Omnipotence Loves an Encore
Dr. John Snyder is a pastor of Christ Church New Albany, director of Media Gratiae, host of The Whole Counsel podcast, and author of multiple multimedia Bible studies, including the Behold Your God series.
In this passage, adapted from Living with the True God: Lessons from Judges, Dr. Snyder examines God's faithfulness and the Christian's hope.
Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. The sons of Israel cried to the Lord; for [Jabin] had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years.
Judges 4:1–3
King Jabin’s twenty-year domination of Israel is the longest stretch of discipline recorded up to this point in Judges. Here we finally see a response: Israel cries out to God, who again shows mercy. God raises up Deborah and Barak and rescues His people from Jabin and his military leader, Sisera. Judges 4–5 records the account of this rescue.
As the people of Israel go to war, they have no proper weapons. There is neither a king in Israel nor a well-organized military. In fact, Israel’s enemy will not allow them to make weapons. Jewish men, old and young, join the battle with whatever makeshift weapons they have—such as farming tools, axes, and clubs. Sisera has an army and chariots. Humanly speaking, there would have been little hope for the Jews had not God acted in that desperate hour.
Little detail is given by the author about Barak’s army, the number of the enemy, the place and duration of the battle, and even their strategy. None of this is important. The only essential fact is that God has again come to wage war.
We often forget the warrior-like character of God. God takes the field of battle in opposition to those who stand against Him and His people. Judges 5 is a song of triumph. Judges 5:4–5 describes God coming from Sinai into battle. The mention of Sinai reminds us of the rescue God accomplished in the book of Exodus when He brought Israel out of Egypt and entered into a covenant with them at Mt. Sinai. This song shows that the God who saved them from Egypt, who was in a covenant relationship with them, is the same God who still rejoices to go to war for His name and His people.
Israel’s recognition that this is not the first time God has fought for them is spiritually significant. Remembering past rescues can put spiritual steel into the backbone of embattled believers. Thankfully, not all rescues are in the past. One commentator says that Omnipotence loves an encore (a repeat performance).
Christians can face the future with undeterred hope because the all-powerful God will act on behalf of His people again and again!