“The angel of the LORD said, ‘Curse the city of Meroz. Curse its people! They did not come to help the LORD fight.’ They did not help the LORD against his powerful enemies.”
Our verse for today is a part of the song of victory that Deborah and Barak sang on the day that the Israelites defeated Sisera, the commander of King Jabin the Canaanite’s army. Deborah, a prophet and judge in Israel, had prophetically commissioned Barak to gather 10,000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun and attack Sisera. Charging down Mt. Tabor, Barak led the Israelites into battle and to victory.
From time to time, and from place to place, the people of God still encounter enemy opposition to the Kingdom of God. Although the battles are not usually military battles like the battle at Mt. Tabor, they are battles nonetheless. The powerful enemies of the Lord under Satan’s command try to stop and roll back the advance of the Lord’s Kingdom on earth. The opposition can be strong, and the battles can be fierce.
During such times, the Lord still calls out leaders to attack the enemy to advance His Kingdom and rule. He fills people with the same Spirit Deborah had, and He sends them forth to sound the alarm.
Some refuse to join in the battle. Although they are ready and able, they will not receive the blessing of the Lord if they stand back. Indeed, they receive the opposite of a blessing. They receive a curse from the Lord Himself. You cannot ignore the call of the Lord with impunity. After all, as Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me. And anyone who does not work with me is working against me,” (Luke 11:23).
But there are those that respond to the call, and they volunteer for the battle (Judges 5:2). No one makes them fight—they fight because they are obedient to the call of the Lord. Not everyone is called to join every battle. They may not be able to, or they may not be near it. But for those ready and able, it is burdened upon them join the fight.
For their efforts for the advancement of the Kingdom, the Lord blesses them.
By John Huisman, friend of Bible League International
