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Biblical Profiles
DEBORAH AND JAEL: WOMEN WHO EMBRACED THEIR STRENGTHS
by Julie Jenkins CO-CEO, WOMEN WORLD LEADERS
When we operate in God’s power, nothing can derail us.
If you are reading this magazine, God is calling you to be a leader for Christ—to boldly embrace the strengths He has given you without bowing to society’s norms or other people’s prejudice.
One of my strengths is that I power through situations, sometimes against all odds. But it isn’t always pretty. I have often thought of myself as a “bulldozer” and have had to work to understand this character trait and, at times, learn to temper it. Since I was a child, I’ve been fiercely independent, not afraid to do or say what I thought was right. As a Christian who is always growing, however, I’ve learned to go to God to make sure my direction, stance, and strength are in alignment with what He has called me to do and be. After all, if I’m going to “bulldoze,” I want to make sure I’m on target—and I’m certainly not wise enough without God’s input to determine that!
Many women in the Bible provide excellent examples of embracing their God-given strengths. When we read their stories, we can be encouraged and empowered to accomplish all God asks of us. Deborah and Jael are two of those extraordinary women.
Deborah was a prophet and judge—a gifted leader. If you think the cards are stacked against you, imagine being called to be a leader in Old Testament times when being a woman leader was nearly unheard of. And yet, when we read about Deborah, we are amazed at the respect and honor she had gained for herself. The Israelites went up to her to have their disputes settled (Judges 4:5 NIV).
Embracing the strengths and wisdom God gave her, Deborah didn’t turn away from her calling to tell others what God commanded them to do. The time was fraught with wars and battles, and in chapter four of Judges, we read that God gave Deborah a message to order Barak, a Jewish general, to lead ten thousand men against a formidable army led by Sisera, saying to Barak that if he did, God would give the enemy forces over to the hands of His people.
Deborah was so revered, or Barak was so reluctant, that he responded to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go” (Judges 4:8 NIV).
Deborah agreed to accompany Barak, but she continued to follow God’s lead, supporting him but later commanding him, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” (Judges 4:14 NIV).
Do you see what she did there? Not only was Deborah, through the wisdom God imparted, helping Israel win a battle against their earthly enemy, but by boldly proclaiming that the Lord was in complete control, she was leading Barak and his soldiers, which we later find had grown to 40,000 in number (Judges 5:8), to put their full trust in the Lord! What a lesson! Maybe God has called you to lead—or even bulldoze—so you can highlight to others that the Lord’s direction and wisdom can always be trusted. Deborah was not concerned about what Barak or anyone else thought of her; she just wanted to be sure God got the glory.
Well, when Barak and his soldiers went up against Sisera’s army, with God’s help, Sisera’s army fell. God had sent a torrential rainstorm that caused the enemy’s chariots to be trapped in the mud. And Sisera, their nolonger-fearless leader, ran. He ran all the way to the tent of Jael, the wife of a Jewish man who was on his side.
Jael invited Sisera into her tent, gave him some milk, and covered him so he could rest. When Sisera fell asleep, Jael picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died (Judges 4:21 NIV).
The Bible doesn’t succinctly tell us that Jael was following the Lord’s command, but I can’t imagine her strength came from anywhere other than the Lord. Furthermore, Sisera had been terrorizing the Jewish people for years, and it is clear from God’s directions to take down Sisera, as spoken by Deborah, that it was God’s plan to deliver the Jewish people from the hands of their oppressor. Deborah praised Jael for her actions in her song of celebration: “Most blessed of women be Jael” (Judges 5:24 NIV).
We can learn several things from these two women who led courageously to free the Israelites from oppression:
God calls women (yes, women!) to lead, speak, and act for Him. God called Deborah and positioned Jael to release the Israelites from bondage. And God is calling you to work for Him, too.
When we operate in God’s power, nothing can derail us. Deborah and Jael stood firm for God and His people. They trusted Him, as we should— because nothing is more potent than God’s power.
Operating by God’s power enables us to shine a light for Him and give Him all the glory. When we become leaders for Christ, some of the honor and praise may fall on us. Or it may not. Whichever happens, I pray we always remember to put the glory where it belongs—on God alone.
As you strive to lead for Christ, listen to Him! Ask Him to tune the frequency of your heart to His. And whether He calls you to “bulldoze” or “be still,” trust His Word, embrace the gifts He has given you, and strive to keep the focus—yours and those you lead—on Him alone.
DEBORAH AND JAEL STOOD FIRM FOR GOD AND HIS PEOPLE.
THEY TRUSTED HIM, AS WE SHOULD—BECAUSE NOTHING IS MORE POTENT THAN GOD’S POWER.
