Judg 4:22 | KingComments | STEP | Women play a leading role in defeating this enemy. The second woman mentioned has the honor of killing the captain of the enemy army. Deborah has already, without mentioning her name, spoken about this woman in , to the shame of Barak who lacked faith. Now we read her name and we are witnesses of her performance. Here too, there is much to be learned from the way in which God uses women. Unfortunately, there are only a few of these women to be found, just as few, incidentally, as the true men of faith who, in full dedication, submit themselves to the Lord to be used by Him. The woman involved in the battle at this important moment is called Jael. She is the wife of Heber about whom we have already heard in . It seems that she has a completely different character than her husband. He lives in peace with the enemy of God’s people. Jael does not participate in that. Just as before Rachab ( ) she identifies herself with the people of God. Like later Abigail ( ) she is connected to a man who has no interest in the things of God. In her heart is faith. She invites Sisera to hide in her tent. She takes care of him so well that he feels at ease. After he has impressed on her not to betray him, he falls into a deep sleep. Then Jaël sees her chance. With hammer and tent peg she puts an end to the activities of this cruel oppressor of God’s people. What can we learn from her? Her name means ‘climber’. She represents someone who searches for “the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” ( ). To be deployable in battle, we must engage with Christ as He is in heaven today. We need to make an effort. Climbing is not easy. Her life on earth is in accordance with this. She lives in a tent. A tent is the symbol of being a stranger, of being on a journey and not having a home here on earth. The tent peg, the means by which she kills the enemy, shows that to defeat the enemy it is necessary for us to behave as true “aliens and strangers” ( ). We will never overcome if we unite ourselves with the world and forget to search for the things that are above. The tent peg is used in combination with the hammer. The hammer is compared to the Word of God ( ). The place where Sisera is struck is his temple, the side of his head. The tent pin is struck so hard that it remains stuck in the ground. We can say that the temple is the place where the thoughts of man are formed. At the beginning of this chapter we saw that this enemy speaks of the intellect, the wisdom of the world that influences the people of God. This enemy can only be radically dealt with by a consistent life as a foreigner. In other words, we must not engage in the politics the world pursues. All kinds of ‘sensible’ reasons can be given to do this anyway. Therefore, we must always read and study the Word through which we will discover the things above, that is Christ. We will also notice that the Word, like a hammer, destroys all these ‘sensible’ reasoning. It also is remarkable that Jael does not gain a public victory, but triumphs in her house, with the means she has. This applies to every God-fearing woman. Deborah and Jael take the place God has given them, humbly, but with certainty and faithfulness. Jaël knows from her daily experience how to use the tent peg and the hammer. Thus the wisdom of the wise is destroyed ( ). Barak does not know yet that Sisera is dead and is still pursuing. Then Jael “came out to meet him”. Exactly the same thing she did when Sisera came to her ( ). Then it was to be able to kill the enemy of God’s people and thus help the deliverance of God’s people. Now it is to make known the death of the enemy of God’s people and let others share in the joy of deliverance. Deborah praises Jael in her song about the deliverance for what she has done ( ). Barak again gets an order from a woman. Earlier Deborah said to him “Go” ( ) and “Arise” ( ). Now Jael says “Come” ( ). She invites Barak to come in and watch the man he is looking for. Barak sees Sisera, the defeated enemy and thus the fulfillment of what Deborah has said ( ). The tent peg is still in his temple, proof that he is really dead and does not play as if he were dead. Thus we may look at sin as a completely defeated enemy.

‏ Judges 4:22

Jael

Women play a leading role in defeating this enemy. The second woman mentioned has the honor of killing the captain of the enemy army. Deborah has already, without mentioning her name, spoken about this woman in Jdg 4:9, to the shame of Barak who lacked faith. Now we read her name and we are witnesses of her performance.

Here too, there is much to be learned from the way in which God uses women. Unfortunately, there are only a few of these women to be found, just as few, incidentally, as the true men of faith who, in full dedication, submit themselves to the Lord to be used by Him.

The woman involved in the battle at this important moment is called Jael. She is the wife of Heber about whom we have already heard in Jdg 4:11. It seems that she has a completely different character than her husband. He lives in peace with the enemy of God’s people. Jael does not participate in that. Just as before Rachab (Jos 2:4 ; 6 ; 15-16) she identifies herself with the people of God. Like later Abigail (1Sam 25:3) she is connected to a man who has no interest in the things of God.

In her heart is faith. She invites Sisera to hide in her tent. She takes care of him so well that he feels at ease. After he has impressed on her not to betray him, he falls into a deep sleep. Then Jaël sees her chance. With hammer and tent peg she puts an end to the activities of this cruel oppressor of God’s people.

What can we learn from her? Her name means ‘climber’. She represents someone who searches for “the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1-2). To be deployable in battle, we must engage with Christ as He is in heaven today. We need to make an effort. Climbing is not easy.

Her life on earth is in accordance with this. She lives in a tent. A tent is the symbol of being a stranger, of being on a journey and not having a home here on earth. The tent peg, the means by which she kills the enemy, shows that to defeat the enemy it is necessary for us to behave as true “aliens and strangers” (1Pet 2:11). We will never overcome if we unite ourselves with the world and forget to search for the things that are above.

The tent peg is used in combination with the hammer. The hammer is compared to the Word of God (Jer 23:29). The place where Sisera is struck is his temple, the side of his head. The tent pin is struck so hard that it remains stuck in the ground. We can say that the temple is the place where the thoughts of man are formed.

At the beginning of this chapter we saw that this enemy speaks of the intellect, the wisdom of the world that influences the people of God. This enemy can only be radically dealt with by a consistent life as a foreigner. In other words, we must not engage in the politics the world pursues. All kinds of ‘sensible’ reasons can be given to do this anyway. Therefore, we must always read and study the Word through which we will discover the things above, that is Christ. We will also notice that the Word, like a hammer, destroys all these ‘sensible’ reasoning.

It also is remarkable that Jael does not gain a public victory, but triumphs in her house, with the means she has. This applies to every God-fearing woman. Deborah and Jael take the place God has given them, humbly, but with certainty and faithfulness. Jaël knows from her daily experience how to use the tent peg and the hammer. Thus the wisdom of the wise is destroyed (1Cor 1:19).

Barak does not know yet that Sisera is dead and is still pursuing. Then Jael “came out to meet him”. Exactly the same thing she did when Sisera came to her (Jdg 4:18). Then it was to be able to kill the enemy of God’s people and thus help the deliverance of God’s people. Now it is to make known the death of the enemy of God’s people and let others share in the joy of deliverance. Deborah praises Jael in her song about the deliverance for what she has done (Jdg 5:24-27).

Barak again gets an order from a woman. Earlier Deborah said to him “Go” (Jdg 4:6) and “Arise” (Jdg 4:14). Now Jael says “Come” (Jdg 4:22). She invites Barak to come in and watch the man he is looking for. Barak sees Sisera, the defeated enemy and thus the fulfillment of what Deborah has said (Jdg 4:9). The tent peg is still in his temple, proof that he is really dead and does not play as if he were dead. Thus we may look at sin as a completely defeated enemy.