"When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD. When the leadersThe Hebrew word for "leaders" here is "פרע" (parah), which can also mean "to let go" or "to lead." This suggests a sense of freedom or release, indicating that the leaders of Israel were stepping into their roles with a sense of divine empowerment. In the context of Judges, this is significant because it highlights the importance of strong, God-fearing leadership in guiding the people of Israel. Historically, the period of the Judges was marked by cycles of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, and the role of leaders was crucial in steering the nation back to God. led in Israel
The phrase emphasizes the act of leading within the nation of Israel. The Hebrew root "נָדַב" (nadab) implies a voluntary or willing action, suggesting that the leaders were not coerced but were willingly stepping up to guide the people. This reflects the biblical principle that leadership in God's kingdom is often characterized by a willing heart and a servant attitude, as seen in the examples of leaders like Moses and David. when the people volunteered
The Hebrew word "הִתְנַדֵּב" (hitnadev) is used here, which means to offer oneself willingly. This indicates a collective movement among the people of Israel to rise up and take action. In the historical context of Judges, this volunteering spirit was crucial for the deliverance of Israel from their oppressors. It underscores the biblical theme that God often works through the willing participation of His people, calling them to partner with Him in His redemptive work. bless the LORD
The call to "bless the LORD" is a response of worship and gratitude. The Hebrew word "בָּרַךְ" (barak) means to kneel or to bless, signifying an act of adoration and reverence towards God. This phrase serves as a reminder that all victories and successes are ultimately attributed to God's intervention and grace. In the conservative Christian perspective, this is a call to acknowledge God's sovereignty and goodness, recognizing that He is the source of all blessings and the one who empowers His people to overcome challenges. Persons / Places / Events 1. DeborahA prophetess and judge of Israel who, along with Barak, led Israel to victory over the Canaanite army. Her leadership is celebrated in Judges 5, known as the Song of Deborah. 2. BarakThe military leader who, under Deborah's guidance, led the Israelite army against Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite forces. 3. IsraelThe nation of God's chosen people, who were often oppressed by surrounding nations due to their disobedience but were delivered by God through judges like Deborah. 4. CanaanitesThe oppressors of Israel during this period, led by King Jabin and his commander Sisera, who were defeated by Deborah and Barak. 5. The Song of DeborahA victory hymn found in Judges 5, celebrating the triumph over the Canaanites and praising God for His deliverance. Teaching Points The Importance of Godly LeadershipGodly leadership is crucial for guiding people in righteousness and ensuring victory over spiritual and physical adversaries. The Power of VolunteerismWhen people willingly offer themselves for God's work, it leads to blessings and the advancement of His kingdom. Praising God for DeliveranceRecognizing and celebrating God's hand in victories and deliverance is essential for maintaining a heart of gratitude and worship. Unity in PurposeThe collaboration between leaders and volunteers demonstrates the power of unity in achieving God's purposes. Encouragement to ServeEvery believer is called to serve in some capacity, contributing to the body of Christ and the mission of the church. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the leadership of Deborah and Barak in Judges 5:2 inspire you to take on leadership roles in your community or church? 2. In what ways can you volunteer your time and talents to serve God and others, as the Israelites did in this passage? 3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's deliverance. How did you respond, and how can you incorporate more praise into your daily life? 4. How does the unity between leaders and volunteers in Judges 5:2 challenge you to work more collaboratively with others in your faith community? 5. Considering Romans 12, how can you present yourself as a living sacrifice in your daily walk with Christ, similar to the voluntary service seen in Judges 5:2? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 15The Song of Moses and Miriam, which similarly celebrates God's deliverance of Israel from their enemies, drawing a parallel to the Song of Deborah. 1 Samuel 12Samuel's farewell address, which emphasizes the importance of faithful leadership and the people's obedience to God. Romans 12Encourages believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, paralleling the voluntary service of the Israelites in Judges 5:2. People Abinoam, Amalek, Anath, Asher, Barak, Benjamin, Dan, Deborah, Heber, Issachar, Jael, Machir, Naphtali, Reuben, Seir, Shamgar, Sisera, ZebulunPlaces Canaan, Edom, Gilead, Jordan River, Kishon River, Megiddo, Meroz, Seir, Sinai, TaanachTopics Avenging, Bless, Blessed, Fighters, Flowing, Freeing, Freely, Freemen, Grow, Hair, Lead, Leaders, Led, Offer, Offered, Offering, Praise, Themselves, Volunteered, WillinglyDictionary of Bible Themes Judges 5:2 8225 devotion
8435 giving, of oneself Judges 5:1-3 5091 Deborah
7963 song Judges 5:1-31 5420 music Library Recreant Reuben
Why satest then among the sheepfolds, to hear the pipings for the flocks? At the watercourses of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.'--JUDGES v. 16 (R.V.). I. The fight. The warfare is ever repeated, though in new forms. In the highest form it is Christ versus the World, And that conflict must be fought out in our own souls first. Our religion should lead not only to accept and rely on what Christ does for us, but to do and dare for Christ. He has given Himself for us, and has thereby …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture 'All Things are Yours'
'They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.'--JUDGES v. 20. 'For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.'--Job v. 23. These two poetical fragments present the same truth on opposite sides. The first of them comes from Deborah's triumphant chant. The singer identifies God with the cause of Israel, and declares that heaven itself fought against those who fought against God's people. There may be …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Love Makes Suns
'Let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.' JUDGES V. 51. These are the closing words of Deborah, the great warrior-prophetess of Israel. They are in singular contrast with the tone of fierce enthusiasm for battle which throbs through the rest of the chant, and with its stern approval of the deed of Jael when she slew Sisera. Here, in its last notes, we have an anticipation of the highest and best truths of the Gospel. 'Let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Songs of Deliverance
The results which accrued from the conquest achieved by Barak, are upon a small scale similar to those which come to us through the deliverance wrought out by the Lord Jesus Christ. I shall take our text and spiritualize it, viewing its joyous details as emblematic of the blessings granted to us through our Redeemer. Those who went to draw water at the wells after Barak's victory, were no longer disturbed by the robbers who lurked at the fountains for purposes of plunder; and instead of drawing the …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 13: 1867 Whether the Orders Will Outlast the Day of Judgment?
Objection 1: It would seem that the orders of angels will not outlast the Day of Judgment. For the Apostle says (1 Cor. 15:24), that Christ will "bring to naught all principality and power, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father," and this will be in the final consummation. Therefore for the same reason all others will be abolished in that state. Objection 2: Further, to the office of the angelic orders it belongs to cleanse, enlighten, and perfect. But after the Day of …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Why is it that Our Lord Has Tarried Till Now? Why Has not the Redeemer Returned Long Ere This?
At first sight perhaps this inquiry might appear almost irreverent and some may feel inclined to remind us that "secret things belong unto the Lord." In response we would say, It is not in any spirit of idle curiosity nor is it to indulge an inquisitive speculation that we take up this question, but simply because we believe that a humble examination of it will prove profitable to our souls, inasmuch as the answer to our inquiry demonstrates the wisdom and grace of Him with whom we have to do. Of …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return Hindrances to Revivals.
Text.--I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you."--Nehemiah vi. 3. THIS servant of God had come down from Babylon to rebuild the temple and re-establish the worship of God at Jerusalem, the city of his fathers' sepulchres. When it was discovered by Sanballat and certain individuals, his allies, who had long enjoyed the desolations of Zion, that now the temple, and the holy city were about to be rebuilt, they raised a great …
Charles Grandison Finney—Lectures on Revivals of Religion The Publication of the Gospel
The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it [or of the preachers] P erhaps no one Psalm has given greater exercise to the skill and patience of commentators and critics, than the sixty-eighth. I suppose the difficulties do not properly belong to the Psalm, but arise from our ignorance of various circumstances to which the Psalmist alludes; which probably were, at that time, generally known and understood. The first verse is the same with the stated form of benediction …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Salvation Published from the Mountains
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! I t would be improper to propose an alteration, though a slight one, in the reading of a text, without bearing my testimony to the great value of our English version, which I believe, in point of simplicity, strength, and fidelity, is not likely to be excelled by a new translation …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 The Sovereignty of God in Operation
"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be the glory for ever. Amen" (Romans 11:36). Has God foreordained everything that comes to pass? Has He decreed that what is, was to have been? In the final analysis this is only another way of asking, Is God now governing the world and everyone and everything in it? If God is governing the world then is He governing it according to a definite purpose, or aimlessly and at random? If He is governing it according to some purpose, then …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Appendix ix. List of Old Testament Passages Messianically Applied in Ancient Rabbinic Writings
THE following list contains the passages in the Old Testament applied to the Messiah or to Messianic times in the most ancient Jewish writings. They amount in all to 456, thus distributed: 75 from the Pentateuch, 243 from the Prophets, and 138 from the Hagiorgrapha, and supported by more than 558 separate quotations from Rabbinic writings. Despite all labour care, it can scarcely be hoped that the list is quite complete, although, it is hoped, no important passage has been omitted. The Rabbinic references …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6 Judges
For the understanding of the early history and religion of Israel, the book of Judges, which covers the period from the death of Joshua to the beginning of the struggle with the Philistines, is of inestimable importance; and it is very fortunate that the elements contributed by the later editors are so easily separated from the ancient stories whose moral they seek to point. That moral is most elaborately stated in ii. 6-iii. 6, which is a sort of programme or preface to iii. 7-xvi. 31, which constitutes …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Judges 5:2 NIVJudges 5:2 NLTJudges 5:2 ESVJudges 5:2 NASBJudges 5:2 KJV
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