FOLLOW THE LEADER

7/15/2012

1.     OTHNIEL: SPIRIT-EMPOWERED LEADER (JUDGES 3:7-11)

·         All that God gave, the pagans attributed to Baal; in this way we can see the similarities between this false religion and present day materialism.

·         God’s anger shows His abiding, universal opposition to evil; it is anger to the perversion of that which is holy.

·         Israel had not listened to God, but they understood quite well the military might of their oppressor.

·         In the light of that oppression they were able to see what unfaithfulness to God had brought upon them.

·         Very likely, Israel cried out to the lord in repentance for their sin, and they had peace in the land for 40 years.

2.     EHUD AND SHAMGAR: COURAGEOUS LEADERS (JUDGES 3:12-31)

·         A new generation was born that did not know about the sufferings of their elders.

·         Strangely, where morals are concerned, many in each generation want to go back to the Garden of Eden and learn for themselves.

·         When Israel went against God's will, He delivered them into servitude.

·         They were slower to remember how good it was to enjoy God’s blessings than those rescued through Othniel.

·         It took them 18 years before they cried out.

·         We see that Ehud killed Eglon and warned the others.

·         He then led the men that gathered into battle after telling them that God had delivered them into their hands.

·         And they had peace for 80 years.

·         Briefly in verse 31 we see Shamgar.

·         He used an ox goad, which is a very crude instrument.

·         The Israelites did not have iron weapons, so he had to use what he had.

·         Evidently and returning occurred and peace was in the land for a period not disclosed.

3.     DEBORAH AND BARAK: OBEDIENT LEADERS (JUDGES 4:1-24)

3A. ENCOURAGE LEADERS TO LISTEN TO THE LORD (JUDGES 4:1-4, 6-7)

1 Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 And the sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.

4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time

NASB

·         The central bible truth in this chapter is that as believers, we can serve by encouraging others to discover and obey God's will.

·         Without consistent encouragement many Christians would be less faithful to service than they are.

·         Encouragement constitutes a valuable spiritual gift.

·         Deborah was unique in that she was the only woman judge of Israel that is recorded in the scriptures.

·         Living in a man's world as she did, her achievement of this position indicates how extraordinary a person she must have been.

6 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 7'And I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon; and I will give him into your hand.' "

NASB

·         Naturally when Sisera learned that an Israelite army of ten thousand had gathered at Mount Tabor, he marched against it.

·         This was all in God's plan.

·         The Israelite force was the bait God would use to lure Sisera and his army to destruction.

3B. GET PERSONALLY INVOLVED (JUDGES 4:8a, 10)

 8 Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go;

NASB

·         Barak's situation was not unique among Christians.

·         Many times those who desire to do God's will need encouragement from someone about them.

·         A fellow Christian may give a person boldness to witness for the lord.

·         Barak's statement reveals a mixture of faith and doubt, courage and fear, boldness and hesitancy.

·         He believed in what Deborah had told him enough to be willing to obey God's command.

·         Yet, he retained enough doubt to insist that Deborah place her life on the line beside him.

·         Christians face at least two needs in regard to the God’s will.

o       The first need is to understand God's will.

o       The second need is finding the courage to do what God leads us to do.

10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him.

NASB

They exterminated the army for not a man was left.

All this came about because of the faith, foresight, and courage of one woman, Deborah.

One person wholly committed to God's will, can encourage others, arousing them to do wondrous things in God’s service.

4.     CELEBRATION OF LEADERS (JUDGES 5:1-31)

4A. PRAISE THE LORD FOR GODLY LEADERS (JUDGES 5:1-5)

5:1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,

2 "That the leaders led in Israel,

That the people volunteered,

Bless the LORD!

3 " Hear, O kings; give ear, O rulers!

I —  to the LORD, I will sing,

I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

4 "LORD, when Thou didst go out from Seir,

When Thou didst march from the field of Edom,

The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped,

Even the clouds dripped water.

5 "The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD,

This Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.

NASB

Judges 5:4-5

The picture is of God setting forth from his abode to assist his people in the conflict with Sisera. All nature was convulsed as God acted in power. The imagery is poetic and is designed to impress upon the mind of the reader the awesomeness of the Divine activity.

(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)