Warrior Queen

My awesome granddaughter!
Costume created and photo taken by
John Mattson. 

And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

                                                                            (Judges 4:8-10, 14-15 KJV)

For twenty years, the children of Israel had been oppressed by the Canaanites.  

Deborah, a leader in Israel was a prophetess and judge. She had instructed Barak to lead the vast army of Israel against the Canaanites. But, he would not go unless Deborah went with him. She went. The army was defeated. 

Sisera, the leader of the Canaanite army was also  defeated; but, not by Barak's army. He was defeated by Jael, the wife of Heber. She pounded a nail into his temple when he took refuge in her tent to rest. 

Throughout history we can find sprinklings of women who have served in various ways to defeat oppression and injustice of various kinds. God calls whom He will call to serve and lead his children. Some are rich; others poor. Some are young. Some are old. Some are men and some women. 

Let us thank God for all whom He has called.

God's Peace - Pr. J.