Women in leadership is a hot topic these days, but the Israelites didn’t seem to have a problem with it:

Deborah was a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth. She was judge over Israel at that time. She held court under Deborah’s Palm between Ramah and Bethel in the hills of Ephraim. The People of Israel went to her in matters of justice. (Judges 4.4 – 5, MSG)

While the cycle described in yesterday’s blog comes around several times, the particulars of each story are different. In this case, Deborah is already in place when the sin, servitude, and supplication phases are described:

The People of Israel kept right on doing evil in GOD’s sight. With Ehud dead, GOD sold them off to Jabin king of Canaan who ruled from Hazor. Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim, was the commander of his army. The People of Israel cried out to GOD because he had cruelly oppressed them with his nine hundred iron chariots for twenty years. (Judges 4.1 – 3, MSG)

So Deborah summons Barak to lead the Israelites into battle, giving him a clear promise from God:

She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “It has become clear that GOD, the God of Israel, commands you: Go to Mount Tabor and prepare for battle. Take ten companies of soldiers from Naphtali and Zebulun. I’ll take care of getting Sisera, the leader of Jabin’s army, to the Kishon River with all his chariots and troops. And I’ll make sure you win the battle.” (Judges 4.6 – 7, MSG)

But Barak trusts Deborah more than he trusts God!

Barak said, “If you go with me, I’ll go. But if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” (Judges 4.8, MSG)

So Deborah gives another promise: no honor for you – a woman will take care of Sisera:

She said, “Of course I’ll go with you. But understand that with an attitude like that, there’ll be no glory in it for you. GOD will use a woman’s hand to take care of Sisera.” (Judges 4.9, MSG)

And of course that’s exactly what happens in this well-known turn of events:

[Barak attacked and ] GOD routed Sisera—all those chariots, all those troops!—before Barak. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran…Sisera, running for his life, headed for the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite…Jael stepped out to meet Sisera and said, “Come in, sir. Stay here with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went with her into her tent. She covered him with a blanket. He said to her, “Please, a little water. I’m thirsty.” She opened a bottle of milk, gave him a drink, and then covered him up again. He then said, “Stand at the tent flap. If anyone comes by and asks you, ‘Is there anyone here?’ tell him, ‘No, not a soul.'”

Then while he was fast asleep from exhaustion, Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg and hammer, tiptoed toward him, and drove the tent peg through his temple and all the way into the ground. He convulsed and died. Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera. Jael went out to greet him. She said, “Come, I’ll show you the man you’re looking for.” He went with her and there he was—Sisera, stretched out, dead, with a tent peg through his neck. Judges 4.15 – 22, MSG)

Exciting stuff! And since Judges gives this story another chapter so that Deborah and Barak can sing a song about the victory, it’s only fair that we give it another blog. The song is instructive. Here’s a sneak peak: the hero is a housewife…in Judges 5 and Proverbs 31!

Most blessed of all women is Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of homemaking women. (Judges 5.24, MSG)

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. (Proverbs 31.10 – 11, MSG)