WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.440 So, as many of you may know, I am not Matthew. 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:14.140 I am Drew Arrington, and I am a minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 00:00:14.780 --> 00:00:19.080 and my family attends here as we are stationed at Fort Carson. 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:26.240 And I really could not have written a better introduction to today's sermon 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:30.579 in light of Army's trouncing of Air Force. 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:43.379 Because I don't normally talk about college sports from the pulpit, 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:47.780 but half of you probably don't care. 00:00:49.340 --> 00:00:54.320 A quarter of you, well, maybe in this town a little less than a quarter of you, 00:00:54.439 --> 00:00:56.119 are super excited that Army won. 00:00:56.600 --> 00:00:59.000 And the other portion of you are dejected. 00:01:03.760 --> 00:01:08.840 And if you're an Army fan, you probably celebrated a lot yesterday. 00:01:11.579 --> 00:01:14.939 Because this was a rivalry game. 00:01:14.939 --> 00:01:20.299 And what's true of the Army Air Force game is true of many others. 00:01:21.819 --> 00:01:26.019 And, in fact, there are probably many of you who would classify yourselves, 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:30.719 maybe you wouldn't classify yourself, but your significant others, family members, 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:33.719 friends would classify yourself as a super fan. 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:41.939 And what I mean by that is that you, in some way, not only cheered on your team, 00:01:42.039 --> 00:01:44.739 but you participated in your team's victory. 00:01:44.739 --> 00:01:52.500 And that may look like anything from watching the game, thinking that because you watched, they won. 00:01:52.500 --> 00:02:00.519 Or perhaps you're wearing the jersey for your team while they play or leading up the game day 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:05.719 because you feel that your support for them makes the difference in their performance. 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:12.819 Or perhaps throughout the game you played with the referees, challenging some of their calls. 00:02:12.819 --> 00:02:21.359 Or maybe you verbally disagreed with the coach when he called for a running play when he should have called for a passing play. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:27.580 But chances are, college football is probably not your jam. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:32.420 So this whole introduction hasn't really struck you yet. 00:02:33.640 --> 00:02:40.000 But maybe you celebrate, participate, and savor something other than college football. 00:02:41.500 --> 00:02:44.120 Maybe it's not even a sport. 00:02:45.740 --> 00:02:47.580 Maybe it's a celebrity. 00:02:48.620 --> 00:02:50.140 Or a group of celebrities. 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:52.980 Or maybe it's the stock market. 00:02:54.180 --> 00:02:55.580 Or maybe an author. 00:02:57.640 --> 00:03:04.600 But the real question is, not do you celebrate, participate in, and savor these things, 00:03:04.600 --> 00:03:11.940 but do you savor, participate, and celebrate God's sovereign deliverance? 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:19.160 And that's the call that we see here in Judges chapter 5. 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:21.840 It's also known as Deborah's song. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:31.379 And in this song, she calls the reader to celebrate, participate in, and savor God's deliverance. 00:03:31.379 --> 00:03:40.560 You know, this is one of the greatest poems in existence from this time period that we have. 00:03:41.079 --> 00:03:49.019 It's a remarkable insight into the culture and the people of the ancient Near East. 00:03:49.020 --> 00:04:01.960 And when some read it, they have misgivings about the deception, the brutality, and the mockery that is in the passage. 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:12.000 Others get lost in the minutiae examining the poetical license and language that the author takes. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:22.500 But this morning, I hope to address the misgivings that many may have while not getting bogged down in poetical analysis. 00:04:22.500 --> 00:04:30.800 And to keep us on track, I'd ask that we consider this one big controlling idea. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:45.379 Because God rescues his people, Christians can celebrate, participate in, and savor God's sovereign deliverance. 00:04:45.379 --> 00:05:11.680 Well, as we get ready to read this poem, which is rather lengthy, let me give you a couple of road signs as you read. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:17.879 In verses 1-11, we're going to see the call to celebrate and the context of that celebration. 00:05:19.180 --> 00:05:25.300 In verses 12-23, we see commendation and condemnation. 00:05:26.300 --> 00:05:31.019 In verses 24-30, we see the contrast of two women. 00:05:32.040 --> 00:05:36.280 In verse 31, it's Deborah's closing cry. 00:05:36.279 --> 00:05:42.479 So let us turn in our scriptures to Judges chapter 5. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:50.739 Then sang Deborah and Barak, the son of Abinoam, on that day. 00:05:52.119 --> 00:05:54.719 That the leaders took the lead in Israel. 00:05:55.679 --> 00:05:58.119 That the people offered themselves willingly. 00:05:59.059 --> 00:05:59.939 Bless the Lord. 00:06:01.219 --> 00:06:02.739 Hear, O kings. 00:06:03.179 --> 00:06:04.559 Give ear, O princes. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:07.399 To the Lord I will sing. 00:06:08.100 --> 00:06:11.420 I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel. 00:06:11.780 --> 00:06:17.920 Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the region of Edom, the earth trembled. 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:19.819 And the heavens dropped. 00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:22.759 Yes, the clouds dropped water. 00:06:23.620 --> 00:06:25.860 The mountains quake before the Lord. 00:06:26.340 --> 00:06:29.379 Even Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel. 00:06:29.379 --> 00:06:32.540 In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:35.920 In the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned. 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:38.240 And travelers kept to the byways. 00:06:39.139 --> 00:06:41.759 The villagers ceased in Israel. 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:45.199 They ceased to be until I arose. 00:06:45.980 --> 00:06:48.939 I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel. 00:06:49.719 --> 00:06:53.980 When new gods were chosen, then war was in the gates. 00:06:53.980 --> 00:06:58.560 Was shield or spear to be seen among 40,000 in Israel? 00:06:59.640 --> 00:07:07.960 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel who offered themselves willingly among the people. 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:09.660 Bless the Lord. 00:07:10.379 --> 00:07:12.960 Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys. 00:07:13.379 --> 00:07:15.319 You who sit on rich carpets. 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:17.219 And you who walk by the way. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.579 To the sound of musicians at the watering places. 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:26.019 There they repeat the righteous triumphs of the Lord. 00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:30.040 The righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel. 00:07:31.420 --> 00:07:34.379 Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:36.480 Awake, awake, Deborah. 00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:38.759 Awake, awake. 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:40.219 Break out in song. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:42.240 Arise, Barak. 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:44.480 Lead away your captives. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:46.220 O son of Bo-Ben-Aim. 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.160 Then down marched the remnant of the noble. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.020 The people of the Lord marched down for me against the mighty. 00:07:54.740 --> 00:07:58.060 From Ephraim, their roots, they marched down into the valley. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:00.819 Following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:04.240 From Mahir, marched down their commanders. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:08.240 And from Zebulon, those who bear the lieutenant's staff. 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:12.640 The prince of Iskar came with Deborah. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:15.939 And Issachar, faithful to Barak. 00:08:16.180 --> 00:08:18.680 Into the valley, they rushed at his heels. 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:23.699 Among the clans of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart. 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:27.579 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds? 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:29.979 To hear the whistling of the flocks? 00:08:31.500 --> 00:08:35.120 Among the clans of Reuben, there were great searchings of heart. 00:08:35.939 --> 00:08:37.879 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan. 00:08:38.340 --> 00:08:41.179 And Dan, why did he stay with the ships? 00:08:41.179 --> 00:08:47.799 Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings. 00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:53.919 Zebulon is a people who risked their lives to the death. 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:57.639 Nephtali, too, on the heights of the field. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:08:59.459 The kings came. 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:00.120 They fought. 00:09:00.479 --> 00:09:02.319 Then fought the kings of Canaan. 00:09:02.739 --> 00:09:07.699 At Tanakh, by the waters of Megiddo, they got no spoils of silver. 00:09:07.700 --> 00:09:10.140 From heaven, the stars fought. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:12.500 From their courses, they fought against Sisera. 00:09:12.940 --> 00:09:15.140 The torrent Kishan swept them away. 00:09:15.740 --> 00:09:18.020 The ancient torrent, the torrent Kishan. 00:09:18.780 --> 00:09:21.360 March on, my soul, with might. 00:09:22.580 --> 00:09:25.100 Then loud beat the horse's hooves. 00:09:25.660 --> 00:09:28.700 With the galloping, galloping of his steeds. 00:09:30.259 --> 00:09:32.640 Curse Moroz, says the angel of the Lord. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:35.120 Curse its inhabitants thoroughly. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:38.759 Because they did not come to the help of the Lord. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:41.720 To the help of the Lord against the mighty. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.419 Most blessed of women, BJL. 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:49.179 The wife of Heber the Kenite. 00:09:49.980 --> 00:09:52.019 Of tent-dwelling women, most blessed. 00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:55.659 He asked for water, and she gave him milk. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:58.580 She brought him curds and a noble's bowl. 00:09:58.580 --> 00:10:02.120 She sent her hand to the tent peg. 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:04.960 And her right hand to the workman's mallet. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:07.300 She struck Sisera. 00:10:08.100 --> 00:10:10.040 She crushed his head. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:13.139 She shattered and pierced his temple. 00:10:14.560 --> 00:10:17.200 Between her feet, he sank. 00:10:17.900 --> 00:10:18.680 He fell. 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:20.280 He lay still. 00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:23.540 Between her feet, he sank. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:24.800 He fell. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:28.299 Where he sank, there he fell. 00:10:29.099 --> 00:10:29.559 Dead. 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:32.979 Out of the window she peered. 00:10:33.500 --> 00:10:35.919 The mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice. 00:10:36.419 --> 00:10:38.799 Why is his chariot so long in coming? 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:41.799 Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots? 00:10:43.319 --> 00:10:45.139 Her wisest princess's answer. 00:10:45.959 --> 00:10:48.259 Indeed, she answers herself. 00:10:48.259 --> 00:10:51.360 Have they not found and divided the spoil? 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:55.740 A womb or two for every man? 00:10:56.620 --> 00:10:58.899 Spoil of dyed materials for Sisera? 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:02.360 Spoil of dialed materials embroidered? 00:11:02.840 --> 00:11:06.659 Two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil? 00:11:06.659 --> 00:11:13.360 So may all your enemies perish, O Lord. 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:19.899 But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might. 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:24.740 And the land had rest for 40 years. 00:11:24.740 --> 00:11:34.960 So this is a call to celebrate God's sovereign deliverance. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:36.779 And the question is, why? 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:38.100 Why are we to celebrate? 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:39.759 Well, it's pretty quite easy. 00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:40.500 Right? 00:11:40.779 --> 00:11:42.539 God won the victory. 00:11:43.460 --> 00:11:48.340 So therefore, his people are to celebrate because they have been redeemed, 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:52.279 rescued from their persecutors and oppressors. 00:11:52.279 --> 00:12:00.720 But what's not here, noticed, is that we are also the why are we to celebrate? 00:12:00.819 --> 00:12:09.939 We are to celebrate because there are people who joined willingly in God's work of sovereign deliverance. 00:12:10.699 --> 00:12:18.399 We see this in verse 2 at the very beginning where Deborah commends the leaders and the volunteers of Israel. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:27.159 And as we read longer and deeper into the passage, we'll see that she talks about these leaders in many different places and facets. 00:12:28.059 --> 00:12:33.120 But really, up in verse 2, she says, thank God that they took the lead. 00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:36.679 That leaders didn't sit on the sidelines. 00:12:36.860 --> 00:12:39.100 That they actually led. 00:12:39.100 --> 00:12:47.840 That they exercised the authority and practiced the responsibility that God had given them. 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:59.560 She also speaks of the volunteers, the people, the commoners, who volunteered willingly. 00:13:01.379 --> 00:13:06.580 That they did not sit on the sidelines while the leaders led. 00:13:06.680 --> 00:13:16.600 No, they saw what God was doing and joined willingly in participation with God's sovereign deliverance. 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:20.399 That they were not guilted into participation. 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:23.440 They weren't cajoled into participation. 00:13:23.779 --> 00:13:32.480 But that they saw God at work and joined with those leaders in bringing about God's sovereign deliverance. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:45.139 So the question is, yeah, why do we celebrate this? 00:13:45.259 --> 00:13:46.340 Well, because God did it. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:49.820 And we can understand celebrating what God has done. 00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:54.019 But the question is, why, often asked, why do we need to celebrate the people? 00:13:55.220 --> 00:14:01.519 Well, we saw that in our New Testament reading where Paul celebrated the believers to whom he was writing. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:03.759 And it wasn't just a one-off occurrence for Paul. 00:14:04.079 --> 00:14:08.319 Many of Paul's letters start off with, I thank God because of you. 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:12.620 And why is this? 00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:15.559 Why are we to celebrate people? 00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:27.559 Matthew Henry there, and I think it's at the beginning, maybe page 8, is a quote regarding this. 00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:34.099 And he says, though God is chiefly to be glorified, instruments must have their due praise. 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:40.119 Not for building them up, but for the encouragement of others. 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:48.740 When we praise men and women who exercise the leadership that God has given them, 00:14:49.179 --> 00:14:58.120 when we praise and honor those of us who join together in God's work within this community, 00:14:59.320 --> 00:15:04.360 we aren't doing that to help them feel good about themselves. 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:10.919 We are doing that to encourage those who are on the sidelines, who are not thinking about supporting. 00:15:12.300 --> 00:15:17.620 But by commending those who support God's sovereign deliverance, 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:26.000 we build a stronger bench and a better community of those who are willing to join in the effort. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:33.919 But it's not only why we celebrate it, who celebrates. 00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:42.639 And Deborah, in this, calls people from across all spectrums of life to celebrate God's sovereign deliverance. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:46.919 And that is true of us as Christians. 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:52.899 We are called to celebrate what God is doing. 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:59.759 We are called to celebrate God's sovereign deliverance, no matter where we are in life. 00:16:00.199 --> 00:16:07.860 We see in verse 3, Deborah calls the surrounding leaders to give ear to the praise that she is about to give God. 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:17.279 In verse 10, we see a very quick, concise description of the entirety of Jewish culture. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:21.699 We see a very quick, concise description of the story. 00:16:21.699 --> 00:16:34.480 We see the wealthy merchants, those who ride white horses, very rare animals, would have only been afforded by, 00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:37.799 only the wealthiest could have afforded to have them and own them. 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:48.599 And so here we see businessmen and women who are successful, called to worship and to praise God for his sovereign deliverance. 00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:56.379 We see respected judges, those who sit on rich carpets, sitting usually within the city gate, 00:16:56.699 --> 00:17:05.960 where they would hear the concerns of the people and then meet out a judgment on the situation to provide some sense of justice. 00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:14.059 So those who are in government and leadership positions within communities are called to celebrate God's sovereign deliverance. 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:44.039 And then those who are in government and leadership positions within the city gate, 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:46.460 who needs to celebrate, who needs to celebrate, but how we are to celebrate. 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:50.399 In verse 10, she says, speak of it. 00:17:50.879 --> 00:17:55.559 So go about, and the reference here is to go into the watering hole. 00:17:56.420 --> 00:17:58.980 So water cooler talk at the office. 00:17:59.420 --> 00:18:03.579 We need to speak about God's sovereign deliverance. 00:18:04.139 --> 00:18:09.339 And in verse 11, she talks about singing of it as you go about your day. 00:18:09.339 --> 00:18:14.679 So speaking and singing of God's sovereign deliverance. 00:18:18.679 --> 00:18:29.279 And if Deborah calls the Hebrews to sing of God's provision over a temporal power named Sisera, 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:43.879 how much more, how much more, how much more should we as Christians sing and speak of God's provision of salvation through Jesus Christ? 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:51.880 The one who defeated not only a enemy, but the enemy. 00:18:51.880 --> 00:19:00.720 The one who brought not only rescue from oppression, but rescue from condemnation because of our sin. 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:11.200 The one who not only restored Israel for a matter of years, but the one who restores us for all eternity. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:16.840 And this should prompt joyful worship. 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:28.220 We should worship joyfully both in speaking and in singing of God's great sovereign deliverance. 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:38.860 Well, this celebration of worship is a rightful expression, and it also builds a thick community of faith. 00:19:38.859 --> 00:19:45.319 But Deborah's song also calls Christians to participate in God's sovereign deliverance. 00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:47.719 Not just celebrate, but participate. 00:19:47.720 --> 00:20:03.240 And one of the great, actually the quote on the back of the bulletin is from Teddy Roosevelt and a speech that he made in 1910 in Paris, 00:20:03.860 --> 00:20:08.980 in which it is commonly today called the man in the arena speech. 00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:20.339 And here he charges people, he charges those who hear, to not be those who are content to sit on the sidelines, 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:23.079 but to jump into the arena. 00:20:23.620 --> 00:20:31.500 To address those concerns and issues that were surrounding the society at the time. 00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:37.680 But basically to risk their effort. 00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:42.740 To risk failure for the chance of being successful. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:49.200 And we do not risk as Christians much in this way. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.319 It's a great encouragement. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:55.519 And yes, we should seek to be involved with God's deliverance. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:59.599 But it's in a different way. 00:20:59.740 --> 00:21:06.940 Teddy Roosevelt's addressing it men, and there's the opportunity here that man would fail and that he would fall greatly. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:11.759 And it's trying to cajole people into that position. 00:21:11.879 --> 00:21:20.180 But we participate in God's sovereign deliverance because we have a historical record of God's faithfulness to his people. 00:21:20.180 --> 00:21:28.740 We can participate in God's sovereign deliverance because we know, based on that historical faithfulness, 00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:37.299 that he will be faithful to us in the present as we seek to bring about his work and his kingdom here on this earth. 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:44.880 And we know that he will be faithful to us in the future because he has promised to come and establish his kingdom. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:52.880 So with that, we are called to fully participate in God's sovereign deliverance. 00:21:54.120 --> 00:22:01.420 And Deborah, in this poem, lays out for us kind of the good, the bad, the ugly in this fight against Sisera. 00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:05.840 And she does that in verses 12 through 18 and verse 23. 00:22:06.100 --> 00:22:07.320 So we see the good. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:10.560 These are the tribes that heard the call. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:17.639 heard about God's sovereign deliverance, that it was beginning to gain steam there in Israel against Sisera. 00:22:17.879 --> 00:22:24.379 And they dedicated their talents, their gifts, and their abilities to the effort. 00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:29.059 And that's the goal for us. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:32.039 That we would not sit on the sidelines. 00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:48.000 But that we would use the gifts, the talents, and the abilities with which God has blessed us and put them to whether to work in a community to bring about God's sovereign deliverance. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:50.299 But also in there, we see the bad. 00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:54.680 And those are those tribes of Israel that decided to sit on their hands. 00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:57.099 They decided, you know what? 00:22:57.159 --> 00:22:58.379 It's not worth it for us. 00:22:58.440 --> 00:22:59.700 We're going to sit this one out. 00:22:59.700 --> 00:23:03.640 Yep, yep, God has given us many great things. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.380 But you know what? 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:14.200 We would rather tend to our flocks than come to the aid of the people in our community. 00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:16.500 You know what? 00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:24.240 We would rather take care of our own than to stick our neck out and risk ourselves to help somebody else. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:37.819 You know, we are content with manning our ships, making sure that we keep trade going rather than participating in God's sovereign deliverance. 00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:55.319 We would rather sit by the coast, tend to our docks to make sure that they're good, rather than come to the aid of our kinsmen and support them as they are fighting to overthrow the tyranny of Sisera. 00:23:55.319 --> 00:24:01.019 Isn't that the temptation for us today? 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:01.039 Isn't that the temptation for us today? 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:14.299 To find some reason, some excuse, some self-justification for not coming to the aid of others. 00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:24.399 For not participating in the community of Christ in which God has placed us. 00:24:25.319 --> 00:24:27.319 For not participating in the aid of others. 00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:31.240 Well, if that wasn't bad enough, in verse 23 we see the ugly. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.299 It's the city of Meraz. 00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:47.359 They are so close to the battle, yet they refuse to participate in God's sovereign deliverance. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:53.519 They are right there on the cusp of the battle. 00:24:53.899 --> 00:24:56.599 They can perhaps hear the swords clanging. 00:24:58.819 --> 00:25:06.959 And they decide to wall themselves in, close up the gates, and pretend that they don't hear it. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:17.200 It is so egregious that the angel of the Lord pronounces judgment on that city. 00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:22.539 It is not Deborah that casts that judgment on them. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:24.539 It is the angel of the Lord. 00:25:26.360 --> 00:25:28.500 And time does not allow us to go into that. 00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:41.779 But some scholars would say that that is the pre-incarnate Christ himself passing judgment on this city for not coming to the aid. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:47.019 And then that, they are quite the opposite that we read of the Good Samaritan. 00:25:47.019 --> 00:26:03.180 The Good Samaritan passing by the Hebrew who was on the side of the road in Luke 10 was an agent of God's sovereign deliverance for that person. 00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:12.539 Because he saw the need and he ran to the point of need rather than walling himself off. 00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:17.099 Dale Ralph Davis puts it like this. 00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:28.139 It speaks ill of us when we are satisfied to rest secure while our brothers and sisters are struggling and suffering. 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:34.379 And that's the call of being a thick community. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:35.440 Right? 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:39.059 It's being that community that doesn't wall ourselves off. 00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:42.079 That doesn't rest satisfied and secured. 00:26:42.539 --> 00:26:53.779 But instead, tries to find out how we can support our brothers and sisters through their struggles and in their suffering. 00:26:53.779 --> 00:27:10.660 Well, not only are we called to participate in God's sovereign deliverance, 00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:18.779 Judges 5 calls us to also savor God's sovereign deliverance. 00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:25.759 To savor the way in which he rescues and redeems his people. 00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:30.420 And that really presents a challenge for us here. 00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:38.000 In verses 24 through 31, really what we see is what we would say a tent peg salvation. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:43.880 We see a wailing and weeping mother. 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:52.980 And then we have a final call that God would do the same to all his other enemies. 00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:58.940 And some people see a real stickiness in that. 00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:07.860 A real challenge to savoring the way in which and how God sovereignly delivers his people. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:13.559 And let's take for a minute a look at this tent peg salvation at the hand of J.L. 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:18.480 And we understand from previously that this was no accident. 00:28:19.240 --> 00:28:28.899 This was preordained by God because the leader of Israel abdicated. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:38.200 He refused to not go into battle without the help of Deborah. 00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:40.340 And so God said, you know what? 00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:42.140 You're not going to get the glory. 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.759 Somebody else is. 00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:44.880 And it's going to be a woman. 00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:57.640 So here we see in this account a slow motion savoring of the deliverance that God has promised to his people. 00:28:58.840 --> 00:29:01.860 And it is filled with deception. 00:29:01.859 --> 00:29:14.039 She welcomes him in like an ally as he would expect because he has, Sisera's boss has the treaty with Heber the Kenite. 00:29:16.439 --> 00:29:18.719 So she welcomes him into the tent. 00:29:19.379 --> 00:29:24.979 Gets him set up with a good hearty warm milk drink. 00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:27.679 Covers him with a blanket. 00:29:29.719 --> 00:29:31.559 Acts like she's standing guard. 00:29:32.859 --> 00:29:34.839 No thought at all. 00:29:35.139 --> 00:29:38.639 Pure deception on behalf of J.L. 00:29:38.959 --> 00:29:43.219 And then there's the brutality with which she ends his life. 00:29:45.579 --> 00:29:46.559 Tent peg. 00:29:47.459 --> 00:29:55.240 And we're not talking about if you go camping today, the small little things that we get to push into those two-person tents. 00:29:55.240 --> 00:30:01.139 You know, that maybe are the size of a writing instrument or smaller. 00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:05.299 No, this would have been a sizable peg. 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:17.519 Probably we're talking in the magnitude of more of a spike than a peg or a nail that we might use in tents today. 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:27.920 And then she took that and drove it through his head into the ground. 00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:36.300 And many have questions and concerns about that passage. 00:30:36.900 --> 00:30:45.740 Questions and concerns about the method God used to deliver his people from the hand of Sisera. 00:30:45.740 --> 00:30:56.240 The method that God used to execute justice upon a man who was acting counter to God's principles. 00:30:56.740 --> 00:31:01.799 Who was acting counter to the way that God expects people to treat others. 00:31:01.799 --> 00:31:11.819 And they have a problem with it because they see it as running counter to God's mercy and God's grace. 00:31:11.819 --> 00:31:19.139 And then also people have concerns about savoring this. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:22.559 About the fact that we are, that this is in the Bible at all. 00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:26.000 And that JL is called the most blessed of women. 00:31:28.139 --> 00:31:29.099 How is it? 00:31:29.419 --> 00:31:29.779 Why? 00:31:29.779 --> 00:31:38.819 Why can we savor this when it is such a celebration of deception and brutality? 00:31:40.420 --> 00:31:42.079 And those are good questions. 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:44.759 Why can we say that when it is such a celebration of justice? 00:31:44.759 --> 00:32:00.159 I think if we take a look at verses 28 through 30, we might catch a glimpse of how the people who heard this could celebrate and savor Sisera's death. 00:32:00.919 --> 00:32:03.240 And we get to the glimpse of that with the queen. 00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:12.120 And again, this is Deborah's imagining what is happening with Sisera's mother back at the palace. 00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:15.099 Where she's looking through the lattice of her window. 00:32:15.620 --> 00:32:20.460 And she is noticing that it has been some time since her son went off to war. 00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:23.079 And she is wondering, where? 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:24.519 Where is he? 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:26.299 Why hasn't he returned yet? 00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:27.620 What's gone wrong? 00:32:27.619 --> 00:32:33.939 And then rush in the advisors. 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:40.479 Who tell her what she wants to hear. 00:32:41.919 --> 00:32:44.699 The advisors who say, no, no, no. 00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:46.959 It's not that they're defeated. 00:32:47.500 --> 00:32:51.899 It's that the men are off enjoying the spoils of war. 00:32:51.900 --> 00:33:05.580 And the way in which Deborah portrays it really does use poetic language to describe something that's quite horrific. 00:33:10.120 --> 00:33:18.980 We hear what we hear in the passage, but really she is describing murder, rape, and pillaging. 00:33:18.980 --> 00:33:34.980 She is talking about men of a foreign army taking advantage of women and children because of the absence of men who were either defeated on the battlefield or murderously executed afterwards. 00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:44.740 So yeah, can we celebrate the fact that Sisera's army has been routed? 00:33:45.380 --> 00:33:50.680 And that he lies dead at the foot of a woman who drove a spike through his head? 00:33:51.779 --> 00:33:52.339 Absolutely. 00:33:52.339 --> 00:34:06.519 Because it means that God has heard the cries of his people and has responded in a way that has brought the highest of heights of leaders to the very low that they can be brought. 00:34:08.579 --> 00:34:19.179 The crown or the head that wore apparel of great honor now wore a spike that anchored him to the ground. 00:34:19.179 --> 00:34:24.219 Completely humbled and utterly destroyed. 00:34:29.339 --> 00:34:38.199 And so with that, we can call on God and we can ask God not only to, that we can not only savor the fact that Sisera died, 00:34:38.319 --> 00:34:47.139 we can call upon God and ask him that he would mete out similar justice to those who counter his will and his plan. 00:34:47.139 --> 00:34:49.799 And that is what we see in verse 31. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:52.359 And again, this may be a challenge. 00:34:52.440 --> 00:35:03.079 In fact, there were some commentators who actually wrote that this type of plea has no place in Christianity today. 00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:17.199 Which is quite counter to the opinion that Dale Ralph Davis has on page 9. 00:35:18.319 --> 00:35:18.960 Which he says, 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:38.220 Someone may think that this is being vicious. 00:35:38.720 --> 00:35:39.460 It is not. 00:35:40.179 --> 00:35:41.519 It is being pious. 00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:45.219 Naturally, you can disagree. 00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:51.019 If so, you can claim more refinement but less faith. 00:35:52.880 --> 00:35:55.480 And what he's saying there is exactly that. 00:35:55.539 --> 00:36:02.280 That we can either have faith in a God who brings sovereign deliverance to his people, 00:36:02.280 --> 00:36:08.640 or we can cling to our modern sensibilities and say, 00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:12.800 Oh no, that's too brutal for the God I worship. 00:36:15.580 --> 00:36:17.300 We can have more faith, 00:36:18.120 --> 00:36:22.700 or we can have more refinement. 00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:30.379 But it's clear from our readings today in the confession, 00:36:31.159 --> 00:36:38.539 that the Lord's Prayer also calls us to savor God's sovereign deliverance. 00:36:39.319 --> 00:36:40.839 Because that is what we pray when we pray, 00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:41.699 Your kingdom come. 00:36:42.239 --> 00:36:49.199 We're asking that Christ the King would conquer, defeat all of his enemies. 00:36:49.199 --> 00:36:55.259 That he would destroy every last vestige of those who would oppose his will, 00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:58.139 both on this earth and in the kingdom to come. 00:37:01.019 --> 00:37:06.319 So today, we can petition God through prayer, 00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:09.039 that he would execute his sovereign deliverance. 00:37:10.379 --> 00:37:15.460 In conflicts such as the one ongoing in the Middle East, 00:37:15.460 --> 00:37:19.639 we can, yes, we can pray for restraint. 00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:25.480 Yes, we can pray that God would protect the civilians that are there. 00:37:26.280 --> 00:37:32.440 We can ask and petition governments to be considerate of civilians on the battlefield. 00:37:34.740 --> 00:37:39.940 But we can also pray and ask that God would bring his sovereign deliverance 00:37:39.940 --> 00:38:09.920 to those politicians, 00:38:09.940 --> 00:38:15.599 who are standing up for the most vulnerable among us. 00:38:17.300 --> 00:38:19.200 Children who are not yet born. 00:38:20.200 --> 00:38:26.539 That as they continue to fight on the behalf of the sanctity of human life, 00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:31.659 that God might protect them from the attacks of human beings 00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:32.980 who would see them destroyed, 00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:37.960 and from the temptations of Satan who would love to derail their credibility. 00:38:37.960 --> 00:38:45.579 But not only do we petition God in these areas, 00:38:45.659 --> 00:38:49.679 we can savor God's sovereign deliverance here and now. 00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:54.960 We can celebrate God's sovereign deliverance 00:38:54.960 --> 00:38:58.960 as exemplified in the recent conviction of SBF. 00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:06.420 Sam Bankman-Fried, the dude who ran a corrupt cryptocurrency 00:39:06.420 --> 00:39:10.940 and cheated billions of people out of hundreds of thousands of millions of dollars. 00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:12.960 We can celebrate that. 00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:14.099 We can savor that. 00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:17.240 But not just white-collar crimes. 00:39:17.239 --> 00:39:22.879 We can savor, and I want to be careful because I know that there are a lot of other contributing factors to this, 00:39:23.219 --> 00:39:26.299 but the fact that the shooter in Maine 00:39:26.299 --> 00:39:31.959 ended his life before he killed more people, 00:39:32.959 --> 00:39:39.259 we can savor that God delivered more people 00:39:39.260 --> 00:39:43.040 from potential death through that action. 00:39:48.040 --> 00:39:53.680 And oh, we can savor the demise of so-called professionals 00:39:53.680 --> 00:39:58.020 who sacrifice the most vulnerable among us 00:39:58.020 --> 00:40:01.440 on the altar of convenience, 00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:03.360 through abortion, 00:40:03.360 --> 00:40:07.960 or who mutilate people who are confused 00:40:07.960 --> 00:40:10.800 about how God created them. 00:40:15.300 --> 00:40:17.300 And it's okay to do that. 00:40:19.159 --> 00:40:22.179 Because God is at work 00:40:22.179 --> 00:40:24.179 rescuing his people. 00:40:24.179 --> 00:40:28.299 God is at work 00:40:28.299 --> 00:40:30.279 defending himself. 00:40:31.559 --> 00:40:32.619 And God is at work 00:40:32.619 --> 00:40:34.899 bringing about his kingdom. 00:40:36.460 --> 00:40:38.079 Now that may seem odd 00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:40.859 to our modern 21st century sensibilities, 00:40:41.619 --> 00:40:43.199 but the witness of Deborah, 00:40:44.179 --> 00:40:45.259 the counsel of Scripture, 00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:48.239 and the history of Christian thought 00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:49.980 commends us 00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:52.419 to not only pray 00:40:52.420 --> 00:40:54.820 for God's sovereign deliverance, 00:40:55.200 --> 00:40:56.420 but to also celebrate 00:40:57.039 --> 00:40:57.840 the demise 00:40:57.840 --> 00:40:59.300 and the destruction 00:40:59.300 --> 00:41:00.980 of God's enemies. 00:41:03.340 --> 00:41:04.280 Well, in closing, 00:41:04.559 --> 00:41:05.500 I want to make sure 00:41:05.500 --> 00:41:07.099 that you don't hear 00:41:07.099 --> 00:41:08.039 what I'm not saying. 00:41:09.099 --> 00:41:10.260 I'm not saying 00:41:10.260 --> 00:41:11.559 that you can pray 00:41:11.559 --> 00:41:12.420 for the demise, 00:41:13.460 --> 00:41:14.800 well, you Air Force personnel, 00:41:14.940 --> 00:41:15.740 you can't pray 00:41:15.740 --> 00:41:16.579 for the demise 00:41:16.579 --> 00:41:17.880 of Army next season. 00:41:18.740 --> 00:41:19.440 That's not what 00:41:19.440 --> 00:41:20.119 we're talking about here. 00:41:20.119 --> 00:41:22.980 You can't pray 00:41:22.980 --> 00:41:23.839 for the demise 00:41:23.839 --> 00:41:24.679 of the celebrity 00:41:24.679 --> 00:41:26.319 that garners more recognition 00:41:26.319 --> 00:41:27.579 than your favorite celeb. 00:41:27.900 --> 00:41:28.039 Okay? 00:41:29.199 --> 00:41:30.519 What I am saying 00:41:30.519 --> 00:41:32.679 is that as a fervent witness 00:41:32.679 --> 00:41:34.839 to God's sovereign deliverance, 00:41:35.719 --> 00:41:36.679 Christians are called 00:41:36.679 --> 00:41:39.219 to speak God's victory 00:41:39.219 --> 00:41:41.059 over sin and death 00:41:41.059 --> 00:41:42.779 more than we are 00:41:42.779 --> 00:41:43.960 to tout the triumph 00:41:43.960 --> 00:41:45.279 of a team, 00:41:45.859 --> 00:41:46.539 a celebrity, 00:41:47.199 --> 00:41:49.000 or even our stock portfolio. 00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:52.500 And why do we do this? 00:41:52.639 --> 00:41:53.440 We do this because 00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:54.400 the Holy Spirit 00:41:54.400 --> 00:41:55.800 has convicted us 00:41:55.800 --> 00:41:56.619 of our sin 00:41:56.619 --> 00:41:58.039 and convinced us 00:41:58.039 --> 00:41:58.920 that we need a Savior 00:41:58.920 --> 00:42:00.019 who is Christ the King. 00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:02.480 And because he's Christ the King, 00:42:02.559 --> 00:42:03.099 we know that 00:42:03.099 --> 00:42:04.900 Jesus has redeemed 00:42:04.900 --> 00:42:05.400 his people, 00:42:05.739 --> 00:42:06.860 that he will deliver 00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:07.460 his people, 00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:09.360 and that he will subjugate 00:42:09.360 --> 00:42:10.719 all of his enemies 00:42:10.719 --> 00:42:12.000 under his feet. 00:42:14.639 --> 00:42:16.260 And we, his people, 00:42:16.260 --> 00:42:18.460 are free to celebrate, 00:42:19.240 --> 00:42:20.240 participate in, 00:42:20.820 --> 00:42:21.820 and to savor 00:42:21.820 --> 00:42:24.740 God's sovereign deliverance 00:42:24.740 --> 00:42:26.380 at his hand. 00:42:28.280 --> 00:42:29.640 And in doing so, 00:42:30.300 --> 00:42:31.680 we are fervent witnesses 00:42:31.680 --> 00:42:35.160 to and participants 00:42:35.160 --> 00:42:37.400 in his coming kingdom. 00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:43.340 Well, let us pray 00:42:43.340 --> 00:42:44.639 before we stand 00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:46.820 and sing of God's deliverance 00:42:46.820 --> 00:42:48.400 and observe communion. 00:42:52.840 --> 00:42:53.960 Gracious Heavenly Father, 00:42:54.059 --> 00:42:55.200 what a challenging passage. 00:42:56.340 --> 00:42:57.760 God, that you have called us 00:42:57.760 --> 00:42:59.559 to celebrate 00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:01.860 even the demise 00:43:01.860 --> 00:43:02.860 of your enemies. 00:43:02.860 --> 00:43:04.700 you've called us 00:43:04.700 --> 00:43:05.620 to celebrate 00:43:05.620 --> 00:43:07.880 your sovereign deliverance. 00:43:08.440 --> 00:43:09.360 You've called us 00:43:09.360 --> 00:43:10.099 to participate 00:43:10.099 --> 00:43:11.800 in the way in which 00:43:11.800 --> 00:43:12.360 you are bringing 00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:13.480 that deliverance around. 00:43:14.599 --> 00:43:15.120 And God, 00:43:15.240 --> 00:43:17.079 you have charged us 00:43:17.079 --> 00:43:18.200 to savor, 00:43:19.200 --> 00:43:21.120 to savor 00:43:21.120 --> 00:43:23.220 your great deliverance 00:43:23.220 --> 00:43:23.840 of us 00:43:23.840 --> 00:43:26.500 and of all of those 00:43:26.500 --> 00:43:27.780 who know, 00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:28.500 love, 00:43:28.559 --> 00:43:29.160 and serve you. 00:43:30.059 --> 00:43:30.340 God, 00:43:30.400 --> 00:43:31.240 may we do this 00:43:31.239 --> 00:43:33.119 to your great glory 00:43:33.119 --> 00:43:34.479 and honor. 00:43:34.979 --> 00:43:35.239 Amen.