Prt 3: Deborah: Shattering the Myth of Punishment in Israel

© Jane Isley

If you haven’t been following along, here is part 1 and part 2. If you have, awesome, and we'll be finishing up today.

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“The Mother of Israel “

What an honor.

In Judges 5:7, we see something that can’t be unseen, yet somehow is blatantly ignored by many who push that “no men available” nonsense.

“The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel.”

It takes a lot of balls and a very bad theological jump to claim that Deborah was a

punishment and an embarrassment to men and Israel just because she was a woman.

Look at what our Lord said about her.

If that is how you truly see it, you are not in line with God; you are in line with your own personal issues, and that is the only thing embarrassing here. 

Men and women are physically different, but we are spiritually and mentally equal. 

If you do not agree with this, then I need you to show me, with facts, how both genders do not have the same ability to learn, teach, discern, or be called on by God.

Here are the facts, despite anyone’s feelings on this matter.

• God raised up those Judges, each and every one of them. Judges 2:16

• Israel went to all the different Judges during this period. As stated above, “they were the legal voices for the people.” 

• They were not seeking out her words or her opinions, nor do we see that anywhere in the Scriptures.

• The people accepted her as a Judge despite her gender. It wasn’t common, but that still is the case in our era with quite a few fields of work, so it does not merit a gender-only-based argument.

• A comparison of the Hebrew word “shaphat” used in Exodus 18:13 with Moses and Judges 4:4 shows us that Deborah and Moses were doing the same job.

• God had zero issue inspiring the authors to write. If she was a punishment, don’t you think He would have made that clear?

  
  

When it comes down to it, those who hold this opinion:

She can prophesize for the people, but can’t make a judgment for the people?

What is at the root of your opinion?

Is it because she was a woman who had a God granted authoritative role, and you have a negative view of women? If not, why just her then?

Is it a case of parroting what you were taught and not searching out the Bible for yourself, laziness, ignorance, or the case of satisfying a personal agenda?

What is your Biblical justification for the belief that Deborah was a punishment?

Israel had peace for 40 years because of her guidance and relationship with God.

And nope, you can’t use the fact that Israel screwed up after her as justification either, because their constant screw-ups are clearly established before her and after her.

© Jane Isley

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