Jael

Judges 4:22

Just then Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.” So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple – dead.

Jael was a strong woman who accepted the opportunity that came right to her door. She’s famous because she killed a runaway who was an enemy of the Israelites.

Last week, I highlighted the efforts of Deborah, who encouraged Barak to lead 10,000 men into battle against Sisera as the Lord had commanded. Barak was able to succeed in battle. He and his men killed all of Sisera’s men. But Sisera fled on foot.

Where did Sisera go? He thought he was safe at the door of Jael’s tent. She greeted him with kindness, covered him with a blanket, and let him go to sleep in her tent. What a nice woman. Right?

Not so much. She knew who he was and who would be looking for him. She let him fall asleep and then found a tent peg and a hammer. According to Judges 4:21, “She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.”

This is not a woman you want to mess with.

The woman was mentally and emotionally strong enough to plan it out and decide to do it. Then she was physically strong enough to pull it off. She didn’t worry about the what ifs that plague many people. “What if I miss his temple and he wakes up and kills me? What if I can only get the tent peg to wound him instead of going all the way into the ground?”

She went for it. Her boldness and resolve to get the job done gave her the honor that would’ve gone to a man if Sisera hadn’t escaped from Barak.

When Barak came looking for Sisera and asked Jael if she’d seen him, she was proud to show him her work. He walked into the tent and saw Sisera dead on the ground. Immediately, he knew that this was the one of whom Deborah had spoken when she said the honor Barak had forfeited would go to a woman.

When God drops an opportunity into your lap, go for it. He knows who can accomplish the task. He knows your strength. Our job is to be aware of God’s opportunities and obey quickly.