The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30

The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30 ! Very rarely do we hear someone say that a person is God-fearing. It used to be a term regularly used to compliment a persons character and their relationship with the Lord. Much is said of the fear of the Lord in Proverbs. The God-Fearing Woman has a reverential awe of God that causes her to live a life according to His will. She is a Christian with an outward glow of the Holy Spirit upon her. ! We are going to study the life of Deborah and how she was a God-fearing woman who helped restore a nation. We see that her vision of the world was shaped not by the political situation of her day, but by her relationship with God. Though women in the ancient world did not usually become political leaders, Deborah, was just the leader Israel needed - a prophetess who heard God and believed Him. Her courage and determination aroused the people, enabling them to throw off foreign oppression. She had boldness given to her by God to help her people. Other traits attributed to Deborah are: humility, initiative, tactfulness, adventurous, gratefulness, unselshness, and cooperative. ! Some of her roles included being a wife, homemaker, prophetess, judge, patriot, motivator, poetess, songwriter, counselor, deliverer, and ruler. Her named means Honey Bee. ! During her time we see that her people had sunk into despair because of their idolatry, forgetting Gods promises and the faith of their ancestors. Read Judges chapters 4 and 5. From these chapters we see that God turned the enemys strength on its head, bestowing power to the weak and blessing the land with peace for forty years. Look up and dene these words: Favour Deceitful Beauty Vain Fear Praised -

The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30 I. Deborahs Story ! God reveals our heroine during a very bleak and troubled time of Israels history. Joshua had died, and the people were involved in idol worship. Due to the Israelites idolatry and total disobedience, Gods anger was kindled against them. He would deliver them into the hands of an enemy nation for a period of time then raise up a judge to help them. Judge Ehud had slain the Moabites, and Israel had been at rest for eighty years. ! However, once again, Israel did not learn its lesson and returned to its wicked and stubborn ways. (Sounds like the people today.) God withdraws His loving protection and delivered the Israelites in to the hands of Jabin of Canaan whose mighty general was Sisera. The Israelites were mightily oppressed by the very people whom they had once conquered! This oppression had been ongoing for twenty year! ! It is in this troubled environment that we meet our next judge and special woman of the Bible, Deborah. Deborah is every womans hero in leadership; she has great qualities and was the only woman to serve in government. God is so good to put a strong woman in a prominent place in Biblical history. It is one of the few times, if not the only time that I see a woman having power over men and their decisions. ! Deborah appears to have been a homemaker at the time she is selected for service to her country. Having no aristocratic lineage, she is identied simply as the wife of Lapidoth (Judges 4:4) Yet, Deborah was the only woman in scripture, elevated to high political power by the common consent of her peers. Though her homemaking responsibilities well may have taken a backseat during her service to her country, she described herself as a mother in Israel (Judges 5:7) before she became a judge. Whether this is a reference to her own offspring or an expression of her spiritual motherhood toward every son and daughter of Israel is immaterial. ! The story of Deborah focuses on a critical battle that took place on the atlands near the Kishon River. Military strategists who have studied the geography and the reference in Judges 5:4 to the clouds pouring water have explained how God enabled the relatively small Israelite force to defeat such a powerful enemy. To reach the battleeld, the Canaanites would have had to dismantle their chariots and reassemble them on the at plain. The heavy rains not only made reassembly difcult, but also thoroughly soaked the ground that the heavy chariots bogged down in the mud. ! The Canaanites were defeated, and their commander, Sisera, was killed when he took refuge in a tent of a Kenite woman, Jael. The defeat was so decisive that within a few years, the area of Hazor itself was destroyed and the Northern Israelite tribes enjoyed forty years of relative peace. ! Deborah was a woman who feared God. She was a woman whose condence was rooted in a close personal relationship with God and in her

The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30 awareness that God had chosen to use her to guide His people. It is certainly true that Deborahs role was not typical for a woman in a strongly patriarchal society. Yet, Deborah clearly did not draw back, concerned about what others might think. Deborah had heard God speaking to her, and she was willing to put herself forward only because she knew that God had also chosen to speak through her. ! At the same time, Deborah was sensitive to the limitations of her sex. Deborah would settle disputes, as any other judge would, but she would not lead the army. The military role was one God chose to give to Barak, the military Commander, and Deborah clearly concurred. In fact, Deborah was not even comfortable with the role Barak insisted she fulll. Not comfortable is putting it mildly - why would a commander say, Unless you go with me, I wont go? That sounds like a lack of courage and as if he is in a role hes not capable of fullling! Yet, we see in Hebrews 11:32 that Barak is hailed in the Hall of Faith right along with Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel and many others. ! Deborah preferred it if Barak had simply trusted God and gone off to battle without her. However, he seemed to need her presence as well as her support to face the challenge. And surprisingly, she willingly agreed to go! Think about this picture for a minute - this man heads the military - hes the General leading 10,000 soldiers! Yet - he needs this woman. Dont you just love it when God gives us a jewel in the middle of the desert?! Deborah neither needed nor wanted any credit for the victory. But also notice, she didnt berate him and call him weak; she didnt replace his command with someone else more courageous - she simply went with him. Has your husband every said to you, Come with me, and you looked at him, like, You can do this on your own . . . but you set aside all your plans and go with him in whatever the task. You are a wise woman! ! What an unusual combination of traits Deborah displayed! She was selfcondent and assertive, yet modest and self-effacing. She was bold enough to step out of the shadows in which most women of her time lived, yet she was unassuming enough to avoid the spotlight in a military campaign whose results would dene her own leadership. ! The life of Deborah reminds us that God does gift women for spiritual leadership. Even with the rule of women today, Gods choice of Barak as military commander may indicate that not every leadership role is appropriate for women. ! Her life shows us her obedience. Are we obedient when asked to serve in a leadership position? We need to make sure that godly women have the opportunity to exercise the spiritual gifts given to them by the Spirit. ! Deborahs life also shows us how she must have balanced the many different roles in her life. Todays women have many different roles that we play also. For instance: rst of all I am a wife, I am a mother, I am a piano teacher, I am a photographer, I am a sister, a daughter, an aunt, I help in various church ministries, I play the piano, I am a pastors wife, and so on and so on, yet get the general idea. You could make your own list. We need to serve God competently in each of the roles He has given to us. It is not always easy to balance our roles in life.

The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30 ! One of the main things I admire Deborah for was her obedience to God, born out of a healthy fear of God. Even though He had given her much power, she did not let it, Go to her head. She did not try to make up her own rules or want things done her way. She listened to the voice of God and did things His way. Let us be sure that we seek Gods guidance and serve Him in each of our callings. ! A.The God -fearing Woman hates evil. Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Read Judges 4:1-3. Look at Deborah. Describe what you think conditions might have been like for a family in Israel at this time?

How do you think you would have reacted to such conditions? Like most of the Israelites? Like Deborah?

B.The God-fearing Woman walks uprightly. Proverbs 14:2 says that He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. Read Judges 4:4-8 What was Barak afraid of? Why would having Deborah along alleviate those fears?

Which of Deborahs characteristics would you most like to have?

What would you do if you had that characteristic?

What can you do to develop that characteristic?

The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30 II.The Signs of a God-Fearing Woman A.The God-fearing Woman has knowledge Proverbs 1:7 tells us that The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Read Judges 4:9-10. Deborah has fear of the Lord that gives her the knowledge to make right choices. How do you think the Israelite men felt about the honor for this victory going to two women, Deborah and Jael?

When a woman succeeds today, what are the reactions of the men around her?

B.The God-fearing Woman has consistency. Proverbs 24:21-22 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? In Judges 5, Deborah sings a song. What does she call herself in verse 7? What does this tell you about Deborah?

What lesson for your own life can you gain from this verse?

III.The Salute to a God-Fearing Woman A. The God-fearing Woman has strong condence. Proverbs 14:26 tells us that In the fear of the Lord is strong condence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. Psalm 20:7 says that there are Some (that) trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30 Deborah had condence in what or Who? How did this help her?

B. The God-fearing Woman has satisfaction. Proverbs 19:23 tells us that The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satised; he shall not be visited with evil. As you read Judges 5 you see that Deborah was satised with her life because she feared the Lord and obeyed him. Have you had this same experience in your life, where you feared the Lord, obeyed Him and had a distinct victory because of it? Thank God for it. Write out His goodness in your life and praise Him for His working in this specic area.

C. The God-fearing Woman has praise. Proverbs 31:30 warns us that Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. We see Jael killed Sisera, the captain and in Judges 5:24-30 she receives praise for it. Two different women in history at the same time doing courageous acts for the Lord. Do you think Deborahs acts before this inspired Jael to accomplish what she did? Have you had anyone who has inspired you to become the woman you are today? Who? How did that person inspire you?

What did you do because of that inspiration?

D. The God-fearing Woman has rewards. Proverbs 13:13 warns us that Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. In Judges 4:4-6 we see that Deborah loved the word of God enough to tell others about it. How was Deborah rewarded for her love of Gods word?

The God Fearing Woman

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30 E. The God-fearing Woman has health. Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. Deborah followed God because she knew how powerful He was. What are some things God delivered Deborah and the entire Israelite nation from?

Reect on Judges 4. Praise God that he speaks to his people clearly today as he did in Deborahs day. Offer thanks that God gives people to the church, women as well as men. Confess anything that makes you reluctant to listen for Gods voice. Ask God to help you discern his voice: Be still and know that I am God . . . Additional Thoughts: ! In the list of Judges of Israel you see that Deborah is tucked into the 4th position with all those men - 12 in all - isnt it wonderful that God placed her in the top one-quarter of all the Judges?! Not the top; not the bottom, but a comfortable 4th position in a long line of prestigious men. ! Judges 4:5 says she held court under a Palm Tree called the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim and the Israelites came to her to settle their disputes. ! Notice that she did not hold court in the city or in a prominent seat or building, yet her position was equal in prestige to that of a King. She didnt aunt her position in the gates with the men. What have you learned from the life and ministry of Deborah?

What commitments are you going to make because of this knowledge?

When are you going to start?