunate
prayer and perseverance; Esther, an instrument of change and national
perseverance; the Samaritan woman, a wretched sinner who later became a
passionate soul-winner; and Priscilla, a loyal wife and committed partner in
God’s service?
All these women of old were outstanding in their
approaches and attitudes towards problems and challenges that faced them. They demonstrated
absolute commitment to God and His word.
Today, I
want to lucidly and systematically ex-ray the life of one of the heroines
mentioned above. I want to single out Deborah, a strong-minded administrator and
deliverer.
1.
THE UNINTIMIDATED DEBORAH:
BACKGROUND AND LINEAGE (Judges 5:7; Judges 4:8, 9a, 10c; Judges 5:1-2)
The name, Deborah, means ‘a
bee’ and is emblematic of industry, patience, sagacity and usefulness.
There are two people bearing Deborah in the Bible. The first is Deborah - Rebekah’s
nurse (Gen 24:59; 35:8). She was a
faithful, dutiful and loyal nurse who was ready to render profitable service
anytime, anywhere. Until her death, she never left the one thing she was
employed to do – serving and taking care of Rebekah. Selfless industry was her
hallmark.
The unintimidated Deborah is the second.
She is so called because she could not be afraid. She was true to her name –
busy as a bee. She was the only woman in the scripture elevated to a high
administrative position by the choice of God
(Judges 4:4-5).
Known simply as the wife of Lapidoth, she appears s
simple homemaker, not from any aristocratic lineage. She described herself as “a
mother in Israel”
(Judges 5:7).
2. A COUNSELLOR AND A JUDGE
(Judges 4:4)
Deborah was raised up by God
to deliver His people from the bondage their idolatry had caused them. It was a
time when everyone did what was right in his/her own eyes. The civil court was
inept, the military was too weak to defend national borders, and the priesthood
was impotent and ineffective. Normal life was no longer possible.
She fulfilled her role as a judge.
She was first a counselor as she displayed in her leadership by suggesting
solutions to people with problems. All Israel was under her jurisdiction
and, from the palm tree bearing her name; she dispensed righteousness,
justice and mercy.
3. A PROPHETESS
(Judges 4:4)
“And Deborah, a prophetess,
the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time” (Judges 4:4).
Deborah had the ability to
discern the mind and purpose of God and declare it to others. Sitting under the
palm tree with her penetrating, prophetic eyes, she poured out wisdom and
instruction as she declared the whole counsel of God to the people. Are you
also industrious like Deborah? Do you also declare the whole counsel of God to
people? Let us imbibe these good qualities in the life of Deborah. She aroused
the people from their lethargy and despair. She had a fearless and unsolicited
devotion to the emancipation of God’s people.
4.
A WARRIOR
Deborah was an inspiring, patriotic fighter. Her
compassion had been meted against her people and she arose to make herself
available. Deborah together with Barak went out in battle against Sisera, a
mighty man of war, who had terrorized Israel for many years. Great were the odds against Deborah and
Barak. Their army consisted of some 10,000 me while Sisera commanded
multitudes of fighters, and had 900 iron chariots. Deborah not only joined the drive to raise an army but also suggested
the strategy. When the eventful moment of combat came, the dauntless spirit of
Deborah did not quail. God came to their aid, and the Canaanites’ army was
vanquished. Thus Deborah became known as the female warrior who rescued her
people from their cruel foes.
5.
A DISTINGUISHED JUDGE AND
POETESS
Deborah was victorious as she trusted God and
inspired the same trust in others within her sphere of influence. Victory of
the Canaanites spurred her to compose a song, which is regarded as one of the
finest specimens of ancient Hebrew poetry. This song of praise exalts God as
the one who enabled Israelite leaders to conquer their enemies. Her song was
documented because her life was dedicated to God and her deeds heroic and
sublime.
She was
truly a mother in Israel,
though the Bible says nothing of her biological child. Her piety certainly was
the source of this motherhood. Her trust in God stands her out.
A prophetess is a proclaimer, a preacher of God’s
word. As a woman, a wife, a mother, God expects you to proclaim His love and
goodness to all within your sphere of influence.
Deborah has
two chapters devoted to her in Judges
chapters 4 and 5. these chapters show the boldness, fearfulness courage,
confidence and commitment of this woman. All saved women must know that they
have been raised up to declare the mind of God. This calls for stydying the
word of God, seeking and obeying the truth, and standing for it whatever the
challenge may be. God expects every wife or mother in the home and woman in the
office, to judge and counsel wisely according to the word of God without
compromise. Bold and fearless, Deborah
was undaunted by the enemies of her people. She exercised faith and courage to
make a success of her God-assigned duty. God requires similar quality from
everyone who wishes to be successful. Fear must be subdued in our lives. God
never created us with fear.
Why are many women fearful and not developing their
personality to be unintimidated? It is because they lack vision: “Where
there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18).
If we will be fearless, daring and
courageous like Deborah, we must cultivate the following habits:
1.
Looking unto God: This
is the beginning of developing such personality. Whatever you hear or see, look
unto God, not unto man (Isaiah 45:22;
Hebrews 12:2). Deborah looked unto God and she was not put to shame.
2.
Listening to God: No
one gets afraid if he listens to and hears from God like the saints and
apostles of old (Proverbs 8:34). Deborah
listened to God and God made her path smoothened.
3.
Learning from God: When
we learn from God’s word we develop an unintimidated personality. When you take
away your mind’s focus from God’s word, you will begin to see the billows and storms of life and
become afraid (as Peter did) and may
begin to sin in life’s trials. “But when
he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink …” (Matthew
14:30). But as we wait on the Lord and focus on Him, God comes to our help,
for He is ”… a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Deborah was not abandoned by God during her storms.
4.
Living for God: When
we live to please God and not self, traditions or men, God takes care of us. No
Red Sea can drown us. No Balaam or Balak can
curse or conquer us.
5.
Learning on God:
He is mighty Fortress and Refuge. This is why the Psalmist says “… the LORD is the strength of my life, of
whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). He is a mighty Rock to lean on all
the time. Whoever leans on God cannot be disappointed by Him. He cares and also
has interest in us. The nearer you are to God, the more precious you are in His
sight.
6.
Brush distractions aside: Deborah
never allowed any form of distractions to change her focus. She never listened
to tale bearers, busy body and those
unscrupulous elements of her time. Some people are after fashion and the
mundane things of this world. Never give room for excuse. Don’t join bad
company. Don’t be carried away by materialism. Don’t be title conscious.
Separate yourself from worldly and ungodly people.
7.
Uprightness: Deborah
lived an upright life. She loves, obedient, committed and devoted. Some people make their work to be their
priority in life while some choose worldliness. Deborah was very loyal and
she gave herself to God wholly Galatians
2:20; Matt. 5:37).
CONCLUSION
To have dominion like Deborah, we should search the
word of God, obey the instructions and claim the promises. Like Deborah, we can stand, conquer all
enemies and populate the kingdom
of God by declaring
freedom for all in Christ without fear or intimidation. We are more than
conquerors (Romans 8:37).
ADU OLUGBENGA (2016)
“If ye know
all these things, happy (blessed) are ye if ye do them”
-John 13:17.
