Judges Chapter 5: Praising God for Victory

Reflections from Judges Chapter 5:

Choosing God over Self

Scripture

Read: Judges Chapter 5

Key Scripture:

“Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.” Judges 5:3

Judges Chapter 5: Observation

Judges chapters 4 and 5 are very similar as they both recount the same incidents. Chapter 4 is a historical account of what happened in Israel when the Lord led Barak and Deborah to war against Sisera, while chapter 5 is a detailed and heartfelt praise song to God for winning the battle for them.

In the Bible, Deborah is not the only woman who sang a praise song to God. Other women, including Miriam (Exod. 15:20-21), Hannah (1 Sam. 2:1-10), and Mary (Luke 1:46-55), also sang with deep gratitude to God.

Deborah and Barak begin their song by praising God for the leaders and men of Israel who willingly presented themselves for battle against Sisera (v. 2). They continue by recalling a time in Israel’s history when the Lord similarly rescued them from their enemies during the Exodus from Egypt (vv. 4-5).

Deborah reflects on the hardship and intimidation they faced until she arose as a leader in Israel. She praises God again for the leaders and volunteers who went to battle and invites others to praise God with her (vv. 6-12).

In verses 13-18, Deborah and Barak praised God for the tribes who came out to fight with them. But they also called out the tribes who refused to come out and stayed back as spectators. Specifically, in verse 23, the city of Meroz is cursed because they did not come out “to help the Lord against the mighty.”

Deborah and Barak continue by praising God for Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who struck and crushed Sisera’s head with a tent peg, killing him instantly (vv. 24-27).

In verses 28-30, we see that Sisera was an evil man who used women as tools to fulfill his lusts. In the end, a simple woman with a household tool brought him down.

Deborah’s song ends with this powerful declaration.

“So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Judges 5:31a

As we see in Judges 5, the ultimate glory for the victory went to God, not Barak, Deborah, or even Jael, who personally killed Sisera.

“Then the land had peace forty years.” Judges 5:31b

Judges Chapter 5: Application

Praising God

Just like Deborah took time to sing praises to God, let us be intentional about looking back over our lives and praising God for our victories. There’s not a time that God has failed you. It may have felt like a battle, but He sustained you, strengthened you, and made a way. Therefore, let’s be in the habit of consistently honoring God for His faithfulness and celebrating all the things He has brought us through.

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.” Psalm 105:1-2

Fulfilling our Calling

Some of the tribes remained spectators and did not come out to fight with Deborah and Barak. God wants us to be actively engaged in doing the work He has called us to do in each season of life. He does not want us to sit back and do nothing with our calling. It is a sin to know the right thing to do but choose complacency instead. We are to be doers of the Word, not hearers only (Jas 1:22).

When we don’t show up to do God’s work, the church leadership – pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc., get burdened with roles that do not belong to them. The role of leadership is “to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church” (Eph. 4:11-12 NLT). They cannot do all the work by themselves.

Jael, a simple housewife, killed a powerful and highly influential warlord with a common household item of her day – a tent peg. To obey God and step out in faith, He does not require us to be the most powerful, have the most influence, advanced training, or special skills.

God does not call all of us to the same ministry, but whatever He has placed in our hands to do, He expects us to use it diligently for His glory. He called Deborah to public ministry as a Judge and Prophetess, while Jael had a simpler life. God made us all differently and is delighted to use us all to further His kingdom agenda.

Victory Over the Enemy

“At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay.
At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.” Judges 5:27

When I reflect on Sisera’s death at the hands of Jael, I am reminded that it was God who orchestrated the events from start to finish. Sisera seemed indomitable, yet he died at the hands of a woman.

The devil may throw many things our way, and sometimes we may face situations that seem impossible. It is crucial to remember that Jesus has been victorious over sin and Satan. Jesus’ last words on the cross, “It is finished,” is our testimony that our victory over Satan is perfectly perfect and completely complete (John 19:30).

We can look back on our lives and praise God for drawing us to Him, orchestrating the events that led to our salvation, and literally transferring us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son, Jesus Christ (Col. 1:13-14). We also look ahead with hope and anticipation, knowing that Jesus will surely return to bring justice to His enemies and to rule and reign forever (Rev. 11:15-18).

So, if you feel like the devil is after you today, remind him that just like victory came to Israel when Sisera died, you already have total and complete victory over him in Christ (1 Cor.15:57; Rom.8:37). Then, surrender yourself completely to God, resist the devil, and he will surely flee!

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

Is your heart filled with gratitude or discontent?
Do you consistently praise God for His unwavering faithfulness to you?
Are you a spectator, or have you fully embraced God’s call on your life?
Are you appropriating the victory that Christ won for you?

Prayer

Lord, I am eternally grateful for Your kindness, mercy, and faithfulness toward me. Thank You for saving me and providing for me through all the seasons of my life. When my heart is tempted to slip into discontent, fill me with joy through the Holy Spirit. Help me to burst into songs of praise and gratitude to You as I recall all the ways You have shown Yourself faithful.

May love and gratitude overflow into all areas of my life so that my life reflects Your glory “like the sun when it rises in its strength” (Judg. 5:31). In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Footnotes

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