Judg 5:10 | KingComments | STEP | continues with the encouraging theme of . Oppression and battle have given way to victory. Deborah identifies herself with the people who have made themselves available to deliver God’s people again. Her heart goes out to them. Do we also join believers who live a life of dedication to the Lord? Do we feel connected with them, are we happy with such believers? Deborah praises the LORD again for this because He has worked this. Let us continue to magnify His Name for everything in which we notice His actions. ( ) Travelers can travel on the road again without fear of danger. The daily activities can be picked up. These are the nice results of the deliverance from the power of the enemy. But Deborah does not only invite those who have fought. No, everyone can reap the fruits of the battle. Everyone is called to testify of what God has done for the benefit of His people and to think about it. ( ) She calls to share the righteous deeds communicated to us in Judges 4. She calls these deeds “the righteous deeds of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His leaders” (“for His peasantry” can also be translated as “of His leaders”). Very nicely here the actions of the LORD are seen through the actions of the leaders. They are called His leaders. With such people He likes to identify Himself. Their deeds are His deeds. These righteous acts are a subject of discussion at the watering places. There the women come to draw water to give something to drink to all those who are thirsty. Here again water is a picture of the Word of God ( ). Watering places offer opportunities to gather to draw from the Word. These are not places where people fight, but where everyone can quench his spiritual thirst. We can often make these occasions ourselves. A visit or a birthday can sometimes be such an occasion. It is not about in-depth discussions, but about being impressed by the righteous deeds the Lord Himself or through His servants has done. Sharing together in what the Lord has done makes you happy and encourages ( ). The result is that the people can go to the gates because there is being properly judged again, contrary to what is mentioned in . Speaking together about the Word of God is one of the most important conditions for good governance (the gate) in the local church. It says that “the people of the LORD” went down to the gates. This seems to indicate that the relationship between the LORD and His people has been restored. They have always been His people, but have not behaved like that. Now they are worthy of that name again. The people show that they are again connected with the LORD, because they are willing to listen to the people He has given in “the gates” to make His will known. A true relationship with the Lord is evident in our love for Him, and that love is always expressed in the desire to consult His Word and to do what He says in it.

‏ Judges 5:10

3. The Call to Testify

Jdg 5:9 continues with the encouraging theme of Jdg 5:2. Oppression and battle have given way to victory. Deborah identifies herself with the people who have made themselves available to deliver God’s people again. Her heart goes out to them. Do we also join believers who live a life of dedication to the Lord? Do we feel connected with them, are we happy with such believers? Deborah praises the LORD again for this because He has worked this. Let us continue to magnify His Name for everything in which we notice His actions.

(Jdg 5:10) Travelers can travel on the road again without fear of danger. The daily activities can be picked up. These are the nice results of the deliverance from the power of the enemy. But Deborah does not only invite those who have fought. No, everyone can reap the fruits of the battle. Everyone is called to testify of what God has done for the benefit of His people and to think about it.

(Jdg 5:11) She calls to share the righteous deeds communicated to us in Judges 4. She calls these deeds “the righteous deeds of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His leaders” (“for His peasantry” can also be translated as “of His leaders”). Very nicely here the actions of the LORD are seen through the actions of the leaders. They are called His leaders. With such people He likes to identify Himself. Their deeds are His deeds.

These righteous acts are a subject of discussion at the watering places. There the women come to draw water to give something to drink to all those who are thirsty. Here again water is a picture of the Word of God (Eph 5:26). Watering places offer opportunities to gather to draw from the Word. These are not places where people fight, but where everyone can quench his spiritual thirst.

We can often make these occasions ourselves. A visit or a birthday can sometimes be such an occasion. It is not about in-depth discussions, but about being impressed by the righteous deeds the Lord Himself or through His servants has done. Sharing together in what the Lord has done makes you happy and encourages (Acts 15:3-4 ; 12).

The result is that the people can go to the gates because there is being properly judged again, contrary to what is mentioned in Jdg 5:8. Speaking together about the Word of God is one of the most important conditions for good governance (the gate) in the local church.

It says that “the people of the LORD” went down to the gates. This seems to indicate that the relationship between the LORD and His people has been restored. They have always been His people, but have not behaved like that. Now they are worthy of that name again. The people show that they are again connected with the LORD, because they are willing to listen to the people He has given in “the gates” to make His will known. A true relationship with the Lord is evident in our love for Him, and that love is always expressed in the desire to consult His Word and to do what He says in it.