Judges 4:21 says: “But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.”
Jael – unlike Deborah, who has the weighty portfolio of wife, prophetess and judge – is described simply as Herber’s wife. Yet she sounds like a woman who has much more to offer the world than one who is qualified as just a wife.
Your drive to change the narrative will sometimes require you to surrender everything you are to the Father in order for your story to change.
Who knows what inspired Jael? Her story shows that one’s location on Earth is inconsequential, as God will discover and use you wherever you are.
During a disastrous battle between the Israelite army and the Canaanite army, Deborah prophesied to the army general Barak that because of the course he had taken, God was going to “sell Sisera into the hands of a woman” instead and give her the glory. That woman would be Jael.
Channel for the Lord’s glory
Sisera was the commander of the Canaanite army. The Canaanites were defeated by the forces of the Israelite tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali under the command of Barak and Deborah.
Not a great deal is said about Jael in the Bible, but we may speculate and fill in the gaps to build a possible story about her life, especially as Herber’s wife.
Other than being Jael’s husband, Herber is described as a man who had cut himself off from his tribe and pitched his tent on the plain of Zaanaim, near Kedesh.
The reason for his detachment from his people remains unclear. However, it is possible that conflicts made him bitter and challenging to live with as a husband. Think of all the events that could have happened under their roof.
It is possible that Jael had faith in God, believing He would transform her life and use her for His glory. At the appropriate time, God led Sisera, the enemy, straight to her tent.
Her admirable qualities lie in her tact and wisdom. Jael had nothing to do with the war between the Israelites and the Canaanites, the more reason why Sisera would flee to her tent. In fact, the Bible tells us that her people, the Kenites, were at peace with the Canaanites.
When it was time for her to be used by God, she clearly understood her assignment and executed it without fail.
When Sisera sought refuge from the battle in Jael and Herber’s tent, he requested water, but instead of that, Jael offered him milk, possibly with the intention of making him drowsy. When he was fast asleep, she drove a tent peg into his temple until it went into the ground.
Jael’s annihilation of Sisera proved decisive in the war and resulted in Israel’s victory over the Canaanites – God’s answer to Israel’s cry for help.
It may look like you have been forgotten and that the golden opportunity to shine you have prayed and hoped for still has not yielded results.
The readiness is all
Do not get weary in prayer while you prepare for your assignment. Your moment will catch you unawares and you dare not fail God.
Seize the moment and let your arrow fly with precision when your time arrives.
Would you allow God to invade your space and disturb your comfort zone? He wants to use you for His glory but you will have to empty yourself completely to make room for His Spirit to move.
Sometimes it is not because you are inadequate. Opportunity seems delayed because God is working something out. There’s a kind of peace that goes beyond understanding when you align yourself to His heart. Learn to discern God’s voice, so you may comprehend His appointed times and seasons.
Jael’s story is found in Judges 4 as well as Deborah’s victory song in Judges 5.
Prayer for today:
“Lord God, grant me the strength and courage of Jael, that I may face adversity with unwavering faith. Just as she showed bravery in her actions, may I find the courage to overcome challenges and serve your purpose. Amen.”
Jasmin Zubida Baidoo
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