Psalm 36:1-8 Fear God for Protection and Pleasure
Observations: 36:1-4 The wicked started good and wise, but lost it by pridefully failing to fear God; as a result he is oblivious to his own and societal sin. Whatever he has doesn't satisfy, even in bed he plots to get more.
36:5-8 God has always been good. His hesed, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice are infininte.The repeated characteristic is his hesed/loyalty to His children, who experience abundant satisfaction and pleasure. What's not to like?
Application: The path to protection and abundant satisfying pleasure, starts with fearing God, the same as wisdom.
Prayer: Loyal and Loving God, I praise you for being infinitely good and extending that goodness to me. You alone can satisfy with abundant pleasure and delight. Don't let me depart from Your ways. Amen.
Proverbs 10:15-16 Wealth and Poverty Can Cause Problems
Observations: 10:15 The rich are protected and insulated from need by their wealth, and have to work at depending upon God to meet their needs, rather than pulling their own strings. The poor are frequently in danger of destruction because they don't have the resources to defend themselves against unforeseen need and injustice. Sometimes a bitterness develops against God that makes it difficult to depend upon Him. See under Digging Deeper Resources for a Biblical View of obtaining wealth.
10:16 When a righteous person works, their resulting increase leads to life, the exercise of dominion and volition. When a wicked person (someone not correctly related to God and not submitted to His word) gets increase, it gives them more opportunities to sin and not depend upon God.
Application: Be righteous and labor, dependently looking to God to meet your needs every day.
Prayer: Father in heaven, give me today my daily bread, and the strength to labor heartily, as if You were my boss. Amen.
Judges 4 Faith in the Face of Fear
4:1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, when Ehud was dead. 2 Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose army was Sisera. 3 The children of Israel cried to Yahweh: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth (or woman of lights/torches), she judged Israel at that time. 5 She lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and called Barak, and said to him, "Hasn’t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go and deploy to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7 I will draw to you, by the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.’" 8 Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 She said, "I will surely go with you: nevertheless, the journey that you take shall not be for your honor; for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
17 However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, "Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid." He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 He said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty." She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 20 He said to her, "Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’" 21 Then 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 swooned and died. 22 Behold, 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. 23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 24 The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Observations: 4:1 Because Israel hadn't internalized and reproduced God's values in their children, they again did evil in God's sight after Ehud died. God sold them into slavery again.
4:2 Hazor was the headquarters of the Canaanites that Joshua burnt in Josh 11:10-13. Apparently Israel allowed it to be rebuilt. Sisera was the captain of 900 iron chariots (state of the art war machines) who oppressed Israel for 20 years.
4:4 Deborah was one of four women designated as a prophetess in the OT (Miriam Ex 15:20, Huldah 2Kg 22:14, Noadiah a false prophetess Neh 6:14). Isaiah 8:3 refers to Mrs. Isaiah.
Women are featured prominently a number of times in the book, especially this chapter.
4:6-9 Despite the clear command of God to engage Sisera, Barak wavers, refusing to obey unless Deborah was with him. She agrees, but he loses the honor of victory, that going to a woman, Jael. For a woman to gain honor over a man, or to kill a man was considered a disgrace in the Ancient Near East. Some cite the judgeship of Deborah as a blight on Israel, although the text does not.
4:14 Even though Barak wavered, he obeyed, demonstrating faith in the face of fear, and earning a place in Hebrews 11. God supernaturally delivered, and Sisera fled from his war machine.
4:17-24 Sisera fled to Heber, who had aligned himself with Jabin rather than Israel. Heber's wife Jael aligned herself with Yahweh, and her tent peg with Sisera's skull, giving him a splitting headache.
Question: What about obeying God causes you fear? Is your fear warranted?
Application: Always have faith that obeying God is best, especially in the face of fear. You just might wind up in the heavenly version of Hebrews 11.
Prayer: Father God, help me to live in faith, obeying even if no one else does. Amen.
Judges 5 Song of Victory
5:1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying, 2 "Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh! 3 "Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel. 4 "Yahweh, when you went forth out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water. 5 The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh, even Sinai, at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
6 "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were deserted. The travellers walked through byways. 7 The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh! 10 "Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way. 11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. "Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.
12 ‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’ 13 "Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty. 14 Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun. 15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart. 16 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks. 18 Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the deaths; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
19 "The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver. 20 From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera. 21 The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength. 22 Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones. 23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of Yahweh. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’
24 "Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25 He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish. 26 She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 28 "Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’ 29 Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself, 30 ‘Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, a spoil of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?’ 31 "So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength." Then the land had rest forty years.
Observations: 5:1 Deborah and Barak sing a ballad commemorating the victory. It probably sounds better in the original than it looks on paper. It opens with commending the willingness of leaders to lead and followers to follow, the setting for God to deliver.
5:2-5 Give thanks to the awesome God who has saved Israel in the past.
5:6-11 Describe the consequence of Israel's departure from God and the need for the divine deliverance they now enjoy.
5:12-18 Contrast the brave hearts of those in Israel who came to fight with those who didn't.
5:19-23 Reveal that the stars (angels) of heaven fought for Israel, and how the flooding of the river must have neutralized the chariots in the mud. Those who didn't help are cursed.
5:24-30 Celebrate Jael and mock Sisera's mother over his death (not very sensitive).
5:31 Summarizes the wish that all Yahweh's enemies would perish and those faithful to Him would prosper.
Application: In order for God to fight our battles, our enemies must be His enemies, because we loyally love Him.
Prayer: Mighty Warrior, thanks for fighting my battles when I'm rightly related to You. Amen.
Digging Deeper:
God in a nutshell: God will raise up whomever He wishes to save His people who loyally call out to Him. He supernaturally protects and aids those who willingly unite to do His will. He gives the most honor to those who wholly trust and obey, and diminishes the reward of those who are fearful rather than faithfully obedient. He gives no honor, but cursing to those who don't do anything.
Us in a nutshell: We can be reluctant to trust God when things aren't going well. Wanting additional confirmation when God has clearly revealed His will by His word, is not the way of faith. Yet those who do eventually obey will reap diminished blessings. Those who show initiative to take action in accord with God's revealed will reap blessing and honor.
Where to Go for More:
Judges 4
4:1 The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, when Ehud was dead. 2 Yahweh 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. 3 The children of Israel cried to Yahweh: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5 She lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said to him, "Hasn’t Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded, ‘Go and draw to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7 I 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.’" 8 Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 She said, "I will surely go with you: nevertheless, the journey that you take shall not be for your honour; for Yahweh will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
10 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, even from the children of Hobab the brother-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far as the oak in Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh. 12 They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles, to the river Kishon. 14 Deborah said to Barak, "Go; for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t Yahweh gone out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15 Yahweh confused Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot, and fled away on his feet. 16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the army, to Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; there was not a man left.
17 However Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, "Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; don’t be afraid." He came in to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 He said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty." She opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 20 He said to her, "Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man comes and inquires of you, and says, ‘Is there any man here?’ that you shall say, ‘No.’" 21 Then 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 swooned and died. 22 Behold, 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. 23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 24 The hand of the children of Israel prevailed more and more against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Judges 5
5:1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying, 2 "Because the leaders took the lead in Israel, because the people offered themselves willingly, be blessed, Yahweh! 3 "Hear, you kings! Give ear, you princes! I, even I, will sing to Yahweh. I will sing praise to Yahweh, the God of Israel. 4 "Yahweh, when you went forth out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water. 5 The mountains quaked at the presence of Yahweh, even Sinai, at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
6 "In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied. The travellers walked through byways. 7 The rulers ceased in Israel. They ceased until I, Deborah, arose; Until I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods. Then war was in the gates. Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, who offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless Yahweh! 10 "Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets, and you who walk by the way. 11 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse the righteous acts of Yahweh, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. "Then the people of Yahweh went down to the gates.
12 ‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, utter a song! Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’ 13 "Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down. Yahweh came down for me against the mighty. 14 Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim, after you, Benjamin, among your peoples. Governors come down out of Machir. Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun. 15 The princes of Issachar were with Deborah. As was Issachar, so was Barak. They rushed into the valley at his feet. By the watercourses of Reuben, there were great resolves of heart. 16 Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the whistling for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben There were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks. 18 Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the deaths; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field. 19 "The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver. 20 From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera. 21 The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength. 22 Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancings, the prancings of their strong ones. 23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of Yahweh. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help Yahweh, to help Yahweh against the mighty.’
24 "Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25 He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish. 26 She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 28 "Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’ 29 Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself, 30 ‘Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, a spoil of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?’ 31 "So let all your enemies perish, Yahweh, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises forth in its strength." Then the land had rest forty years.
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