Jdg 5:1-31 Praise Ye the Lord for the Avenging of Israel

[Study Aired March 22, 2021]

Jdg 5:1  Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 
Jdg 5:2  Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. 
Jdg 5:3  Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. 
Jdg 5:4  LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 
Jdg 5:5  The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel. 
Jdg 5:6  In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. 
Jdg 5:7  The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 
Jdg 5:8  They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 
Jdg 5:9  My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. 
Jdg 5:10  Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. 
Jdg 5:11  They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. 
Jdg 5:12  Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. 
Jdg 5:13  Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty. 
Jdg 5:14  Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 
Jdg 5:15  And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 
Jdg 5:16  Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 
Jdg 5:17  Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. 
Jdg 5:18  Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. 
Jdg 5:19  The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 
Jdg 5:20  They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 
Jdg 5:21  The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 
Jdg 5:19  The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 
Jdg 5:20  They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 
Jdg 5:21  The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 
Jdg 5:22  Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones. 
Jdg 5:23  Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty. 
Jdg 5:24  Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 
Jdg 5:25  He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 
Jdg 5:26  She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 
Jdg 5:27  At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 
Jdg 5:28  The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? 
Jdg 5:29  Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 
Jdg 5:30  Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 
Jdg 5:31  So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. 

This chapter shows us that we need to show appreciation to the Lord for what He has done for us as He continues to give us victories over the flesh. The song sang by Deborah and Barak is similar to the song Moses and the children of the Israelites sang when the Lord delivered them from the Egyptians after the Lord made a way through the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass.

Exo 15:1  Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Exo 15:2  The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exo 15:3  The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4  Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

What is most insightful about these songs sang by the Israelites in the case of Moses and Deborah is that victory against the enemy within is the work of the Lord. Our Lord is the man of war, and He wins the battle for us. This should encourage us to fight the good fight of faith because we know that once He has started defeating the enemy on our behalf, He is able to bring it to completion. Let’s look at the details of the song sang by Deborah and Barak as they show us how our Lord trains our hands for war.

Psa 18:34  He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

Jdg 5:1  Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 
Jdg 5:2  Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. 

Since the scriptures were written for our admonition, we need to learn to show appreciation by giving praise to the Lord for the victories He wins on our behalf on daily basis. As we die daily, we are winning the war. In verse 2 here, it is said that the people willingly offered themselves. However, we know from the sum of God’s words that it is God who works in us to make us willing to offer ourselves as instruments to be used to win this war.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Here in this verse we are given the reason for praising the Lord.  That is, the Israelites were praising God for setting them free from their enemies. We all must learn to praise the Lord for the victories He wins for us on daily basis. As the elect, we must continually offer praise to our Lord.  Apart from the fact that we are commanded to praise God, praising our Lord grants us access to God as we can only enter His presence (gates) with thanksgiving in our heart and enter His courts with praise. Praising God also chases away despair as we exchange our spirit of heaviness with a garment of praise.

Psa 150:6  Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Psa 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

We must remember that the Israelites praised God with songs and since Babylon (the church system we are coming out of) is under the law, it also praise and worship the Lord only through singing. For those who are being delivered from Babylonian captivity, we not only praise and worship the Lord through singing as we offer the fruits of the lips, but more importantly, we offer spiritual praise and worship which means offering our bodies as living sacrifice. Offering our bodies as living sacrifice is not being conformed to the standards of the world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is like a sweet smelling offering that pleases the Lord.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Jdg 5:3  Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. 

The scriptures were written for the Kings and the princes. The question is, “who are the kings and the princes who are required to pay attention to this song sang by Deborah and Barak”? We, the elect are the royal priesthood as explained by Peter.  If that is so, then we are the kings and princes that are supposed to pay heed to the words of God.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Jdg 5:4  LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 
Jdg 5:5  The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel. 

These verses are to show us what the Lord does for us in delivering us from the world (Seir) to serve Him. Seir represents the land the Lord gave to Esau and his descendants the Edomites. Esau represents the world and so does Seir. After Israel met the Lord at Mount Sinai, they could have taken an eleven-day journey through Mount Seir to reach the promised land, but the Lord took them through a different route because the Lord did not want them to invade the Seir territory. For the Lord has given the Edomites in Mount Seir to Esau for period of time until the kingdom is firmly established in the promise land. It was during the reign of King David that the Edomites became his servants. This means that it takes a mature elect (King David) to defeat the Edomites, representing a type of the flesh.

Gen 32:3  And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

Gen 36:9  And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

Deu 1:2  (There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)

Deu 2:4  And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:
Deu 2:5  Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

2Sa 8:14  And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

What God does for the elect to defeat the Edomites is what is given in verse 4 and 5. They are as follows:

1. The earth trembles – That is earthquake which signifies God’s judgement. 
2. Both the heavens and the clouds drop water. The hearts and mind (our heavens) of the elect (clouds) distil water gradually. That is, our heavens are cleansed with the word of God.
3. Mountains melt from before the Lord. Our mountains are the obstacles that prevent us from knowing the Lord. These obstacles are dealt with as our eyes are being opened and our ears are hearing (getting to know the Lord).

Jdg 5:6  In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. 
Jdg 5:7  The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 

The days of Shamgar reflect the time period when the Israelites were being oppressed by the Philistines, and the days of Jael were times when Jabin, the king of Canaan, also oppressed Israel. So the days of Shamgar and Jael reflect our time in Babylon when we are under the sway of the enemies within.  During this time period, we desert the highways that lead to God because we break our covenant with God, despise the church (the assembly of God’s people) and have no regard for the elect. In this way, we rather opt for our own righteousness (byways) which brings us to more darkness.

Isa 33:8  The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

In the biblical times, most villages had no walls and therefore they became an easy prey for enemies. Villages therefore represent the gathering of God’s people who are yet carnal and are yet to know the doctrines of Christ which serve as a wall against any infiltration of false doctrines. In verse 7, the villages are deserted and are counted as the fields of the country (Lev 25:31). We know that the field is the world so what verse 7 means is that when we are under the control of the beast within, we end up being worldly. This continues until God drags us to the New Jerusalem (the assembly of God’s people) represented by the rising of Deborah in verse 7. That is when we are redeemed as we go out in our jubilee.

Lev 25:31  But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee.

Jdg 5:8  They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 

In our depravity in Babylon, we choose another Jesus (new gods). However, if God has destined for us to become overcomers, then there will be war at our gates, that is, God will judge us. The question, “Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand?” is a rhetorical question which means the answer is obviously no. So the question is another way of saying that there is no righteous person in the churches of this world (Babylon). A shield symbolizes faith, and spear or sword represents the word of God. The number forty-thousand is 4x10x10x10. So the number forty thousand signifies the whole of the God’s people in the churches who have no faith and do not know the word of God and are carnal or fleshy. Without having faith therefore, it is impossible to please God.

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Jdg 5:9  My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. 
Jdg 5:10  Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way. 

As indicated earlier, the sum of God’s word is that it is He who works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. Therefore the governors cannot offer themselves willingly except the Lord works in them to do that. According to Strongs, the governors of Israel here are the scribes. The governors offering themselves willingly means they offered to encourage the people to engage the enemy and assured them of the victory from the Lord. As God’s elect (governors), we are to offer ourselves willingly for the flock by speaking the fiery words which is able to save us. This is emphasized in verse 10 where those who ride on white asses and sit in judgment and walk the way are all part of the description of the elect who are admonished to speak the word.

Jdg 5:11  They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. 

Verse 11 continues the description of the elect as those who have been delivered from the noise of archers in places of drawing water. The noise of archers here are the propagators of false doctrines. Being delivered from the noise of archers is being given eyes to see and ears to hear such that one is able to test the spirit to see if it is from God.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Our assembling together are the places of drawing water.  It is here that we rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord. The rehearsing of the righteous act of the Lord is the speaking of the fiery words of the Lord which is able to bring us out of Babylon (inhabitants of the villages in Israel) such that we are prepared to go to the gates to wage war with the beast within.

Isaiah 51:16: I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’

Deut 5:27: Go near and hear all that the Lord our God says; then speak to us all that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.’

Jdg 5:12  Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. 
Jdg 5:13  Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

We are being admonished to wake up from our slumber as our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. It is only when we are awake that we can lead captives out of bondage just as Christ took many captives and gave gifts to his people.

As Paul explained, being awake from our sleep is casting off the works of darkness and putting on the armour of light. Putting on the armour of light is putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. Verse 13 in a simplified version of the Bible is as follows:

Jdg 5:13  Then down marched the remnant of the noble; the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty. (ESV)

So waking up from our slumber is putting on the armour of light, and in this way, we, as the remnant of the nobles (the elect) or the people of God can wage war against the mighty enemy within.

Eph 4:8. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (NIV)

Rom 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Jdg 5:14  Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 
Jdg 5:15  And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 
Jdg 5:16  Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 
Jdg 5:17  Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. 
Jdg 5:18  Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. 

These verses talk about two categories of the tribes of Israel.  Those who were willing to wage war with Jabin King of Canaan and those who refused wage war with the enemy. Those willing to wage war against the enemy symbolize those of us who are ready to leave Babylon to wage war against the flesh.  There are also those that remain in Babylon who preferred to hear the bleatings of the flock. The tribes that supported Barak and Deborah in this fight were Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Issachar and Naphtali. In verse 18, its say that these tribes risked their lives unto death to ensure victory. That is the same as saying that they lost their lives to gain them. On the other hand, if we gain our lives, we will end up losing them.  From the word of God, we have come to understand that those that lose their lives to gain them is because it has been written in their books to do so. In other words, it is not of him that wills nor of him that runs but of God that shows mercy.

Mat 10:39  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Now, let’s look at those who did not participate in the war with Jabin and Sisera and the reasons given. The tribes that did not take part in the war were Reuben, Dan, Asher and Gad (Gilead). The reasons given were as follows:

Reuben – Remained in the sheepfold to listen to the shepherds whistling for the flocks. In addition, they deliberated on the call to join their fellow Israelites to war against Jabin and came to the conclusion that it was better they stayed where they were. Remaining in the sheepfold and listening to the shepherds whistling for the flock is another way of saying that in Babylon, the shepherds speak of the world and we hear them because at that time we were of the world. We therefore subject everything to reasoning like the Reubenites.

1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Dan – They remained in ships. These represents us at a certain stage of our walk where we have the peddling mentality just like the ministers of Babylon who sell their false doctrines to the masses that make up the sea of mankind.

Asher – They remained on the sea shore. As we are aware, sand is unstable and cannot be relied upon as a foundation for anything as demonstrated by Jesus. So remaining on the sea shore signifies hearing Christ’s words but simply not see the need to tremble at His words.

Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Gad (Gilead) – Gad received all the towns of Gilead as inheritance and so in some passages of the scriptures, the terms Gilead and Gad are used interchangeably (see Judges 5:17). The land of Gilead was known for its balm, a liquid rosin that flowed or dripped from certain trees such as pine, cedar, cypress, or terebinth. Because of easy access to medicinal ingredients, many physicians made their homes in Gilead. This helps us understand Jeremiah 8:22, which says, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” Thus, because of the medical resources God had given to Gad, they did not want to wage any war. Spiritually, the blessings that God has bestowed on us can serve as a stumbling block for us to come out of Babylon to wage war against the flesh.

When the Promised Land was divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh received territory to the east of Jordan. So we can also say that Reuben and Gad, being examples of us, could not wage war against the flesh because they had not been spiritually baptized (going through death) as they had not crossed the Jordan into the promised land.

Jdg 5:19  The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 

The kings here are the elect who are called to wage war against the flesh. What is important here is that they took no gain of money. We need to pay heed to the admonition by Paul about being content with whatever situation we find ourselves and not think that gain is godliness. Our God will somehow supply our needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.

1Ti 6:3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Jdg 5:20  They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 

The stars here represent the elect. This verse therefore imply that as the Lord directs us in the path (courses) that He has preordained for us, we  will wage a war against the beast within to remove him from our heaven (hearts and mind). This war is what is being described in Rev 12:7-9 where Michael and his angels fought against the dragon in this war for the heavens of our minds and heart.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Jdg 5:21  The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 
Jdg 5:22  Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones. 

Verse 21 symbolizes the word of God (river Kishon) which sweeps away all our false doctrines and burns all chaff within us. This battle against King Jabin of Canaan and his army chief, Sisera, is symbolized by our war against worldly wisdom which offers a higher level of opposition.  However, the word of God is the most powerful instrument of war, and once we have it (that is our eyes seeing and our ears hearing) no matter the level of opposition, we will be victorious as we see Sisera’s horses retreating in battle in verse 22. This verse in simple English means:

Jdg 5:22  Sisera’s horses galloped off, their hoofs thundering in retreat. (CEV)

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Jdg 5:23  Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

This verse may seem to suggest that the Lord needs our help against the mighty. However, from the sum of God’s words, we know that the Lord does not need anybody or anything to accomplish His purpose. What we need to know is that as long as we are dominated by the flesh, we cannot be of any use to the Lord. Under this condition, we are cursed just like Meroz and its inhabitants.

Jdg 5:24  Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 
Jdg 5:25  He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 
Jdg 5:26  She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 
Jdg 5:27  At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 

Jael here represents the glorious church or heavenly Jerusalem which is the mother of us all. We all as Jael start our journey in Christ consuming milk and butter (product of milk) of the word. However, by the mercies of the Lord, as we mature, we are able to put to death all the false doctrines in our heaven (signified by the nail in Sisera’s temple).

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Jdg 5:28  The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? 
Jdg 5:29  Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 
Jdg 5:30  Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 

This is to let us know what the enemy within is trying to achieve. Sisera’s (the enemy within) victories over us is accompanied by sharing of the booty in verse 30. What this means is that when we are under the influence of the enemy within, we end up loving the world as we pursue the things of the world (Verse 30) which constitute the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Jdg 5:31  So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. 

This verse sums up the goal of our walk. That is, we must overcome or put to death the enemy within (all our enemies must perish) so we can be like Christ who is the sun when he goes forth in his might. With man, this is impossible to achieve, but with God all things are possible. We will surely find rest where we cease from our own strivings after “forty years” of temptations and trials in this life.

Mat 19:25  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Psa 76:8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
Psa 76:9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.
Psa 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
Psa 76:11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
Psa 76:12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

In this last section of our study with Psalm 76, we will look at how God saves the “meek of the earth” who are given to learn to be “still” and let Him fight their every battle within and without.

Exo 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Deu 3:22 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.

We mentioned the word “controversy” in last week’s study and how it is connected to judgment in many verses in God’s word.

Mic 6:2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

Hos 12:2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

Hos 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

It is this judgment that will lead us to being still.

Mar 14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Mar 14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

The controversy in the land is what God begins in the heart of those being judged today, and this judgement leads us to an inescapable place where we learn that we can, only by God’s grace and faith, come to “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD”.

Exo 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Where will we go to find the nourishment and example to be able to lie dead in this street and no longer trust in our own fleshly reasoning minds? The answer, as always, lies in our communion with the body of Christ, in Christ’s vineyard which we are.

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

It is within God’s vineyard that we can glean from one another, and be still, and listen to Christ in each other, which is part of decreasing and abasing ourselves so Christ can increase. Our chief desire is coming to want all men to be saved and to be those kind of first fruits who understand how this is accomplished by bearing each other’s burdens and esteeming each other better which is how we decrease and Christ increases in each of our vineyard experiences.

Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

If we are blessed to be still in this age to hear the voice of God in His vineyard, we will understand that God is avenging “our blood on them that dwell on the earth” by first judging us and stilling our hearts so that we can become obedient children who will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Deu 12:1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
Deu 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:

Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Here are our first verses for this study.

Psa 76:8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
Psa 76:9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.

Death and judgment, Death and fear, Death and stillness; there are a couple of treasures to unearth here:

* Until judgment comes upon the world within and without, the earth will not fear and be still (1Ki 19:12).

* Death is likened unto this “stillness” in scripture (Rev 11:8), and only those who are dead to sin and alive in Christ can be still in order to witness to this dying world.

Christ’s work/parable/word to raise the maid in Luke 8 points to those two thoughts above.

First, consider the need to feed this maid after he raised her physically as a type of our being raised in heavenly places (Eph 2:6, Eph 1:20, Rom 4:25 search the word ‘raised‘ in the new covenant to yield a great mini-study) and fed only after we have died to self.

This maid is a type of the elect who gives witness that the Lord is able to resurrect/heal/rebuke/exorcise/make whole our faith (see the entire 8th chapter of Luke for all of these examples that climax with this maid’s resurrection at the end of this chapter), through the judgment that takes place in our heavens and feeds us after the world witnesses our death and our being raised up, which will cause the world around us to fear and be still when it happens.

Here are some verses that accompany these thoughts.

Luk 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Luk 8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
Luk 8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

This judgment that we’re looking at is what saves the meek of the earth who are blessed to not only stumble unto Christ and “fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken” by His word, but also to have that word then purify us within — by Christ, the rock — crushing all the idols of our hearts that we so readily hold unto unless the Lord tears them down and builds us up anew.

Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Isa 28:14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.

Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Jer 18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Jer 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Act 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Psa 127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Psa 76:10 Surely the wrath^H2534 of man shall praise^H3034 thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain^H2296.

This verse complements the idea that man’s wrath is for a season and serves its overall purpose to the glory of God.

H2534Total KJV Occurrences: 124 fury/ious/iously/, 73 wrath/ful/wroth, 35
H3034 Total KJV Occurrences: 114 praise/ed, 53 thank/s/ful/ing/giving, 40, confess/ed/eth/ing/ion/, 18

Joh 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Joh 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

God has power in heaven and in earth (Isa 45:7) and demonstrates His love to the world by giving Christ and his body as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) who fill up in this age what is behind of the afflictions of Christ (Rom 4:25, Col 1:24, 1Jn 4:17).

Just as Christ was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification, so is the elect raised with Christ in heavenly places today to become saviours for the rest of the world who will come to know God and His Son Jesus Christ through the church (Joh_17:3 , Eph_3:10).

The ‘restraining‘ spoken of in this verse is tied to the idea that there is a right time for judgment for all the earth, each man in his order.

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now lettethG2722 G737 will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

Psa 76:11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

We are told to vow^H5087, and pay unto the Lord your God: which we know is our reasonable service (Rom 12:1). And what is the purpose of a vow^H5087?

Num 6:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vowH5087 a vowH5088 of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:

Accompanied with the promise that God will make our feet like hinds’ feet, God’s elect are given the mind of Christ and the faith and strength to be able to bring presents unto him as we endure through this life fearing him who “ought to be feared”.

Psa 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psa 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psa 76:12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

This last verse discusses in type and shadow the wickedness within all mankind that will be cut off in its time (1Th 5:23). These princes and kings of the earth are judged and the blood of Christ is avenged upon them that dwell upon the earth. The earth is a metaphor for where all this wickedness abides.

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

The stillness we have been looking at tonight can only come about as a result of God dealing with our first Adamic voice that must decrease as Christ’s voice and word and mind and way become the only one that matters.

Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

That stillness only comes as we decrease. John knew it in part but we know it much more clearly. Let’s line up these verses to understand what that stillness means:

Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease^G1642.

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower^{G1642 G1024 G5100,} than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

To decrease is to taste death and be baptized into Christ’s death as we die daily (Rom 6:3-4, 1Co 15:31).

Most assuredly “He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth” to fill us with that spirit that quickeneth and gives everlasting life.

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.