Barak, faith gives courage (Hebrews 11)
Barak, faith gives courage (Hebrews 11)
Lecture
Judges Chapter 4
Why did we read this chapter 4 of the book of Judges?
Now we are continuing our reading and reflections on the book of Hebrews. And chapter 11 invites us to imitate the faith of ordinary people who have had a remarkable attitude of faith in the Lord.
Among them, Barak is named. I take this opportunity to focus on some lesser-known or poorly-known biblical characters, such as Barak. We will soon see Samson and Jephthah…
They seem to have been very famous in the collective history of the Hebrews.
This Barak-Sisera battle is reminiscent of another.
We often have, and this is normal, difficulty realizing the reality experienced by people when we read biblical texts. It is certain that it is another culture with more than 3,000 years of difference!
In trying to understand the challenge Barak was facing, I was immediately reminded of a legendary fact about the charges of the Polish cavalry against German tanks at the beginning of the 1939-45 war, at the Battle of Krojanty. Even if the reality was quite different, I still have these images from our history books where we see cavalrymen facing tanks.
Indeed, Barak and the 10,000 « warriors » from some tribes of Israel were only poor infantrymen facing 900 chariots (not tanks). Suffice it to say that on the plain, once this armada was launched, it was impossible to stop them.
In his providence, God gave victory to Barak by provoking a huge storm that caused a torrent, the Kishon, to overflow (Judges 5:20-21). The chariots got stuck there, and the Canaanites became easy prey for the Israelites (a bit like the cavalry of the French knights getting stuck at the Battle of Agincourt facing the English archers).
Still, it took the courage of faith in the Lord to go out and meet this tide of chariots. And it is this faith that the Epistle to the Hebrews emphasizes.
This battle occurred during a troubling moment for the judges.
At a time in Israel’s history that was far from brilliant. Indeed, the exploits of the conquest of Canaan (such as Jericho) under the leadership of Joshua were to be completed by the tribes. But instead, they preferred assimilation and fell into the idolatry of Canaanite religions.
Contract – Judgment
The Lord, keeping the terms of the contract made with Israel, confronts them with the judgment of their attitude.
Cycles of the Book of Judges
This is followed for 400 years by cycles where:
1. Idolatry leads to judgment through domination and oppression by foreign nations (here it is Jabin for 20 years).
2. Israel calls upon the Lord (here it is through Deborah).
3. The Lord raises up a judge (here it is Barak).
4. With the help of the Lord, the judge delivers Israel from oppression and reestablishes the link with God (here, the battle between Sisera and Barak).
5. A period of peace follows during the judge’s lifetime (here it is 40 years).
The First 3 Cycles
Three types of people are involved in these cycles:
1. The Lord
2. The Judge
3. The People
1) The first judge (Othniel) highlights the intervention of the Lord.
2) The second judge (Ehud) shows the action of the judge.
3) The third detailed example highlights the people:
– Deborah
– Barak
– Jael
– The 10,000 warriors of Naphtali, Zebulun, and other tribes
Deborah: Judge According to the Law and Spokesperson for God
In this more people-oriented view where all the components of the people are involved, Deborah, as a prophetess, is the spokesperson that the Lord uses:
– To remind the people of the word of God and the law in judgments between people in Israel.
– To call Barak to lead the people against Jabin and Sisera and give him the « start signal » for the battle, which is to be synchronized with the providential storm that bogs down Sisera’s chariots.
Reason Why Barak Requests the Presence of Deborah
This is why Barak requests the presence of Deborah with the warriors of Israel.
Just as Gideon will seek much confirmation from the Lord, Barak does not set out with a « flower in his gun » in the face of the insurmountable. Instead, he wants God to be represented by the presence of the rare person who speaks in the name of the Lord, Deborah.
Of course, this will cost him the prestige of not having killed the opposing general (it is Jael who will accomplish this, which only reinforces the fact that it is the people who are honored in this third part of the Judges).
But it is Barak’s faith that is emphasized. Barak has the courage of faith to lead the people in confronting the seemingly invincible enemy, and this is what is highlighted in the New Testament.
All other individuals are no longer mentioned in the Bible…
Essential Bible Reading Attitude
Remember, the Old Testament must always be read in light of Jesus’ victory through:
– His death
– His resurrection
– His ascension
That is, through the epistles, which provide the framework for understanding what happens before the cross.
How to Imitate Barak?
If chapter 11 of the Epistle to the Hebrews cites Barak’s faith as an example, it is so that the readers of the epistle will have the same courage of faith.
We’re not going to run with guns against tanks, practically!
Two Areas of Faith
On the other hand, the thread of the Epistle to the Hebrews invites us to have the same level of faith in two areas that are exposed in the preceding chapters of the epistle.
The Person of Jesus
The first area concerns:
– The person and,
– The work of Jesus.
There is only Him.
All Others
all this is nothing compared to:
– The person of Jesus and
– The perfect salvation that He accomplished.
An Enduring Faith
The second area does not call for moments of brilliance but for endurance in one’s life of faith with Christ.
For Early Readers
For the first readers, this was very concrete. After experiencing the spectacular beginnings of the early Church, as shown in the beginning of the book of Acts, they were now in the usual phase of Church life, as shown in the remainder of the book of Acts.
The phase we have known since then was less exciting, and persecution from:
– Family
– Politics
– Religious authorities
caused some to reconsider.
Some in the Church environment, not yet fully committed to Christ, found it more comfortable to return to Judaism.
Faced with these questions that could have destabilized believers, the author of the epistle recalls that Jesus and His work have no equivalents and cannot be compared to anything.
In these particular moments they are going through, they are invited to have a faith with endurance, just as Barak did.
For Us
It is also up to us to have a faith that is consistent in the face of the bludgeoning:
– Information
– Hypotheses
– Theories
– Ideas
– Life practices
– Views on identity and human value
– Priorities of life
– Directions in life
that put faith in Christ:
– In the background or
– Forgotten.
Reminding us that no one will ever measure up to Jesus:
– In nature: completely man and God.
– In holiness: He never sinned, while all people, despite their best efforts, are touched by sin.
– In capacity: Jesus is the creator; everything that is offered to us comes from people who are creatures.
Against the Current?
So we are not being persecuted head-on like the early believers in the Church, but we are really swimming against the current:
We feel very small compared to the flood of everything that contradicts what God tells us in the Bible.
But Barak and his companions were also very small in the face of that war machine. The difference is that Barak believed the word of God, and that resulted in the trend being reversed.
A Faith That Reverses the Trend
Are we convinced that what God says is true?
– TRUE
– Capital
– Essential
for us and for those around us?
So let’s reverse the trend in our thoughts. It is not we who are going against the current; it is unfortunately those who do not yet know Christ as Savior and Lord.
One That is a Source of Proposal
May the Lord help us to be convinced of this with strong faith. And may this strong faith enable us to be a force of proposition for those who need to taste how good the Lord is.
Barak’s faith in God reversed the trend; there is no reason why ours should not do the same.
So let us truly believe in God for all aspects of life. Not as an unattainable ideal, but as the reality to live now! for the certain things promised by God that we do not yet see and that we will not necessarily see in our lifetime, that is faith!