Bible Study on Deborah is a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about this book of the Bible. The study is designed to be a guide to give you interesting information about Deborah bible study questions, as well as questions to help you think about difficult passages.
The Bible depicts Deborah as a prophetess who ruled ruling over Israel with wisdom and acumen. She was just a woman, which for some might seem odd. Her story is beautiful, profound, and inspiring. As such, we thought it would be wonderful to study the book of Judges within the context of her own biography.
Deborah was a warrior who worshiped God. She found encouragement and strength in worship to be obedient to everything the Lord was asking her to do. If Deborah had played small in her life, she would not have had all the experiences that led to her being used by the Lord to deliver Israel from bondage. In the course of this discourse, you’ll see characteristics of Deborah in the Bible.
Bible Study On Deborah Pdf
Deborah was a prophetess and leader of Israel, who led the nation in battle against the Canaanites. She is one of only two women mentioned in the Bible’s list of judges (Judges 4:4). Her story is told in Judges 4-5.
She was a wife, mother and grandmother, who lived in Israel during the period when the Israelites were ruled by foreign kings. She had four sons and may have been married to Lappidoth, who also served as judge under Deborah (Judges 5:14).
When God called her to lead Israel as judge, she answered His call with confidence and courage. She and Barak defeated Sisera’s army because they trusted God for victory rather than depending on their own strength or military prowess alone. Deborah is remembered as a great example of faithfulness to God in difficult circumstances and therefore an encouragement for us today!
Summary Of The Story Of Deborah
The story of Deborah, the prophetess and judge of Israel, is one of the more dramatic in the book of Judges. She is a strong leader, but she does not possess any power outside of her own faith in God. She is a woman who refuses to be pushed around by men—or even other women—and she is willing to stand up for what she believes in even if it costs her everything.
The story of Deborah is one that’s full of hope and inspiration. It tells us that even though we may be small in stature, we can still make a big difference in this world.
Deborah was born into a world where women were not allowed to lead men. But she decided that was not going to stop her from doing what was right for Israel. She convinced Barak to rise up against Jabin, the Canaanite king who had been oppressing Israel for years.
When Deborah took charge, it made all the difference in the world to her people. Even though they were outnumbered by their enemies and they had little or no weapons, Deborah’s faith helped them defeat the Canaanites once and for all!
Deborah was a woman in the Bible who led the Israelites to victory against their enemies. She was the Prophetess and Judge of Israel, one of only four women to hold that title.
She was born into a family of Levites, a tribe whose members served as priests and singers. Her father’s name was Lapidoth, while her mother’s was Ruchama (1).
Deborah’s cousin, Barak, asked her to come help him lead an army against Sisera, who had taken up residence in Harosheth-Goiim (2). The two set out with ten thousand men and defeated Sisera (3). After this victory, her name became known throughout the land of Israel. People would often call for Deborah’s wisdom when they were having trouble making decisions or solving problems (4).
Deborah is a judge, a prophetess, and a military leader. She was born in the town of Lapidoth (Judges 4:4). She had a mother called Jael, who was also a prophetess (Judges 4:4). Deborah lived during the time when there were no kings in Israel; instead, there were leaders called “judges.” These judges were responsible for governing over Israel and keeping law and order (Judges 2:16-19).
Deborah was married to Lappidoth (Judges 4:4). He was also a prophet. Together they had two sons named Hoshea and Abdon (Judges 5:14).
When Israel sinned, God became angry with them and allowed their enemies to take over their land (Judges 2:11-13). This resulted in great suffering for the Israelites; they cried out to God for help (Judges 2:15-16). God heard their cries and appointed Deborah as judge over Israel’s people so that she could lead them back into Canaan and defeat their enemies (Judges 3:9-10).
Sermon On Deborah
The unique appearance of the judge-prophetess Deborah is one of the passage’s most notable aspects.
The evangelical community is divided over Deborah. As a politically influential woman in the middle of a book dominated by the actions of men, her place and status in history are under intense scrutiny.
At play on the exegetical field here are two (broad) hermeneutic camps. There is a school of thought (typically complementarian or a variant) that argues that Deborah’s participation here is so obviously at odds with God’s prescribed roles for men and women that the only possible explanation is that there were no suitable men available. The other camp, which can be categorized as egalitarian/feminist or a subset thereof, argues that the presence of Deborah here disproves, beyond a reasonable doubt, the notion that God assigns different roles to men and women.
Both of these readings, in my opinion, are missing a crucial component of sound interpretation: the text nowhere asserts such ideas.
In my sermon, I argued that the gender of Deborah is irrelevant to understanding the text. What is in view is Jael’s assassination of Sisera; as is His wont, God employs this unlikeable character and her unlikeable means to rescue His chosen people. Neither complementarianism nor egalitarianism are intended to be primary talking points regarding Deborah’s gender.
Still, we cannot read this passage without considering how it may affect our view of God’s design for the sexes. So, I’d like to debunk some misconceptions about Deborah’s part in the story and provide a more biblically grounded explanation for how and why Deborah ended up in this position.
The first is that God is able to use anyone He wants, regardless of their sexual orientation.
As I mentioned before, a common explanation for Deborah’s judgeship is that there weren’t any capable men in Israel at the time. For one, this interpretation of the text overlooks the fact that God does not appear to care all that much about the primary qualifications of the people he chooses for judgeship. Samson reportedly wooed prostitutes. Gideon lacked loyalty. For a sacrifice, Jephthah offered up his own daughter. Despite their flaws, God chose to work through these men.
Furthermore, I believe that this viewpoint undermines God’s absolute power. Deborah was not God’s backup plan in case He couldn’t find an adequate man to lead Israel to safety. In fact, being a woman was the whole point: by choosing her as His judge and spokesperson, God was demonstrating once more that He delights in employing what the world considers feeble in order to shame the powerful. When viewed through this lens, Deborah stands out as the most competent judge because she consistently obeyed Yahweh’s commands. Deborah is unwavering in her devotion to Yahweh and His will, in contrast to Gideon, Jephthah, and even Samuel.
It is clear from the Bible that women can and should hold positions of authority. Yes, and so should we.
While the Bible provides clear and compelling answers on leadership roles in the home and the church, it does not speak as clearly on the issue of women in leadership in the political or economic spheres, as demonstrated by Deborah. God has consistently used strong, intelligent, and feminine women throughout scripture and history to carry out His perfect will. Some of the first women that come to mind are Esther and Hulda, but other examples include Margaret Thatcher and Joan of Arc. God chose to use women in leadership roles because He found them to be an asset to society, so we must not presume to be more “complementarian” than He is.
To avoid discouraging, discouraging, or shaming the Deborahs among us, complementarians must be wary of holding to a complementarianism that is too broad. God has uniquely gifted some women to serve as public leaders, and these women should be supported in their efforts to use their talents for the glory of God. Any other course of action would imply that we humans are more knowledgeable than God.
Three, a female pastor or priest is never pictured in the Bible. Nor should we, really.
On the other end of the theological spectrum are the egalitarians, who frequently cite Deborah as evidence that women can and should hold all positions of leadership. Deborah is not a priest, despite the fact that she is a prophet and therefore a type of spiritual leader in Israel. Both the OT priesthood and the NT pastorate are unequivocally male-only roles. (This topic has been the source of a lot of paper. I think this article does a good job of analyzing the factors that lead to the disproportionate number of men holding pastoral positions. Doing otherwise is a direct defiance of God’s explicit Word.
4.There are God-ordained distinctions between sexes, and this is made abundantly clear throughout the Bible. Also, this needs to be made crystal clear.
Lastly, we should not let Deborah’s role as a powerful leader in this passage obscure the fact that God created men and women differently. It’s important to note that in the book, Deborah doesn’t actually pick up a sword and join the fight on Tabor. She may be in charge of the overall strategy on the battlefield (see v. 14), but she lets Barak do the heavy lifting. This, I believe, is reflective of one of the eternal truths underlying God’s creation of male and female: men are to lay down their lives protecting females, not vice versa.
Barak follows the maternal leadership of Deborah. In her leadership, she does not try to mimic a man. As the mother of Israel, her leadership is described as maternal in Judges 5:7, and she does not try to take on a man’s hardness or masculinity. She comes to terms with the fact that being a woman is an asset, not a liability, in her leadership role.
Conclusion
In times of intense theological debate, we may be tempted to try to prove our points by quoting the Bible in support of our position. However, the Word of God has no limits. Both complementarians and egalitarians are pushed to a deeper commitment to the centrality of God’s Word by Deborah’s presence and God-ordained activity in this text.
Characteristics Of Deborah In The Bible
Her triumphant anthem is widely recognized as one of the earliest surviving examples of Hebrew poetry. The word “magnificent” is often used to describe it.
Among Deborah’s many admirable traits are those I have highlighted below.
- She listened intently to the Lord’s voice and prayed constantly.
- She treated others with respect and consideration.
- She put on the robe of submissiveness.
- She could be talked to with little difficulty.
- The life of a leader, rather than a boss, she led by example.
- It was easy to see the kindness in her life and in her personality.
- Deborah was brave without being rude, and she finds that serenity is essential.
- In fact, Deborah worked under a tree if that gives you any idea of her level of ambition.
- Not in her own strength, but in God’s, she put her faith.
- Deborah was courageous, kind, and self-controlled, always keeping God’s word in her mind and heart.
In Genesis 1:27 and 2:18, God explains that he created man and woman so that men would have dominion and women would have influence. They’re all going to live together happily in this kingdom.
To her husband, Deborah was the model of submission. Deborah was a leader, but she was also a prophetess and a judge, as we learn in Judges 4:4-5. She was able to relate to Barak because she held dual positions while being married to a responsible man named Lapidoth. The combined efforts of Deborah and her husband ultimately led to a glorious victory.
Who are you speaking for now, in this era? Who is better, Deborah or Delilah? How do you feel about the success of others? Do you try to bring them down or help them up? To be a Deborah, rather than a Delilah, is a choice you can make, my sister. With the Holy Spirit’s help, you can surpass even the great Deborah of old because God has a great plan for your life.
