June, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
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At any rate, Barak was commanded to ga ther ten thousand men from those tribes and with them to deliver Israel from the hand of Sisera. With the command went the promise that the Lord would draw Sis era and his host to the river Kishon and there deliver them into Barak’s hands. Barak could be assured that victory would be his, because it would be given to him by the Lord. Third, Deborah’s surrender is revealed in her exhibition of humility (vs. 8-10). When Barak said he would not go unless Deborah went with him, he was putting more trust in the physical presence of a woman than in the unseen presence of the Lord. The honor could easily have been taken by Deborah, but she refused even this, and told o f another woman to whom would go the honor of finally disposing of Sisera. She promised Barak she would ac company him, and this she did. Doing so made it certain that Barak would miss the honor which otherwise might have been his had he fully trusted the Lord for him self. It is still true that Christians are tempted to trust more in an arm of flesh that may be seen than in the arm of God which is unseen. But we must not forget that even though Barak was hesitant, he did really obey the command of God, gath ering the army and going forth to the war. It would be well if all Christians would do this much instead of criticising Barak for his lack of full trust: II. D e b o r a h ’ s F e l l o w s h ip w it h t h e L ord (4:13-15). First, Deborah’s fellowship is seen when her prophecy actually becomes history. Without such fellowship, she would not have known what was to occur. The enemy gathered his forces in the exact manner and number that she had said. It was known to the Lord, and He had revealed it to Deborah. But while the Lord knew and Deborah knew, the responsibility for what Sisera did rested with himself and not with God or Deborah. The human heart shows its natural enmity against God no where so much as when it takes the side of His enemies against God. God does know just who will accept His offer of sal vation and who will reject it, but the re sponsibility for either accepting or reject ing cannot be laid at His door but belongs to the one to whom the salvation is offered. By the foreknowledge of God, the sinner is told that the wages of sin is death, but the responsibility for the death belongs to the sinner. And continuance in that death is the fault also of the sinner, not of God who stands ever ready to deliver from that death all who will accept the deliverance. Second, Deborah’s fellowship is seen in that she is given an added word for the encouragement o f Barak (v. 14) that then was the moment for his full victory. It was the Lord who would deliver Sisera’s army into his hands. There is a stated time for God’s victory, and to have part in that victory, one must act in that stated time. Thus it is with salvation because, “now is the accepted time, behold, today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). If one would have salvation, it must be taken today while God is offering it; tomorrow may be too late. Third, Deborah’s fellowship is seen when, according to her word, the Lord dis comfited Sisera and put him to flight be fore Barak’s army. One certainly must be in close fellowship with the Lord to know so clearly what God will do even down to the minute details. And Deborah, because o f her full surrender, had entered into this intimate fellowship with the Lord in which she came to know His mind. Such fellow
ship is open to all who are willing to fol low Deborah’s example. III. D e b o r a h ’ s P r a is e of t h e L ord (5:1-3). Deborah was careful to give all the honor to God. Without Him, no deliver ance could have been accomplished. It was not the wisdom or the ability of herself or Barak, either separately or together, which enabled them to defeat Sisera and destroy his army, but the Lord alone. This is the lesson that the church o f today needs to learn. With all its equipment and or ganization and learning, without the Lord, it is like a machine without motive power. The Lord’s power was manifested, first, when the people offered themselves to H im ; second, when the surrender was made “willingly,” that is, without the con straint which marks the service of a slave, because the Lord will never use forced labor—all His servants must be volun teers ; and" third, when the surrender came in the nature of an offering as they “will ingly offered themselves,” that is, they pre sented themselves to the Lord in such a manner as to surrender all ownership in •that which was offered. Even though God’s people err and stray, yet His interest in them never fails, and His love for them never grows cold. Hence, all the praise should constantly be given to Him who alone brings victory and deliverance to His people. Lesson Questions 4:4-10. What twofold office did Deborah fill? Where did she meet the people? Un der what oppression were the children of Israel at this time? What did Deborah tell Barak to do ? on what authority ? and with what promised result? Did Barak obey? What happened when he said, “ If” ? Vs. 13-15. Who wrought the victory for Israel? What part did Barak play in it? Deborah? Sisera? 5 :l-3. How much credit did Deborah take for the outcome of the battle? What did she do? What was the testimony that she bore to all in high authority? What in-
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