Judges 4 brings us face to face with the consequences of forgetting God, but also with the incredible ways He chooses to rescue. The story is dramatic, filled with unexpected heroes, and reminds us that when we call out to God, He moves—even through the most surprising means. It shows how God empowers those who trust Him and how His strength is not limited by gender, status, or conventional power. As with the previous chapters, we find the Israelites once again turning from the Lord, and once again needing deliverance.
After the death of Ehud, the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord. It’s heartbreaking to see this repetition. Each time their rescuer passed away, they seemed to forget the God who had saved them. They returned to old patterns of sin and rebellion. And once again, the Lord allowed them to be oppressed, this time by Jabin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, and he had a terrifying weapon for the time—nine hundred iron chariots. For twenty years, this powerful army cruelly oppressed the people. The Israelites cried out to the Lord, and He heard them.
Enter Deborah. She was a prophetess and also a judge, leading Israel at that time. She would sit under a palm tree between Ramah and Bethel, and people came to her to settle their disputes. She was a woman of wisdom, discernment, and most importantly, someone who listened to God. When the Israelites cried out for help, the answer came not through a warrior, but through a woman who was known for her connection with God.
Deborah summoned Barak, the son of Abinoam, and gave him a message straight from the Lord: “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and Zebulun? I will draw Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, to you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his multitude, and I will deliver him into your hand.’” God had already planned the strategy and the victory. He wasn’t asking Barak to figure it all out—He just needed him to obey.
Barak’s response is a bit mixed. He tells Deborah that he’ll go, but only if she comes with him. He’s hesitant, perhaps unsure of himself or unsure of whether he really heard God’s voice through Deborah. And Deborah agrees to go, but she also makes it clear that the honor of victory won’t go to Barak—it will go to a woman. This isn’t a rebuke, but a sign of what God was about to do. The Lord was going to deliver His people in a way no one expected, using people no one expected.
So Barak gathered ten thousand men and went to Mount Tabor, and Deborah went with him. When Sisera heard that Barak had gone up to Mount Tabor, he mobilized all his chariots and his army. From a worldly perspective, it looked like Sisera had the advantage. Iron chariots were powerful and deadly, especially against troops on foot. But God was about to flip the situation.
Deborah gave the signal: “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t the Lord gone out before you?” That declaration is key—Hasn’t the Lord gone out before you? When we’re called to face overwhelming odds, we can step forward in courage when we remember that the Lord is already ahead of us.
Barak led his troops down the mountain, and God threw Sisera and his chariots into confusion. The whole army was routed. Every soldier was struck down with the sword—none were left. Sisera, however, fled on foot. The mighty commander who had inspired fear for twenty years ran for his life.
This leads us to one of the most unexpected parts of the story. Sisera came to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. The Kenites were not Israelites, but they were not enemies either. Sisera likely thought this was a safe place. Jael welcomed him in, covered him with a rug, and gave him milk when he asked for water. She appeared to be offering comfort and safety. Sisera asked her to keep watch and to deny seeing him if anyone came by.
Then, when he had fallen into a deep sleep from exhaustion, Jael took a tent peg and a hammer and drove it through his temple. It’s shocking, graphic, and decisive. Jael, a woman not known for military skill, ended the reign of terror with a single, bold act. When Barak came in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” And there lay Sisera, dead with the tent peg still in place.
That day, God subdued Jabin king of Canaan. The Israelites grew stronger and stronger until they eventually destroyed him completely. The chapter closes with that clear sign of God’s justice being carried out in full.
As we reflect on this story, it’s impossible not to be struck by how God works through unexpected people. Deborah as a prophetess and judge, Jael as a homemaker with no sword, and even Barak, hesitant but willing—each one played a vital role in God’s plan. It reminds us that we don’t have to fit the world’s mold of a hero to be used by God. What He desires is faith and obedience.
When we’re up against something bigger than ourselves, whether it’s fear, oppression, or uncertainty, we can remember Deborah’s words: “Hasn’t the Lord gone out before you?” Our strength doesn’t lie in ourselves. It lies in the One who calls us, equips us, and goes before us into every battle. Let’s be the kind of people who, like Deborah, listen to God; like Barak, follow His lead; and like Jael, act boldly when the moment comes.