And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. (Judges 4:1-5 ESV)
We are getting used to this phrase "again did what was evil..." as an introduction to each judge. The people cried out in despair as they suffered the consequences of ignoring God, He sends a deliverer, they enjoy peace and quiet, and proceed to again leave God out. Each time we God using some of the least likely people. First, it was a little brother (Othniel), then it was a left-handed man; now it is a woman warrior. Were there no men worth following? God has a way of impressing upon us the importance of women in His story, but at the same time the tendency of men to go AWOL. This leads us to situations where we cry out in desperation, since we, especially men, have failed to cry out in worship, dependence and trust. May our prayers be the brakes on the downward spiral.
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