Jael: The Woman Who Struck Down Israel’s Enemy. Jael’s name is forever remembered for a single, shocking act of courage. When the Canaanite commander Sisera fled the battlefield, she gave him shelter—then delivered Israel’s victory with her own hands. Her story demonstrates that God can use anyone, in any circumstance, to accomplish His justice.

Deborah: The Prophetess Who Led Israel with Courage and Song. Deborah stands out in Israel’s history as a prophetess, judge, and military leader—a woman of wisdom, faith, and strength who inspired a nation to rise and reclaim its freedom. Her leadership reminds us that God raises up deliverers from every background to accomplish His purposes.

Deborah and Barak: Prophetic Leadership and the Song of Victory. When Israel was crushed beneath the weight of Canaanite oppression, God raised up not a general or king—but a prophetess named Deborah. In an age when everyone did what was right in their own eyes, Deborah did what was right in God’s. Her leadership, rooted in revelation and courage, stands in striking contrast to Barak’s hesitation and Israel’s fear.

Every Man Did What Was Right in His Own Eyes: The Rise and Fall of the Judges. The book of Judges is one of the darkest chapters in Israel’s story. It begins with conquest and ends with chaos. God’s chosen people, once united under Joshua, descend into moral and spiritual decay. The refrain that defines the era is chillingly modern: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25, NASB).

Book of Judges Summary: The Cycle of Collapse and the Mercy of God. Judges is not a kids’ storybook—no matter how many Sunday school flannelgraphs made it look safe. It’s violent. It’s messy. It’s tragic. And it shows what happens when everyone does what is right in their own eyes. Spoiler alert: things fall apart.