Yesterday I read a familiar text from the book of Judges 5, the narrative of when Jael dispatched general Sisera by hammering a tent peg through his head. The children of Israel had been oppressed by the Canaanites for 20 years, but God raised up the prophetess Deborah and Barak to defeat their powerful enemies. Sisera led 900 chariots of iron into battle against Israel, but God aided His people to an improbable victory and routed the Canaanites. Sisera managed to escape the field of battle and Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite invited him into her tent. The fleeing general thought he found a safe haven, for the relations between his king Jabin and the house of Heber the Kenite were good.
After she provided milk and a warm blanket Judges 4:20 says, "And he said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' you shall say, 'No.'" There is no explanation provided for what Jael did next. She did not appear to be intimidated or afraid of Sisera, seeing she freely invited him into the tent. Perhaps she had remained loyal to the children of Israel because Heber was a descendant of Jethro, the father-in-law to Moses. Maybe she feared the God of Israel and decided all who waged war against His people were her enemies as well. Though she had been tasked by Sisera to guard the door and lie about his whereabouts to throw his pursuers off the trail, Judges 4:21 simply says: "Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died." Jael then went out to Barak, told him she knew where Sisera was, and showed him the dead corpse.
In seeking to apply this passage to myself, I don't think an appropriate application is "Walk softly and carry a hammer and sharp tent peg." What I do find compelling is how decisive Jael's actions were. She was not overwhelmed or intimidated by the enemy general and was determined to bring his deceit upon his own head - quite literally. She did not feel obligated to obey his request, and always knew in her heart where her loyalties lay. There is no evidence of any internal conflict, no wavering at all in her plan of action. She did not seem to worry of retribution from King Jabin or his army, though she lived in a tent without walls, gates, bars, or an army. This woman was bold, courageous, and without fear. She took the right course of action without hesitation. In the Song of Deborah her bravery was lauded, recalling the depth of her commitment. Judges 5:26 reads, "She stretched her hand to the tent peg, her right hand to the workmen's hammer; she pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, she split and struck through his temple."
The enemy Sisera wanted Jael to be his lackey, but she refused this role. God delivered his enemy into the hands of a woman as prophesied in the previous chapter by Deborah. Many who oppose God today are glad to have lackeys in the church, Christians who agree with their worldly perspective and try to influence others to go astray. The point of application brought home to me from this narrative is I must be willing to take the lead as Jael did, to decisively take action based upon my loyalty to God and His Word. Many are swayed by the fear of man, and may God's faithful followers not be numbered among them. We are not called to violent action to achieve any aim, but to follow the example set by Christ to love and serve one another sacrificially. Jesus was willing to be pierced so I and others could be saved and live forever. We must take the lead in following Christ's example. It is not Jael's deception I admire but her decisiveness, and may we be bold in our witness for God even if we are the ones who end up being skewered.
After she provided milk and a warm blanket Judges 4:20 says, "And he said to her, "Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you, and says, 'Is there any man here?' you shall say, 'No.'" There is no explanation provided for what Jael did next. She did not appear to be intimidated or afraid of Sisera, seeing she freely invited him into the tent. Perhaps she had remained loyal to the children of Israel because Heber was a descendant of Jethro, the father-in-law to Moses. Maybe she feared the God of Israel and decided all who waged war against His people were her enemies as well. Though she had been tasked by Sisera to guard the door and lie about his whereabouts to throw his pursuers off the trail, Judges 4:21 simply says: "Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground; for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died." Jael then went out to Barak, told him she knew where Sisera was, and showed him the dead corpse.
In seeking to apply this passage to myself, I don't think an appropriate application is "Walk softly and carry a hammer and sharp tent peg." What I do find compelling is how decisive Jael's actions were. She was not overwhelmed or intimidated by the enemy general and was determined to bring his deceit upon his own head - quite literally. She did not feel obligated to obey his request, and always knew in her heart where her loyalties lay. There is no evidence of any internal conflict, no wavering at all in her plan of action. She did not seem to worry of retribution from King Jabin or his army, though she lived in a tent without walls, gates, bars, or an army. This woman was bold, courageous, and without fear. She took the right course of action without hesitation. In the Song of Deborah her bravery was lauded, recalling the depth of her commitment. Judges 5:26 reads, "She stretched her hand to the tent peg, her right hand to the workmen's hammer; she pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, she split and struck through his temple."
The enemy Sisera wanted Jael to be his lackey, but she refused this role. God delivered his enemy into the hands of a woman as prophesied in the previous chapter by Deborah. Many who oppose God today are glad to have lackeys in the church, Christians who agree with their worldly perspective and try to influence others to go astray. The point of application brought home to me from this narrative is I must be willing to take the lead as Jael did, to decisively take action based upon my loyalty to God and His Word. Many are swayed by the fear of man, and may God's faithful followers not be numbered among them. We are not called to violent action to achieve any aim, but to follow the example set by Christ to love and serve one another sacrificially. Jesus was willing to be pierced so I and others could be saved and live forever. We must take the lead in following Christ's example. It is not Jael's deception I admire but her decisiveness, and may we be bold in our witness for God even if we are the ones who end up being skewered.
No comments:
Post a Comment
To uphold the integrity of this site, no comments with links for advertising will be posted. No ads here! :)