ripple effect: vacaville

Read Judges 4:4-24.

[Stuff we're skipping:

* To end the book of Joshua, the Israelites bury the bones of Joseph, and Eleazar (Aaron's son) dies.

Then we get into the book of Judges...at the end of Joshua, everyone's ready to stand up for God; unfortunately, that doesn't last without Joshua's leadership. The book of Judges is about the leaders who God used to rescue Israel from their enemies (even though their sin is what put them in the position to need to be rescued).

* The tribe of Judah took on the inhabitants of Jerusalem and won, driving out the bad guys (and cutting off all the toes and fingers of the king?).

* Caleb offered his daughter, Acsah, to the man who would defeat another town. A guy named Othniel did, so he got to marry her.

* The tribe of Judah didn't clear out the hill country because the men there had iron chariots.

* The tribe of Benjamin didn't clear out the bad guys but instead decided to live with them.

* The descendents of Joseph didn't kill one guy and his family because he helped them destroy a city.

* The tribe of Manasseh wouldn't beat their enemies, so they let them stay as slaves.

* The tribe of Ephraim didn't beat their enemies, so they let them live there.

* The tribe of Zubulun made slaves out of their enemies.

* The tribe of Asher did such a bad job of driving the people out, that the Canaanites dominated the land of Asher...same for the tribe of Naphtali.

* The tribe of Dan couldn't even "move in"--they had to live in the hill country because of their enemies.

* An angel from the Lord told the Israelites that they had disobeyed God by not clearing out the land of their enemies and their false gods. So...God said they would have to suffer the consequences.

* A new generation came up that didn't care about following God...they went with the locals and followed Baal and Ashterah. From that point on God fought AGAINST the Israelites in battle.

* Because God still had compassion on His people, when they cried out, He gave them a "judge" to lead them against their enemies. But the cycle of disobedience continued despite the efforts of the judges.

* First Judge: Othniel. He defeated Cushan-rishathaim, an evil king who had tormented Israel for eight years. After his victory, Israel had peace for 40 years. But then he died...

* Second Judge: Ehud. Israel got stupid again and was defeated by Eglon, the fat king of the Moabites, for 18 years. Ehud went to "deliver taxes" to Eglon and gave him a secret message, a dagger to his fat belly!!! Ehud then rallied the troops and brought peace for 80 years.

* Third Judge: Shamgar. He killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad. Wow.]

Why should the guys have all the fun…

1. OK, so the Israelites got dumb again and were under Jabin and General Sisera for 20 years. Why must the Israelites continuously disobey God?
2. So, Deborah is a judge; and she tells Barak to go to war with Sisera. He says only if she goes with him. Why?
3. Guy’s, there is no honor in letting a woman do the work that God calls YOU to do. In the midst of this story about the power of women, there is also a charge for manliness.
4. God controls the battle. He throws them into confusion. Why was God involved in this one and not the others?
5. I love Jael. That’s all I want to say. She gave him milk and stabbed him in the head with a TENG PEG!?! Yesss… And Deborah’s prophesy came true. She killed Sisera, not Barak.

What do you think about:

Deborah?
Barak?
Sisera?
Jael?