Judges 3 & 4: Deborah, A Prophetess
Verse of the Day: (4:4) And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 

1. Deliverer (3:1-11)
And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. (3:9)

God sends crises and challenges to prove and test our faith and trust in Him. Time and again, Israel sinned against God, such as committing immorality, corruption and marrying the unbelievers and worshipping their false gods and idols, and thus straying from Him. However, when Israel repented their sins, immorality and corruption and called upon God, He would send deliverers and judges to deliver them out of their sins and enemies. Othniel was the first deliverer of Israel that God sent to lead them to overcome their enemy, Chushan-rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia. As a result, Israel and the land had rest for 40 years. Indeed, let us repent of our sins and call upon God, and He shall deliver us, and grant us rest for our souls now and forever. (Matthew 11:28-30) 
    
2. Dagger (3:12-31)
But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. (3:16)

Though men may think we are great and talented, yet without God who is our Creator and Saviour, we are nothing. Indeed, God’s deliverers were ordinary people, and even their instruments were ordinary ones, such as daggers and goads, and it was God who was behind all their victories and successes over their enemies. Ehud, the next deliverer, used a dagger to destroy Eglon, the king of Moab, and delivered them out of the Moabites. Let us put on God’s armour of His salvation, righteousness, truth, peace, faith and Word, and above all, prayers, to defeat the Devil and all his evil temptations. (Ephesians 6:10-19)  

3. Deborah (4:1-24)
And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh. (4:9)

Though the husband is the head of his wife, and man is the leader of the home, yet God, our Creator, treats both men and women with love and grace. In the beginning, God took one of the ribs of the first man, Adam, and not his skull or toe bone, to make the first woman, so that she was equal with him, and a help meet for him, and not his master or his slave. Indeed, God used a woman deliverer, Deborah, a prophetess, to mobilise Barak, the general of the army of Israel to overcome Sisera, the captain of army of Canaan. God then honoured Deborah for her role in taking down Israel’s enemies. (Genesis 2:20-25)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You save and sanctify us regardless of our sex or race.