This week’s story in The Gospel Project for Kids® was “Deborah and Barak.” After the death of the first judges, the Israelites fell into a continuous cycle: sin, bondage, deliverance, and peace. When the people of Israel were oppressed by the king of Canaan, Deborah was the judge of Israel. Deborah sent for Barak and encouraged him to gather an army and fight the Canaanite army and its commander, Sisera.
Deborah told Barak that God would hand Sisera and his troops to him. Barak agreed to go, but only if Deborah would go with him. Deborah went, but she told Barak that God would use a woman to defeat Sisera. In battle, God confused Sisera and his 900 charioteers and all of his army. Barak and his men didn’t have to fight, they just chased down the Canaanite army as they fled! All of Sisera’s troops died, but Sisera escaped on foot.
Sisera fled to the tent of Jael, whose husband was an ally of the Canaanite king. Jael invited him inside, gave him a drink, and covered him as he slept. Then she killed him! God used Deborah, Barak, and Jael to free his people from bondage. God uses people and events to save us not only from our enemies, but to bring our ultimate good: salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.