Hi, and welcome to
HIS WORDS ARE LIFE.
00:00:15.83\00:00:17.52
I'm Kelly Mowrer, and thank
you for coming to read the word
00:00:17.55\00:00:20.55
of God with me today. When
we were last together, we were
00:00:20.58\00:00:23.34
reading about a song of
praise that Deborah and Barak
00:00:23.37\00:00:26.54
were singing to the
Lord for his deliverance.
00:00:26.57\00:00:28.48
And we're going to pick up
in the middle of that song,
00:00:28.51\00:00:30.78
but before we start
let's pray together.
00:00:30.81\00:00:33.00
Dear God, thank you for bringing
us through so many things
00:00:33.03\00:00:38.54
in each of our lives. You
have delivered us safely to
00:00:38.57\00:00:41.98
this point to sit in
your presence, and now
00:00:42.01\00:00:44.49
tune our hearts to hear your
word and to sing your praise,
00:00:44.52\00:00:47.80
and may we learn from the
example of what we are reading
00:00:47.83\00:00:52.55
to praise you at all
times and to bless your name.
00:00:52.58\00:00:55.61
We love you so much and
thank you for loving us. Amen.
00:00:55.64\00:00:59.12
We're reading in the
book of Judges, chapter 5,
00:00:59.15\00:01:02.90
and we're beginning in
verse 14, as Deborah and Barak
00:01:02.93\00:01:06.77
are singing to the Lord.
This is the King James Version.
00:01:06.80\00:01:10.64
Out of Ephraim was there a
root of them against Amalek;
00:01:10.67\00:01:15.01
after thee, Benjamin,
among thy people; out of Machir
00:01:15.04\00:01:19.01
came down governors, and
out of Zebulun they that handle
00:01:19.04\00:01:22.15
the pen of the writer.
And the princes of Issachar
00:01:22.18\00:01:25.05
were with Deborah, even
Issachar, and also Barak:
00:01:25.08\00:01:27.87
he was sent on foot into
the valley. For the divisions of
00:01:27.90\00:01:31.47
Reuben there were
great thoughts of heart.
00:01:31.50\00:01:33.81
Why abodest thou
among the sheepfolds,
00:01:33.84\00:01:36.81
to hear the
bleatings of the flocks?
00:01:36.84\00:01:38.67
For the divisions of Reuben
there were great searchings
00:01:38.70\00:01:41.63
of heart. Gilead abode beyond
Jordan: and why did Dan remain
00:01:41.66\00:01:46.48
in ships? Asher
continued on the sea shore,
00:01:46.51\00:01:49.58
and abode in his
breaches. Zebulun and Naphtali
00:01:49.61\00:01:53.09
were a people that jeoparded
their lives unto the death
00:01:53.12\00:01:56.31
in the high places of the
field. The kings came and fought
00:01:56.34\00:02:00.00
then fought the
kings of Canaan in Taanach
00:02:00.03\00:02:02.76
by the waters of Megiddo;
they took no gain of money.
00:02:02.79\00:02:06.01
They fought from heaven; the
stars in their courses fought
00:02:06.04\00:02:09.99
against Sisera. The river
of Kishon swept them away,
00:02:10.02\00:02:14.21
that ancient river, the river
Kishon. O my soul, thou hast
00:02:14.24\00:02:17.90
trodden down strength.
Then were the horsehoofs broken
00:02:17.93\00:02:22.16
by the means of the prancings,
the prancings of their mighty
00:02:22.19\00:02:25.23
ones. Curse ye Meroz,
said the angel of the Lord,
00:02:25.26\00:02:29.02
Curse ye bitterly
the inhabitants thereof;
00:02:29.05\00:02:31.19
because they came not to the
help of the Lord, to the help of
00:02:31.22\00:02:34.58
the Lord against the
mighty. Blessed above women
00:02:34.61\00:02:38.05
shall Jael the wife of Heber the
Kenite be, blessed shall she be
00:02:38.08\00:02:42.88
above women in the tent.
He asked water, and she gave
00:02:42.91\00:02:47.60
him milk; she brought
forth butter in a lordly dish.
00:02:47.63\00:02:51.19
She put her hand to the
nail, and her right hand to the
00:02:51.22\00:02:53.75
workmen's hammer; and with
the hammer she smote Sisera,
00:02:53.78\00:02:57.31
she smote off his head, when
she pierced and stricken through
00:02:57.34\00:03:00.82
his temples. At her feet he
bowed, he fell, he lay down:
00:03:00.85\00:03:04.25
at her feet he bowed,
he fell: where he bowed,
00:03:04.28\00:03:07.52
there he fell down dead.
The mother of Sisera looked out
00:03:07.55\00:03:11.35
a window, and cried through
the lattice, Why is his chariot
00:03:11.38\00:03:14.12
so long in coming? why tarry
the wheels of his chariots?
00:03:14.15\00:03:17.44
Her wise ladies answered
her, yea, she returned answer
00:03:17.47\00:03:21.97
to herself, Have they not sped?
have they not divided the prey;
00:03:22.00\00:03:27.12
to every man a damsel or
two; to Sisera a prey of divers
00:03:27.15\00:03:31.52
colours, a prey of
divers colours of needlework,
00:03:31.55\00:03:34.18
of divers colours of
needlework on both sides,
00:03:34.21\00:03:36.89
meet for the necks of
them that take the spoil?
00:03:36.92\00:03:39.88
So let all thine enemies perish,
O Lord: but let them that love
00:03:39.91\00:03:45.64
him be as the sun when
he goeth forth in his might.
00:03:45.67\00:03:48.90
And the land had
rest forty years.
00:03:48.93\00:03:52.30
We're continuing in the
book of Judges, chapter 6,
00:03:52.33\00:03:55.80
and this is the
King James Version.
00:03:55.83\00:03:57.52
And the children of Israel did
evil in the sight of the Lord:
00:03:57.55\00:04:02.03
and the Lord delivered them into
the hand of Midian seven years.
00:04:02.06\00:04:06.01
And the hand of Midian prevailed
against Israel: and because of
00:04:06.04\00:04:10.09
the Midianites the children
of Israel made them the dens
00:04:10.12\00:04:13.46
which are in the mountains,
and caves, and strong holds.
00:04:13.49\00:04:16.27
And so it was, when Israel had
sown, that the Midianites came
00:04:16.30\00:04:21.44
up, and the Amalekites, and the
children of the east, even they
00:04:21.47\00:04:25.76
came up against them; And
they encamped against them, and
00:04:25.79\00:04:29.13
destroyed the increase of the
earth, till thou come unto Gaza,
00:04:29.16\00:04:32.95
and left no sustenance for
Israel, neither sheep, nor ox,
00:04:32.98\00:04:36.86
nor ass. For they came up with
their cattle and their tents,
00:04:36.89\00:04:40.40
and they came as grasshoppers
for multitude; for both they
00:04:40.43\00:04:44.22
and their camels were
without number: and they entered
00:04:44.25\00:04:46.74
into the land to destroy it.
00:04:46.77\00:04:48.17
And Israel was greatly
impoverished because of
00:04:48.20\00:04:52.16
the Midianites; and the children
of Israel cried unto the Lord.
00:04:52.19\00:04:56.00
And it came to pass, when
the children of Israel cried
00:04:56.03\00:04:59.23
unto the Lord because of the
Midianites, that the Lord sent
00:04:59.26\00:05:02.44
a prophet unto the children
of Israel, which said unto them,
00:05:02.47\00:05:06.42
Thus saith the Lord God
of Israel, I brought you up
00:05:06.45\00:05:10.18
from Egypt, and brought
you forth out of the house of
00:05:10.21\00:05:13.56
bondage: and I delivered you out
of the hand of the Egyptians,
00:05:13.59\00:05:17.59
and out of the hand of
all that oppressed you, and
00:05:17.62\00:05:19.68
drave them out from before
you, and gave you their land:
00:05:19.71\00:05:22.86
And I said unto you,
I am the Lord your God;
00:05:22.89\00:05:27.78
fear not the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land
00:05:27.81\00:05:30.68
ye dwell: but ye
have not obeyed my voice.
00:05:30.71\00:05:34.45
And there came an angel of
the Lord, and sat under an oak
00:05:34.48\00:05:38.80
which was in Ophrah,
that pertained unto Joash
00:05:38.83\00:05:42.66
the Abiezrite: and his
son Gideon threshed wheat
00:05:42.69\00:05:47.10
by the winepress, to
hide it from the Midianites.
00:05:47.13\00:05:49.78
And the angel of the
Lord appeared unto him,
00:05:49.81\00:05:52.63
and said unto him, The Lord
is with thee, thou mighty man
00:05:52.66\00:05:57.48
of valour. And Gideon said unto
him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord
00:05:57.51\00:06:03.34
be with us, why then is all this
befallen us, and where be all
00:06:03.37\00:06:08.35
his miracles which our
fathers told us of, saying,
00:06:08.38\00:06:11.10
Did not the Lord bring us
up from Egypt? But now the Lord
00:06:11.13\00:06:14.79
hath forsaken us, and delivered
us into the hands of the
00:06:14.82\00:06:17.98
Midianites. And the Lord looked
upon him, and said, Go in this
00:06:18.01\00:06:23.59
thy might, and thou shalt
save Israel from the hand of the
00:06:23.62\00:06:27.74
Midianites:
have not I sent thee?
00:06:27.77\00:06:30.01
And he said unto him, Oh my
Lord, wherewith shall I save
00:06:30.04\00:06:34.47
Israel? behold, my
family is poor in Manasseh,
00:06:34.50\00:06:37.37
and I am the least
in my father's house.
00:06:37.40\00:06:39.21
And the Lord said unto
him, Surely I will be with thee,
00:06:39.24\00:06:44.31
and thou shalt smite
the Midianites as one man
00:06:44.34\00:06:47.87
And he said unto him, If now
I have found grace in thy sight,
00:06:47.90\00:06:53.41
then shew me a sign
that thou talkest with me.
00:06:53.44\00:06:57.00
Depart not hence, I pray
thee, until I come unto thee,
00:06:57.03\00:06:59.82
and bring forth my
present, and set it before thee.
00:06:59.85\00:07:01.75
And he said, I will
tarry until thou come again.
00:07:01.78\00:07:05.85
And Gideon went in,
and made ready a kid,
00:07:05.88\00:07:09.00
and unleavened cakes of an
ephah of flour: the flesh he put
00:07:09.03\00:07:13.05
in a basket, and he put the
broth in a pot, and brought it
00:07:13.08\00:07:15.59
out unto him under
the oak, and presented it.
00:07:15.62\00:07:18.04
And the angel of
God said unto him,
00:07:18.07\00:07:20.75
Take the flesh and
the unleavened cakes,
00:07:20.78\00:07:23.19
and lay them upon this
rock, and pour out the broth.
00:07:23.22\00:07:25.39
And he did so. Then the angel
of the Lord put forth the end
00:07:25.42\00:07:29.55
of the staff that was in
his hand, and touched the flesh
00:07:29.58\00:07:33.52
and the unleavened
cakes; and there rose up fire
00:07:33.55\00:07:37.25
out of the rock, and consumed
the flesh and the unleavened
00:07:37.28\00:07:41.04
cakes. Then the angel of the
Lord departed out of his sight.
00:07:41.07\00:07:44.92
And when Gideon perceived that
he was an angel of the Lord,
00:07:44.95\00:07:49.93
Gideon said, Alas, O Lord God!
for because I have seen an angel
00:07:49.96\00:07:56.38
of the Lord face to face.
And the Lord said unto him,
00:07:56.41\00:08:01.03
Peace be unto thee;
fear not: thou shalt not die.
00:08:01.06\00:08:05.20
Then Gideon built an
altar there unto the Lord,
00:08:05.23\00:08:08.66
and called it Jehovah-shalom:
unto this day it is yet
00:08:08.69\00:08:12.37
in Ophrah of the Abiezriets.
00:08:12.40\00:08:14.82
And it came to pass that
same night, that the Lord said
00:08:14.85\00:08:20.50
unto him, Take thy father's
young bullock, even the second
00:08:20.53\00:08:23.91
bullock of seven years old,
and throw down the altar of Baal
00:08:23.94\00:08:28.18
that thy father hath, and cut
down the grove that is by it:
00:08:28.21\00:08:31.51
And build an altar unto the
Lord thy God upon the top of
00:08:31.54\00:08:35.69
this rock, in the ordered place,
and take the second bullock,
00:08:35.72\00:08:38.93
and offer a burnt sacrifice
with the wood of the grove
00:08:38.96\00:08:42.17
which thou shalt cut
down. Then Gideon took ten men
00:08:42.20\00:08:46.45
of his servants, and did
as the Lord had said unto him:
00:08:46.48\00:08:49.56
and so it was, because he
feared his father's household,
00:08:49.59\00:08:53.32
and the men of the city,
that he could not do it by day,
00:08:53.35\00:08:56.37
that he did it by night.
And when the men of the city
00:08:56.40\00:09:00.01
arose early in the morning,
behold, the altar of Baal
00:09:00.04\00:09:02.45
was cast down, and the grove
was cut down that was by it.
00:09:02.48\00:09:05.63
and the second bullock
was offered upon the altar
00:09:05.66\00:09:08.22
that was built. And
they said one to another,
00:09:08.25\00:09:10.55
Who hath done this thing? And
when they inquired and asked,
00:09:10.58\00:09:15.12
they said, Gideon the son
of Joash hath done this thing.
00:09:15.15\00:09:18.60
Then the men of the city said
unto Joash, Bring out thy son,
00:09:18.63\00:09:22.50
that he may die: because he hath
cast down the altar of Baal,
00:09:22.53\00:09:25.88
and because he hath cut
down the grove that was by it.
00:09:25.91\00:09:28.46
And Joash said unto
all that stood against him,
00:09:28.49\00:09:32.05
Will ye plead for
Baal? Will ye save him?
00:09:32.08\00:09:35.54
he that will plead for
him, let him be put to death
00:09:35.57\00:09:38.97
whilst it is yet morning:
if he be a god, let him plead
00:09:39.00\00:09:42.33
for himself, because one
hath cast down his altar.
00:09:42.36\00:09:45.60
Therefore on that day he
called him Jerubbaal, saying,
00:09:45.63\00:09:51.08
Let Baal plead against
him, because he hath thrown down
00:09:51.11\00:09:54.02
the altar. Then all the
Midianites and the Amalekites
00:09:54.05\00:09:57.64
and the children of the
east were gathered together,
00:09:57.67\00:09:59.75
and went over, and pitched
in the valley of Jezreel.
00:09:59.78\00:10:04.15
But the spirit of the Lord
came upon Gideon, and he blew a
00:10:04.18\00:10:07.90
trumpet; and Abiezer
was gathered after him.
00:10:07.93\00:10:11.37
And he sent messengers
throughout all Manasseh;
00:10:11.40\00:10:15.71
who also was gathered after
him: and he sent messengers
00:10:15.74\00:10:19.22
unto Asher, and unto
Zebulun, and unto Naphtali;
00:10:19.25\00:10:23.19
and they came up to meet
them. And Gideon said unto God,
00:10:23.22\00:10:26.69
If thou wilt save Israel by
mine hand, as thou hast said,
00:10:26.72\00:10:30.76
Behold, I will put a
fleece of wool in the floor;
00:10:30.79\00:10:34.59
and if the dew be on the
fleece only, and it be dry
00:10:34.62\00:10:39.40
on all the earth beside, then
shall I know that thou wilt save
00:10:39.43\00:10:43.73
Israel by my hand, as
thou has said. And it was so:
00:10:43.76\00:10:48.21
For he rose up early on the
morrow, and thrust the fleece
00:10:48.24\00:10:51.65
together, and wringed the dew
out of the fleece, a bowl full
00:10:51.68\00:10:55.09
of water. And Gideon said unto
God. Let not thine anger be hot
00:10:55.12\00:11:00.21
against me, and I will speak
but this once: let me prove,
00:11:00.24\00:11:04.42
I pray thee, yet this once with
the fleece; let it now be dry
00:11:04.45\00:11:08.92
only upon the fleece, and upon
all the ground let there be dew.
00:11:08.95\00:11:14.98
And God did so that night: for
it was dry upon the fleece only,
00:11:15.01\00:11:19.92
and there was dew
on all the ground.
00:11:19.95\00:11:22.95
We're continuing to read
chapter 7, the book of Judges,
00:11:22.98\00:11:27.28
this is the King James Version.
Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon
00:11:27.31\00:11:33.63
and all the people that
were with him, rose up early,
00:11:33.66\00:11:37.18
and pitched beside the
well of Harod: so the host
00:11:37.21\00:11:40.68
of the Midianites were
on the north side of them,
00:11:40.71\00:11:42.83
by the hill of Moreh, in
the valley. And the Lord said
00:11:42.86\00:11:46.62
unto Gideon, The people
that are with thee are too many
00:11:46.65\00:11:49.38
for me to give the Midianites
into their hands, lest Israel
00:11:49.41\00:11:53.77
vaunt themselves against
me, saying, Mine own hand
00:11:53.80\00:11:57.40
hath saved me. Now therefore go
to, proclaim in the ears of the
00:11:57.43\00:12:02.50
people, saying,
Whosoever is fearful and afraid,
00:12:02.53\00:12:05.86
let him return and
depart early from mount Gilead.
00:12:05.89\00:12:09.65
And there returned
of the people 22,000;
00:12:09.68\00:12:14.91
and there remained 10,000.
And the Lord said unto Gideon,
00:12:14.94\00:12:19.81
The people are yet too many;
bring them down unto the water,
00:12:19.84\00:12:24.23
and I will try them for
thee there: and it shall be,
00:12:24.26\00:12:27.03
that of whom I say unto
thee, This shall go with thee,
00:12:27.06\00:12:30.14
the same shall go with
thee; and of whomsoever I say
00:12:30.17\00:12:34.06
unto thee, This shall not go
with thee, the same shall not go
00:12:34.09\00:12:37.82
So he brought down the people
unto the water: and the Lord
00:12:37.85\00:12:42.67
said unto Gideon, Every
one that lappeth of the water
00:12:42.70\00:12:46.32
with his tongue, as a
dog lappeth, him shalt thou
00:12:46.35\00:12:50.38
set by himself; likewise
every one that boweth down
00:12:50.41\00:12:53.37
upon his knees to drink. And
the number of them that lapped,
00:12:53.40\00:12:57.64
putting their hand to
their mouth, were 300 men:
00:12:57.67\00:13:01.53
but all of the rest
of the people bowed down
00:13:01.56\00:13:05.01
upon their knees to drink water.
And the Lord said unto Gideon,
00:13:05.04\00:13:09.34
By the 300 men that
lapped will I save you,
00:13:09.37\00:13:13.88
and deliver the
Midianites into thine hand:
00:13:13.91\00:13:17.03
and let all the other people
go every man unto his place.
00:13:17.06\00:13:21.02
So the people took victuals in
their hand, and their trumpets:
00:13:21.05\00:13:25.09
and he sent all the rest of
Israel every man unto his tent,
00:13:25.12\00:13:28.37
and retaineth those 300
men: and the host of Midian
00:13:28.40\00:13:32.34
was beneath him in the valley.
And it came to pass the same
00:13:32.37\00:13:36.38
night, that the Lord said
unto him, Arise, get thee down
00:13:36.41\00:13:39.55
unto the host; for I have
delivered it into thine hand.
00:13:39.58\00:13:42.65
But if thou fear to go down,
go thou with Phurah thy servant
00:13:42.68\00:13:47.79
down to the host: And
thou shalt hear what they say;
00:13:47.82\00:13:51.15
and afterward shall thine
hands be strengthened to go down
00:13:51.18\00:13:55.07
unto the host. Then went he
down with Phurah his servant
00:13:55.10\00:13:59.47
unto the outside of the
armed men that were in the host.
00:13:59.50\00:14:03.19
Thank you for joining with
me today, to read the story,
00:14:03.22\00:14:06.67
we'll pick up the story
of Gideon when we return,
00:14:06.70\00:14:10.15
but I was struck as we
read, how patient God is with us
00:14:10.18\00:14:15.22
in our fears
and in our anxieties
00:14:15.25\00:14:17.97
and in our insecurities
and how He longs to reassure us
00:14:18.00\00:14:21.93
each one of us, where we're
at, of His love and His care.
00:14:21.96\00:14:24.89
And how the things that look
impossible to men are always
00:14:24.92\00:14:28.74
possible with God.
Until next time, thank you,
00:14:28.77\00:14:31.33
and may God keep
you and us in his hands.
00:14:31.36\00:14:34.43