Chris Hill reviews ‘How to Enjoy the Psalms’ by Neil Turner (ProjectZone, 2019)

Will we see unrest on the streets?

Clifford Denton reviews ‘Beloved Warrior’ by Gail Dixon (ICT Media Tech/Print, 2019)

Gail Dixon has been in Christian ministry and missionary work for nearly 40 years, first with World Horizons and more lately leading its sister organisation, Nations Trust. This inspiring devotional book emerges from her wide-ranging experiences and is based on personal reflection over a long life of discipleship.

One imagines her sitting before the Lord, after all these years of walking with him and praying to him, and being inspired to share the most central aspects of her relationship with him. What has resulted is a book is about the covenant love of Jesus within the battle for the salvation of many - hence the title, Beloved Warrior.

The Battle and the Warrior

Gail includes some remarkable accounts of the intensity of this wider battle, which have resulted in fruit being borne for the Kingdom in lives saved and transformed by Jesus’ love. The accounts draw on both scriptural examples, of those who have gone before, and a multitude of modern-day examples.

But even though the book is about the battle for salvation, the book is structured around and focused on Jesus, the Beloved Warrior. Each of its ten chapters focus on a different characteristic of our Saviour and our relationship with him, including prayer, worship, rest, perseverance, faithfulness and surrender.

Beautiful Writing

Gail seeks to draw the reader into experiencing the Lord’s love and sharing it with others, whatever the commitment and cost. Her writing is scriptural, tender and powerful:

His warfare is full of mercy, full of healing, because the weapon is love. He woos us, through our bruising, and breathes onto us when our flame is dying. He longs for us to know that we are His beloved. He is never discouraged, and as we stand into His love, so we too will discover that we are warriors. His love, His power, flows through us. (p271)

All income from the book will be donated to the work of Nations Trust.

Beloved Warrior (158pp) is available from Amazon as a paperback (£10) and on Kindle (£2.65).

Part 2 of 2: Dismantling the lies.

Israel is so bursting at the seams with archaeological remnants from Bible times that it is remarkable that Palestinian denials of this record are not immediately laughed out of the room.

Every year new discoveries come to light – often by accident as evidence is so abundant - all of which prove that what God’s word says is true. Here are just a few examples.

Whilst excavating in the Ophel area in 2015, just south of the Temple Mount an ancient rubbish dump was exposed, the contents of which were wet-sieved. What came to light was remarkable – 33 tiny clay document-seals, amongst them one bearing the Hebrew inscription “belonging to Hezekiah, (son of) Ahaz, king of Judah.”¹

A further exciting find was announced only a few days ago, on 1 January 2018. Beneath the Roman paving west of the Temple Mount, beside the ruins of a 7^th-Century BC house, another seal was identified, bearing the Hebrew inscription, ‘Governor of the City’ and depicting two men wearing striped robes.²

A 2,700-year-old seal bearing the mark of the governor of the city of Jerusalem has been discovered under the Western Wall plaza, at a site where a First Temple–period building has been found. https://t.co/bGS41jXoko pic.twitter.com/YkIXPBmvby

— Archaeology Magazine (@archaeologymag) January 2, 2018

There are two references to such a title, both during the reign of King Josiah, and both named – Joshua (2 Kings 23:8) and Maleah (2 Chron 34:8).

Among the finds for the Temple Mount Sifting Project, which sorted through the Muslim debris dumps referred to in Part 1 (last week), was a type of iron arrowhead complete with shaft which, according to Dr Gabriel Barkay, “was launched from catapults exclusive to the Roman army” during the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.³

Every year new discoveries come to light which prove that what God’s word says is true.

Also particularly striking has been the recovery of fragments of the coloured paving of the Herodian Temple courts, painstakingly reconstructed by Dr Frankie Snyder and announced in 2016,⁴ reminding us of the ‘beautiful stones’ of the Temple drawn to the attention of Jesus (Luke 23:5; Mark 13:1).

Yet another seal was found in the same Muslim debris removed from the Temple Mount. This one, although partly broken, is inscribed in ancient Hebrew, ‘(Belonging to) [….]lyahu (son of) Immer’.⁵ The Immer family was a well-known priestly family around the 7^th-6^th Centuries BC. “Pashur son of Immer” is mentioned in Jeremiah 20:1 as “Chief Officer in the House of God” – a clear reference to the Temple. Its reverse side shows that it was used to seal sacking, possibly a bullion sack of Temple taxes.

Rare seal impression from First Temple priest #FoundbytheSiftingProject pic.twitter.com/VFEnVinweu

— Temple Mount Sifting (@TMSifting) April 3, 2017

As for other examples, there are literally thousands from which to choose, ranging from a Jewish chalk-vessel factory near Nazareth,⁶ to the ruined city of Lachish, excavated in the 1930s by the British archaeologist James Starkey. The city has extensive remains from various biblical periods, and is famous for the letters written in ancient Hebrew on pottery fragments (ostraca).

One message reads, “May YHWH cause my lord to hear, this very day, tidings of good…And may [my lord] be apprised that we are watching for the fire signals of Lachish according to all the signs which my lord has given, because we cannot see Azekah.”⁷ As well as including the ancient unpronounceable name of the LORD, the message clearly ties in with the book of Jeremiah: “‘O you children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee…Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a signal-fire in Beth Haccerem” (6:1) and “when the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities” (34:11).

Other aspects discovered by British experts include the Lachish Reliefs, which are a set of Assyrian palace panels which narrate the story of the Assyrian victory over the kingdom of Judah during the siege of Lachish in 701 BC. Carved between 700-681 BC, as a decoration of the South-West Palace of Sennacherib in Nineveh (in modern Iraq), the reliefs are today in the British Museum, along with the ostraca and siege weapons. Sennacherib’s presence at Lachish is noted in 2 Kings 18:14.

Lachish ruins (author's collection) and the Lachish Letter 4 (see Photo Credits).There can be no question whatever of falsification of Jewish history in such cases! Archaeology speaks!⁸ It is high time to mount a widespread challenge to the kinds of rhetoric outlined last week – to educate the Church and to hold politicians and the media to account. To that end I offer the following further comments.

Understanding the Deception

Holding up Palestinian narratives to the light, one principle becomes stark – that of deception. There are those who deceive and those who are deceived.

As noted at the start of last week’s article, Palestinian deception is a complex, intricate web – but two simple, vital things can still be noted about it. The first is the spirit behind it, which is anti-Semitism. Indeed, the very definition of Palestinian nationalism and culture – the crux of what brings them together as a people – is anti-Semitism, or a hatred of Jews and a disavowal of Israel’s right to exist.

In 1977, Zuheir Mohsen, a member of the PLO Executive Council, articulated the goals of their ‘peoplehood’ strategy saying, “The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a distinct ‘Palestinian people’ to oppose Zionism.”⁹

The second thing to note about Palestinian deception is that the main framework through which it is delivered, its language and its cultural and political driving force, is that of Islam.

Here, most Westerners, including myself, are confronted with an impenetrable script - we cannot read Arabic! Establishing the truth about Islamic teaching often feels like trying to catch an eel with bare hands. However, the doctrine of taqqiya forms an important part. Raymond Ibrahim, an American Arabic linguist and political analyst, points out:

According to the authoritative Arabic text, Al-Taqiyya Fi Al-Islam, deception is of fundamental importance in Islam. Practically every Islamic sect agrees to it and practices it. We can go so far as to say that the practice of taqiyya is mainstream in Islam, and that those few sects not practicing it diverge from the mainstream...Taqiyya is very prevalent in Islamic politics, especially in the modern era. [my emphasis]

The very definition of Palestinian nationalism and culture – the crux of what brings them together as a people – is anti-Semitism.

The Qur’an’s Sura 3:28 is acknowledged as the primary source for this doctrine, regarding which Raymond Ibrahim says, “…the Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir (1301-1373) wrote: ‘Whoever at any time or place fears their [infidels'] evil, may protect himself through outward show.’ As proof of this, he quotes Muhammad's companions. Abu Darda said: ‘Let us smile to the face of some people while our hearts curse them.’ Al-Hassan said: ‘Doing taqiyya is acceptable till the day of judgment.’ [i.e. in perpetuity]”.¹⁰

For the Bible-believing Christian, it is not difficult to see that deception goes back to the very foundation of Islam. While Mohammed was in contemplation in 600 AD, allegedly the Archangel Gabriel appeared before him and instructed him to recite verses, which begin with:

In the name of thy Lord and Cherisher,

Who created man, out of a clot of congealed blood… (Qur’an, Sura 96:1-2)

If the Archangel Gabriel really appeared to Mohammed, he would only have spoken the truth. Instead, the apparition’s statement flatly contradicts the word of God (man was created in the image of God from the dust of the earth, Genesis 1:27, 2:7).

Who was the very first to contradict the word of God? Satan himself (‘Did God really say…?’ and then ‘You shall surely not die’, Gen 3:1-4)! And in 1 Corinthians 11:14 we are told that “Satan transforms himself into an angel of light” – not Gabriel then! Poor Mohammed!

Not only does the Qur’an contradict the Creation account, but it strikes at the very heart of the Gospel. According to Surah 4:157-158, speaking of the Jews, “…they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God’; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not…”.

The main framework through which Palestinian deception is delivered, its language and its cultural and political driving force, is Islam.

Commenting on Sura 3, Al-Tabari (9^th Century) says that the deceit of Allah applies to the time where the Jews wanted to kill Isa the son of Mary. In order not to be killed, Allah put the appearance of Jesus' face on someone else, who was crucified instead of Jesus. This is how Allah had everybody, even Jesus, deceived.¹¹

Dealing with Deception

The ultimate source of all this is clearly Satanic, “that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world” (Rev 12:9).

For all of us who believe in Jesus Christ, in Yeshua haMaschiach, our starting point in responding should be the recognition that, as Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12ff, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore put on the whole armour of God…” [my emphasis].

Remember that in applying the verses which follow there has often been an overemphasis on personal, individual equipment and action, whereas battle between armies is rarely, if ever, settled by single combat.¹² We must work together.

In addition to the defensive equipment, there are the weapons of offence: “take…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end…” [my emphases].

‘All prayer’ is a potent weapon: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…” (2 Cor 10:4-5).

So, too, is the word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, long neglected and ill-treated in many of our churches (and outside them a veritable desert!). Precious though the New Testament is, it cannot stand without the Old. Those scriptures were the only ones available to the first generation of Christians. Those were the scriptures familiar to Jesus and used by him, of which Paul said to Timothy, “from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures” and “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim 3:15-16, my emphases).

For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, our starting point in responding to Palestinian narratives must be a recognition that we do not battle against flesh and blood.

Those are the scriptures which have been undermined and devalued in the West, including within the Church. How the people of God need to recover confidence in his word – especially if they are to recognise and counter the lies of the enemy! How we need to appreciate that, as archaeologists physically dig into the layers of the past in the Holy Land, thrilling us with insights into God’s dealings with Israel, they are confirming the truth of Scripture and prophecy!

The hour is late. There is a desperate need for teaching on these matters. Well-guided tours of Israel are an enormous help. From such a broad basis we may become better equipped to witness more effectively, speak out publicly, and hold our politicians and the media to account, “speaking the truth in love, [growing] up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ…” (Eph 4:15, my emphasis). God grant that truth prevail!

References

1 For more details, click here.

2 Schuster, R. Governor of Jerusalem's Seal Impression From First Temple Era Found Near Western Wall. Haaretz, 1 January 2018.

3 Artifacts with links to Bible unearthed. Washington Times, 2 January 2006.

4 Flooring from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Ritmeyer Archaeological Design, 12 September 2016.

5 Archaeological Evidence of the Jewish Temples on the Temple Mount. Temple Mount Sifting Project, 14 October 2016.

6 Ngo, R. Jewish Purification: Stone Vessel Workshop Discovered in Galilee. Bible History Daily, 25 August 2016.

7 For more details see ‘Lachish Letters’ on Wikipedia.

8 To explore this further, I suggest the following sites: Associates for Biblical Research, Bibleplaces (for frequent updates), Israel’s Antiquities Authority, Ritmeyer Archaeological Design.

9 As quoted from: Dorsey, J. Wij zijn alleen Palestijn om politieke reden. Trouw, 31 March 1977.

10 Ibrahim, R. Islam's doctrines of deception. Middle East Forum, October 2008.

11 Deception in Islam. Muslim Hope, December 2008.

12 Interestingly, the shield of faith mentioned by Paul is the thureos of the Roman armies, a curved door-shaped shield, which did more than provide personal protection. Its most effective use was in forming the testudo: “The first row of men, possibly excluding the men on the flanks, would hold their shields from about the height of their shins to their eyes, so as to cover the formation's front. The shields would be held in such a way that they presented a shield wall to all sides. The men in the back ranks would place their shields over their heads to protect the formation from above, balancing the shields on their helmets, overlapping them” (see here). In a sense, it was the forerunner of the tank! And it is a powerful reminder of the corporate nature of spiritual warfare!

All Scripture quotes NKJV.

There is a great spiritual battle raging for the soul of the West.

These are dangerous days for the USA and for Britain. Both are seeing an unprecedented level of social and political unrest. Both have had national referendums, democratically conducted. But both are now seeing these democratic resolutions challenged.

In the US, Donald Trump is said to be the most unpopular choice of President in living memory and street protests against his election have been taking place in cities across the country. More than 4 million people have signed petitions calling upon the Electoral College to reverse the decision of the people and appoint Hillary Clinton as President-elect.

Technically this could happen. Donald Trump is not yet President-elect: he has been nominated by vote of the people, but it is the Electoral College that actually makes the appointment of President-elect. They meet on 19 December 2016, when the representatives from the states who are committed to vote for Donald Trump could, in theory, change their minds and vote for Hillary Clinton on the grounds that she won the popular vote.¹ These rebel delegates would incur a personal fine if they did this, although there will be plenty of Democrats only too willing to pay their fine. But it is highly unlikely that this will happen, despite the petition and despite the vehemence of the street protests.

In a similar way, the Lib Dems in Britain, backed by Tony Blair, are campaigning for a second referendum to overturn the decision taken on 23 June this year, which they do not like. They want to remain in the European Union regardless of its restrictions upon national sovereignty. It is strange that a Party that has always championed democracy is now seeking to undermine democracy and to defy the will of the people.

UK and US Similarities

There are many similarities between the situation in the USA and that in Britain. This was perceived by Donald Trump during his campaign when he said that the outcome of the vote would be "Brexit plus plus plus". No doubt this is the reason why, as part of his celebrations, he invited Nigel Farage as the first British politician to meet him. There are strong similarities between the US presidential election and Brexit. In both cases, evangelical Christians played a large part in the outcome. I cannot prove this statistically, although one report from the States estimates that as many as 80% of white evangelical voters chose Trump.²

Both the USA and Britain are experiencing unprecedented levels of social and political unrest.

Christians in the US are happy that the Vice President-elect, Mike Pence, is a committed Christian and they are praying that Donald Trump will also commit his life to the Lord. They voted for him, not because they thought he was a good man, but because they believed that in some way God was going to use him to break the dominance of the secular humanist liberal elite that has been driving America for decades. And this is very similar to the motives of British Christians who voted for Brexit in order to get Britain out of the increasingly evil influences of the EU.

Battle for the Soul of the West

Many Christians on both sides of the Atlantic have a sense that a great spiritual battle is raging over our nations that is essentially a battle for the soul of the West, which has been witnessing its centuries of biblical heritage rapidly draining away under the impact of a toxic mixture of Marxism, secularism, humanism and Satanism. What is becoming abundantly clear is that this is not a battle against flesh and blood but against what Paul aptly described as "the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12).

There is a desperate need today for committed Christians who understand the times in which we are living and who are able to engage in prayer that is directed by a clear understanding of the nature of the battle; and who are also willing to be witnesses to the truth in their sphere of influence, so that the word of God is directed into the life of the nations both at a grassroots level and into the arteries of power.

In order to gain the level of understanding required for the incredible times in which we are living, we need Godly revelation. This was something of which Moses had foresight. At a critical point in his life, with half a million people to feed in the desert, he cried out to God that he just couldn't carry on. God appointed 70 elders to share the burden of leadership and the Spirit of God came upon them so that they prophesied (Num 11:24-25). God had already given Moses a definition of prophecy as declaring the word of God [being his mouthpiece] (Ex 4:5-16).

Moses then expressed a wish that has prophetic significance for our day. He said "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets" (Num 11:29). That is what we greatly need today – all God's people knowing the word of God and having the ability to declare it openly among their friends and neighbours, and more widely when they have the opportunity.

Christians on both sides of the Atlantic have a sense that a great spiritual battle is raging over our nations - a battle for the soul of the West.

Need for Divine Strength

There are many stories in the Bible showing how, when those with leadership responsibilities got to the end of their strength and cried out to God, miracles happened. It happened with Moses several times. It also happened with King Jehoshaphat, who realised that the tiny army of Judah could not face the vast army coming against him. He led the whole nation in prayer that ended with a cry for help "For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you" (2 Chron 20:12).

The response from God was "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours but God's." It is when we admit our powerlessness to deal with the situation that God is able to take over and exercise supernatural power. St Paul found this many times in his own life when God said to him "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). Paul's own testimony was "When I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10).

For Those in Power...

It is this divine strength that is needed by our leaders in these testing days, but it is not easy for politicians to express weakness. This is where they need the prayer support of Christians who understand the times. We should be giving special prayer covering to the meeting of the Electoral College in America on 19 December and the inauguration of the new President on 20 January 2017.

We should also be praying for Prime Minister Theresa May in Britain and all the politicians and civil servants who are engaged in the negotiations to get Britain out of the European Union. This is already a giant spiritual battle in the heavenlies and on the ground in Brussels and other European capitals. But if the battle is God's, it is more than possible that he will do something spectacular in Europe before the completion of the Brexit negotiations! Right now, the greatest need is to mobilise prayer among Christians.

There is a desperate need today for Christians of understanding and wisdom, who are able to pray strategically and witness to the truth in their sphere of influence.

References

1 Forster, K. Hillary Clinton voters call on Electoral College members to stop Donald Trump. The Independent, 17 November 2016.

2 Bailey, SP. White evangelicals voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, exit polls show. Washington Post, 9 November 2016.

Edmund Heddle looks at the role of prophecy in spiritual warfare, using the example of Deborah.

The story of the prophetess Deborah told in prose in Judges 4 and in poetry in Judges 5 illustrates the role of the prophet within the people of God in times of both peace and war. The study is particularly appropriate at a time when the rise of personal prophecy needs to be balanced by according prophecy its proper place in the church's call to spiritual warfare.

It is true that, from time to time, God is pleased to reveal his purpose and guidance to individual believers, though this is likely to occur only occasionally through prophecy. Guidance is more likely to come through study of the scriptures, by the voice of the Spirit, through the teaching of God's ministers, and by the counsel and encouragement of other Christians. By contrast, every stage of spiritual warfare needs to be directed prophetically, as we shall see from our study of Deborah.

Deborah's Prophetic Ministry in Peace-time

Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading (or, more correctly, 'judging') Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided (Jud 4:4-5).

Deborah's name means 'bee'. She was obviously 'busy' and industrious. She brought sweetness into many situations as the Spirit of God enabled her to unravel tangled relationships. On the other hand, she could inflict a sharp sting to those who were acting unfairly or selfishly. Her husband's name means 'flaming torch', so she obviously had the blessing of a man who wielded the torch of truth. For some time, she had sat regularly under the palm which by now had taken her name and which had become an open-air court of justice. She did not conduct her ministry in secret but allowed everyone access to her presence. In this way she had won for herself universal respect throughout Israel and was acknowledged as a "mother in Israel" (Jud 5:7).

Deborah conducted her ministry of justice in the open, public arena, winning for herself universal respect.

There is still need today for those who can exercise the gift of prophecy in a counselling situation. The gifts of wisdom and knowledge make it possible to get to the heart of the trouble, and this without the lengthy psychotherapy of earlier days.

Israel's Deteriorating Situation

The idyllic scene at Deborah's palm tree was not to last very much longer. After the death of an earlier judge, Ehud, the Israelites (as was their bent) turned from Yahweh to idols, from God's ways to do what was right in their own eyes (Jud 2:11, 3:12, 41, 6:1 and 10:6, see also Jud 17:6 and 21:25).

Because of this apostasy the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, a Canaanite king who reigned in Hazor. He had at his disposal 900 iron chariots, an armoury that must have terrified Deborah's fellow countrymen. In her song (Jud 5) Deborah tells of the time when "the roads were abandoned" and travellers had to take to by-ways, a time when "village life in Israel ceased" and no longer was it possible to consult Deborah about their problems (Jud 5:6-8). It was a time when, to face Jabin's chariots, Israel was unable to rustle up even shield or spear to arm its 40,000 soldiers (1 Sam 13:19).

After 20 years of cruel oppression, the Israelites cried out to the Lord for succour. By way of answer the Spirit began to stir within Deborah. Where would we be today without devout women in all church groupings, women who are grieved at the state of the church; the idolatry, the immorality, the occult practices and the proud confidence of those who really believe they can cope without prayer and the spiritual gifts? There is no hope for our own deteriorating situation unless we take spiritual warfare seriously and learn its elements from the Deborah story, lessons that Christian men as well as women need to learn.

Where would we be today without devout women who are grieved at the state of the church and know how to take spiritual warfare seriously?

Deborah's Prophetic Ministry in Time of War

First let us note that Deborah did not presume to command the Israelite army herself. She waited on God until he revealed the commander of his choice. Then, reads the inspired record, "She sent for Barak [his name means 'lightning' or a flashing sword] from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, 'The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor'" (Jud 4:6).

In this incident Deborah was acting as God's mouthpiece. Just as in time of peace she had used the prophetic gift to counsel God's people, so now as Israel prepared to go to war she was able to hear what God had to say and was quick to pass on to Barak what she had heard. We should note that God's brief through Deborah to Barak is highly detailed:

1. Barak, son of Abinoam, his name meaning 'Father of Pleasantness', was God's choice to be Israel's military commander.
2. He was told the number of troops he was to recruit: "ten thousand men" (Jud 4:6).
3. He was told the tribes from which he was to select them: "of Naphtali and Zebulun" (Jud 4:6).
4. He was told the place where he was to rendezvous: "lead the way to Mt Tabor" (Jud 4:6).
5. He was told the battle-plan God had designed: "I will lure Sisera...with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon river" (Jud 4:7).
6. He was given the promise of complete victory: "I will give him into your hands" (Jud 4:7).
7. He was given the day to march forth against the enemy (Jud 4:14): "This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands."
8. He was given the assurance that God had gone ahead (Jud 4: 14).

Barak's Insistence That Deborah Must Go with Him

All this vital tactical information was given to him by Deborah, who had first received it from the Lord. Some commentators have been critical of Barak who, in response to his commission, replied, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me I won't go" (Jud 4:8). Others have labelled him a coward. But surely his caution was sensible? He had learned a lesson, one the church needs to learn today. It is folly to imagine that the spiritual battle can be won by human ability or academic qualifications alone. We need to remember the explanation given by Jesus to his disciples when he said, "This kind can come out only by prayer" (Matt 17:21) (some manuscripts add "and fasting").

How important it is for today's church to ask that an abundance of Deborahs be raised up who can hear what God is saying and then pass on his battle orders! I fear that often we fail to discover God's combat briefing, and then wonder why so little has been accomplished despite all our efforts.

How important is it for today's church to ask that an abundance of Deborahs be raised up who can hear what God is saying and pass on his battle orders!

Responding to our Commission to Overthrow the Principalities

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm" (Eph 6:12)

There was a response to the Lord's call to his people in the time of Deborah. There were some who delighted Deborah (and the Lord himself) by willingly offering themselves for the work. She commenced her song with the words, "When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves - praise the Lord!" A few stanzas further on she comes back to the joy of finding volunteers: "My heart is with Israel's princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord!" (Jud 5:2 and 9).

Further still in their victory song, Deborah and Barak record their appreciation of help received from other tribes within Israel, and comment on those who did not heed the call.

1. The tribes that mustered at the call

Help came from Ephraim and Benjamin, while a group of captains came from Makir (a branch of the tribe of Manasseh that had settled west of the Jordan). A group of men, each carrying a commander's staff, came from Zebulun. The princes of Issachar (the tribe that "knew the signs of the times") are twice mentioned for their support of Deborah and for rushing into the valley with Barak (Jud 5:14-15).

2. The tribes that risked their lives to be there

Two of the tribes, Zebulun and Naphtali, risked their lives as they took position on the heights of the battlefield (Jud 5:18). Their bravery received special mention.

3. The tribes that found excuses and failed to turn up

Reuben was the tribe that could not make up its mind. As the New English Bible renders the verse, "He was split into factions." According to the Good News Bible, "The tribe of Reuben was divided, they could not decide whether to come" (Jud 5:5-1). Deborah asks, but does not answer, the question posed in her song: "Why did you stay among the camp-fires to hear the whistling for the flocks?".

Reuben had the reputation of being unstable (Gen 49:4). He could not decide who should go or, if they did go, who should lead. So in the end no one went from Reuben. Other tribes lived some way away and did not want to get involved. Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. Dan lingered with his ships. Asher sat unmoved by the seaside, with its creeks and coves.

4. The tribe that was cursed for failing to help

We do not know why the tribe or clan of Meroz is singled out for special condemnation, but it is cursed by the angel of the Lord himself. The reason given is simply that they "did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty" (Jud 5:23). No one knows who or what Meroz was and there is no other mention of the name in the Bible. Like the fig-tree which was also cursed by the Lord himself (Mark 11:12 and 21), their failure to respond to the call was visited by divine displeasure.

Jael is called 'blessed' because she seized her opportunity and dispatched the cruel tyrant Sisera with tent-peg and hammer (Jud 5:26). Deborah is careful, in commending those who turned up to help so willingly, to remember that the praise must go to Jehovah, the God of Moses, and to him alone. "Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I will sing to the Lord, I will sing; I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel" (Jud 5:3).

Deliverance at the River Kishon

The river Kishon, whose name means 'winding', was normally a meandering stream. But it was to this river that God said he would lure Sisera, the Canaanite commander, with his chariots and troops (Jud 4:7). From Deborah's song we can see that the event had a parallel to God's action in Moses' day: "O Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water" (Jud 5:4-5).

As well as extensive flooding there was also frightening activity in the sky: "From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera" (Jud 5:20). A catastrophic cloud-burst changed the Kishon into a raging torrent. Many chariots were swept away and the rest were bogged down in the mud. Up to his waist in mud, Sisera had to abandon his chariot and seek whatever protection could be found on such a night. But his fate was already sealed by the prophetic word that Deborah had received and passed on to Barak.

The Prophetic Word in Spiritual Warfare

There are valuable lessons to be learned from this account of the prophetess Deborah. The church is committed to continuous conflict with powers of darkness, and we have every reason to believe the conflict will escalate the nearer we get to the coming of the Lord.

The church is committed to continuous conflict with the powers of darkness – and so we have valuable lessons to learn from the account of the prophetess Deborah.

Church leaders need to understand and accept the valuable part that men and women must play in this kind of warfare. They need to encourage co-operation between the regular on-going ministry and the occasional spiritual gift such as prophecy. Finally, they should remember that we need never be afraid to follow where Christ is leading us. There may be temporary problems and set-backs, but victory is certain. All the time we follow his prophetic direction we shall find that the weather itself will fight for us.

Discover the place of prophecy in leading God's army into action, and how thrilling his service can be when we learn to take God's prophetic word seriously.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 6 No 6, November/December 1990.