Deliverance By A Dame
Judges 4:1- 24
Introduction
I’m going to give you a simple test today and the answers should seem obvious. Ready
1. How long did the Hundred Years War last? 119 yrs
2. Which country manufactures Panama Hats? Equador
3. From what animal do you get cat gut? Sheep and Horses
4. In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November
* Sometimes what seems obvious isn’t what we should be looking for in the first place.
* Ever notice how sometimes people often miss the main point of a situation.
- Here in Judges – people get all excited about a woman in power in a man’s world.
- may be some lessons to learn but if that’s all you get – you miss the main point.
Brief Biblical History - Context
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Creation and Fall - Gen. 2-3 - God’s Plan for Redemption Gen. 3:15
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Call of Abraham - Gen. 12:3 "all the families of the earth shall be blessed"
- Birth of Jewish people – Saviour to descend from Abraham
- End up as slaves in Egypt — People cried out to God.
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Deliverance Thru Moses - Exodus
- raise up Moses to deliver from Egyptians
- ready to enter Promised Land – afraid - no faith – not obey - 40 yrs in wilderness
- After 40 yrs finally enter Land - Deuteronomy
* As they prepare to go into the Land God makes it clear what it is He wants from His people.
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? (Deut. 10:12-14)
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Take Possession Of the Land - Joshua
- 12 Tribes given a territory of the Promised Land (Province)
Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest — when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; (Deut. 8:11-14)
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Judges – Dwelling In The Land
Transition: Very Thing God Warned About - Began To Happen.
** People Settled In The Land - scrimmages with enemies
- People Began To Forget The Lord
** Judges Chronicles The Cycle Of Departure And Return – Sin+Revival
Read Judges 2:7-18
Outlines Cycle of Sin
- 7 Times Through Cycle - Each time God sends deliverer
*8 By Time come to Ch. 4 – Israel through cycle 3 times
I. The Story Of Deliverance
Read Judges 4:1-23
* (Use Map to explain battle etc.)
.Transition: Let’s Take A Look At The Cycle
II. The Pattern Of Deliverance
1. God’s People Serve The Lord 3:30
* Ehud - left handed Judge – used of God to deliver peeople.
- People Serve God about 80 years.
2. God’s People Forsake God 4:1
3. God Sends Remedial Judgement 4:2
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Jabin - info
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Sisera - commander
from Harosheth Hagoyim
4. God’s People Cry Out 4:3
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Oppression - 900 Chariots
- 20 years under harsh rule
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People Cry Out To God
5. God Delivers His People 4:3-24
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Deborah
- Prophetess – 1 of only 7 women Prophets in Bible
- Judge = Governor of Territory
- Deliverance by a Dame = title for Female Knight
- Deborah definitely a leader in Israel
- Very Godly Woman
Vs 8 Barak wanted her with him - sensed God’s presence with her
** GOD DELIVERS PEOPLE UNDER DEBORAH - 40 yrs (5:31)
* Isn’t That A Great Story?
What In The World Does It Mean For Us in 21st Century?
III. The Application Of Deliverance
1. God Wants Us To Love Him & Obey Him
See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. (Deut. 30:15-17)
"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?" (Deut. 10:12-14)
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. (Mark 12:29-30)
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God’s Requirement For His People
1. Love Him 2. Walk In His Ways 3. Keep His Commandments
2. We All Have A Tendency To Turn Away
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Heart Him -
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Disobedience - first problem is not disobedience - It’s Heart
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Substitutes - ( give lots of examples)
- Substitutes for God’s Presence - Plans (ways) - Purpose
"Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their glory for what does not profit. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; Be very desolate," says the Lord.
For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns — broken cisterns that can hold no water.
(Jer. 2:11-13)
Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? (Ezek. 14:1-3)
Lots of Examples of Broken Cisterns Substituted for God and His Ways That Don’t Satisfy.
- People - Sexual Relationships - Religious Activity - Sexual Immorality - Impurity - Greed - Trusting in the Flesh - Ritualistic Worship - Love of Money - Relationships with Other People - Self - Bible Study That Doesn’t Lead to Life Change - Career, Job, Work
* Only a Small Sampling of the Things That Can Become Substitutes for Our Love Relationship with God.
** Is There Anything In Your Life Causing You To Forget Or Be Drawn Away From An Intimate Love Relationship With The God Of The Universe?
3. When We Turn Away From God - In Love, God Sends Remedial Judgement
* For Believer not condemnation - Rom 8:1 "no condemnation"
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Remedial Judgement Designed To Drive You Back To God
- when God is trying to get you back to the safe place at His side you’re kicking and screaming and shaking your fist in His face.
- Allows Us to Experience Trying Circumstances – Drive Us Back Into His Arms
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Examples of Remedial Judgement
- Refuse To Hear Your Prayer (Isa. 59:2) - Withdraw Awareness Of His Presence (Ps. 13:1)
- A Famine Of The Hearing Of God’s Word (Amos 8:11-12) - Remove His Hedge Of Protection (Isa. 5:5-6; 1 Cor. 5:5) - Allowed To Reap Full Consequences Of Our Sin (Rom. 1:24-31) - Remove You From Effective Service (Rev. 2:5)
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God Disciplines Us To Bring Us Back To Himself
- where we were created to be.
- maybe circumstances of your life - are sent by God for this very purpose.
** Prodigal -
When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father.' (Luke 15:17-18 NIV)
4. When You And I Have Wandered Far Away – We Need To Cry Out To God
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Some Wander A Long Time — vs 3 40 yrs
- need to "come to our senses" - "God help me I’m far away – I’m oppressed - depressed - discouraged - tired." "God, I’m tired of going it on my own."
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God I Don’t Like Where I Am - Deliver Me – Repentance
(BRUCE ALMIGHTY)
5. When You Cry Out To God In Honest Repentance He Will Deliver
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Christian
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Non-Christian
- because of sin – going your own way – alienated from God.
- when recognize that alienation – cry out and He’ll forgive you.
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Rom. 10:9-10)
For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Rom. 10:9-10)
* God has sent a deliverer.
Conclusion
Are You In Need Of Deliverance?
1. Acknowledge Your Need/Bondage/Spiritual Condition vs 3
2. Rely On God’s Promises vs 6 (faith)
3. Hang Around Godly People vs 8-10
4. Face Your Need/Spiritual Condition Head-on vs 10-13
5. Step Out In Faith And Do What You Know Needs To Be Done vs 14
- battle – Sisera’s death
6. Celebrate God’s Deliverance Ch. 5
ie. Sunday = Celebration of God’s deliverance
- reason many don’t rejoice and really worship is because we’re still in bondage to sin.
