Welcome back to our study through the book of Hebrews.  We’ve been camping out in chapter 11 for a few months now, a chapter often referred to as “the Hall of Faith” because it gives a long list of men and women of faith throughout biblical history. 

The whole point of Hebrews 11… the whole reason behind giving this long list of people of faith… is to emphasize to the reader the absolute essential nature of faith.  

This has been a major theme in Hebrews…  Without faith in Jesus Christ, there is no salvation and there is no hope.  

• Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please God

• Hebrews 10:38 the righteous shall live by faith

• Hebrews 4:3 makes it clear that we can only enter God’s rest by faith (God’s rest being a euphemism for eternity with God)

• Hebrews 6:12 says we only inherit God’s promises by faith. 

• Hebrews 5:9 says Jesus is the source of eternal salvation for those who obey Him, (which tells us faith is not just about intellectual agreement, it’s about obedience to Christ). 

• The last verse of chapter 10 (the verse that led us into the Hall of Faith) said this: Hebrews 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

So the author is doing everything he can to persuade his audience that they need to continue clinging to their faith in Christ at all cost.  

Now, the original audience were ethnic Jews who had been steeped in the religious Judaism of their day, which was not a religion of faith but of… what? WORKS.  

And that’s why he is pointing back to examples of men and women from the Old Testament––heroes of the faith, if you will––in order to demonstrate to a Jewish audience (from their own scriptures) that it’s always been about faith, and that if they are going to be saved it’s going to be by faith alone in Christ alone. 

So he’s given us examples like Abraham, Moses, Abel, Sarah, Rahab and others. Today we pick back up on verse 32… 

Hebrews 11:32 (ESV): 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—

Last time, Devin took us through the story of Gideon and we talked about his example of faith. 

Today we look at the next name on that list, which is a name that most of us are probably less familiar with… but would have been familiar to the original audience… an army general from the time of the Judges, named Barak. 

Judges 4

The book of Judges gets its name from the 12 “judges” who served as temporary deliverers for Israel.  

• Judges = Temporary Deliverers for God’s People

At this point in Israel’s history, they had been freed from slavery in Egypt, led out into the wilderness under Moses, failed to enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief and were relegated to wander for 40 years in the wilderness, then the next generation was allowed to enter the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership. 

• But they kept disobeying God and rejecting Him as their King. 

• They kept breaking their end of the covenant. 

• They failed to drive out the pagan inhabitants of the Land the way God told them to. 

• They began intermingling with the pagan nations, intermarrying, and even worshipping their false gods.  

The cycle went like this: God would tell Israel what to do, they would fail to do it, He would discipline them by allowing foreign nations to oppress them, they would cry out to Him for help, and he would raise up a “judge” to serve as their deliverer. 

And then they’d swear to always follow the Lord, but over time they’d get complacent again, and the cycle would repeat itself over and over. That’s basically the story of Israel in a nutshell.   

And the big unspoken theme of the book of Judges is, “where is our King?”  

• Where is the One who will deliver us once and for all?  

• Where is the One who will bring everlasting victory, and lead God’s people in righteousness?  

That call would be answered by a series of less-than-perfect earthly kings… who always ultimately left Israel dissatisfied… until the True King would come.  Jesus. 

We jump in at Judges 4 on the downswing of this vicious cycle… 

Judges 4:1–24 (ESV): 1 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. 

Ehud was another judge… another deliverer… VERY radical story.  Parental warning advised on that one.  

There’s something to be said here about comfort and complacency.  After God delivers Israel from their problems, it doesn’t take long for them to get too comfortable and complacent in their relationship with Him.  

• As much as we don’t like it, going through struggles tends to force us to be on guard and rely on God… but it’s often in those times of smooth sailing, when the storms of life have subsided, that we are prone to drift from God.  

That’s what happens to Israel.  They again start behaving sinfully and engaging in behavior that dishonors the Lord.  

And because the Lord loves His people, He does what any good parent does: He brings discipline… 

2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 

Remember that name Sisera––he’s our main antagonist.  

3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

If twenty years of oppression sounds harsh, just remember, it wasn’t God’s fault that it took 20 years.  It took twenty years of stubbornness before Israel would finally cry out to the Lord.  But eventually, they did.  

And whenever God’s people cry out to God, He always brings deliverance.  

• Isaiah 49:23 …those who hope in me will never be put to shame. 

• It’s tempting, when we are going through an oppressive season, to rely on other remedies or just try to tough it out… especially when we know it was our fault that we got there 

In this case, God brings deliverance in a very unexpected way… 

4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 

Was it common for a woman to be sitting in this position of authority… leading the people, advising them, mediating between them and God?  No.  Deborah is unique in this way. This is not the Biblical norm.  But God certainly blessed and used her leadership in a profound way. 

Why did He choose Deborah and break the pattern of male leadership?  Most speculate that it’s because the men weren’t stepping up.  

Not to go on too much of a tangent, but this is an age-old problem, isn’t it?  We see it in families and churches today.  

The Bible makes it clear that women and men are created with equal merit and equal status in God’s eyes… but with distinct roles.  

God has ordained men to be the leaders within their homes and within the church, and yet many men sit back passively and expect the ladies to pull the weight of leadership.

• Statistically, more women go to church than men. 

• Mother’s Day is traditionally the highest attended church day of the year… 

• You know what the lowest is? Father’s Day.  

• This is the oldest problem in the book. Literally.  

Now… Are women capable leaders? They certainly can be. It’s not a matter of competence; it’s a matter of divine mandate.  God has mandated that men step up and exercise loving, self-sacrificing, Christlike leadership in the home and in the church.  

So… whether it was a sign of the times or not, the scriptures tell us… Deborah, a woman, steps up to lead… And God certainly did bless her leadership. 

5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 

6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” 

Wow. What a statement!  

Remember, to be a prophet back in those days, you had to have a 100% batting average. The penalty for a false prophecy, according to Deuteronomy 18:20, was DEATH. No second chances.  One strike and you’re out.  

So Deborah, a verified prophet of God, has just told Barak that he will have a guaranteed victory over Sisera.  And notice who is going to do it:  God says, “I will draw out Sisera… I will give him into your hand…” 

The Lord was promising to fight on behalf of His people and WIN. 

Just like He had done many times before. 

And when God promises something, He always does it. 

But listen to Barak’s response… and try to see if you can get a sense for his dominant emotion in this… 

8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 

Does that sound like trust?  Does that sound like faith? Hardly. 

You know what it sounds like? Fear.  And superstition.  

He’s treating Deborah like she’s a good luck charm. 

But what’s worse is, he’s not resting in God’s promise.

In this moment, Barak showed that he valued the presence and reassurance of another person more than that of God Himself. 

Do you feel that tendency in your own heart? The tendency to trust in tangible things rather than in God’s Word?  

We like to put our trust in things we can see and touch, don’t we? 

• Wealth and possessions

• Other people

• Physical fitness and health

• Our own sense of competency

These things are not bad in themselves. But they should not be where we find our sense of security or hope. 

God has made promises in His Word.  We need to trust that He will do what He says and let that be our source of inner peace and assurance.  

9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” 

You can do it this way if you want, Barak. But if you insist on me coming along with you where you should just trust the Lord’s promise, you will not be the hero of this story.  A woman will get the credit instead. 

Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. 

Now, just a fair warning, verse 11 is going to feel a little out of place.  But it’s important because it’s setting the stage for something that’s coming later… 

11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 

So this man Heber the Kenite has made a home in this specific location. Just file that away for now. 

12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 

The 900 chariots of iron represent overwhelming military force.  This is a highly equipped, elite military force led by this man Sisera.  And they’ve been oppressing the Israelites and intimidating them for decades. 

The point is, this is a situation that Israel absolutely could NOT overcome by their own strength.  

You and I have things like that in our own lives, don’t we? 

• Maybe it’s a secret sin that you can’t overcome

• Or an addiction. 

• Or a tendency. 

• Or a difficult situation in your life that you can’t see the way out of. 

There are seasons and situations we will find ourselves in where God and God alone can rescue us. That’s the kind of situation Israel was in here. 

14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 

A very small army, comparatively speaking. 

15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. 

God doesn’t do partial victories, does He? 

So, story over, right?  No.  Who are we forgetting? Sisera! 

17 But Sisera fled away on foot 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. 

So Sisera is running for his life, and thinks to himself, “I’m right around the corner from Heber’s place. He’s a friend of king Jabin. I should be safe there. So he ends up at the tent of Heber’s wife Jael. 

Now, remember, Deborah has prophesied that because of Barak’s insistence that she go with him to battle, it would be a woman who would ultimately be used by God to bring the victory.  

And in that moment, all of us probably assumed, as I’m sure Barak himself did, that that woman would be none other than Deborah herself.  

But now we get a plot twist.  As it turns out, it would not be Deborah the prophetess, but rather a relatively obscure woman named Jael.  

Sometimes God’s victory comes in completely unexpected ways.   Sometimes God uses unexpected people to accomplish his purposes.  

18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 

So she’s hiding him in her dwelling.  Kind of sounds like Rahab from a few weeks ago, doesn’t it?  Another woman who was greatly used by God.  

19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’ ” 

Now, the difference between Jael and Rahab is that Rahab was harboring spies who were from the Lord.  And she was even willing to lie in order to save their lives because they belonged to God.  

But Jael’s situation is different, isn’t it?  This man is not a righteous man, and to conceal him would be evil.  So Jael chooses a different method… 

Now, I have to warn you that this next part gets a little PG.  So parents of little ones, you may want to cover some ears.  It’s a little gruesome what happens next… but real life is gritty, and the Bible really doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to historical details… 

21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 

If we can get past the shock value of this for a moment… think about how much courage this would have taken!  Sisera was a strong and volatile army general.  She is alone in a tent with a merciless and wicked man who by the way is in full fight or flight mode.  

She had one shot.  If she messed that up or hesitated, there’s no telling how that would have turned out. 

But she knew evil when she saw it, and she acted decisively.  

As believers under the New Covenant, we do not further the Kingdom of God through military conquest. Because God’s people are no longer under one specific flag, but from “all nations” (Matthew 28).  But, we still have a very real responsibility to fight against evil… and the front line of that battle is in our own hearts. 

• Colossians 3:5 says, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” 

We are called to wage war against sin in our lives now that we are serving under a different Commander. 

We need to take a page out of Jael’s book and be decisive and relentless against evil within ourselves.

• 1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

We are in a spiritual battle.  A battle for our souls.  And that battle is fought largely in our minds.  That’s why Paul counsels the church in Colossae like this: 

• Colossians 3:1–3 (ESV) If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Let’s get back to our story… 

22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, 

Does this sound like timid Barak from a few verses ago? No, he’s a new man now! Why? Because he’s just seen God do a mighty work!  He has all the confidence in the world now.  So he’s pursuing this evil general like an absolute predator. 

Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. 

23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

As we wrap up, I want to point out something important:  Everyone in the Hall of Faith were deeply flawed humans just like you and I.  These are not superheroes. These are people with checkered pasts, people who made bad choices, people whose journey with God was anything but linear.  Barak is no exception, as we’ve seen. 

I mean, I don’t know about you, but I was a little mystified as to why Barak makes it into the Hall of Faith but not Deborah! Or Jael for that matter!  

Barak was flawed.  But to be honest, we can learn two important lessons from this.   

1. Salvation is not gained by human effort or human righteousness.  It is gained by faith alone in Christ alone, and it is to the glory of God alone.  

The story of Barak is a story of victory by the hand of God, in spite of human weakness.  

And I hope it helps us remember today that any victory in our lives, especially in relation to our eternal salvation, is a victory won by God and He deserves all the glory.  

2. Salvation doesn’t depend on perfect faith; it depends on faith in the perfect Savior. 

It’s actually challenging to pinpoint a moment in this story where Barak exercised faith.

On careful examination, I believe it’s in verse 14…

• 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 

Did you catch it? 

“So Barak went…” 

Faith is proved by action.  

• James says “faith without works is dead” 

• Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments”. 

Barak wasn’t perfect. But when the enemy was encircling him, and fear was taking over, and his own lack of confidence threatened to derail him, he was willing to take a critical step towards obeying God. And this proved his faith.  And it proved the object of His faith… It proved that His faith was in God.  And God honored that.  He always does. 

Your faith today may look a little less like Deborah and more like Barak. Shaky, uncertain and fearful.  But God has issued a call on your life to trust in the Savior, who has been victorious.  He says, if you trust in Him you will not be put to shame.  His victory is sure.  

The battle against sin and death is a battle you and I cannot win on our own.  But Jesus, our victorious King, has already won that battle for us on the cross when He bore the wrath of God in our place and when He rose from the dead three days later. 

Now we just need to come to Him and cling to Him as our only hope.  

I want to invite you to take inventory of your own faith right now. 

• Who do I trust in for my eternal salvation? 

• Who do I run to when I’m encircled and can’t see a way out? 

• Who do I cry out to for deliverance from sin and evil?  

If the honest answer to those questions isn’t Jesus, I want to invite you to repent and trust in Him the way He is calling you to.