Deborah’s army, led by Barak, assembled at Mount Tabor, a brave but motley force. There was no standing army in pre-monarchic Israel, and defense depended on the response of the tribes, rallied by a leader such as Deborah. Sisera, on the other hand, assembled a terrifying force. He had 900 iron-trimmed chariots at his disposal, and they could do fearsome damage. Their weight and velocity as they charged into an opposing army could plough a dreadful furrow through the ranks of soldiers. The Canaanites had the technology to build this sort of military equipment; the Israelites did not. All they had were poorly equipped foot soldiers now pitted against the magnificent chariots of the Canaanites, and their complete faith in God. ‘Then Deborah said to Barak “Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. The Lord is indeed going out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand warriors following him. And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic before Barak.’ Read Judges 4:12-16 and 5:19-23. The Canaanites ought to have won the battle easily. They did not. There was a tremendous downpour and the 900 chariots, meant for quick maneuvering on firm ground, became bogged in the mud. Just before the battle, a flash flood swelled the nearby Wadi Kishon and turned the battleground into deep mud, giving the Israelite foot soldiers the advantage over the Canaanite chariots. There was a wonderful irony in this. Baal, the main god of the Canaanite forces, was god of storms and weather. He was worshipped by the Canaanites, with Anat, a fierce goddess who fought vigorously to protect her family. Yet the Canaanites lost the battle because of a storm! The Israelites could hardly believe their luck. Yahweh, their god, was clearly superior to the god of the Canaanites. Abandoning his army, Sisera fled on foot away from the battlefield, towards the encampment of Jael, the Kenite woman (Judges 4:12-16).Your God will fight for you in all areas of your life,where you have been condermed and the victory is yours.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 11:03:53 +0000
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