Bible News: Deborah
Liz and the gang's Clubhouse Theater presents the story of Deborah. Who is she in the Bible? What does God want her to do?
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: With God all things are possible.
1. Judges 4:14 says, “Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?’” Where have you seen God “going ahead of you” in your life?
2. What a demanding life Deborah had! She was a judge and a prophetess in Israel. She spent her days listening to the Israelites’ problems and then deciding cases and settling arguments among them. Unfortunately, Israel had been conquered by another country with a wicked king who loved being cruel to the Israelites. After 20 years of being slaves, the Israelites cried to the Lord to save them. God heard their cries and was ready to help. He told Deborah how he would save the nation. Deborah listened to God’s instructions and sent for a man named Barak. She told him that the Lord would lead him into battle and into victory. But Barak was so scared that he told Deborah he would only go if she went with him. What did Deborah do? She trusted God and God gave the Israelites a great victory. You can read this story in Judges 4:1-16. Think about Deborah’s trust in God in such a tough situation as you listen to today’s program.
After you listen
Memory Verse
“Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?’”
Quiz
A: He was doing it for a school report on some favorite people from history
Reflect
In this episode, Liz and his friends present a play telling the story of Deborah. When God told Deborah how he was going to defeat Israel’s oppressors, he also told her to call Barak to lead the army in battle. But Barak was afraid and insisted that Deborah accompany him into battle. Deborah agreed, and they defeated Israel’s enemies. Deborah had more courage than Barak. Her courage was taken from her trust in God and his power. What a important lesson! When the odds seem stacked against you, you can have the courage to do the right thing because you have the power of God on your side. When you trust in God’s plan and follow his instructions, you too might get to be part of an exciting event. Read God’s Word, spend time in prayer, and obey his instructions. They just may be the beginning of a great adventure!
Want to dig deeper about God’s leading? Read Psalm 16:11, Psalm 32:8, and Isaiah 30:21.
Challenge
Sometimes it’s hard to take a stand and do what’s right. Divide your family into small groups and read through these situations. One person or group can make up reasons why it would be a good idea, then the other person or group can give reasons why it wouldn’t.
- You forgot your lunch today. On your way home from school, you see a fruit stand. No one is selling at the moment. You want to take a piece of fruit and eat it since no one will notice anyway.
- Your mom tells you to be home by 4:00 pm, but you know she won’t be home till 5:00 pm. Your friend wants you to stay out and play for a while longer, and Mom won’t even know that you stayed out later than she told you to
- During a quiz, your best friend just can’t remember how to spell that one tricky word. He wants to see your paper so that he can copy that one word.
Discuss why it can be so hard to do the right thing. Why should you do what’s right even when no one will know? Are you being challenged to do the right thing, even though it may not be popular? Talk the situation over with your parents and then trust in God to help you do the right thing. Do it today.
