Femme Friday- Jael

 A story old as time. Man given task to do. Man wants to do task his own way instead of God's. God
says, "Fine, but now the glory will no longer be yours." Thus the story of Jael's rise to infamy begins. 

A long long time ago in a land that no longer exists, there was a judge named Deborah. You can read more of her story here. At first glance, Jael is a secondary character in a much larger story. However, if we take a closer look, we will see her significance in the story of both Israel and the story of Christianity. 

Jael was part of the tribe of the Kenites. A nomadic group that traveled and pitched tents where it would be beneficial for their people and herds. The Kenites are also known as being related to Moses thru marriage. Jael would have been in her tents, preparing meals and making sure everything was settled for her family. All around the tents of Jael, war had broken out between the Israelites and the Caananites. These two groups had been fighting since the time of Jacob and Esau. They still fight today. 

As Israel was defeating the Canaanites under the general Sisera, the army fled. All the might of iron chariots and superior numbers did not matter in the face of Israel's God. Jael was doing the things nomadic women do, when Sisera approached her tent. Not realizing Jael or her family had any connection to Israel, Sisera asked for sustenance and hiding. Jael provided not just water to the thirsty man, but milk and curds. Along with a blanket for rest. While Sisera was sleeping, Jael took a tent peg and rammed it thru Sisera's skull. Without a general, defeated by an inferior army, the Canaanites stopped attacking Israel. The land had peace for the next few decades. 

Jael was a woman doing what women do. Taking care of her house. Being hospitable to strangers. Using her knowledge and skills to defeat enemy armies. We to have these same abilities. 

So often it feels as if we have no weapon to defeat our enemies. Life doesn't even reveal our enemies as clearly as it did to Jael. But when we do see them clearly, we have the same might and power to defeat them as Jael did. Instead of tent pegs, we have our voices. Instead of milk and curds with a wool blanket on the side, we have dollars and cents and social media accounts to direct our influence. Instead of judges coming every few decades to plead the case for our wayward selves, we have Christ the great High Priest who came once and reigns eternal as the victor over sin and death. We are more than conquerors thru Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us live in that place of peace and comfort.