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Answer
Judges 5 recounts the song of Deborah and Barak following God’s granting of victory to Israel in battle against Jabin, the king of Canaan. The song ends with a plea to the Lord for blessing: “Let those who love Him be like the sun when it shines in full strength” «So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.», (Judges 5:31, NKJV).
The author of Judges emphasizes that it was God who defeated Jabin, the king of Canaan «So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. », (Judges 4:23). The triumph belonged to the Lord, yet it was Israel who would reap the benefits of that victory. Deborah and Barak sang a song urging the people to praise the Lord, acknowledging that the victory was His «Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. », (Judges 5:3). The song mentions Deborah, the prophetess; Barak, the military leader; and Jael, the woman who killed Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army (Judges 4:7,17-20).
Concluding their song, Deborah and Barak declare, “Thus let all your enemies perish, O Lord, but let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might” «So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.», (Judges 5:31, NASB 1995). This is an appeal for justice, that the enemies of God might all perish, and that those who love the Lord will be like the rising of the sun on a bright and cloudless morning. Each new day, the sun rises—mightily and with powerful blessing felt by all the inhabitants of the earth. Deborah and Barak ask God that those who love Him might rise up with predictable and renewed strength and blessing—like the sun.
Deborah and Barak’s request is reminiscent of Jesus’ illustration when He predicted a time when “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” «Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. », (Matthew 13:43). It also brings to mind God’s affirmation that those who wait upon Him will gain new strength, will rise like eagles, will run and not get tired, and will walk and not be weary «but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.», (Isaiah 40:31).
Deborah’s and Barak’s song is a reminder to us that God is faithful and that He keeps His word. Paul explains in Romans 8:28–30 that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. He is working things out for our benefit—that we may ultimately be conformed to the image of Christ. So, even when we are going through difficult battles and trials, we can have confidence that God knows. He is not ignorant of our difficulties. Rather, they are designed for our good. For that reason, we can even rejoice in our trials as Peter exhorts (1 Peter 1:6-7). As James encourages us, we can considerRejoice when facing different challenges (James 1:2-4).
Deborah and Barak recognized God’s faithfulness. Despite enduring a tough test, God had enabled their restoration, and they prayed for all His followers to shine like the sun at its peak strength.
