YEAR 2, WEEK 26, Day 2, Tuesday, 24 June 2025

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Judges+5

Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 24 June 2025:

Judges 5:1–2 — Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the Lord!”

Judges 5 is a song of praise and reflection. Deborah and Barak celebrate not just the military victory but the spiritual responsiveness of the people. This opening verse establishes the main reason for celebration: leadership that stepped up and people who offered themselves to God’s cause. When God’s people unite in courageous obedience, the result is victory and worship. It echoes Romans 12:1, where believers are urged to offer themselves as living sacrifices—holy and pleasing to God.

Judges 5:3–5 — “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel. Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, yes, the clouds dropped water. The mountains quaked before the Lord, even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel.”

Deborah calls even pagan kings to pay attention: the victory belongs to the Lord. This poetic reminder recalls God’s power in history—especially at Mount Sinai—emphasizing that the same God who gave the Law is the One who just fought for His people. God’s presence transforms everything. Christians must remember that we serve the same God who still moves mountains, shakes hearts, and reigns over kings. Like Paul proclaimed in Acts 17:30–31, God commands all to repent because He has appointed a day of judgment—and Jesus is proof of His sovereign authority.

“Yes, the clouds dropped water.” God uses things only He can control to determine circumstances and to accomplish His purposes. Rain storms are not normally viewed as miraculous events, but when God uses them to bog down chariots at just the right time, God’s people see His power in action.

Judges 5:4, 21 — “…yes, the clouds dropped water….. The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.”

Sisera had 900 iron chariots while the Israelites had largely disarmed themselves. For 20 years Sisera oppressed the Israelites as God allowed because the nation had turned away from God. Under impossible circumstances, God called His people to join Him in what He was going to do. This required faith to believe God would do the impossible. Some believed and went to battle and some did not. Those who did not live by faith missed an encounter with God, and now their rebuke is recorded in God’s word for eternity. The faithful experienced the power of God in their lives and are forever praised in God’s word. God revealed Himself to his people by doing only what He could do: He “lured” Sisera’s chariots to the Kishon River and the brought heavy rains causing the river to flood. Iron chariots don’t provide much mobility in water and mud. God then orchestrated the meeting of Sisera and Jael. God brings the victory; we just need to be willing to show up and obey. God will always ask us to do the impossible because He intends to show the world His power, not ours. If we refuse to step into the impossible, we cannot experience God and be used by Him. What is God telling you to do that is impossible? Are you ready to obey?

Judges 5:6–8 — “In the days of Shamgar… in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned… When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates… Was shield or spear to be seen among forty thousand in Israel?”

These verses reflect the dark time before the victory. Idolatry had weakened the nation, made travel dangerous, and rendered Israel defenseless. When God’s people worship false gods, their peace disappears and chaos reigns. This parallels Romans 1:21–25, where exchanging the truth of God for lies leads to moral and societal decline. It was only when the people returned to God that deliverance came. Christians must heed this warning: compromise with sin leads to vulnerability. Revival begins with repentance.

Judges 5:9–13 — “My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly… awake, awake, Deborah!… Then down marched the remnant of the noble…”

Deborah honors the leaders and people who stepped forward. The emphasis is not on numbers or power, but on willingness and faith. God uses the remnant—the few who respond in faith—to bring about His purposes. This reflects 1 Corinthians 1:26–29, where Paul reminds the church that God often uses the weak, lowly, and despised to shame the strong. What matters is not who you are, but whose you are and whether you’re willing to step forward when called.

Some people offer themselves willingly to serve the Lord, others don’t. God knows the difference and favors the willing and faithful servant.

Judges 5:14–18 — “From Ephraim… from Machir… from Zebulun… But in the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart… Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan…”

This section names which tribes came to the battle—and which stayed home. Some responded eagerly, others hesitated or refused. Reuben is especially called out for indecision and passivity. This is a sobering reminder that even among God’s people, some will choose comfort or neutrality when God is calling for action. James 4:17 says, “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” The church today must ask: am I responding to God’s call—or rationalizing my silence?

Judges 5:15-18 — “And Dan, why did he linger by the ships? Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves. The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the heights of the field.”

Deborah the prophetess was called at a time when God’s people lacked leadership and, as a result, evil reigned. Deborah had to cajole Barak to stand up against God’s enemies. Among the tribes, only Zebulun and Naphtali and some other stragglers (10,000 foot-mobile men in total) had the courage to fight Sisera’s 900 iron chariots with at least 40,000 well trained and equipped troops and skilled archers. The vast majority of “God’s people” were more impressed with the seemingly impossible odds than God’s message to them – “Has not the Lord gone ahead of you (Judges 6:14)?” For the majority, at the moment of decision, when it really mattered, “there was much searching of heart.”

Today there is a major spiritual war underway, and the Church lacks leadership. Will you be among the faithful willing to stand up and be counted, or will you remain “in the rear with the gear?” Don’t be mistaken, if you are not getting shot at, you are not in the fight. As a Christian, you don’t want to end up on the wrong side of eternal history for not serving when you had the chance.

Judges 5:19–23 — “The kings came, they fought… The stars fought from heaven… Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord…”

God’s power is again emphasized—even the stars are seen as fighting on behalf of His people. Yet the curse on Meroz highlights divine disappointment with those who remained uninvolved. Doing nothing in the face of evil is not neutral—it is disobedience. As Jesus taught in Matthew 12:30, “Whoever is not with me is against me.” God calls His people to active faith, not passive observation.

“Curse Meroz… because they did not come to the help of the Lord….” Again, don’t be that person, stuck with a story like this for eternity. Your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is today.

Judges 5:24–27 — “Most blessed of women be Jael… She sent her hand to the tent peg… she struck Sisera; she crushed his head…”

Jael is praised for her courage and decisive action. While her deed was violent, it was also an act of faith and allegiance to God. Like Rahab, she defied expectations and honored the Lord above human alliances. This reveals that faith is shown in what we do, not merely what we profess. Hebrews 11:32 lists both Gideon and Barak among the faithful. Jael’s name may not appear there, but her deed is honored in Scripture because it aligned her with God’s redemptive purposes.

Judges 5:28–30 — “Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera…. Why is his chariot so long in coming?”

This ironic moment reflects the tragedy of trusting in worldly power. Sisera’s mother awaits a victory that will never come. The poem even records the brutal assumptions she makes about spoils of war. It’s a sobering portrayal of the worldview outside of God’s covenant—filled with cruelty, arrogance, and false hope. Psalm 2:4–5 reminds us that God laughs at the arrogance of earthly rulers because their end is certain unless they repent.

Judges 5:31 — “So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.”

The final contrast is clear: God’s enemies will fall, but His people will shine like the rising sun. This echoes Daniel 12:3 and Matthew 13:43, where the faithful are described as shining like the stars or the sun in God’s kingdom. Those who trust and obey the Lord will share in His glory and radiance.

“And the land had rest for forty years.” Obedience led to peace. When God’s people responded to His voice, He gave them rest. This rest is a glimpse of the ultimate rest promised to those who believe in Christ (Hebrews 4:9–11). But rest only comes after the fight of faith.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 24 June 2025: Step forward in faith and take your place in God’s purposes. Judges 5 celebrates the few who obeyed and mourns the many who stayed back. Whether you’re in leadership like Deborah, hesitant like Barak, or bold like Jael—God calls you to act. Today, examine where you’ve been tempted to hold back, hesitate, or remain passive. Is God calling you to lead, to speak, to serve, or to confront a sin? Faith is not just a belief but a commitment that moves. Rise like the sun and reflect His glory.

Pray: “Lord, thank You for Your victory and for the examples of faith in Deborah, Barak, and Jael. Forgive me for the times I have sat back when I should have stepped forward. Teach me to offer myself willingly for Your purposes. Strengthen me to act in faith, speak with boldness, and shine with Your righteousness. Let my life reflect the glory of Your rising light. In Jesus’ name, amen.”