2021.10.17

The Scary Bible: Sisera & The Tent Peg

Sisera is the lead general for the Canaanite King Jabin.

Israel’s general was Barak. He was a bit hesitant. He didn’t want to go fight Sisera without Deborah there. Deborah was the judge of Israel … [explain Judges, Kings, etc.]

She tells him, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for Yahweh’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.

Presumed the woman would be Deborah … but that’s not the case.

Barak routes Sisera’s army, and Sisera jumps off his chariot and runs away on foot. Barak and his troops give chase and the word says that not one of his army remains. They are all killed by the sword except Sisera … who ran away.

Sisera believes he is safe with Jael because of the relationship with Heber the Kenite.

If the story itself isn’t creepy enough … they wrote a song about it! It’s in Judges Chapter 5.

“Most blessed of women is Jael, The wife of Heber the Kenite; Most blessed is she of women in the tent. 25 “He asked for water and she gave him milk; In a magnificent bowl she brought him curds. 26 “She reached out her hand for the tent peg, And her right hand for the workmen’s hammer. Then she struck Sisera, she smashed his head; And she shattered and pierced his temple. 27 “Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay; Between her feet he bowed, he fell; Where he bowed, there he fell dead.

31 “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Yahweh;”[end]

That must’ve been such a sweet song. They probably used it as a lullaby!

The Scary Bible: Sisera & The Tent Peg

Jael’s husband chose to stay out of the dispute between Canaan and Israel. The Kenites withdrew so that they wouldn’t potentially be drawn into the dispute and battle.

So Jael is not only unexpected in this story … there seems to be NO WAY she can have an impact … until she does.

This otherwise obscure person is thrust into the limelight and is heralded in song for her bravery. So, the enemy’s strong army is defeated by Israel’s army, but not the enemy general.

This strong general runs away from the battle and is eventually defeated by a woman … and not even the wife of an enemy. The wife of an intentionally neutral party takes Sisera’s life … and what a way to go.

OK, I’ve had my fun with this event. Now, let me give you some context to the story.

Israel continues to beg God for a King, he relents a little and provides a Judge. In this story, the judge happens to be a very good leader … a female (which I feel was certainly reason for ridicule from other nations). Her lead general is Barak, and he seems hesitant to go to battle without Deborah at his side (cowardly?). She prophetically tells him that he will not receive the honor for killing Sisera because the enemy will be taken by a woman! The presumption is that Deborah would be that woman, but the story doesn’t play out that way.

Instead, we have an otherwise obscure woman who steps forward and finishes off the Canaanite general … and in spectacular fashion.

In looking at the circumstances developing between Israel and Yahweh, this could be taken as a clear statement from God! As the people continue to bellyache for a king (“like all the other nations have”), God continues to tell them, “I am your king!” This event proves God’s ability to provide through unreal means. It’s a statement that he is God and we are not!

This battle is:

instigated by a woman (who obviously couldn’t be king)

finished by a woman (who would never be expected to be in battle, much less finish one).

One commentator says this story “extols the heroics of an ordinary person choosing the Lord's side.” [Asbury Commentary – Judges] The expected heroes are nowhere to be found in this battle, but God’s people still triumph and in amazing fashion.

Placing this into the context of a request [DEMAND, CRY, SNIVEL, WHINE] for a King, I see God speaking to Israel. I see him telling them, “See! You don’t need a king! I can hand you complete victory through two women.”

But they didn’t listen. Instead, they continued to insist on a king, and eventually God would relent fully and give them a king. At that time, Samuel is the judge and prophet. When he tells Yahweh they want a king, God is distraught.

He tells Samuel [only one slide]

1 Samuel 8:7–9 NLT

7 “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. 9 Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

That king was Saul. He would rule poorly and make random decisions that damaged the nation.

The Scary Bible: Sisera & The Tent Peg

So what does this story have to say to us in today’s context?

The connection I see comes through a small question the Disciples ask Jesus in Matthew 19.

Many of us are familiar with Jesus’ encounter with the Rich Young Man. At the conclusion of the story, Jesus tells the disciples that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom.

Matthew 19:23 NASB 2020

23 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

They had long believed that rich people were rich because God loved them more. So Matthew says the disciples asked ...

Matthew 19:25–26 NASB 2020

25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

With God…ALL things are possible.

The people of Israel were not willing to let God have his way.

They didn’t trust that he really could do all things.

They had been delivered from Pharoah … they’d watched the Red Sea part and then collapse on their enemy … they saw army after army fall at their swords … yet it wasn’t enough for them.

They weren’t satisfied with the God for whom … “all things are possible”, or perhaps they simply didn’t believe it.

They would not be satisfied until they got exactly what they wanted from God!

Sound like any people you know today?

The Scary Bible: Sisera & The Tent Peg

So, today, let me ask you a question:

Where are YOU demanding God relent for you? In what box are you insisting God remain? Where are you contending with God that your way is the only way that will work?

I believe today … through this gruesome tale, God is telling you and me … he can handle it. Whatever “it” is … he’s capable of creating means of handling it and working it out to the end. So maybe what we need to hear today is that we should stop insisting on our way, and listen for His way!

Now, maybe we don’t want a king … but we certainly want things our way, and we’re seriously disturbed when we don’t get our way. Without asking God’s way … without thinking he just may work things out better than we would or could … we insist on our way with Him and with each other.

God continues to prove himself, but are we paying attention? So, where are you demanding God choose your way instead of you trusting his way? If we dig deep enough, I would imagine all of us have some thoughts that fall into this category.

So here and now … let’s ask him to point them out to us … and then give us the grace needed to trust him fully!