Deborah

Adapted from the study ‘She, volume 1, p. 21-22

Read: Judges 4 & 5

God’s Word tells us that Deborah was a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, and that she judged Israel.

• Which of those things surprises you the most and why?
  • For me, it is that she (a woman) “judged Israel,” and that she judged for forty years (5:31), and during that time: “the land had rest.” Please understand, for me – this isn’t said with an attitude of, “look what a woman can do”, but rather it is about remembering that God chooses and appoints those He wants to use and empowers them to accomplish the thing which He has purposed for them to do. We only have to be ready and surrender to His call.

It is helpful to know that not all prophets, or in this case prophetesses, were judges; nor were all judges prophets. However, here in Judges 4:4, Deborah is recognized as both. Which the “She” study guide points out, p 21:

• The fact that she was a prophetess means that “the Lord had gifted her with the ability to discern the purposes of God and declare it to others.”
• As for the fact that she was a judge, according to Judges 17:6… “She judged in a time when men did that which was right in their own eyes.”
  • It may surprise you to know that while Deborah was the only woman Judge over Israel recorded in the Bible, she was not the only prophetess. The Bible lists many others, including:
    • Old Testament:
      • Miriam: (Moses’ sister, leader in worship)
      • Deborah: (Judge and prophetess)
      • Huldah: (Confirmed Josiah’s discovery of the Law)
      • Isaiah’s wife: (Unnamed, gave prophetic names to sons)
      • Noadiah: (False prophetess who tried to stop Nehemiah)
    • New Testament:
      • Anna: (Prophesied about the infant Jesus in the Temple)
      • The four daughters of Philip: (Prophesied in Caesarea)
      • Other Mentions/Traditions:
    • Jezebel: (False prophetess in Revelation).
  • • Some traditions also include Hannah (mother of Samuel) or Abigail (wife of David) as prophetesses, though not always explicitly titled as such in Scripture.

I share this not to distract from Deborah, but to remind us that God is not bound by cultural norms … but can raise up who He chooses – and does so always with a purpose. Why is this important? Because, as women, we must understand that God calls not just men, but women, to lead. We must be surrendered and ready to serve where and how He leads us. I particularly appreciate this quote from the study guide: “She led by faithfully doing as she said she would do.” Friends, wherever God has called you and whatever He has called you to do, may we do so, determined to give Him all the glory. May we also, like Deborah, “faithfully fix our heart upon the LORD, rejoicing and singing praise to the LORD among the people, making known through our celebration the greatness of our God and of His works and provisions on our behalf.

“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.”

Psalm 31:3

Reflection and Application:

• What is most interesting to you about Deborah?
• What can we learn from her and apply to our own lives?
• How can you be/are you a leader?

I invite you to leave a reply below or at today’s Journey Through the Word FB post.

The More We Know

Deborah was one of the judges of Israel during a time of oppression. …The Lord spoke through her as she held court under a tree called “the Palm of Deborah” in Ephraim. …Deborah was Israel’s only female judge. Some scholars have suggested that her position as judge was itself a judgment on the weak-willed men of Israel. Because Israel’s men were unfit to judge, God chose a woman for the job, partly to shame the men who should have taken the leadership. Other commentators believe that Deborah’s role as judge was a sign of God’s comforting presence in the midst of His oppressed and downtrodden people. …We can see that God’s power is what matters, regardless of the instrument He chooses to use. Man or woman, strong or weak, confident or hesitant – all are strong when they are moved by God’s Spirit and filled with His strength. We can also see in Deborah a picture of God’s tender care for His people. As a mother cares for her children, so Deborah led and nurtured Israel (Judges 5:7). – For more on Debora, visit https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Deborah.html

I also found it interesting and worth noting that Deborah wasn’t listed only as a prophetess and judge but as the “wife of Lapidoth”. This means that she not only had the demands of judging Israel and making known the purposes of God to the people, but she also bore the responsibility of caring for her husband and home. It is also worth noting that nothing else is said about Lapidoth in the Bible, but as one commentary pointed out, we do know he married a godly wife and can only imagine that, with the demands of God’s calling on her life, he was a supportive husband. 🦋

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