Deborah The Prophetess, An Ancient Voice for Modern Women

Deborah was both a prophetess and a wife. It is interesting that the writer of Judges makes reference to this. The writer places Deborah in the context of her people, Israel, as well as in the context of family with her husband, Lappidoth. It says that during the time that Jabin, King of Canaan, was ruling Israel, the people of God cried out because of their oppression. During this time it is Deborah who is judging Israel. The use of the word "judge" is particular here because in Judges 2:16-18 it says, "Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he (or she) saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge"(English Standard Version). So with the title of "judge" which is given Deborah, it is implicit that God is on her and is using her as a leader figure for her people, the Israelites.

Deborah is known as a judge amongst her people and it is her post to sit under the palm of Deborah and judge the people of Israel. She was obviously given this post both by God and through the recognition by her people of her position. I find this interesting and very personal because there is something powerful in the recognition by one's community which understands and supports a gifting. Often I feel very frustrated because of my musical gifting and my inability to take a step out on faith that God will provide financial blessing and ministry opportunities through my music. It is often when others within my "community", be it family, friends, or acquaintances, encourage my gifting that there is a greater understanding of the weight and responsibility of the gifting. I imagine that it was both because of God's call as well as the understanding of that call by her community that Deborah was able to confidently live into her role as a prophetess and the mouth-piece for God.

Deborah is not only a stationary prophetess, but is also recognized as a summoning prophetess or one who calls others to her in order to deliver a message. In other words, there are those who come to her voluntarily as well as those that come to her because she has called them for a particular word from God. It is as the summoning prophetess that Barak, the son of Abinoam, encounters Deborah. She summons him to remind him that God has specifically told him to gather his men at Mt. Tabor in order to defeat Sisera, the commander of the army for king Jabin. In this passage, the reader gets the feeling that Barak has been avoiding this word from God and the impeding duty that he is meant to do. Deborah serves as a reminder, but her role does not step there. It is after Barak says that he will only go if Deborah goes along that Deborah tells him, "I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman" Holy Macabees! The hand of a woman! What that must have felt like for Barak. Because of his disobedience to God and his lack of trust, not only is he subject to God's scolding from a woman, he will lose his glory to the hand of the woman. This woman is Jael, the wife of Heber, and it is she who houses Sisera under the pretense of safety and then drives a tent peg into his forehead killing him. Some may read this as an insult to women because Barak is meant to take this news as an insult. However, humankind's understanding is not God's and I believe that God honors the faithfulness of his daughters who are receptive to God's leading. This story offers me not only personal hope in my own calling, but also hope of the sisterhood of God who are designed to live in the fullness of love, encouragement and support of one another. Deborah followed God's leading to use Jael to bring peace to Israel and thus was a part of God's design to use and honor women in the work of God's mercy to those who are God's people.