THE SEEDS OF CIVIL WAR
We now get Yisharal’s 4th cycle of the 7 Judges, and it involves a woman named Deborah. And don’t forget that underlying all these cycles of disobedience, punishment and deliverance, Yahusha was convincing Yisharal that they could not operate without a King and He went to great lengths to show Yisharal this during the era of the Shophetim. All humans inherently know that we need a leader, a strong leader. The problem is, man has his definition of a King, and Yahusha has His and the two are light years apart. Of course what Yahusha wanted was for Yisharal to have a King in the model of Joshua, who was a servant both to Yahusha and to the people. But as we’ll see at the end of Judges and as we move into Samuel, that even though they finally recognised their need for a King they wanted one that operated in the mode of their gentile neighbours. Why would they want to leave behind the freedoms of the tribal structure that they have for the central government ruled by a King? It was inevitable because of their human nature.
So up to this point in the Book of Judges it is the Southern Tribes that have been dealt with and the scene now shifts northward in Judges 4. It was Canaanites and others whose Kingdoms and nations were located to the North and Northeast that created havoc for those particular Yisharalite Tribes.
Note that as a result of this Southern vs Northern picture that is painted for us, it means that when we look at the list of Shophetim in the Book of Judges the order they are presented appearing to be chronological is likely only partially correct; certainly some Judges in the South were operating at the same time as some Judges in the north (there was overlap). This is because the various enemies of Yisharal were not acting in concert with one another but in their own interests and thus what went on in the North of Canaan had little to do with what went on in the South.
But it’s interesting that this North/South dynamic is being set up so early. Yisharal by the time of Deborah has only been in the land for a century or a little more. But due to the natural terrain of Yisharal with a ridge of hills at the northern end of Judah that provides a natural boundary between the 3 main Tribes in the South (Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin) and the remaining Tribes, this fact of geography would have an ongoing effect on Yisharal’s politics and economy and prophetic futures.
If we get slightly ahead of ourselves for a moment, remember when David (and then Solomon) ruled over a united nation of Yisharal? We find for instance that King Saul who preceded David had at least as big a fight on his hands trying to unite all 12 Tribes (the Southern Yisharalite Tribes were battling against the Northern Yisharalite Tribes) as he did against foreigners because the Yisharalite Tribes located at the two ends of Canaan tended to separate into two distinct groups and sets of inter-tribal alliances and so progressed rather independently. Thus after King Solomon died and there was no clear line of succession to the throne, the country of Yisharal fell rapidly into Civil War and of course divided along the same general boundary as had always existed for Yisharal, the rugged hills that separated Judah from Ephraim. Thus from that time forward we hear of the Two Kingdoms (Two Houses) of Yisharal, the Southern Kingdom and the Northern Kingdom, or their more official names, Judah in the South and Ephraim (Yisharal) in the North.
So it is here in Judges that we see the breeding grounds created for the conditions that would establish and cement this NORTH VS SOUTH MINDSET among the Yisharalites, which in turn would make it such a challenge for the 12 Tribes to ever unite into one sovereign Nation under Yahusha.
These unintended consequences of divided loyalties and tribal alliances would greatly affect Yisharal’s history (and play out heavily in the Book of Ezekiel). And all of it was established as part of Yahusha’s Master Plan of redemption for a fallen world.
He will bring the two sticks back into one united Olive Tree at His return and confirm (in the most spectacular of ways) that all this conflict and talk about land in the middle east is beyond futile . . . when He reveals His New Creations from within His Bride . . . the only Promised Inheritance worth fighting for and discussing !!
DEBORAH (JUDGES 4)
After Ehud’s death, the Yisharalites ignored Yahusha again and behaved wickedly with the pagan nations, right in Yahusha’s face, so He turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite King. The commander of King Jabin's Army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim and who had 900 iron chariots, to ruthlessly oppress the Yisharalites with for twenty years. And the people of Yisharal cried out to Yahusha for help.
Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Yisharal at that time. Infact she would sit under the 'Palm of Deborah' between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Yisharalites would go to her for guidance, judgment and to settle serious legal disputes.
SO AFTER YISHARAL FELL AWAY AGAIN, YAHUSHA TOOK PITY ON THESE NORTHERN TRIBES AND AGAIN RAISED UP A JUDGE; INTERESTINGLY IT WAS A FEMALE JUDGE, DEBORAH. NOW THE HEBREW SAYS SHE IS 'ISHAH NEVIAH', WHICH LITERALLY TRANSLATES TO “A WOMAN OF PROPHESY”.
THIS IDENTIFICATION AS 'ISHAH NEVIAH' IS RARE IN THE SCRIPTURE AND IS ATTACHED ONLY TO DEBORAH AND TWO OTHER WOMEN: MOSES’ SISTER MIRIAM, AND AN OBEDIENT WOMAN NAMED HULDAH IN THE TIME OF THE KINGS. THESE WOMEN WERE TRUE PROPHETS OF YAHUSHA AND WERE GREATLY RESPECTED BY THE MEN. IN FACT WHEN WE’RE TOLD THAT LAPPIDOTH IS HER HUSBAND THAT IS ABOUT THE LAST WE’LL KNOW OF HIM; ALL ELSE CONCERNING DEBORAH’S HUSBAND IS APPARENTLY UNIMPORTANT.
WE NOW COME TO YET ANOTHER OF THOSE TIMES WHEN THE NICE AND NEAT VERSION OF WHO A JUDGE IS AND WHAT ROLE THEY PERFORM TAKES A DETOUR. BECAUSE HERE DEBORAH IS CALLED A JUDGE BUT IS NEVER CALLED A RESCUER OR DELIVERER; BUT BARAK (WHO'S ABOUT TO SHOW UP IN THE STORY) IS. REMEMBER WE STATED ALREADY THAT THESE SHOPHETIM, JUDGES, WERE NOT GENERALLY PEOPLE WHO HELD COURT AND MADE JUDICIAL RULINGS. YET DEBORAH IS AN EXCEPTION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE CAME TO HERE FROM FAR AND WIDE FOR THE PURPOSE OF JUDGMENT. AND THE HEBREW WORD USED IS HA-MISHPAT, WHICH MEANS “JUSTICE”, AS IN A RULING OF LAW. SO IT APPEARS THAT DEBORAH HAD TWO ROLES: SHE INDEED WAS A JUDICIAL JUDGE WHO DECIDED CASES AND SHE WAS A PROPHET WHO BROUGHT MESSAGES OF YAHUSHA TO WHOMEVER YAHUSHA DIRECTED HER.
THE MATTER OF DEBORAH BEING A PROPHETESS ALSO PLAYED A ROLE IN HER JUDGING AND LIKELY IT WAS THIS GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT SHE HAD BEEN ANOINTED BY YAHUSHA AS HIS LEGITIMATE PROPHET THAT GAVE HER AN UNCONTESTED POSITION OF AUTHORITY TO MAKE LEGAL RULINGS.
One day Deborah sent for Barak (son of Abinoam) who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali, and said to him, “This is what Yahuah, the Alahim of Yisharal, commands you (SPEAKING IN THE FIRST PERSON FROM YAHUSHA AS PROPHETS DID).
“No problem, I’ll join you, but you won’t get any honor or credit for this campaign if I go, because everyone will know that Yahuah’s victory over Sisera will be because a woman was sav’in your ass!”WE ASSUME (AS BARAK MUST HAVE) THAT DEBORAH IS REFERRING TO HERSELF AS THE ONE SAVING THE DAY?
So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh and upon arrival, Barak called together the Tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, and 10,000 warriors went up with him, and Deborah joined him.
THIS WAS NOT MERELY ADVICE OR SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE BEING SOUGHT BY THE PEOPLE; IT WAS A BINDING LEGAL RULING THAT RESULTED FROM DEBORAH’S DECISIONS. EACH TRIBE HAD THE EQUIVALENT OF LOWER COURTS THAT SETTLED SMALLER MATTERS; BUT WHEN A MEMBER OF ONE TRIBE HAD A DISPUTE WITH A MEMBER OF ANOTHER TRIBE THE MATTER BECAME MORE COMPLICATED AS CLAN AND TRIBAL LOYALTY OVERRULED ALMOST ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS SO FINDING A NEUTRAL PARTY TO ARBITRATE AND JUDGE WAS NEVER EASY.
Call out 10,000 warriors from the Tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor and I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. And right there you will have victory over him”.
“That’s cool Deb, I’ll go out and do this, but only if you come with me.” Barak told her.
BARAK RESPONDS TO YAHUSHA’S CALL THROUGH DEBORAH BY SAYING THAT HE'S A BIT SKEPTICAL AND HAS SOME CONDITIONS IF HE’S GOING TO ACCEPT THIS ASSIGNMENT (SOUNDS A BIT LIKE MOSES DOESN’T IT?) NO DOUBT PART OF HIS SKEPTICISM IS WHY A VERY GOOD MILITARY COMMANDER LIKE SISERA WOULD IRRATIONALLY PUT HIS TROOPS IN THE VULNERABLE POSITION OF BEING 1000 FEET BELOW HIS OPPONENTS. SO HIS PRIMARY CONDITION IS THAT DEBORAH ACCOMPANIES HIM TO THE BATTLE ARENA. WE SHOULD NOT INTERPRET THIS AS COWARDICE AS BARAK WAS ANYTHING BUT A COWARD; RATHER HE WANTED TO BE SURE OF YAHUSHA’S PRESENCE AND DEBORAH WAS THAT ASSURANCE.
PROPHETS OF THE SCRIPTURE HAD TO BE INFALLIBLE IN WHAT THEY PRONOUNCED WITH THE CONSEQUENCE FOR ERROR BEING DEATH. WHILE THAT MIGHT SEEM HARSH OR BARBARIC (SUPERSTITION GONE WILD), IN FACT IT IS COMPLETELY LOGICAL. IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO PRONOUNCE TO ANOTHER A “WORD FROM YAHUSHA”, THEN IF IT ACTUALLY IS A WORD FROM YAHUSHA IT MUST HAPPEN EXACTLY AS PRONOUNCED. IF IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AS PROPHESIED THEN WHETHER THE SOURCE OF THE INCORRECT ORACLE WAS FROM THAT PERSONS’ OWN MIND OR PROMPTED FROM THE EVIL SPIRITUAL SOURCE, IT MOST CERTAINLY WAS NOT FROM YAHUSHA.
THEREFORE WE HAVE A FALSE PROPHET, AND NEVER IS A FALSE PROPHET TO BE BELIEVED. SO ONE TEST FOR A PERSON WHO PUBLICLY PROFESSES A GIFT OF PROPHECY IS INFALLIBILITY. ONE MISTAKE, ONE PRONOUNCEMENT THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN, AND THAT PERSON SHOULD REALISE THAT THEY ARE EITHER NOT A PROPHET AT ALL, OR THEY ARE GROSSLY MISUSING THEIR POSITION. BEING A PROPHET IS A DANGEROUS BUSINESS WHEN YOU ARE TRUE PROPHET; AND BEING A FALSE PROPHET CAN BE FATAL PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. AFTER ALL, BEING CALLED A `FALSE PROPHET' IN SCRIPTURE IS ONE OF THE WORST LABELS!!
Now Heber the Kenite, a descendant of Moses’ brother-in-law Hobab, had moved away from the other members of his Tribe and pitched his tent by the oak trees of Zaanannim near Kedesh. And when Commander Sisera was told that Barak had gone up to Mount Tabor, he called for all 900 of his iron chariots and all of his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River.
Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready cause Yahuah our Alahim will give you victory over Sisera today, for He's definately marching ahead of you.”
So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle and when he attacked, Yahusha threw Commander Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Then Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. So Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors, and not a single one was left alive.
Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. And Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. AS SISERA ENTERED THE TENT VILLAGE HE ENCOUNTERED HEBER’S WIFE JAEL (JAEL/YAEL MEANS MOUNTAIN GOAT IN HEBREW). LIVING IN TENTS EXPLAINS THAT THEIR LIFESTYLE WAS AS NOMADS; THEY LIVED AS THE BEDOUIN.
MIDDLE EASTERN CUSTOM GREATLY VALUED HOSPITALITY BUT FOR NOMADS HOSPITALITY WAS ESPECIALLY PARAMOUNT; THE CODE OF THE BEDOUIN IS SUCH THAT THEY WOULD GIVE UP THEIR OWN LIVES TO PROTECT A GUEST, FRIEND OR STRANGER. THIS WAS COMMON KNOWLEDGE, SO SISERA KNEW WHAT HE WAS CUNNINGLY DOING BY COMING TO HEBER’S PEOPLE.
FIRST JAEL PROPERLY GREETS SISERA AND THEN IN FINEST BEDOUIN TRADITION OFFERED HIM MORE THAN HE ASKED FOR. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO JAEL THAT HE WAS RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE, HENCE THE WORDS, “DON’T BE AFRAID” (THE IMPLICATION BEING THAT SHE AND HER PEOPLE WOULD, OF COURSE, BE A SHIELD FOR HIM). HE ASKED TO REST; SHE OFFERED HIM HER OWN TENT AND A BLANKET.
“Please give me some water,” he said. “I’m so thirsty.”
So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again. “Stand at the door of the tent,” he told her. “If anybody comes and asks if anyone's in here, say 'NO'.” Then Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion.
IT’S BEEN A FOLK REMEDY FOR ALL CULTURES THAT WARM MILK IS SOOTHING AND HELPS TO BRING ON SLEEP; IN THAT DAY THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS COLD MILK. SO EXHAUSTED, AND NOW DROWSY FROM THE WARM MILK, SISERA ASKED JAEL TO STAND GUARD AT THE TENT ENTRANCE. MODESTY TRADITIONS WOULD DICTATE THAT IF INDEED SHE HAD SAID TO A MALE YISHARALITE SOLIDER THAT NO ONE WAS IN THERE, THEY WOULD HAVE HONORED IT AND NOT ENTERED. NOW FEELING COMFORTABLE ENOUGH THAT HE IS SAFE, SISERA LAYS DOWN IN JAEL’S TENT AND SHE COVERS HIM WITH A BLANKET, AND IMMEDIATELY HE FALLS ASLEEP.
When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said, “Come, and I'll show you the man you're looking for.” So he followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead, with the tent peg through his temple. "You're welcome!" she said.
NEEDLESS TO SAY JAEL MUST NOT HAVE AGREED WITH HER HUSBAND’S PRO-CANAANITE STANCE. WHEN THE PURSUING BARAK CAME TO THE VILLAGE OF HEBER, JAEL RAN OUT TO MEET HIM, DIRECTED HIM TO HER TENT AND PRESENTED THE SKEWERED CORPSE. NOW THE VICTORY WAS COMPLETE, BUT POOR BARAK WAS DENIED THE HONOR OF EXECUTING THE OPPOSING MILITARY COMMANDER AS WAS CUSTOMARY. AND THIS WAS THE RESULT OF HIS DOUBT WHEN DEBORAH FIRST PRESENTED YAHUSHA’S INSTRUCTIONS TO HIM.
Then Jael quietly crept up to (the sleeping) Sisera with a hammer in one hand and a tent peg in the other. And she drove the tent peg through his temple (his skull) and into the ground, and so he died.
WE SHOULD NOT DOUBT JAEL’S ABILITY TO PULL OFF SUCH A GRISLY MURDER; IT WAS THE DUTY OF THE NOMADIC FEMALES TO DISASSEMBLE AND ERECT THE TENTS. JAEL WAS AN EXPERT WITH A HAMMER AND THOSE SHARP, HARDENED WOODEN STAKES; IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN LITTLE MORE THAN 2 OR 3 QUICK STRIKES WITH THE HEAVY HAMMER TO DRIVE THE TENT PEG CLEAN THROUGH SISERA’S SLEEPING NOGGIN. THUS IN A MOST UNSUSPECTED WAY WE FIND THAT INDEED DEBORAH’S PROPHECY WAS FULLY ACCURATE: SISERA WAS HANDED OVER TO YISHARAL AND DEFEATED BY A WOMAN (JUST NOT THE WOMAN WE ALL EXPECTED EH?)
SO SISERA BEING HANDED OVER TO A WOMAN WAS WAY MORE LITERAL THAN ANYONE THOUGHT; BECAUSE IN THIS CONTEXT SAYING “SISERA” USUALLY IS REFERRING TO SISERA’S ARMY. BUT HERE IT MEANS THAT SISERA HIMSELF WILL BE HANDED OVER TO A WOMAN (ALTHOUGH LIKELY BARAK DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THAT AT THE TIME). AND OF COURSE SUCH A THING NOT ONLY TAKES ESTEEM AWAY FROM BARAK, BUT IT ALSO IS GREATLY HUMILIATING TO SISERA, HIS ARMY AND HIS NATION, THAT A WOMAN (IN A COMPLETELY MALE DOMINATED SOCIETY) WOULD BE THE AGENT OF DEFEAT.
So on that day Yisharal saw Yahusha defeat Jabin, the Canaanite King. And from that time on Yisharal became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him. THE CHAPTER ENDS BY GIVING ALL THE ESTEEM TO YAHUSHA THE ALAHIM OF YISHARAL FOR THIS RESOUNDING VICTORY AND DELIVERANCE. THIS BATTLE WAS A TIPPING POINT AND SO A PEOPLE (THE NORTHERN YISHARALITE TRIBES) WHO HAD KNOWN ONLY HUMILIATION AND SUBJUGATION FOR MANY YEARS, NOW FOUND THEIR COURAGE AND TURNED THE TABLES. IN A SHORT TIME JABIN KING OF HATZOR WAS NO MORE AND THE THREAT ENDED. HOWEVER THIS BY NO MEANS INDICATES AN OVERALL DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAANITES, BUT ONLY THOSE IN ALLIANCE WITH HATZOR; SO FUTURE OPPRESSIONS AND SUBJUGATIONS BY VARIOUS GROUPS OF CANAANITES WERE ALL BUT ASSURED.
DEBORAH'S GROOVE (JUDGES.5)
THIS IS A VICTORY SONG, AN ANTHEM OF FREEDOM AND LIBERATION BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN TO COMMEMORATE A GREAT MOMENT IN YISHARAL’S HISTORY. IT’S ALSO A STRONG SUMMATION OF WHAT GETS YAHUSHA’S PEOPLE INTO TROUBLE AND WHAT THEY MUST DO TO BE DELIVERED.
On that day Deborah and Barak (son of Abinoam) sang this song:
“Yisharal’s leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed. Praise Yahuah! Listen here you Kings and Queens, Yes pay attention you mighty rulers! For I sing and make music to Yahuah, the Alahim of Yisharal. Yes Yahuah, when you went from Seir and marched across the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the cloudy skies poured down rain. The mountains quaked in the presence of you Yahuah, the Alahim of Mount Sinai and Yisharal.
In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, people avoided the main roads, and travellers stayed on the winding pathways. There were very few people left in the villages of Yisharal, until I Deborah arose as a mother for Yisharal. And when Yisharal chose to follow false deities, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Yisharal! Yes my heart is with the commanders of Yisharal, with those who volunteered for war. Praise Yahuah!
SING TO YAHUAH
MAKE MUSIC TO HIS NAME
PAY ATTENTION YISHARAL
FOR MY HEART BEATS . . . JUST FOR HIM
Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road. Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the magnificent victories of Yahuah and the victories of His villagers in Yisharal. Then the people of Yahuah marched down to the city gates, saying : “Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!…."
Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of Yahuah marched down against mighty warriors. They came down from Ephraim, a land that once belonged to the Amalekites. They followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makir the commanders marched down; from Zebulun came those who carry a commander’s staff. The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley. But in the Tribe of Reuben there was great indecision.
SING THE SONG OF DEBORAH
SHE ROSE AS A MOTHER OF HER TRIBES
RISE UP BARAK, LEAD YOUR ARMIES
THEN BLOW A SHOFAR . . . IN VICTORY
Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds, to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks? Yes, the Tribe of Reuben wouldn't stand up and get their act together!. Gilead remained east of the Jordan. And why the hell did Dan stay home? Asher sat idly by, useless, like stunned mullets at the seashore, yep they stayed in their harbours. But Zebulun risked his life, as did Naphtali, on the heights of the battlefield. Kings of Canaan came and fought, at Tanach near Megiddo’s springs. But they carried off no silver and no treasures.
Even the stars fought from the sky, and in their orbits they fought against Sisera. The Kishon River swept them away, that ancient torrent, the Kishon. March on with courage, my being! Then the horses’ hooves hammered the ground, the galloping, galloping of Sisera’s mighty steeds. ‘Let the people of Meroz be cursed,’ said Yahuah. ‘Let them be utterly cursed, because they didn’t come to help Yahuah fight against the mighty warriors.’
MARCH ON WITH COURAGE
RUN YOUR RACE AND OVERCOME
WIELD YOUR FRUITS IN THE BATTLE
BE TRANSFORMED . . . . TO BE LIKE HIM
Wow, how favoured among women is Jael! What a freak'in Super-woman! Let her be blessed above all the women who live in tents. That tyrant Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk. Yes she brought him yogurt in a bowl fit for royalty. Then her left hand reached for a tent peg, and her right hand for the hammer. And she struck Sisera, crushing his head and with a shattering blow, she pierced his temples. He sank, he fell, he lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died.
From her window Sisera’s mother looked out, watching for his return, saying, “Why is his chariot taking so long? They must be dividing up the captured plunder, with a woman or two for every man. There will be colourful robes for my son Sisera, and colourful, embroidered robes for me”. No way, never! For Sisera was wicked. Yahuah, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!”
NOW’S THE TIME TO LISTEN
ENGRAFT INTO YAHUSHA’S REIGN
FEEL HIS LOVE SURGE WITHIN YOU
DIE TO THIS WORLD . . . . AND BE RENEWED
Then there was peace in the land for forty years.
IN THIS CASE AFTER THE TREMENDOUS VICTORY OF BARAK OVER SISERA AT THE BASE OF MT. TABOR THE TRIBES OF YISHARAL HAD PEACE FOR ONE FULL GENERATION (40 YEARS). BUT LET’S BE CLEAR THAT THE REASON FOR THE GENERATION OF PEACE WASN’T SO MUCH THE PRESENT LACK OF ENEMIES AS IT WAS THE BACK-TRACKING OF YISHARAL FROM THEIR IDOLATRY AND WICKEDNESS, AND THE NEW DETERMINATION OF THESE YISHARALITE TRIBES TO BE OBEDIENT TO YAHUSHA. THE REFERENCE TO THE 40 YEARS OF REST IN THE LAND WAS IN THIS CASE REFERRING TO THE NORTHERN AREAS, GENERALLY, BECAUSE IT WAS THE NORTHERN PART OF CANAAN AND THE TRIBES WHO LIVED THERE THAT ARE THE CONTEXT OF THE STORY OF DEBORAH AND BARAK.
B E L I E F
HEBREW UNDERSTANDING:
established, trustworthiness, truth, firmness, security; morally fidelity, set office, stability, steady, truly, a miracle, sign, wonder. Nelson's Dictionary defines FAITH as a belief in or confident attitude toward Yahusha, involving commitment to His will for one's life. Nelson also says belief is to place one's trust in Yahusha's truth. ... The word BELIEF in Greek is pistis, which means 'confidence or trust'. In essence, the words are one and the same.
SCRIPTURAL UNDERSTANDING:
"Without belief, it's impossible to please Yahusha, for WITHOUT BELIEF IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, for he who comes to Yahuah has to believe that He is (THAT HE EXISTS AND IS THE CENTRE FROM WHICH ALL CREATION REVOLVES), and that He rewards those who genuinely seek Him". HEBREWS 11 BRS
"I'm not ashamed of the message about Yahusha, for it's His POWER OF DELIVERANCE to everyone who believes, and in it His perfection is revealed from belief to belief, as it has been written, 'THE OBEDIENT SHALL LIVE BY BELIEF'". ROMANS 1 BRS
The links of an unbreakable chain is our belief, and the formula for deliverance and overcoming this world is locked up in our belief of the message of Yahusha which produced our perfection, bringing us to maturity. WITHOUT BELIEF IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE YAHUSHA, and as we seek Him we exercise our belief in an unbreakable chain of love-communication that is fixed eternally.
Every step we take towards Yahusha should be on His Living Words of Victory, and when He's ready for us to know Him, He will reveal Himself to us by flooding our being.
Brothers and sisters enter-in through your Portal of Love and seek the wonderment awaiting! Yahusha will never let you down, and on this WE CAN BELIEVE!