Judges 4:4

Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. After Ehud had delivered Israel, there was peace in the land. But it didn’t last long, for the people were stubborn. They soon went back to their evil ways and turned away from God. Once again, God had to send outsiders to punish Israel’s rebellion. Jabin, king of Canaan, sent his armies in under Captain Sisera. Deborah was a godly woman and God used her to speak to his rebellions people. Deborah lived under a palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim. God told her to call Barak to deliver Israel from the Canaanites. But Barak was afraid. He whined to Deborah that he was afraid. So Deborah agreed to go with him. But she warned Barak, “God will deliver Jabin and Sisera into your hands. But, since you are afraid to go to battle without me, God will give the victory to a woman.” Barak was okay with that. He called the soldiers together and attacked the Canaanites with a vengeance. Sisera’s chariots of iron were no match for Almighty God, and the Canaanite army fled from before Barak. The Israelites chased them all the way back home. Sisera threw off his armor and tried to sneak away. He stopped at the tent of Jael and asked her to hide him. And she did. She spoke kindly to him and gave him milk to drink. She calmed him and told him to lay down and rest a bit and that she would look out for him. But Jael was a woman of God, and she had a plan. Jael pulled up one of her tent spikes and grabbed a hammer. While Sisera was sleeping, she nailed his head to the ground! A pretty gutsy move for a woman! God delivered Israel from the Canaanites, but as Deborah had warned, Barak didn’t get the glory. Deborah and Jael proved that God could use women to do His work. Good job, ladies!