I. Deborah was a prophetess and judge of Israel who directed Barak to gather an army and face Sisera's forces. Though Barak hesitated without Deborah, she accompanied him and foresaw Israel's victory. II. During battle, Sisera fled on foot and took shelter in Jael's tent, only to be killed by her when he fell asleep. III. The real heroes were the Israelites who cried out to God for 20 years under Sisera's oppression, and through their prayers, God delivered them victory.

1. The Hidden Hero of Hazor
Judg 4
1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when
Ehud was dead.
2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that
reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in
Harosheth of the Gentiles.
3 And the children of Israel criedunto the LORD: for he had nine hundred
chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightilyoppressed the children of
Israel.
4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at
that time.
5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and
Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for
judgment.
6 And she sent and calledBarak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-
naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded,
saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand
men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's
army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine
hand.
8 And Baraksaid unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou
wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstandingthe journeythat
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.
10 And Barak calledZebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with
ten thousandmen at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

2. 16 But Barakpursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth
of the Gentiles:and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword;
and there was not a man left.
24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailedagainst
Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
The Hidden Hero of Hazor
I. Barak the Baby
Judg 4
6 And she sent and calledBarakthe son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-
naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel
commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with
thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of
Zebulun?
Judg 3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to
teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothingthereof;
A. Apathy
Most problems are not for a lack of knowledge but a lack of will.
Gen 27:18-27 18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he
said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?
19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done
accordingas thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison,
that thy soul may bless me.
20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so
quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.
21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel
thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.
22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said,
The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

3. 23 And he discernedhim not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother
Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his
raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell
of a fieldwhich the LORD hath blessed:
Lack of action to justify what we already know
B. Ability
Judg 4
5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and
Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for
judgment.
6 And she sent and called Barakthe son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-
naphtali,…
8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou
wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
Our hero was not Barak the Baby
II. Deborah the Director
Judg 4
8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if
thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
9 And she said, I will surely go with thee…
Barak hinderedDeborah from her daily duties:
 Prophetess
 Wife
 Judge
Judg 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged
Israel at that time.

4. Judg 4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah
and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her
for judgment.
A. Faith
Her humility (thine hand)
Judg 4
14 And Deborahsaid unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD
hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before
thee? So Barakwent down from mount Tabor, and ten thousandmen after
him.
15 And the LORD discomfitedSisera, and all his chariots, and all his host,
with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his
chariot, and fled awayon his feet.
B. Foresight
(She sure didn’t trust in Barak’s ability to lead an army)
Judg 4:16 But Barak pursuedafter the chariots, and after the host, unto
Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of
the sword; and there was not a man left.
Judg 5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought
against Sisera.
Ps 83:9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at
the brook of Kison:
Our hero was not Barak the Baby, or
Deborah the Director
III. Sisera the Sissy
Judg 4

5. 18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord,
turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turnedin unto her into the tent,
she covered him with a mantle.
19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I
am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and
covered him.
20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be,
when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man
here? that thou shalt say, No.
21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in
her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples,
and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleepand weary. So he
died.
The mighty Oppressor Sisera became Sisera the Sissy
Judg 4:3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine
hundredchariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressedthe
children of Israel.
True power was not in Deborah the Director, Barak the Baby, or Sisera the
Sissy, but in the Almighty answeringprayer.
The real heroes of our story is the unnamed and barelyseen multitude
cryingto God for mercy.
Judg 4:3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine
hundredchariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressedthe
children of Israel.
You could be on the greatest prayer list of all, if you qualify:

6. John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which
thou hast given me; for they are thine.
1) Receive Gods word(s)
John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;
and they have received them…
2) Get Knowledge from Gods word
John 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;
and they have received them, and have known surelythat I came out from
thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
3) Believe Gods word (in spite of “facts” 7:5)
John 17:8 …they have believed that thou didst send me.
4) Stay out of the world
John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world…