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Deborah and Barak go into battle

Deborah and Barak trust God and battle against Sisera.
Contributed by Sweet Publishing
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, Hindi, Simplified Chinese
1
During the time of Joshua, the Israelites conquered much of the land that God had promised to them but there were still areas controlled by the Canaanites. God raised up judges to lead His people and help them live by His laws. – Slide 1
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When the Lord raised up a judge and people obeyed God they lived in peace and if they went into battle they were victorious. – Slide 2
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But when the judge died the people abandoned God and started worshipping other gods. When they did so their enemies defeated them and they lived in great distress (Judges 2:10-23). – Slide 3
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After the death of a judge called Ehud, God’s people turned to worshipping false gods again. As a result, God let them be conquered by King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. – Slide 4
5
The commander of King Jabin’s army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim.  – Slide 5
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Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then, they cried out to God for help. – Slide 6
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Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophetess who was judging Israel at that time. – Slide 7
8
She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel and the Israelites would go to her for advice and to settle their disputes by God’s laws. – Slide 8
9
One day, Deborah sent for Barak, son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the region of Naphtali. Barak travelled south to meet her. – Slide 9
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Deborah told him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you to do. Gather 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.’ – Slide 10
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Barak replied, ‘I will go, but only if you go with me.’ ‘Very well,’ Deborah replied, ‘I will go with you. But you will receive no honour in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.’ – Slide 11
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So Deborah went with him. Barak called together the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, who lived east of Lake Galilee, and 10,000 warriors went with him and Deborah to Mount Tabor. – Slide 12
13
When Sisera heard Barak had gone up to Mount Tabor, he called for all 900 of his iron chariots and all his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River. Deborah said to Barak, ‘Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera. The Lord is marching ahead of you.’ – Slide 13
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It had rained and the Kishon river was in flood. Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. Sisera chariots got bogged down in the wet clay and his warriors abandoned them to flee on foot. – Slide 14
15
Barak chased them all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors. However Sisera fled towards Zaanannim where Heber the Kenite had pitched his tent. He was on on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. Heber’s wife was called Jael. – Slide 15
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Jael went out to meet Sisera and said, ‘Hide in my tent, sir. Don’t be afraid.’ So he went into her tent. She gave him milk to quench his thirst and then hid him under a blanket. ‘Stand at the door of the tent,’ he told her. ‘If anybody comes say there is no-one here.’ – Slide 16
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But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. She drove the tent peg through the side of his head (temple) and killed him. – Slide 17
18
When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him. ‘Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for,’ she said. Barak followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead. – Slide 18
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From that time on Israel became stronger and stronger until they finally destroyed King Jabin and lived in freedom. Deborah wrote a victory song which they sang in celebration (Judges 5). There was peace in the land for the next 40 years. – Slide 19
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