A Mother's Touch

Based on Judges 4-6

"The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel."
Judges 5:7

Deborah was a prophetess and a judge in Israel, and she was a woman who was strong in The Lord. Israel was doing evil in the sight of The Lord after Ehud (the one who took initiative to kill the previous enemy on his own) was dead. So, God used Deborah at this crucial time! God did use women for very important things in the Bible. Sometimes, our God & Father required a mother's touch-and we know that mothers are not only gentle, but firm!

"And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh–naphtali, 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." Judges 4:6‭-‬7

Deborah was sure of herself and sure of her God, yet she also stayed under authority. She sent Barak to fight the battle ahead of her...and she knew the victory was already won! She just re-iterated the plan to Barak. She was an encourager, and she was not afraid of the enemy! Just like a mother, she was reassuring & bold in order to defend the children of Israel!

"And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him."
Judges 4:13‭-‬14

Even against 900 chariots, Deborah never doubted God! He goes before us in ALL our battles and challenges! Again, like a mother, she said, "Time to get up! You've got work to do!" And Barak went with ten thousand men after him to do The Lord's work & win the battle. Deborah was a gentle encourager, yet she was firm in the good fight of faith!

This led to another woman who God also used to defeat the enemy completely. Barak fought against the Canaanites, and this caused Sisera the captain of the host to flee. While the main battle was being won by Barak & the Israelites, Sisera thought he had escaped, but really, it was the end for him! A woman named Jael told him to hide in her tent. She cared for him as a mother-but she also was firm in defending her children, the children of Israel...so she was able to defeat Sisera, right there in her tent!

"Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died."
Judges 4:21

"Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a Lordly dish. She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples."
Judges 5:24‭-‬26

She gave Sisera milk & allowed him to sleep, yet she also took the workmen's hammer and did what needed to be done at that time! Thank God for our men who fight on The Lord's side! And thank God for our ladies and mothers who God uses in the process to victory as well! Some people think women are defined as weak in the Bible, but that's definitely not true! As we can see, it's the qualities God has given us as mothers which make us strong!

We then come to a man named Gideon. Gideon was called of God to lead the Israelites in battle to defeat the Midianites (after Deborah, the Israelites ended up doing evil in the sight of The Lord again, serving the gods of the Midianites). So, God had to raise up another fighter. Gideon was not as sure of himself as Deborah was of herself, but he ended up being exactly what God claimed him to be: a mighty man of valor!

"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites."
Judges 6:12‭-‬13

Gideon had a lot of questions for God, and even doubted that God was still for his people...before, God was with Deborah because of her confidence. She convinced Barak with the Word of God. Now, God is with Gideon because of his questions, doubts & fears. God was going to prove He is still God and create some confidence in Gideon!

"And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?" Judges 6:14

God used similar words to encourage Gideon, just as Deborah used for Barak. While we as mothers have our times of fear, we also know how to encourage our children in their times of weakness. Sometimes, we know we have to be strong for others when we don't feel so strong ourselves. We go anyway. We do anyway. And like Deborah, we must remember that we have God with us in all those trying times! And that's what God was working into Gideon!

"And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar." Judges 6:31

Before fighting any battles, Gideon had to take down the real evil: the altar to the idol and false god Baal which the Israelities began to serve. Gideon went by night, destroying the altar and building one to God. Joash, Gideon's father, realized that Gideon was in the right and knew Baal would not be able to defend himself.

Through more times of testing and proving, Gideon and his men were getting prepared for victory. Like Deborah, we must remember the battle is The Lord's, and it's already won! As mothers, God has given us a gentleness, a firmness, and a confidence to do what it takes for our children. As long as we set ourselves firmly under the authority of The Lord, there's nothing that can defeat us! Our Father knows how to use our motherly strengths for His glory. We can be Deborahs, and we can encourage others to be confident in God as well!