The text for this lesson is Judges 4–5
Key Point
- Through the unlikely acts of Deborah, Barak, and Jael, God freed His people from tyranny. Through Christ’s unlikely virgin birth and His death on the cross, God freed us from the tyranny of sin and death.
- Law: Sin always leads to slavery, and ultimately death, trapping me under its control.
- Gospel: Christ rescues me from the oppression of sin so that in Him I might have ultimate freedom and eternal life.
Discussion Points
- Think back to a story you remember of an unlikely rescue. What made the rescue improbable? Why are these stories so memorable?
- Read Judges 2:1–19. This passage offers a summary of the stories contained in the Book of Judges. What factors contribute to the Israelites’ difficulties? How does God demonstrate His love for the Israelites?
- Read Judges 4:1–10. Why are Deborah and Barak such improbable heroes?
- Read Judges 4:11–24; 5:4, 21. How does God deliver Israel’s enemies into their hands?
- Read Judges 5:1–13 and 31. What oppression had the Israelites experienced as a result of their sin? How does this song by Deborah and Barak express the hope that Israel will be faithful to God in the future?
- The Israelites were enslaved because of their sin. How does sin enslave people today? How does sin attempt to enslave us even in the Church?
- How has God set us free from the slavery to sin?
