In Judges 4, we read the account of a military leader named Barak. Our recent president spells his name differently. I assume he wasn’t named after the Biblical character. 

If we only consider how Barak starts off, I wouldn’t want to be named after him, either. Deborah, a judge in Israel, is a mother. She is also a prophet. God tells her to go to Barak and tell him to lead the forces of Israel against their Canaanite enemies. She tells him that God will give him the victory. Verse 4 records Barak’s reply: 

“If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!”

I have spent a considerable amount of time around military personnel. I have known many military commanders. Barak was a military leader. Any military person who has led units into combat would read Barak’s statement and say, “Surely he didn’t say that! What a sissy.” 

Barak should have been embarrassed. I know that the time of the Judges was a dark period in Israel’s history, but Barak’s reaction is bad even for that time. Imagine General George Patton, during World War II, saying that he wouldn’t go fight the Nazis unless his mom went with him. A commander would rather die than say something like that. He would only be able to shrink away in shame. He would suffer a fate worse than death. 

Deborah goes with Barak to meet the enemy. I picture her telling her kids that she has to leave for a little while. She has to explain that the big, bad general is afraid to fight, so she will need to help him. She will have to hold his hand until God gives him the victory. They should not worry, though. God has promised to be with her. The general needs her more than they do. 

Even though I don’t want to, I must still give Barak his due. The rest of the chapter says that he fought against the Canaanites. With Deborah by his side (that phrase is really sad), Barak defeated the Canaanites. Under his command, Israel routed her enemies. 

The Lord is much more gracious towards Barak than I am. The author of Hebrews says that he was a hero of the faith (Heb 11:32). He will not only be in the kingdom but will be great in it. If I were in charge, that would not be the case. Because he told a mom that he would fight only if she stood by his side, he would be permanently disqualified from being rewarded. 

The lesson is clear. A believer can start off slowly. A believer can make some really bad mistakes. He can be a sissy. But he can learn from those mistakes. He can finish strong. 

Even a former sissy can be great in Christ’s kingdom. As a retired military guy, I can tell you: the Lord sure is gracious.