Judges 4:17

Judges 4:17 says, Howbeit 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.  Sisera fled to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, because there was peace between Jabin and Heber.  His chariot did him no good, and weapons will ultimately do the enemies of God today or at anytime no good.  Verse eighteen adds, And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.  Jael invited Sisera to come into her tent and covered him with a mantle.  She was seemingly being kind to him.  Verse nineteen continues, And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.  Sisera asked her for a little water, and she gave him a bottle of milk instead, then she covered him up again.  He had run away from the fight, and now he was hiding under the covers of a woman, who he probably still felt superior to.  Some people who are afraid to fight against their enemies today still feel superior to many people, especially those they feel are of a lesser status, as women were viewed at that time.  Verse twenty states, Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.  Sisera told Jael to stand watch at the door and if anyone asked if there was a man there to say no.  He didn't ask as he did for the water, but told her what to do this time.  If we help someone today, they may become more demanding if they need more help.  Verse twenty-one adds, Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.  As Sisera was sleeping, Jael took a nail and hammered it through his head, fastening him to the ground.  He may have felt safe because Jael seemed to be helping him, but he was in more danger than he had been in when he left the chariot and ran away.  He was trying to escape God's chosen people after he tried to kill them, but he could not escape God's judgment.  No matter how safe they may feel at the moment, no enemy of God today will ever escape His judgment either.  Verse twenty-two continues, And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.  When Barack came in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out and told him that she would show him the man he sought.  When Barack entered her tent he saw Sisera dead with a nail in his head.  Jael had chosen to be on the side of the people of Israel, even though her husband was at peace with Jaban.  Ultimately, every person has to decide whether they want to be friends with God's people or their enemies.  I don't believe we can really do both.  Verse twenty-three declares, So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. We are then told that God secured Jaban before the people of Israel, and not that Barack and the army of Israel did.  What we need to realize as followers of Christ is that He gives us victory over our enemies, and that we don't gain victory by our own power.  Verse twenty four adds, And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.  Then, we are told that the children of Israel prospered in their battle against Jaban and destroyed him.  As Christians, God has already secured the victory over all our sins for us if we live by faith in Jesus Christ, and we should prosper spiritually because of His victory,  and we should never take credit personally for what God does for us.