Judges 4:19-24: a reflection

19He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.” She opened a container of milk, and gave him a drink, and covered him. 20He said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ you shall say, ‘No.’” 21Then Jael, Heber’s wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the pin into his temples, and it pierced through into the ground, for he was in a deep sleep; so he fainted and died. 22Behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” He came to her; and behold, Sisera lay dead, and the tent peg was in his temples. 23So God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel on that day. 24The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

After the LORD gives Sisera, the commander who had oppressed Israel, into the hands of his people, the account notes something about how the full deliverance came: The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed him. The deliverance did not come all at once, in a single stroke; it grew, prevailing more and more, over time, until the oppressor was fully overcome. God's deliverance of his people from Jabin came progressively, growing stronger and more complete as it went on, until the full victory was won. The full deliverance was not instant but progressive, prevailing more and more until it was complete.

Notice how the deliverance came: progressively, prevailing more and more. It was not a single, instant stroke that ended the oppression all at once; the hand of Israel prevailed more and more, growing stronger over time, until Jabin was fully destroyed. The deliverance grew as it went, gaining ground progressively, until the victory was complete. God did not always work his deliverance in a single instant; here it came progressively, growing stronger, prevailing more and more until it was full. The completeness came not at once but through a process, the deliverance growing until it was total. God's saving work advanced step by step until it was complete.

That is worth taking to heart, for God's deliverance can come progressively, growing more and more until it is complete, and we can trust the process. We can expect God's deliverance to come all at once, in a single instant, and grow discouraged when it does not, when the oppression is not ended immediately; but Israel's deliverance from Jabin came progressively, prevailing more and more until it was full. God's saving work is not always instant; it can advance step by step, growing until it is complete. When God's deliverance does not come all at once, do not despair; it can come progressively, prevailing more and more, as it did against Jabin. Trust that God's deliverance can come progressively, growing more and more until it is complete, rather than always in a single instant, as the hand of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin until they destroyed him; for God's saving work does not always come all at once but can advance step by step, growing until it is full, and we can trust the process even when the full deliverance has not yet come.

Lord, after you give Sisera, the commander who had oppressed Israel, into the hands of your people, the account notes something about how the full deliverance came: the hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed him. The deliverance did not come all at once, in a single stroke; it grew, prevailing more and more, over time, until the oppressor was fully overcome. Your deliverance of your people from Jabin came progressively. Show me how the deliverance came: progressively, prevailing more and more. It was not a single, instant stroke that ended the oppression all at once; the hand of Israel prevailed more and more, growing stronger over time, until Jabin was fully destroyed. The deliverance grew as it went, gaining ground progressively, until the victory was complete. You did not always work your deliverance in a single instant; here it came progressively, growing stronger until it was full. Your saving work advanced step by step until it was complete. Take that to my heart, for your deliverance can come progressively, growing more and more until it is complete, and I can trust the process. I can expect your deliverance to come all at once, in a single instant, and grow discouraged when it does not; but Israel's deliverance from Jabin came progressively. Your saving work is not always instant; it can advance step by step, growing until it is complete. When your deliverance does not come all at once, keep me from despairing; it can come progressively, prevailing more and more, Lord, as it did against Jabin. Help me trust that your deliverance can come progressively, growing until it is full, and trust the process even when the full deliverance has not yet come.