March 8, 2014 - Sunday

Start Time: 8:46 A.M.

End Time: 9:31 A.M.

Title: The Song of Deborah

Scripture: Judges 5:1 – 31

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:  “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the Lord!  “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to^[a] the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song.

NOTES:

Ø The goodness of the Lord leads us to Praise Him with our mouth and sing with a new song!  God’s goodness in our lives brings out the praise in us that’s why it is important to seek His works in our lives each day that we may give Him the praise He deserves daily.  Our obedience also naturally comes when we see God’s works in our lives and His love, joy, favor, peace, grace, etc flowing in us.  So lift up our voice, sing His praise and worship the Lord forevermore!

→ “When you, Lord, went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water.  The mountains quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai, before the Lord, the God of Israel.  “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths. Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.  God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.  My heart is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord!  “You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider the voice of the singers^[b] at the watering places. They recite the victories of the Lord, the victories of his villagers in Israel.  “Then the people of the Lord went down to the city gates. ‘Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song! Arise, Barak! Take captive your captives, son of Abinoam.’ “The remnant of the nobles came down; the people of the Lord came down to me against the mighty. Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you.  From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s^[c] staff. The princes of Issachar were with Deborah; yes, Issachar was with Barak, sent under his command into the valley. In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart. Why did you stay among the sheep pens to hear the whistling for the flocks?  In the districts of Reuben there was much searching of heart.  Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. And Dan, why did he linger by the ships?  Asher remained on the coast and stayed in his coves. The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields.  “Kings came, they fought, the kings of Canaan fought.  At Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo, they took no plunder of silver. From the heavens the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.  The river Kishon swept them away, the age-old river, the river Kishon.  March on, my soul; be strong!  Then thundered the horses’ hooves—galloping, galloping go his mighty steeds. ‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord. ‘Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty.’

NOTES:

Ø God works in ways our minds cannot comprehend yet His ways bring forth victories in every battle all the time!  Deborah was saying that when war broke out, God chose a new leader and the leader is a mother in Israel.  An unlikely choice in times of war, no shield or spear was seen among forty thousands in Israel, yet victory was achieved.  The people’s voices were heard and victories of the Lord were recited.  Because the heart of God is with Israel’s princes, with the willing volunteers among the people.  Praise God for He uses everyone who is willing and does not look upon our capabilities but only sees the willingness of our hearts! Hallelujah!

Ø God’s army includes all forces of nature (wind, fire, earth, water) and everything around the earth! So there’s no reason to fear when the mighty rulers of the earth does not help us fight our battles, for God’s army consists of both the supernatural and natural.  Even the rocks, mountains, etc will fight for the Lord who fights for us!  Hallelujah!

→ “Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk. Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman’s hammer.  She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple.  At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay.  At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead. “Through the window peered Sisera’s mother;  behind the lattice she cried out, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why is the clatter of his chariots delayed?’ The wisest of her ladies answer her; indeed, she keeps saying to herself,  ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoils: a woman or two for each man, colorful garments as plunder for Sisera,  colorful garments embroidered, highly embroidered garments for my neck—all this as plunder?’ “So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years.

NOTES:

Ø God blesses all who love His people and raise them up in recognition from the rest!  God is a God of recognition!  He knows what we have done for Him and against Him!  He ensures that anyone, be it Jews or Gentiles, is recognize for the good thing he or she has done for God’s beloved.  His blessings and goodness extends to these people and all our enemies will perish before us because God is with us all!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your goodness in my life that leads my hands to raise, my voice to sing, my feet to dance and filled my heart with joy and thanksgiving!  Thank You because it is Your hand that brings forth Praise from my mouth.  Lord I am so moved that You have thought things thru always and though my mind is unable to comprehend Your actions, I am willing to trust and fully believe in You for I know that Your works are always good.  Lord thank You that I will never fear my enemies or whatever battle I must face because I will face it with You and though my enemies seem to be mighty in my eyes, and no one seems to be my ally in this fight, I know that with You in my side, all forces of nature fights for me to win because they are under Your command.  Thank You Jesus for You extend Your goodness and love to those who loves me too.  Lord let me walk my life and battles with You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!