The Leadership ChallengeSample

Challenge 11

DEBORAH, A BOLD MOBILIZING LEADER

READ: Judges 4:1–23

For three hundred years after Joshua dies, life is turbulent for Israel. The book of Judges summarizes the period bluntly: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25 ESV). There is a pattern. The people rebel against God and soon reach rock bottom, oppressed by their enemies. They call out to God who provides a judge (or deliverer) to lead and rescue them. One of these judges was a woman named Deborah, a prophetess. Israel was a loosely organized confederacy of tribes with no strong central army. Deborah has to be creative as she not only seeks to free Israel but calls the people to remember their original mission. She calls on Barak to mobilize 10,000 men from his own tribe of Naphtali and the nearby tribe of Zebulun to fight against the current oppressor, the Canaanites. Barak agrees, but only if Deborah comes along. She agrees but warns Barak that he will not gain any fame from the expedition and prophesies that Sisera, the Canaanite commander, will be killed by a woman. Judges 5 tells the same story in poetry.

Effective leaders know how to boldly and confidently mobilize others to accomplish the mission even in the face of daunting challenges. How would you describe the leadership demonstrated by Deborah, Barak, and other people in this reading?