The Lord Takes the Lead

Deborah said to Barak, “Spring into action, for this is the day the LORD is handing Sisera over to you! Has the LORD not taken the lead?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. The LORD routed Sisera, all his chariotry, and all his army with the edge of the sword. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran away on foot.

Judges 4:14-15 NET

Deborah is described as a prophetess who ruled over some portion of Israel during the time of the Judges (Jud. 4:4-5). She had called on Barak to lead an army against Sisera, the general of a local Canaanite king who had been oppressing Israel for 20 years.

As the two armies faced each other, it was clear that it would not be an even fight. Barak had 10,000 men in his poorly equipped and trained army (Jud. 5:6-7). On the other side, Sisera had a huge army that included 900 chariots with iron-rimmed wheels, the equivalent of a modern tank. The odds were clearly in Sisera’s favor. Or so it seemed.

But Deborah assured Barak that all was not as it seemed. Israel was not going to fight this battle on their own. The Lord was taking the lead in the battle—he would be fighting for Israel against Sisera. And the Lord would deliver Sisera, his huge army, and his 900 chariots into the hands of Barak and his relatively puny army.

But Israel did not sit on the sidelines and watch the battle. They were in the battle, wielding swords and spears against the enemy. They were the sword that the Lord used to destroy Sisera and his army.

God continues to use his people in similar ways today. The enemy we face is real and powerful, even though unseen (Eph. 6:12). But as God calls on us to engage with that enemy (Eph. 6:10-17), we can be assured that he is taking the lead and will lead us to victory. And we can echo David’s words as he faced Goliath:

“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” (1 Sam. 17:47 NIV).