by Pastor Afolabi Oladele

Continuing our journey through Hebrews 11:32a. How would such a man be reckoned for inclusion in the roll of honour? For context let’s return to Judges 4:4-8.

And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 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? 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. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. Judges 4:4-8

This general, whose name means lightening balked at the direction of God through His mouthpiece, Deborah! Was it just the arrogance of a chauvinist general taking instructions from a woman? Or perhaps the memories of defeats in prior encounters with Jabin or fear of suffering the fates of other generals who had fallen to the superior firepower of this enemy? Did his military training consider pitching 10,000 foot soldiers against 900 chariots, plus a host on the other side, suicide? Finally did what Deborah say to him sound so improbable that she had to lead the charge herself? These are logical questions that a trained soldier would weigh!

But the battle was not to be engineered or started in the physical! Judges 5:20 revealed that the battle construct was initiated and executed in the heavenlies and only just finished on the earthly plain in the hands of a few men! Oh, what a mighty God we serve. Barak had to come to terms that he must learn to call the things that be not, as though they were. He saw the invisible and threw in his lot and that’s the way of faith. They may have the AK-47 and shoulder held grenade launchers in the hands of a host hiding in forests; He that sits on high will laugh them to derision, if only we will turn from our sins, the self-serving greed that has hardened our hearts against justice and equity, trampling upon the poor and the needy, He will destroy them all. It is time to seek the Lord, let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts. The Lord is waiting to show Himself strong on the part of all who fear His name. Selah.

Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash