Jael Did God's Will

By Mary Vee
Judges 4

Jael's Thoughts

This is part two of my story, click here to read part one.

My husband, Heber, had not returned from his business, yet. When I walked out back to stir our dinner, which busily bubbled over the fire, a servant came to me to report we had a visitor.  I looked at the pot and felt good about making a little extra food this time.

I had been a traveler before and had received a meal and a place to sleep from kind strangers. Perhaps I could help someone in need.  I wiped my hands and hurried to greet the visitor. To my surprise, Sisera, commander of the Canaanite army stood before me. 

His eyes flashed like a scared hunted animal. I invited him into our tent for shade as was the custom. He cowered and whipped his head to the right and left as if looking for someone before entering the tent. Once inside our home he sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead. 

My husband had made a peace agreement with Jabin, the king of Canaan. Jabin captured the Israelites, tortured them and made them slaves.  He and his commander, Sisera, bragged to my husband about what they had done.  Heber didn't seem to mind. He made a peace agreement with king Jabin to spied on the Israelite's which allowed us to live on Jabin's land peaceably.

I didn't like the news king Jabin and Sisera told about the Israelite slaves. The Israelite's became family to us when their leader, Moses, married a daughter from our family. 


Seeing Sisera afraid made me realize the power of Israelite God.

Sisera stumbled to one of our mats, laid down, and asked for something to drink. I brought him a drink and covered him with a blanket. 

Sisera snored into a deep sleep. 


While he rested, I cleaned my home. As I swept, I noticed an extra tent peg laying on the ground. I picked it up and had a idea come to me. I could help the Israelites!

I chose a hammer out of the pile of tools and tip toed back to the mat where Sisera slept. Slowly I knelt, placed the tent peg over his head, raised the hammer and hit the peg with all my strength.  


Just like that, Sisera stopped snoring.

A moment later a servant called from outside the tent. "Another visitor. Barak, commander of the Israelite army is here."

I ran out to meet him and said, "Come. I will show you the man you're looking for." 

He raised his sword to protect himself and followed me into the tent.  Barak's eyes fell to the floor where Sisera lay. He gasped. "Just as Deborah the judge prophesied. Sisera has fallen to the hand of a woman." 

Commander Barak called his men in to take Sisera away. He accepted a cup of water before leaving.

.

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1. Why did Sisera visit Jael and her husband?
2. Why didn't Jael like Sisera?
3. Jael's husband made a ____________ agreement with Jabin, king of Canaan.
4. What did the king of Jabin do to the Israelites?
5. Why did this bother Jael?
6. What did Jael do?


If you missed part one of the story, be sure to go back and read it to find clues to today's answers.  for part one, click here

Barak's Reward

By Mary Vee
Judges 4

Commander Barak's Thoughts

Twenty long years of slavery

I'd waited twenty years for freedom.  The Lord chose me to command the Israelite army against our captors.

Jabin, that cruel king of Canaan, would lose once and for all. We'd have our freedom back.  How did I know? The Lord gave us permission to attack Jabin's commander, Sisera, and his army with nine hundred iron chariots. Hah! With the Lord in charge, Sisera didn't stand a chance.  


I led ten thousand men down the mountain path to the valley where Sisera's army sat like purring lions calling to us to come to dinner. To bad they didn't know they'd change into scaredy cats. Hah, hah! We had the Lord on our side.

Although I knew God would help us conquer the army, I wondered if I'd give the right commands. I'd always known what to do in battles before, but this time--well, I had doubts.  Would I send the men to the left when they should go right. What if a small band of Sisera's men looped behind us to set up a trap? I needed to be sure.


God chose judges to help us. He gave them our instructions. He chose Deborah to judge the Israelites the whole time nasty king Jabin held us captive.  Each day she sat under a tree and listened to people's problems then gave a judgment. 


The day she said, "God wants you to lead a battle against Sisera," I agreed to command, only if she went;I wanted to ask her God's plan during the battle. She grew angry, "Then you'll have no glory in this battle. Sisera will die at the hands of a woman."


I should have trusted God. 


I commanded my men to attack. They raised their weapons and pressed forward. Before my eyes Sisera's great army fell like raindrops tumbling from large buckets. My men didn't have to work at all. Sisera's iron chariots proved worthless. His best fighters held their swords like little boys. 

How? Why? Only the Lord could have won this battle for us.


I should have trusted God.


We pushed toward the back ranks of their army. To my right I noticed Sisera in his finest military dress leap off his invincible iron chariot and run.  His officer called out, "Retreat!" Their army ran away.


Hah! Scaredy cats. No way would I let them escape. God said He'd help us conquer Sisera's army, and conquer we would. We chased them a long way, tracking every soldier into woods, valleys, behind rocks, and ridges. Not one escaped--

--Except Sisera.


I looked everywhere.


I sent everyone of my men out to find him. 


How did he escape?


I went to Deborah and asked. "Where is Sisera?"

She took a deep breath and shook her head, "I told you. Since you insisted I come along instead of leading the battle as God said, a woman would receive the glory."


I wiped sweat from my forehead and sighed. 


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Come back next time to read what happened to Sisera.

1.  Where is Sisera?
2.  Is he dead?
3.  Why didn't God let Commander Barak capture Sisera?
4.  Barak insisted _________ had to come to the battle before he agreed to command.
5.  Why did he choose her?
6. What did you learn from this story?