Children Bible Overview 40 13/01/08

JUDGE DEBORAH, THE WOMAN WHOM GOD WAS WITH

Teachers to read bible scripture: <Jdg 4-21>

Children to memorize bible scripture: <Isa 40:29-31>

Recap
Last week, we saw how the Israelites became weak again after Joshua and those who knew the Lord
passed away. They forgot that God was with them and went to worship other gods. Therefore, they
often met with problems and were defeated by their enemies. Eventually, the Israelites were in agony,
But because God still loved them, He raised up Judges to save the Israelites.
Introduction
Today, we will look specifically at one of the Judges. Her name is called Deborah. This Judge was
very special because she was a female. (Usually, God used males to lead the Israelites in battles. But
this time, God specifically used a female Judge.) This was because the males in Israel were all weak
and powerless. They failed to see that the Lord was with them. Therefore, God used a female named
Deborah. God was with Deborah and she received the wisdom to lead the Israelites and judge the
disputes between them. Because she knew God’s perfect will, everything that she prayed for and the
words she said were all fulfilled. At that time, the Israelites’ greatest enemy was Jabin, a King of
Canaan. He had a very powerful commander called Sisera who led many army troops and 900
chariots. He often oppressed the Israelites. There was once, Deborah told one of the male leaders,
Barak, “God is with you. Therefore, lead 10,000 soldiers to this place to wait upon Sisera and then kill
him.” However, Barak was very afraid and he did not believe that God would help him. He insisted
that Deborah went along with him, else he would not go. Deborah therefore went with him but told him,
“Because you do not believe, God will hand Sisera to a woman.” It was when Barak saw that Deborah
went with him that he received the confidence and courage to kill all the enemies. But Barak let Sisera
escaped. Eventually, God surrendered Sisera to the hands of a female named Jael. When Sisera
escaped to the tent of Jael, she let him in. But while he was sleeping, she took the opportunity to kill
him. Therefore, the Israelites’ most powerful enemy, the commander Sisera did not die in the hands
of Barak but in the hands of a female.
1. Although Deborah was a female, God was with her
1) Deborah saw that God was with her, and believed the promise of the 4 Gospelization
that God had given the Israelites. (I am the main lead of this era. Therefore, my
family, my region and the world will be blessed because of me. No enemies can
triumph over me!)
2) Therefore, Deborah knew God’s perfect will, and she received God’s instruction.
3) Therefore, God fulfilled all that she prayed for, ordered, spoke and instructed!

2. Because God was with Deborah, she saved the Israelites from the hands of the
enemies
1) Although Deborah was a female, because God was with her, God continued to use
her to lead the Israelites. Hence, the Israelites all came to her and asked her to judge
and settle the disputes among themselves.
2) Although Deborah was a female, because God was with her, she never looked down
on herself or her conditions. Therefore, regardless of how powerful the enemies were
(how big the problems were), she received God’s wisdom to triumph over them.
3) Although Deborah was a female, because God was with her, the people whom she
blessed were indeed blessed. Therefore, she blessed Barak and he could kill all the
enemies; she blessed Jael and she killed Sisera
3. Because the Israelites were often weak and powerless, God therefore used a
female to help them gain victory
1) Because the Israelites were often weak and powerless, therefore God allowed them
to see that when a female could see that God was with her, she could defeat all
enemies

This was to tell the Israelites not to look at their own weaknesses but to see God’s
omnipotence.
2) Because the Israelites often thought that the enemies were too powerful with many
troops and chariots, they had no power to defeat them. Therefore, God allowed them
to see how He used the words spoken by Deborah to fulfill everything

This was to let the Israelites know that it was not the enemies that were powerful
but because they did not believe in God’s words
3) Because the Israelites often thought that they could only have victory when those
with power led them, therefore God allowed them to see that He was not only with
Deborah, but He was also with them.

This was to tell the Israelites not to rely on Man but to rely on the God who is
always with them