Would you volunteer to throw an ill-trained militia against a massed force of professional warriors?
Deborah, Mrs Bee, lived in the center of the country, near Bethel. Barak, Mr Lightning, resided in the refuge city of Kadesh Naphtali, far to the north. He could look down on the vast fortress of Hazor in the valley below. One day, Deborah “sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh” (Jdg 4:6). Hasn’t God been in touch with you? she inquired. No doubt the words stung. In fact, said Deborah, the Lord has been very specific, hasn’t He? “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?” (vv 6-7). There it is, Mr Lightning. I, says God, I will deploy Sisera’s army with too many to count, plus his 900 iron chariots. You, on the other hand, Barak, will deploy 10,000 farm hands, shepherds, and whatever you can muster out of two tribes, with your pitchforks and sticks—and Me. Then let’s have a showdown at the River Kishon. Surely you can understand Barak’s reluctance! But somehow he knew that a Bolt depending on the arm of flesh was no match for a Bee in the power of the Spirit, so he said to Deborah, “If you will go with me, then I will go” (v 8). She agreed, but explained, “there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (v 9). She was not speaking of herself, but of another woman, serving at home as well. Soon the troops from Naphtali and Zebulun had gathered on the heights of Mount Tabor. Now here’s a clue: Kishon is from the Hebrew qowsh, and means “to set a trap.”