A Tent Peg

A Tent Peg

(Judges 4:1-24)

Yearly Theme:  “Kindness is… Action”

Series Title:  “Kindness in the Land”

March 12^th, 2023

Something to think about:

Experience is one of the greatest teachers.  When you know something/someone intimately, you’re able to spot a fake instantly.  It’s been said that some people learn from their experiences while others never recover from them.  Which one are you?

We come to another passage of Scripture today that reflects the kindness of GOD towards the Israelites.  However, the narrative starts rather grim due to the fact that the people of Israel have, yet again, devolved into rebellious behavior and are doing evil in the LORD’s sight.  As a result, they suffer ruthless oppression from a group of Canaanite people under the leadership of a king named Jabin.  However, it in the midst of their suffering that the people of Israel begin to cry out for GOD’s help – and out of His loving-kindness for them – sends them leaders to redeem them from the clutches of their oppressive captors.  Let’s take a closer look:

Turn in your Bible to:  Judges 4:1-24 (NLT),

According to Biblical scholar, J. Clinton McCann, “The pattern found in Judges has theological significance.  To be sure, it suggests that there are consequences for disobedience, which always has negative results.  But the pattern also affirms that God hears the cries of those who have disobeyed.  In short, God ultimately pursues justice by grace.”

Here’s the takeaway:

Key Point:  “In spite of our failings, GOD’s kindness is often shown in His merciful rescue of us when we plead for His help.”

What is the sequence of events in this passage, and what can we learn about GOD’s kindness through it?  Let’s break it down:

• After 80-years of  in the land, the Israelites again did evil in the LORD’s sight and as a result, suffered 20 years of  by a Canaanite King named Jabin.

Judges 3:30-4:3 (NLT) ³⁰ So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for eighty years.  ³¹ After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad. 

^4:1  After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. ² So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. ³ Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.

• As a result of 20 years of oppression, the people Israel once again cried out for  from the LORD.

Judges 4:3b (NLT), Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.

• GOD brought  to His people through three different people: Deborah, Barak, and Jael.

Judges 4:4-24 (NLT)

Something to take home:

Pastor and author Wayne Cordeiro, writes, “We all will have two teachers in life:  the teacher of wisdom and the teacher of consequences.”[1]  It’s what we learn from those two teachers, and our responses to them, that make all the difference in our long-term success or failure.

The Israelites were a stubborn-hearted, ruthlessly rebellious people.  Their tendency to stray from GOD and compromise their character and integrity as His people, generation after generation, is an indicator all the more of their need of Him in their lives.  And GOD knew this!  That is why He continually pursued them, forgave them, and showed kindness to them, not only because of their cries for help, but also in spite of them.

Jesus proclaims this is the first of the Beatitudes as He proclaims:

Matthew 5:3 (NLT), “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

And even King David declared in his song of repentance in Psalm 51:

Psalm 51:17 (NLT), The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

No matter your failures, faults, or sins, GOD earnestly desires your humility and your honest cry for help.  No matter how far you’ve gone, or how much you’ve run away from Him, He’s just one call away from rescue.  Don’t wait 20 years to cry out to Him.  Call out to Him now.  Confess, repent, and turn your heart toward GOD completely.  Cast all your cares on Him, for He truly does care for you![2]

Key Point:  “In spite of our failings, GOD’s kindness is often shown in His merciful rescue of us when we plead for His help.”

[1] Wayne Cordeiro, Attitudes That Attract Success, p. 131.

[2] 1 Peter 5:7.