Lesson 190 - Senior

Memory Verse

"I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts" (Psalm 119:63).

Cross References

I Israel's Partial Wags for Their Sin

1. The Israelites did evil and made new gods, [JUG:4:1]; 58; [EXO:20:2-6]; [LEV:26:1]; Joshua 23:6-16.

2. God used the Canaanites as instruments of punishment for the Israelites, Judges 4:2, 3; 5:6-8; Ecclesiastis 2:26; Romans 6:23; II Peter 2:12, 13.

3. The periods of oppression had increased in length with each recurrence, Judges 3:8, 14; 4:3; Proverbs 13:15.

II The Promise of Deliverance and God's Instrumentalities

1. A sincere cry of penitence is always heard by God, Judges 4:3; Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 63:7-9; 65:24; Micah 7:18.

2. God has messengers and representatives, even in the darkest times of oppression, Judges 4:4, 5; Isaiah 1:9; I Kings 19:18; Romans 11:5; Hebrews 11:32-40.

3. Barak is called and commissioned to lead Israel's armies, Judges 4:6, 7; Job 5:17-22.

4. Barak shows godly characteristics in his attitude and response to God's call, Judges 4:8-10; Exodus 33:12-17; I Chronicles 21:13.

III Deliverance for the Penitent, Destruction for the Impenitent

1. Sisera, aided by a confederate, marches in pursuit of the Israelites, Judges 4:11-13, 17; Psalm 33:12-19.

2. Deborah encourages Barak and gives him the Lord's command, Judges 4:14; Exodus 33:2; Joshua 1:9.

3. God fights for Israel, destroying the enemy, Judges 4:5, 6; 5:20-22; Joshua 23:5.

4. Earthly security and covenants with men are never able to retard God's judgment, Judges 4:17; Isaiah 28:15-18; Amos 9:10; Obadiah 3; Luke 12:16-21.

5. God's destruction of the Canaanites and preservation of the Israelites are indications of His judgment upon all the wicked and of His kindness toward the righteous, Judges 4:18-24; Psalm 37:1-40.

Notes

Murmuring and Idolatry

There is almost a regular cycle through the years that followed the administrations of Moses and Joshua, during the period of the Judges, in which the Children of Israel were under oppression many times. As soon as a judge died, Israel "again did evil in the sight of the LORD," and God's judgment came upon them. They were rightly termed "children," for they did not seem able to do anything good without a righteous leader to show them the correct way and to hold them in line. Their periodic downfalls in the wilderness were caused, largely, by their murmuring against God and against His provision for them. Now, in the Promised Land, their basic evil tendency was toward idolatry.

God had promised Israel rest, peace, prosperity, and safety in Canaan, if they would exterminate the nations of the land and do away with everything that would cause them to draw back from following Him. He promised to be their God -" their deliverer from sin -" if they would follow Him. But here they failed. They neglected to follow God's commandment and utterly destroy the idolatrous nations of Canaan; and, as a result, these pagan people led them astray, for the affections of the "children" -" the great bulk of the Israelites, a multitude who did not follow God and receive His righteousness through the divine provision, the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant -" were not centred on "things above," as were those of their father Abraham, who "looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Their love and devotion was centred, instead, in "things on the earth"; and because of that they were easy prey for the enemy of human souls, Satan, who is attempting to build a kingdom in opposition to the Kingdom of God.

"The Way of Transgressors" and the Plan of God

Israel's departure into evil, after the death of Ehud, was one of bitter experiences. Because of this digression, they were oppressed by the Canaanites for 20 years. The highways of the land were unoccupied; the travellers walked on the byways, instead. The inhabitants of the villages were compelled to leave their small, unfortified communities and go where they had a measures of protection. There was war in their gates, and not a spear or sword among the 40,000 in this part of Israel. All this was brought upon them because they sought new gods and forsook the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their fathers. Such is the way of a transgressor! But, bitter as this suffering may have seemed to them, it was but an earnest of the "wages" that sin would eventually bring to them, and will bring to all others who do not repent and turn to God with all their hearts. There is no escaping those wages. Garnishment proceedings cannot be brought to stop them. There is no chance that payment will be deferred. Sin brings death, and the only escape from that penalty is a cry to God for mercy.

How wise are the provisions of Almighty God! How ample and how wonderful is the plan that He devised, through the provisions of which His "banished" do not need to be "expelled" from Him! (II Samuel 14:14). Our sins brought upon us the penalty of death; but Christ gave Himself, suffered, and died, that that penalty might be paid and that we might be justified by His grace and infinite mercy. There is no annulment of His eternal Law here, for the penalty was fully paid. He remained just, and also became the Justifier of all who believe in Jesus.

No human could have done this, for we all were under the penalty of death for our own sins. It took the shedding of the innocent Blood to avail for the sins of mankind. The violation was of an infinite Law; therefore the penalty must also be infinite. The Substitute also had to be an infinite One. There was only One who could meet all these requirements; and His name is Jesus!

The Effects of the "Scarlet Line"

Since, in the mind of God the Father, Christ was "slain from the foundation of the world," and because the Covenant-promises were available to "all families of the earth," there has always been a people who have embraced those provisions and who have been truly saved from their sins. Not a great number at any one time -" for Christ reminded us that it was but a "little flock" for whom God was preparing an eternal Home -" but individuals, down through the course of time, followed God with all their hearts. And so rich and full was the righteousness of God which He imparted to these Old Testament saints, so wonderful was the holiness of God which He implanted in their souls, that the Holy Spirit has reminded us that it is our duty and obligation to follow those who make up this great "cloud of witnesses."

Man -" or Woman?

Even in the dark hour of Israel's oppression there were a few who dared to stand for God and who dared defend His cause. God does not classify men and women as human standards rate human abilities and capabilities. In this hour of oppression men's hearts may have failed because of the fear and depression that was over them. But God is all, and He is in all! We are but instruments in His hands. And any and all of us are unprofitable in ourselves. The abilities we may have are God-given. We have nothing but what we have received from Him. God can use a woman as easily as He can use a man -" and He did so at this time. There is no difference to Him.

There have been many periods in human history when men's hearts have failed and a faithful woman has stood in the breach to hold aloft the Torch of Truth and Liberty to the world that was groping in the blackness of spiritual despair. We have the Gospel today because of the stalwart spirit of several godly women who, in the past two centuries or more, have stood firmly for the Gospel, and have been faithful to that which was given them to do. Space does not permit us to comment here on these, such as Susanna Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, Evangeline Booth, Frances Havergal, Fanny J. Crosby, Mary Slessor, and many others who were faithful in their ministry for God. But we of the Apostolic Faith are especially aware of the fact that God uses women for His ministry, since we have seen for ourselves the peerless life and ministry of a great woman of God, our founder, the Reverend Florence L. Crawford. Through Mother Crawford's faithfulness to God, and through her influence in the world of true believers, the doctrine of entire sanctification as a separate work of grace, subsequent to justification and preceding the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, is still in the world. And because of that fact the genuine baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire is also received today, even though a counterfeit experience has been given to many by the enemy of their soul.

Florence Crawford was called by God in a most outstanding way, and left the associations and teachings of infidelity and became a real Christian. Soon she longed for an opportunity to do service for the God she had come to love so dearly, and found that opportunity at first in many humble duties near her own home. We have heard her tell that she would take little children off the street into her home and wash their bleeding and bruised feet, doing so in the name of her Master. She began to visit, encourage, and pray for men in jails and prisons. The Lord gave her many converts in that field of labour, and then, in a way that she could not understand at that time, took her from that fruitful Kingdom-work and gave her a specific call to leadership in the ministry of the Gospel.

She began that phase of her ministry strictly on faith, in obedience to God's call. The Lord enlarged her field of activity, and as she prayed, taught, preached, and counselled the many in her sphere of influence, He gave her many hundreds of sheaves for His harvest. Opposition came, for there were those from the very beginning who began to tear down the divine Standards " to substitute an easier way "- at the sacrifice of their souls and the souls of countless thousands who followed them. But she stood firm; a mere woman against many men whose hearts had grown faint because of the trend away from the "old paths." She held the Apostolic Faith work on strict Biblical lines of doctrine and laid a foundation that stands today and will continue to stand until Jesus comes. How thankful we are for the Deborahs of all ages!

God has a work for all -" men and women, young men and young women, boys and girls. Some are considered weak and imperfect by human standards, but no one who is fully yielded to God is so classified by Him. He can work perfectly with imperfect instruments, if they are surrendered to His will and plan. If this were not the case, how then could His Plan have been carried out at all? None of us, even including the spiritual giants of old, are self-sufficient. We are all unprofitable servants -" imperfect instruments -" wholly dependent upon Him.

Deborah and Barak

Deborah was God's instrument. She was a prophetess, which means she brought the Word of God to the people. Her call was genuine, and was recognised by all those who knew her, for they all -" men and women, alike -" came to her. We need not fear our limitations if we are walking in the centre of God's will. The fact that we may be of those who are regarded as incapable of being messengers for the Lord, according to human standards, does not mean that God cannot use us if we fully surrender to Him.

God wants young men! He wants young women, too! There is a place in His vineyard for all; and the fact that one may be born a woman does not mean that her sphere of influence or activity for God is limited. Many who are called to serve God are instead only serving humanity -" sometimes their own human desires, at that! If God has called us to be His servant, we should not stoop to be a king! The place of most humble service in God's vineyard is higher than the most exalted position that man, nation, or commonwealth of nations can give.

Barak recognised the call of God upon Deborah. He did not assert himself, or his superiority, in any way. He felt himself, and his own judgment, inferior to anything that comes from God and is approved by God. Like Moses, who would not consent to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land without the presence of God constantly with them, Barak refused to lead the armies of Israel to battle with the Canaanites unless the messenger of God was there to show the way at all times.

What a lesson we can learn from this man of God! He was humble, but that does not mean that he was weak in character or impotent in matters of decision. He had courage. He had strength. He had the respect of the armies of the Israelites. But he had more than that. He had the deep conviction that all his qualifications were nothing, in themselves. He needed God's help, and he knew it. He had the spirit that would not hesitate to admit his insufficiency, contend for God's sufficiency and accept it when it came, no matter how God chose to give it to him.

The Canaanites, perhaps, would have thought him foolish if they had known the conversation that took place. They would have thought him mentally incapable of leading an army of fighting men to battle, where human blood would flow freely and the strongest physical constitution would revolt at even one of the gruesome sights that would become heartbreakingly common before the end of the first day of battle. What help could a woman be in a time like that?

Barak knew his weakness -" the limitations of any human being. He knew, also, where divine strength was to be found; and he knew who was called by God to be a leader in Heaven's cause. He knew that nothing could be done properly unless God was both the author of it and the constant provider for it. He made his decision, and announced his stand. And because that decision was right, Deborah quickly agreed to it, and went to battle with the hosts of the Israelites -" a place more foreign to a woman's tender feelings, emotions, and limited physical strength, than can possibly be imagined.

The Hard Way, or the Easy Way?

Some say they cannot do certain kinds of work for God because they are not men; or because they are not of certain emotional or physical qualifications, even if they are men. Deborah forsook the comparative comfort and safety of her palm tree, and also the important duties of prophetess and judge, to do God's will. She left the usual life of the women of her day, and even a certain phase of spiritual duty, for a greater work of God. The places to which she went were not easy. The sights she saw were not inspiring to her. But she followed God and took the hard way -" a way opposite to every feeling of womanhood -" and found an exultation of joy and reward from God that has seldom, if ever, been equalled in the history of the world. Her expression of praise and joy that came from obedience and trust in God was so all-inclusive and instructive that it found a place in the Bible, and has been the subject of countless sermons by men of God, through which millions of people have been edified and brought closer to God.

Deborah might have said that even the palm tree of judgement was no place for a woman. She might have reasoned that Barak was not the man for the position of general in the army, if he entertained the thought he expressed, since it could be said that he lacked courage and decision. Barak, also, could have seen the same objections that Deborah could thus have felt.

Deborah might have revolted at the thought of going to battle and seeing the dead and dying all around her, hearing their agonising cries as they begged for death to end their pain and suffering. She might have thought that the rugged life of a field soldier was no place for the tenderness of womankind. But Deborah did not follow that popular pattern. She followed God! And because of her decision, and subsequent action, many thousands are in the Glory land today.

Some of the Wages of Sin

Deliverance came to Israel in an unexpected manner. Scripture states that "the stars in their courses fought against Sisera"; that "the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host"; and that "the river of Kishon swept them away." Jael, wife of Heber, helped make up the breach by taking advantage of the opportunity to slay Sisera, an enemy of the Children of Israel, which had been appointed for destruction.

The Canaanites had the same opportunities to turn to God as Rahab. They, too, were included in the blessings promised to all families of the earth under the Everlasting Covenant. Instead, they refused God's salvation and fought against Him. Their leader took refuge in the seeming safety of his own negotiated peace treaty, and not in the only effective Refuge provided for man. The armies of Jabin, king of Canaan, were destroyed. Sisera, the general in charge of the heathen army, was also destroyed. The king himself was destroyed.

It has been said that when God attacks, there is no standing; when He pursues, there is no escaping; and when He begins, He will also make an ending. "The wages of sin is death." These who opposed God, rebelled against Him and His righteous administration, found the punishment that will come to all who, likewise, prefer sin to righteousness, ungodliness to holiness, and eternal death to eternal life. There is no escape from the righteous judgment of an eternal God!

Questions

1. What was the basic evil in the hearts of the Israelites at the time of the wanderings in the wilderness?

2. What was the basic evil in their hearts when they settled in Canaan?

3. What commandments were broken by their sin? Of which ones were they guilty?

4. How did God use the Canaanites in His plan? As what were they used?

5. Quote Romans 6:23 from memory.

6. Through whom did God speak, to reveal His will for the Israelites, at this time?

7. Name others, whom the world might call weak instrumentalities, who were powerfully used by God.

8. What attitude did Barak take when called to his responsibility?

9. Was he right in his attitude? What is the common course in cases similar to this?

10. How was the victory given to Israel?