By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Sermon Text: Judges 5:4-9
Sermon Theme
The Book of Judges deals with the problem of perception. It highlights the difference between the outlook of sinful human beings and the way God views things. At this point in history, the people of Israel are in the promised land. Yet as they were warned, they are surrounded by nations who not only do not worship the true God, but instead serve false gods like goat demons (Deuteronomy 12:29-32; Leviticus 17:7). There is a recurring pattern of faithlessness here followed by a period of bondage and finally a cry of deliverance. In this chapter God raises up a surprising deliverer, a “mother of Israel” who is not only a prophetess and a judge, but a warrior. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8).
Sermon Outline
- Resist. Israel at this point in history had seen God perform one miracle after another. The previous generation had been delivered from Egypt by God’s mighty hand. He had not only preserved them in the wilderness but gave them victory after victory in the promised land. Yet Israel did not follow God or his Word. They relied on their own view of things. They “did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6). This is an accurate description of our own world where people rely on little more than their own experience and perception. This can only lead to our turning away from God. The result is that we stand under God’s judgment. This is not a popular topic today. However, God’s wrath is real (Romans 1:18). And it is just.
- Reverse. God’s wrath, while real, can also be easily misunderstood. There is a great deal of discussion in today’s world, even in secular publications, on the nature of heaven and hell. Too often our views of both heaven and hell draw as much on classical mythology as they do on Scripture. This is a case of our depending on our views, our “own eyes,” rather than the Word of God. In the midst of judgment the people of Israel cry out to God for deliverance. They do not deserve to be rescued or saved. Yet God delivers them. In this chapter God’s deliverance takes place in the context of three women, Deborah a “mother in Israel,” Jael, the wife of a Kenite, (one of the clans in Canaan) and the mother of an enemy of Israel. Deborah raises an army to deliver Israel and Jael kills Israel’s enemy Sisera in a way that is both cunning and brutal. Sisera’s mother waits for him in vain. This is as far removed from a conventional “Mother’s Day’ story as one could possibly get. God doesn’t do things our way.
- Reborn. Nothing is more surprising than God’s plan of salvation. He brings us new birth and new life through Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:3). Jesus doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations. His death on the cross is a scandal (I Corinthians 1:23). His resurrection is totally unexpected and indeed somewhat frightening (Mark 16:8). Yet God’s pattern of redemption in Christ had been established as far back as his initial call to Abraham. Jesus is the son of David and the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1). Deborah is a mother in Israel (Judges 5:7). God constantly redefines our definitions and expectations. Yet this is nothing new in Scripture. The more we study Scripture the more we can understand God’s surprising revelation of himself (Romans 11:34). Too often we want God to assist us in fulfilling our will and our expectations. The God of Deborah and Jael brings us into a new world where our perceptions and understandings are forced to change. The Lord redefines Mother’s Day. He redefines every day.
Questions for Us
- How well does the statement, “All the people did what was right in their own eyes” describe our world?
- How can we understand better the relationship between God’s wrath and his mercy? How does the pattern of Judges help us toward that end?
- What do we need to do to be more open to God’s redefining our world according to his Word?
