Milk of Faithfulness
“Most blessed of women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; most blessed is she of women in the tent. He asks for water and she gave him milk; in a magnificent bowl she brought him curds.
“She reached out her hand for the tent peg, and her right hand for the workmen’s hammer. Then she struck Sisera, she smashed his head; and she shattered and pierced his temple. Between her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay; between her feet he bowed, he fell; where he bowed, there he fell dead.
“Out of the window she looked and lamented, the mother of Sisera through the lattice, ‘Why does his chariot delay in coming? Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots tarry?’
“Her wise princesses would answer her, indeed she repeats her words to herself, ‘Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil? A maiden, two maidens for every warrior; to Sisera a spoil of dyed wool, a spoil of dyed wool embroidered, dyed wool of double embroidery on the neck of the spoiler?’
“’Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord; but let those who love Him be like the rising sun in its might.’ And the land was undisturbed for forty years.” Judges 5:24-31
Jael’s brutal action in crushing the head of this enemy after being the perfect hostess, is to be seen as an expression of faithfulness to the covenant people of Israel. Although the graphic nature of this action jars us deeply, it is set against the reality of a loving mother waiting for her son to return to her safe.
The passage ends reminding us that God is victorious over all idolatrous enemies, He curses evil and blesses those who remain faithful to Him. (to read more about the event of Jael’s courageous action, start at Judges 4).
Judges would be one of my top most favourite books. It a bit like the journey we all take through a corridor of our life filled with fun and sinful choices we make and then regret and then repeat…and repeat -- ‘doing what is right in our own eyes’, until we are struck still with the reality of God’s sacrifice for us. A reminder of our unworthy efforts and His mighty overcoming of all that is evil.
Take care with love, especially His, from Darlene, who still prays for you each day.
PS: You can also find the devotions on line/ on your mobile phone here: www.weakdaydevotion.com .
NOTE: I choose to believe the Bible because it's a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They reported supernatural events that took place before, of specific prophecies; and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.
Find my full statement of faith: https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com (where you will also find a series of Bible studies). For the books, go to Amazon books. For prayer requests/ updates, email: darlenerichard@gmail.com