In the book of Judges we learned how, “the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak” and “Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite”, and in chapter four and verse eighteen of Judges, we learn how, “Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord” where we read,
And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me;
fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
The verse reads, “And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me;” The writer began with the words, “and Jael” whose name means “mountain goat” and was the wife of Heber the Kenite who killed the general Sisera as he slept by driving a peg through his temples into the ground “went out to meet Sisera” or “exited, departed and proceeded forward to befall and encounter Sisera whose name means ‘battle array’ and was the conquering general under king Jabin of Hazor and slain by Jael”, “and said unto him” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to him, Sisera”, “Turn in” or “come inside”, “my lord” which means “enter my, Jael’s, firm, strong master”, “turn in to me” or “enter and come in toward me, Jael”. The writer shared how “Jael” went outside her temporary dwelling place to encounter “Sisera”, and she told him to enter the tent she abided within.
The verse continues, “fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.” The writer added the words, “fear not” which means “do not be afraid or in awe”. “And when he had turned in unto her” or “and at the time and moment he, Sisera, came to her, Jael” “into the tent” which means “inside the temporary dwelling place and habitation”, “she covered him” or “she, Jael, concealed and hid him, Sisera” “with a mantle” which means “by the use of a rug or thick coverlet”. The writer shared how “Jael” instructed “Sisera” not to be afraid, and when he went inside her “tent”, she put a thick coverlet over him to conceal his presence.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn more about this story of Jehovah God delivering the people of Israel from the oppression of “Jabin”. Sometimes God works with people and His purposes over a certain amount of time, and He often is not seen or heard. However, He is at work … always at work. God desires to have a personal relationship with all of us through His Son Jesus whom He sent into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected from the dead after three days. When we yield to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and equip us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and give us the ability to live in keeping with and in patience of His purposes and will. (See John 3:16;16:13; Acts 1:8; Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Next time we learn how Sisera says to Jael, “Give me, I pray you, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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