Judges 5:24 says,  Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.  The song  now singles out one woman, Jael, the wife of Heber.  Not all the heroes of the Bible were men, and not all the heroes of Christianity today are men.  Verse twenty-five says, He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.  There is a recounting of what she did.  When Sisera asked Jael for water, she gave him milk, seemingly only wanting to do more than was asked of her.  Verse twenty-six adds, She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.  Jael drove a nail through the head of Sisera and then cut his head off.  He had escaped the battle and evidently felt safe where he was.  The enemies of God may feel safe where they are today, but they will not escape God's judgment, even if they feel that they have managed to save themselves.  Verse twenty-seven states,  At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.  This would imply that Sisera had bowed down to Jael, possibly in gratitude, and he fell where he bowed.  Sisera had been a powerful king, but he was killed by a simple housewife.  God can use those who seem the least powerful of people to accomplish His work.  Verse twenty-eight says, The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?  We are told that the mother of Sisera looked out her window crying, wondering why his chariot was so long in returning.  She had expected a quick defeat of the enemy, because the army of Sisera seemed to be better equipped for the battle.  She forgot that Sisera and his army were opposing the people of God.  There will be much weeping for loved ones who do not accept Christ as their Savior and Lord when God's judgment comes, and there will be no place to run away and hide from His judgment.  Verse twenty-nine adds, Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,  The song says that the wise ladies of Sisera's mother answered her, but their wisdom was not from God, so it was of little value.  The answers from people who do not know God will never really be answers based on wisdom.  Verse thirty continues, Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?  Sisera's mother still expected him to return victorious with his army and the spoils of war.  Lost people of the world today still expect to be victorious over God and His people, but there will be no everlasting spoils of war.  They may look with hope, but only defeat is coming.  Verse thirty-one concludes, So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.  The song concludes with praise to God once again, asking that the enemies of God's people might fall.  This would be contingent on God's people being obedient, and evidently they were for forty years.

Judges 5:12 says, Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.  This is still a part of the song of Deborah to God.  This part simply is a reference to Deborah and Barak being called on to defeat their oppressors by the power of God.  Verse thirteen adds, Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.  Then, there is an acknowledgment of God's power over the enemies of Israel.  We as followers of Christ are called to battle those who oppose God today, and we can be certain that we will be victorious through His power.  Verse fourteen states, Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.  The song then refers to the success of some of the other tribes.  Deborah was not giving credit to Barak and herself alone, but to all who had been   Just as others had evidently been in league with Jabin, so had Ephraim, Benjamin, and Zebulon been united with the rest of the people of Israel in the fight against them.  Verse fifteen says,  And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.  Issachar and Reuben are now mentioned as also being united with Deborah and Barak.  No matter how powerful the enemy may be against God, when His people unite under His power, the victory is assured.  We may not always see it in this world, but we can still be certain of it.  Verse sixteen states, Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.  The tribe of Rueben, who lived beyond the Jordan, did nor join in.  They evidently felt safe where they were.  We today need to search our hearts to see if we are allowing the things of this world to have too much power in our lives and keep us from joining in with the rest of God's people who are struggling greatly against the power of evil in the world.  Verse seventeen adds, Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.  Gilead and Dan also refused to participate in the battle it seems.  We cannot be divided in our battle against evil because some of us do not feel personally threatened.  As long as we are in the world, no matter how successful we may be, we are still to be united with our fellow Christians, if we are indeed followers of Christ.  Verse eighteen adds, Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.  The tribes of Zebulon and Nephtali were just the opposite.  They were mentioned for putting themselves in danger to do God's will.  We have a choice whether we will be know as people who rested in the security of the world or engaged the enemies of God even if it cost us everything.  Verse nineteen declares, The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.  The kings came and fought against the people of Israel.  Verse twenty adds, They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. Verse twenty-one continues, The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.  Even the heavens and the elements were aligned with the people of Israel, since hail had rained down on their enemies and the river swept them away.  God works not only through His people to bring victory, but He can use all the forces of nature as well.  Verse twenty-two states, Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.  Then verse twenty-three declare, Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.  Matthew Henry says this is probably a city in the land of Israel that refused to come to their assistance.  We cannot refuse to engage in the battle against evil in the world today if we are followers of Christ and expect to be held blameless.  Just like being a part of God's kingdom in that day required more than being born there, but required putting faith in God, so does being a part of God's kingdom today.  It is not enough to just proclaim ourselves to be a part of God's kingdom, but we must also follow Him in faithful obedience.

Judges 5:1 says, Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,  After the victory, Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise to God.  We should be singing our praises to God today, because He has given us an everlasting victory.  Verse two states, Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.  The song starts with proclaiming praise to God and says that the people of Israel willingly offered themselves to Him.  We must first willingly offer ourselves to God before we will ever have a reason to offer praises to Him.  It was only after the people of Israel returned to Him and called on Him for help that He sent Deborah to lead them to victory.  Verse three says, Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.  Deborah called on all the kings and princes to listen, because she was going to be singing praises to God.  These kings and princes may have felt powerful, but Deborah called on them to hear about God.  No matter how powerful a person may be in the world today, they need to not only hear about God, but also acknowledge His power and glory.  Verse four states, LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.  Deborah sings of God's power over what are often called the forces of nature.  The earth shook and the rain came down.  God does not need people in order to be victorious over the evil forces in the world, but He chooses to allow us to be a part of the victory.  Verse five adds, The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.  Deborah sang that even the mountains could not stand before the power of God, so how could people.  I don't believe that every natural disaster that occurs is God's judgment of people, but I do believe that He can control the universe to accomplish His will.  Verse six says, In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways,  Here Deborah was speaking about the state of Israel before the LORD delivered them.  They were not free to come and go as they chose to do.  Verse seven adds,.The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.  Deborah sings that the people of Israel were under the power of other nations until she arose.  This was not singing praises to herself though.  Deborah was simply singing about what God had done through her.  When we sing praises to God, we need to make sure that it is God Who is praised and not we ourselves.  Verse eight proclaims, They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?  It was because of the idolatry of the people of Israel that God had allowed them to be defeated, and until they returned to Him they were helpless.  Anytime we allow ourselves to be caught up in the idolatry of the world we are not going to have God's protection in life, even as a follower of Christ.  If we have allowed this to happen, then we must repent and ask God's forgiveness once again.  Verse nine says, My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.  Deborah sang of the governors of Israel who had willingly offered themselves to the people, and asked that God be blessed because of them.  No matter how much we may do for God and His people as followers of Christ today, we must always make sure that He receives the glory.  Verse ten states, Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.  This is a call for all the people to sing praises to God.  Verse eleven adds, They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.  They were to sing of the power of God in delivering them.  We today have everlasting deliverance through Jesus Christ if we have accepted Him as our Savior and Lord, so we should always sing praises to God.

Judges 4:11 says, Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.  Heber moved from where he had been.  Verse twelve states, And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.  Sisera was made aware of Barak gathering an army.  We, as followers of Christ, should hope that people are aware of what we are doing today, even if it makes them more determined to stop us.  If we are doing nothing for God, then there is really no need to stop us, since we have stopped ourselves.   Verse thirteen says, And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.  Sisera gathered nine-hundred chariots, evidently putting a lot of faith in his military superiority  Verse fourteen declares, And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.  Deborah told Barak that it was time to go and asked had God not delivered Sisera to him.  I don't believe that this was a question of whether this was true, but was a statement of fact.  We should never question God's ability to do what He says He will do, but should simply be ready to face the enemy at all times.  Verse fifteen states, And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.  We are told that God, not Barak was responsible for the defeat of Sisera, who abandoned his chariot and fled on foot.  Verse sixteen adds, But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.  Barak pursued Sisera and his army all the way to the land of the Gentiles, and all of them were slain, except Sisera himself.  Verse seventeen states, 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.  Heber comes into the story again, as Sisera went to the tent of Heber's wife to hide.  We may be at peace with some people who are not Christians, but we cannot be a place where they come to hide from God.  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.  Heber's wife, Jael, told Sisera to come into her tent, and she hid him.  Verse nineteen says, 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 for water because he was thirsty, and she gave him some milk, and he hid again.  We are called on to help our enemies in time of need, but we are never called on to do this so that they may attempt to hide from God's judgment.  Verse thirty 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 at the door and watch, and if anyone came inquiring if there was a man there that she was to lie and tell them no.  Sisera had gone from relying on his chariots to relying on the lie of a woman to protect him.  We can be certain that one day all the defenses of those who oppose God will be destroyed.  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.  Jael did not keep watch, but when Sisera was asleep she nailed his head to the ground.  Verse twenty-two adds, 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.  Barak was still chasing Sisera, and when he came to the tent of Jael, she said she could show him where he was, and he found Sisera dead.  We are never alone in our fight against evil in the world, and if we are followers of Christ, we can be certain that He will have already defeated our enemies if we put our faith in Him.  Verse twenty-three continues, So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.  God had defeated the enemies of His people, just as He does for us today.  Verse twenty-four declares, 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.  Once again, the people of Israel prospered, not because of their own power, but because of the power of God and their obedience to Him.  We will never prosper by our own power spiritually, but can only prosper by being obedient to God.

Judges 4:1 says, And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.  Once again, after the leader, or judge, that God raised up died, the people of Israel stopped being obedient to Him and began to sin again.  This is something we cannot afford to do as Christians.  Our faith cannot be based on any earthly leader.  Verse two states, And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.  Once again, without God's protection, the people of Israel were defeated, this time by Jabin of Canaan.  Verse three says, And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.  The people of Israel once again called out to God.  Jabin had a powerful army, and the people of Israel saw that, so they knew that they needed God to deliver them.  Too often we wait until we are defeated spiritually before we call out to God, but if we are a follower of Christ, He will always hear us when we do call out.  Verse four declares, And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.  This time, God raised up a female judge, Deborah.  We are told that she was a prophetess.  God never has worked exclusively through men to accomplish His purpose, and He doesn't today.  Verse five states, And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.  The people of Israel came to her for judgment where she was.  I am not sure that this sat well with many of the men of Israel.  Not only was God working through a woman, but they had to go to her instead of her coming to them.  Verse six adds, And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?  Deborah called Barak, and asked him if God had not commanded him to take ten thousand men of the tribe of Naphtali and Zebulon.  This would imply that God was already speaking to Barak, but that he evidently wasn't obeying Him.  Verse seven continues, And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.  God had already promised success to Barak and his army. just as God promises us success over our spiritual enemies today if we are following the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse eight declares, And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.  Even though Deborah had told Barak that God would bring him the victory, he refused to go unless Deborah went with him.  We do not need to wait for anyone else to go with us when we know what God wants us to do.  We only need to keep our faith in God.  Verse nine states, And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh,  Deborah agreed to go with Barak, but she also said that the honor would go to God and not to Barak, since God would deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman..  Whatever we do today as Christians should be done for the honor of God and not for self glorification.  Verse ten states, And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.  Now that Deborah was going with him, Barak assembled his ten thousand men and went out to do battle.  If we know what God wants us to do, we should be ready to do whatever it is without any need for someone to direct us or to go with us to do it.

Judges 3:23 says, Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.  This is really the rest of the story of Ehud killing Eglon and what happened afterward.  Ehud left the house and closed the doors behind him.  Verse twenty-four states, When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.  When Eglon's servants came, they found the doors locked   The servants thought Eglon must be asleep and they didn't want to disturb him.  They may have been afraid to do so, but in any case this worked to Ehud's advantage.  Sometimes, even the traits of those who don't know God can work to our advantage in our battle against them.  Verse twenty-five adds, And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.  The servants waited until they were ashamed of there tarrying outside the door for so long, and they eventually opened the door and found the king dead.  Their fear of or consideration for the king gave Ehud a long time to escape.  Verse twenty-six declares, And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.  Matthew Henry says that Ehud may not have returned all the way to the place he lived before, but anyway, he returned successfully to wherever he decided to stop.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.  Wherever he was, Ehud blew the trumpet to call the rest of the people of Israel to him.  One day, as followers of Christ, wherever we are, God is going to sound the trumpet to call us to Him.  Verse twenty-eight says, And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.  Ehud called on them to follow him, because God had delivered the Moabites unto them.  The people had to put their faith in Elud knowing what he was talking about and in God being with them.  We today as followers of Christ have to put our faith in God's word and in knowing that He is with us at all times through the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty-nine proclaims, And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.  The people of Israel defeated ten thousand strong and valorous men that day, leaving not even one to escape.  I believe that we can say that when we are following God's guidance that no matter how strong our enemies may be, or how many of them there are, that through our faith we will be spiritually victorious over them.  Verse thirty states, So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.  After Moab was defeated, the people of Israel had eighty years of peace.  Though we may have battles here on earth, through our relationship with Christ, we have everlasting peace.  Verse thirty-one adds, And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.  During this time, the Philistines were beginning to oppose the people of Israel, Matthew Henry says on the other side of the Jordan.  Wherever it was, Shamgar killed six hundred of them, not with a sword, but with an ox goad.  We can be certain that when one enemy of God is defeated that another will arise.  We can also be certain that with God's power behind us that we will be successful in our battles, even if we are not always victorious in this life.

Judges 3:12 says, And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.  Once again, after a period of peace under one of the judges God had sent, the people of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD.  They were once again left without God's power sustaining them.  As followers of Christ, we cannot hope to successfully defeat the evil influences we come into contact with daily without the power of the Holy Spirit sustaining us.  Verse thirteen states, And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.  The king of Moab allied with the people of Ammon and Amalek and together they defeated the people of Israel.  We can be certain that the people of the world will be united in their stand against Christianity, even if they are at times fighting each other.  Verse fourteen declares, So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.  The people of Israel were in bondage to Eglon, the king of Moab, for eighteen years.  When we are not living under God's leadership, we are in bondage to sin, even if we are a Christian.  We will still be a child of God, but we will not be have His protection if we are doing evil in the world.  Verse fifteen adds, But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.  Once again, the people of Israel called out to God, and He heard them.  God did not leave them, but they left Him.  When we find ourselves in a sinful situation, all we have to do is call out to God in forgiveness, and He will hear us.  God raised up another judge, Ehud, a left-handed man.  Since we are told that, I had to repeat it, being left-handed myself.  The people of Israel sent a present to Eglon by Ehud.  Verse sixteen states, But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. Ehud made a two edged dagger and hid it on his right thigh.  Verse seventeen adds, And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.  Then verse eighteen declares, And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.  We are told that Eglon was a very fat man, and that after Ehud had presented the present that the others around him were sent away with the present.  Verse nineteen declares, But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.  After giving Eglon the present, Ehud told him that he had a secret errand for him, getting him away from those who would normally be close to him.  Since Eglon had received a present, I believe that he was looking for more gifts, or was led by his greed we could say.  Verse twenty says, And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.  Ehud came to Eglon in the summer palace and told him he had a message from God for him.  When we encounter people today who do not believe in God and who may even be attempting to destroy those who do believe in Him, we must go to them with a message from God.  For us, that message is that salvation is available through Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-one proclaims, And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:  Ehud took the dagger and thrust it into the belly of Eglon, and left.  Verse twenty-two adds,And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.  The fat closed over the dagger, and Elgon was unable to remove it, and it says that dirt came out.  In this situation, God did not send an army against the king who had defeated Israel, but one man.  We do not need to question God's methods used to defeat the evil forces in the world today, but ultimately they are defeated by One Man, Jesus Christ.  Of course, this is not done by any trick, but by the very public display of Christ giving up His life on the cross for all who will believe.