Judges 4:1-7: a reflection

1The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, when Ehud was dead. 2The LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3The children of Israel cried to the LORD, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and he mightily oppressed the children of Israel for twenty years. 4Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel at that time. 5She lived under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, “Hasn’t the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go and lead the way to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7I will draw to you, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.’”

When Israel is oppressed by a strong enemy with nine hundred iron chariots, God raises up deliverance through unexpected instruments. Deborah, a prophetess, is judging Israel at that time; and it is she who summons Barak and delivers to him God's command and God's promise of victory. God works through Deborah, and through Barak, who needed her word to move; the deliverance of Israel comes not through some obvious champion, but through the instruments God chose to raise up and use. God accomplished his purpose through unexpected means.

Notice that God worked through unexpected instruments to deliver his people. The deliverance did not come through some obvious military hero acting alone; it came through Deborah, a prophetess who judged Israel and spoke God's word, and through Barak, who acted on her word. God raised up and worked through the instruments he chose, not necessarily those one might have expected. His purpose was accomplished through the means he chose to use, and his people were delivered through instruments they might not have looked for.

That is worth taking to heart, for God works through unexpected instruments, and may work through us or others we would not expect. We can look for God to work only through the obvious, the expected, the impressive; but God raised up Deborah and Barak, working his deliverance through the instruments he chose. God is not limited to the instruments we would expect; he can work through the unlikely, the overlooked, the unexpected, including us. Do not assume that God works only through the obvious and impressive; he raises up and uses unexpected instruments, as he used Deborah and Barak to deliver Israel. Be willing to be used by God, unexpected instrument though you may feel yourself to be; and look for God's working through unexpected means, rather than only the obvious, as God delivered his people through a prophetess and a hesitant leader, unexpected instruments he raised up and used for his purpose.

Lord, when Israel is oppressed by a strong enemy with nine hundred iron chariots, you raise up deliverance through unexpected instruments. Deborah, a prophetess, is judging Israel at that time; and it is she who summons Barak and delivers to him your command and your promise of victory. You work through Deborah, and through Barak, who needed her word to move; the deliverance comes not through some obvious champion, but through the instruments you chose to raise up and use. Show me that you worked through unexpected instruments to deliver your people. The deliverance did not come through some obvious hero acting alone; it came through Deborah, who spoke your word, and through Barak, who acted on her word. You raised up and worked through the instruments you chose, not necessarily those one might have expected. Your purpose was accomplished through the means you chose. Take that to my heart, for you work through unexpected instruments, and may work through me or others I would not expect. I can look for you to work only through the obvious, the expected, the impressive; but you raised up Deborah and Barak. You are not limited to the instruments I would expect; you can work through the unlikely, the overlooked, including me. Keep me from assuming that you work only through the obvious and impressive; you raise up and use unexpected instruments. Help me be willing to be used by you, Lord, unexpected instrument though I may feel myself to be; and help me look for your working through unexpected means.