Today’s passage: Judges 5:1-31
Helpful thoughts:
- This song was written and sung as a celebration of victory.
- God is praised along with the main characters in the battle.
- Certain tribes are called out and publicly criticized for their refusal to join the battle.
- The era of Israel is named “The days of Shamgar” and “The days of Jael”, bringing to attention these foreigners who perhaps seemed more deserving of praise and recognition than anyone in Israel.
- Special attention is given to the details of Jael’s murder of Sisera and the agony of Sisera’s awaiting mother.
- This would have been particularly brutal taunting in their context since Sisera the mighty general was killed by a woman…the wife of his ally.
- The wording used for the “wombs” Sisera’s mother hoped he was finding and dividing among the men was crude. She was consoling herself by hoping for great atrocity.
Questions to consider:
- In what ways is this song encouraging and in what ways is this song confusing and discouraging?
- What is the irony of verse 31 (“So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.”) in contrast with 6:1 (“The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord”) and 4:1 (“And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord”), etc.? What was Israel asking God to do? How did they see themselves?
- When you have a “good” day, does it automatically mean you are good with God and He is good with you? When you have a “bad” day does that mean you are not good with God and He is not good with you? How would this view of God trivialize who He truly is? How would it exaggerate who we are? (Hebrews 12:3-11)