Deborah illustrates an important truth.  Even in a male dominated society, women with exceptional personal and spiritual qualities can rise to leadership. Today’s reading is a review of previous chapters in a song, long recognised as one of the most powerful poems of antiquity.  In my NIV bible, Chapter 5 has the title ‘The song of Deborah’, and the accompanying notes state that ‘to commemorate national victory with songs was a common practice’. Deborah’s impact is only explained by her call as a prophetess.  There was a breakdown of Hebrew society, which Deborah’s vigorous leadership was able to repair (5: 6-7); and while Barak’s unwillingness to face the enemy unless Deborah was present suggests a limited faith in God (4: 8), it also reflects the high level of respect in which Deborah was held.  Deborah’s acceptance as the leader of Israel, when such roles were not extended to women, reminds us that what qualifies an individual for leadership has nothing to do with gender, but is about a relationship with God and a call by Him to ministry!

The song of Deborah can be regarded as comprising 5 sections:

It begins with a call to all people to extol God (5: 1-5);

It expresses the excited joy of the people (5: 6-11);

It contrasts those tribes who responded to the call to battle with those who did not (5: 12-18);

It exalts God as the One whose intervention caused the victory (5: 19-23); and

It closes with a vivid description of Sisera’s death and the anxiety of his mother when he fails to return  when expected (5: 24-31).

As Deborah’s song recounts the battle with the Canaanites, there is a very clear message that comes through. The battle belonged to the Lord.  It was He who lured Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, out with his nine hundred iron chariots just for them to become stuck in the river Kishon which had become a sea of mud (5: 4).  However, the tribes of Israel were expected to ‘partner with God’ in faith and go to war!  When we face our battles in life, we know that God is in ultimate control but we still have to do our bit; we cannot be ‘passive’ partners with God!  

Deborah’s song includes a curse upon the town of Meroz in Naphtali, because of its refusal to help the army of the Lord. This reminds us that when we fail to join in fighting the Lord’s battles, we betray our brothers and sisters – and miss out on the blessing of seeing God work!

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Heavenly Father, increase my faith and show me how I can partner with you.