Sisera Is Killed

Sisera Is Killed

Q: How did Sisera, Jabin’s commander in chief, die?

• a. A tent peg was driven through his head.
• b. A dagger was run through him.
• c. A chariot ran him over.

If anyone tries to tell you that following God makes you weak, you might suggest they read the books of Joshua and Judges. These books are filled with battles and victories. And sometimes things got a little gruesome—like with Sisera.

When Sisera fled from the battle against the Israelites, he went to the tent of a man named Heber, because he thought he’d be safe there. Jael, Heber’s wife, saw Sisera coming and stepped out of her tent to greet him. “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.”

Jael gave Sisera a drink and covered him with a blanket. Sisera told her, “Stand at the door of the tent. If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no.” Then he fell asleep.

Then there was a surprising turn of events. Jael quietly crept up to the sleeping Sisera with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. She drove the tent peg right through Sisera’s temple and into the ground. That might seem like a strange thing for a woman to do, but she’d probably pounded tent pegs into the ground before. When Barak arrived looking for his enemy, Jael showed him what she’d done.

Sometimes God chooses to work in unusual ways. Deborah, from yesterday’s devotion, and Jael demonstrate that. Never assume that God will use the person or the method you think he will to get things done.

For You

We can’t go around driving tent pegs into our enemies’ heads, but God still works in surprising ways at times. Be open to his leading. He may have a whole different plan in mind than you do.

Answer: a

When Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.   Judges 4:21

(The Whole Story: Judges 4:17-23)