Whatever Happened to Sisera?
Judges 4:1-7
The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. 2So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. 3Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly for twenty years.
4 At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. 5She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgement. 6She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, “Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. 7I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.”
Our first reading for next Sunday comes from the Book of Judges, a fascinating volume that most folks probably have not read, except perhaps snippets if that. Judges is loaded with great stories about Bible heroes. Some of them are suited for children’s Sunday School, some not. The story in Judges chapter 4 is not; in fact, is perhaps better left unread, if not untold. Not unlikely, that’s why the Lectionary has us read only the first little bit of it. Do not open your Bible and read the rest of the story, it’s gruesome.
Judges portrays an evolving, repetitive cycle. The people of Israel do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. The Lord delivers them into the hands of their enemies. There is terrible suffering for a long time. The people cry out to the Lord. The Lord raises up a judge (ruler) to lead them victorious over their oppressor. There is peace throughout Israel for many years. The judge dies. The people do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. ... That’s the cycle, obvious perhaps to all but the thickest reader.
The Book of Judges picks up with the death of Joshua and moves the Israelites forward several generations toward the age of kings in Israel. Besides Deborah, some of the famous judges and folks in the book are Gideon, Samson and Delilah; and several of the great women of the Bible live here.
Anyone who is not reading Judges chapter 4, while they’re at it should not read Judges chapter 3 either: it’s even more repulsive than chapter 4. In fact, all the Book of Judges, some horrifying but all of it good news for Israel in the end, can be read in an hour or less.
Today: Tuesday morning Bible study. Into what’s called the “Pauline corpus,” we plan to finish Colossians and go on to Philemon. My office, through the open garage door at 1011 W. 3rd Street. Gather between 9:45 and 10 AM for coffee, biscotti and visit; start class at 10:05 on the money.
TW+