17. Barak’s Faith

Hymns: RHC 323 Trust and Obey 324 Simply Trusting 318 Blessed Assurance

 Hebrews 11:32b (KJV)

 ³²  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Barak …

 Barak’s Faith

OUTLINE

(1) In Obedience to God’s Command

 

INTRODUCTION

Barak was a man raised of God, in the time of the Judges, to subdue the formidable Cannanite army led by their captain Sisera to deliver Israel out of oppression. Sisera has 900 chariots of iron, these chariots were the most sophisticated fighting machines of biblical times. This formidable enemy oppressed Israel for 20 long years. This is recorded in Judges 4-5.

Judges 4:1-3 “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.”

The Judges of Israel, not only delivered the children of Israel from their oppressors, but also restrained the hands of the people from idolatry during their reign (Judges 2:18-19). But when the Judges passed on, Israel returns to wallow in the mud of idolatry.

After Ehud was dead, Israel went a whoring after other gods. They fell into the chastitive will of God. We observe there was sufficient time given for the Canaanites to become strong and armed themselves with the manufacture of 900 chariots of iron.

Barak led an army of 10,000 men against the Cannanite army led by Sisera. This was a battle of might, there was no mention of any miracle or special strategy, unlike the battles we saw earlier at the Red Sea, at Jericho and Gideon’s battle against the Midianites. In fact, it was a woman by the name of Jael whom God used to kill Sisera when Sisera fled on foot to a tent for refuge wherein Jael dwelt and deliver his body to Barak!

Barak obeyed God’s command to lead the army to deliver Israel from the Canannites.

(1) In Obedience to God’s Command

As Carl McIntire rightly observed, “Just ordinary events are recorded…we have only an account of ordinary providences of life. The battle was fought; the captain feld; a woman killed him. This does not mean, of course, that the instances of faith that we have considered, in which great miracles took place, are to be minimized. Not at all. The lesson of all these instances is that God honours obedience … God always does what He promises when we obey His commands. As a matter of fact, in the study of the instances which we have in Hebrews, one great lesson has impressed itself upon us. It is this: Faith is implicit obedience to God’s Word. God honours His Word; God always backs up His commands. God has never, mever failed. This is the greatest lesson of the Christian life.”[1]

 Judges 4:4 (KJV) ⁴ And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

 It was Deborah who summoned Barak to the battle, as a mouth-piece for God to Barak!

 Judges 4:6-7 (KJV) ⁶ And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? ⁷ And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

 God spoke to Deborah and she conveyed the command of God to Barak to do battle. In God’s communication to Deborah, He conveyed the battle place and pronounced the victory for Israel. The ten thousand men will come from the tribe of Naphtali and Zebulun.

What was Barak’s response?

Judges 4:8-10 (KJV) ⁸ And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, thenI will not go. ⁹ And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.¹⁰ And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

Carl McIntire interpreted insightfully, “What was the attitude of Barak toward this command? Barak said unto Deborah, “If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, thenI will not go.” Deborah was the mouthpiece of the Lord. She delivered the commandment to Barak. Barak was ready to act, but the person who represented the Lord must also go with him. He might get into difficulties where he would need counsel and advice. He would not know just what to do, and he must have the prophetess along so that she could speak for God.

In other words, Barak wanted to have along with him the Word of the Lord. He would not venture forth without the Word of the Lord with him.”

He applied well, “In our day we, of course, have the commands of the Lord in the Bible, but as we obey those commands of the Lord in the Bible, but as we obey these commands and as we take our journey we must have with us the Bible, the Word of God. The Bible is the only infallible rule of faith and practice. Barak depended upon Deborah. She was the Lord’s mouthpiece. The Bible is to a missionary what Deborah was to Barak.”

He further observed interestingly, “When Barak said that he would go provided Deborah went with him, she said, “I will surely go with theee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour.” She reminded Barak that he was not to receive any personal glory from the engagement. At this point many men quit and go home. Bark was not of this clan. He went out to battle, marshalled his men, and fought all the day long. After he had borne the burden and heat of the day, Sisera fled taking refuge in the tent of a woman who had had no part whatsoever in the battle! She had been in the background; but this woman received all the honour for capturing and killing the captain of the enemy’s host. The man who did all the fighting received nothing, and the woman who did nothing received the glory. How often it is this way in the Lord’s work. Yet, Barak was ready to go. He was not interested in the honour. He was interested in obeying God’s commands! Faith leaves the rewards in God’s hand…There are many, many men who are willing to obey God’s commands, and they are willng to take the Word of God along with them, but they look for personal praise. They feast upon such patter. Unless they can be president of the society, or chairman of the committee; or unless they can run the work and received the honour from it, they will not play. Barak was different. He was genuine! In faith he did what God asked him to do, and he left all favours with Him whose commands are life…since we are speaking about the providence of God in this message, it is significant to observe that, though Barak did not receive the honour in this battle, neverthelessm because of his faith his name is engraved in the honour roll of the heroes listed in Hebrews eleven. Barak was a good missionary. He went in obedience to the command. He went with the Word of God in his hand. He went, leaving all honour behind. “If any man will come after me”, said Jesus Christ, “let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” The author of  Hebrews is certainly using timely illustrations to comfort and inspire early Christians.”[2]

It is interesting to observe that only six of Israel’s twelve tribes fought the battle against their enemies – Napthali, Asher, Zebulun, Issachar, Manasseh and Ephraim while the other tribes did not join in (Judges 5:15-17).

Judges 5:15-17 (KJV) ¹⁵ And the princes of Issachar werewith Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there weregreat thoughts of heart. ¹⁶ Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there weregreat searchings of heart. ¹⁷ Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

Dan, Reuben, Gilead Benjamin, (consisting of half tribe of Gad and half tribe of Manasseh) did not fight. Dan was too busy trading, Reuben decided to stay home, Gad and Manasseh did not consider themselves part of the team since they occupy a territory at the fringe of the Promised Land. Their non-committal attitude was heinous in the sight of God. This is the same in the church today. There are those who are uncommitted, half-hearted, inactive and nominal members.

The Triumphant Battle Against the Oppressor

As the Canaanite army drew to the side of Mount Tabor, the rain came and the plain became a mud pool. Wheels of the chariots were stuck in the mud, rendering them ineffective for battle. This gave the soldiers of Israel easy targets. The shock of the overflowing banks of the Kishon River that rendered ineffective the deadly fighting machines of the Canaanites put them in disarray. Israel had a field day pursuing and defeating the enemy. How ineffective was Baal, the Canaanite god of the storm!

Deborah together with Barak gave honour and glory to God in thanksgiving for delivering Israel from her oppressor with a poetic Hebrew song (Judges 5). If you are a leader, the greatest blessings would be to have disciplined and dedicated followers who have the capacity to believe and obey.

Barak did according to what Deborah has instructed him. It must be said here of Barak – “A God honouring leader is a good follower”. Barak followed well although the task seemed impossible with just ten thousand men to gather in the slopes of Mount Tabor against an overwhelming infantry of the Canaanite army. He was to fight the Canaanites in the flat plains of Esdraelon where the chariots of the enemy were most effective. Barak followed the stipulated instructions given by Deborah as from the Lord recorded in Judges 4:7 “And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.”

The victory plan has already been pre-determined by God. Barak was to be God’s instrument to carry out the plan to the glory of God. Barak was highlighted as a man of true faith in Hebrews 11:32 “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets. Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

CONCLUSION

The Canaanites were defeated on home ground! With God on our side, victory is assured!

The Lord is returning soon and He has given us the Great Commission to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. May the Lord give us the grace to obey His command to do His will for His honour and glory.

Amen.

[1]Carl McIntire, A Cloud of Witnesses, Christian Beacon Press, 1980, 162-163.

[2]Ibid., 165-166.