Read Judges 5

““Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.” (Judges 5:31)

The account of Deborah and Barak is a peculiar one. Deborah was a prophetess, who sat under a palm tree and spoke the Word of God to Israel (see Judges 4:4-5). In this way she acted as a judge for the nation, and is the only woman judge recorded in the book. Don’t be mistaken on how uncustomary and outlandish this was. Women in this time and era did not lead, especially on a national level.

How incredible that there was not a man in all of Israel who would lead the nation into victory against their enemies, the Canaanites. Even Deborah herself called upon the man, Barak, to go out to fight for the LORD for Israel’s deliverance, yet he would not go unless she went with him. (see Judges 4:8)

But in the end, Israel prevailed under Deborah’s and Barak’s leadership. Not a single man from the army of Canaanites was left. Israel utterly defeated them (see Judges 4:16, 23-24).

From this great victory we have one of the most ancient songs ever recorded in Scripture, and in all of history for that matter. It’s become known as the song of Deborah and Barak, which retells the triumphant story over the Canaanites in poetic fashion.

In the final verse of this ancient anthem we see something significant: what it means to love God.

“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” (Judges 5:31)

To love the LORD! That is Deborah's and Barak's exhortation to all of Israel. That is the moral of the victory. That is the principle thing. Be lovers of God, and you will shine like the sun at noonday. Understand — ancient nations did not love their gods. Yes, they trembled, and feared, and worshipped them, but to love them was a foreign concept.

But with the only True and Living God it is not so. God has shown His sovereign desire to see mankind come to love Him. There is a wonderful relationship involved between man and his Maker. He is not a distant God, but one who is near to love.

Dear Beloved, we must take these ancient words of the song and make them our own, for there is no victory without a deep love for God.

"Blessed be the LORD, my rock... He is my steadfast love..." (Psalm 144.1-2, ESV)

It is only by loving the Lord our God that we walk in victory, in light, and in hope. Therefore, express your love to Him! Adore Christ the Lord! Let Him be the meditation of your heart today. For only in expressing our love can we grow in our love. And the more we love God, the more we will shine like the sun in a dark and hopeless world.

“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”” (John 14:23)