Dear Diary,
Yael, was she a treacherous woman and an assassin or a godly warrior? By faith, Yael killed one of God's enemies and she is called blessed of the women, Judges 5:24.
We know heroines of faith namely Deborah, Sarah and Rahab, (Hebrews 11). What about Yael (Jael)? Here's a quick background. In Judges 4, Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord so He sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan. Sisera the commander of Jabin's army had 900 chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for 20yrs, then they cried to God for help, v.1-3.
At this time Deborah was leading Israel as a judge and a prophetess. One time, she send for Barak saying, "The LORD, the God of Israel commands you, 'Go, take with you 10,000 men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mt. Tabor. I'll lead Sisera and his troops to the Kishon River and give him to your hands."
For some reason, Barak was hesitant so he asked Deborah to go with him. She then said to him, "Because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman," v. 9.
In the course of time, Sisera was told that Barak was in Mt. Tabor. He summoned his troops and went to attack. That day, the Lord routed Sisera and his troops. Actually, Sisera had to run for his dear life to the tent of Yael whose household had an alliance with Jabin king of Canaan. He ordered her to lie to protect his life. Yael played the perfect hostess and led Sisera into her tent. She gave him some milk and swaddled him with a blanket. While he lay fast asleep, she picked up a tent peg and a hammer and drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and boom! He died. On that day, God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites.
Now, when a general came into her domestic space, Yael made use of a domestic weapon and became a heroine. What could have informed her actions? I checked the passage but didn't see it but whatever her motives, the story considers her actions the will of God. In her song, Deborah celebrates and acknowledges that Yael is most blessed of the women (chap 5).
She is a heroine because she courageously did the will of God, she snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Well, I don't neither does God condone murder but his is a story of courage and trust in God for victorious living no matter how circumstances in our lives may seem insurmountable.
Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae
NzakuNashipae
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