God’s Call to an EXTRAORDINARY Leadership
March 13 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 4-6
God’s Call to an EXTRAORDINARY Leadership
"Now Deborah, a prophetess, the
wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the
palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And
the children of Israel came up to her for judgment" (Judges
4:4-5).
As there
were men-prophets mentioned in the Bible, there were also women-prophetesses
like Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Huldah (2Kings 22:14), and the four daughters of
Philip the Evangelist (Acts 21:9). Deborah was a prophetess who was instructed
in divine knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. She judged Israel
as God's mouth to them; correcting abuses, and redressing grievances. She was a
woman of eminent holiness, and knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, by which she
was singularly qualified for judging the people according to the laws of God.
Further, she was a woman of extraordinary wisdom, instructed in divine knowledge
by the Spirit and accustomed to interpret His will. She had extensive
influence, and was held in respect as she discharged all the special duties of
a judge.
By God's
direction, she ordered Barak to raise an army and engage Sisera's forces. When Barak
insisted much upon her presence, Deborah went with him to the battlefield. This
is extraordinary as she is one of the first women leaders who lead an army to
fight against the enemy. She was a wife (Judges
4:4a) and “a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7). But she arose to God’s call to an extraordinary leadership
& won a great battle against the enemy forces.
Like Deborah, we also need to arise to God’s call to leadership as sometimes God chooses the person with the strongest character to lead His people to victory at crucial times. The key elements of such leadership are faith, trust and worship. We also need to understand that with the call, God will also expand our abilities and resources to accomplish His will successfully.
