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The Abiding Gift of Prophecy - Contents
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    Deliverance Under Deborah the Prophetess

    To what extent the prophetic gift was used by the Lord in leading men to undertake the perilous task of breaking the power of the nations that had enslaved His people, is not clearly revealed, though some very specific instances are cited. Thus, on one occasion when they were being oppressed by the Midianites, “the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel” with a message of reproof for their sins, and with instruction regarding the course they should take. (See Judges 6:8-10.) At another time “there came a man of God unto Eli,” and delivered to him a terrible message regarding the judgments of God that were to be visited upon him and his house. (See 1 Samuel 2:27-36.)AGP 59.2

    It is certain that the manifestation of this gift was prominent in some of these hard experiences through which Israel passed.AGP 59.3

    One of the marvelous deliverances wrought for the people was under the leadership of Deborah, a prophetess. The experience is recorded in the fourth and fifth chapters of Judges. This account reveals the great service the prophetic gift rendered the cause of God on that occasion.AGP 59.4

    “The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan…. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he [Jabin] had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.AGP 59.5

    “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.” Judges 4:1-5.AGP 59.6

    To this woman, who had the gift of prophecy, there came a direct, clear-cut message from God.AGP 60.1

    “And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh Naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men? … And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.” Verses 6, 7.AGP 60.2

    This must have been a startling, alarming message to Barak. Twenty years before this, Jabin’s army had defeated Israel. For twenty years he had kept them in bondage, and had “mightily oppressed” them. Up to the hour that Deborah received the message through the prophetic gift, no effort, so far as the record shows, had been made to deliver Israel from their mighty oppressor. The task to which Barak was called seemed so impossible of success that he said to Deborah, “If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.” Verse 8.AGP 60.3

    Without a moment’s hesitation Deborah replied, “I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.” Verse 9.AGP 60.4

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