When we look at the time of Judges as God’s people seeking to live for Him in an evil world all around them without compromise or complacency, the parallels to today are evident.
One of the greatest struggles is having the courage to do what God asks when it is so easy to shrink back.
I. Judges 4:1-10. Barak had already been told by God to free His people in battle. This is what the prophet, Deborah, told him when she summoned him. Yes, Barak was reluctant to obey. Lacking the courage to do what God had asked of him, he put his trust in Deborah rather than God. If she would go with him, he would obey. This road, she told him, would not lead to his glory.
II. James 4:17. We often read this account and teach about headship. Because a man wouldn’t obey, his glory was given to a woman. But there’s more going on here. Barak’s sin was one of omission. He knew the good he ought to do, but he chose to do nothing. This was Adam’s sin as well. While his wife was being tempted by the serpent, Adam, who was with her (Genesis 3:6) did and said nothing. The saddest struggle God’s people have today in an evil culture is our inaction in the face of opportunities for the Kingdom that God gives us each and every day.
III. 2 Peter 1:3-4. Jesus, however, seized the opportunity to die in our place, so we might share in His glory. Because He obeyed, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (Hebrews 5:7-10). Therefore, the road that leads to our glory is one of obedience to God’s commands. We must NOT do what we should NOT do, and do what we should do.
This means, unlike Barak, living out what the pages of Scripture tell us to do or don’t do while surrounded by an immoral culture that calls for you to compromise or be complacent.
Do you have the courage to obey though you may be the only one around you to do so?