day no. 14,046 continued... a nail to the temple

Shooting from the hip this morning.

 

Judges 5:24

Most blessed of women be Jael,

the wife of Heber the Kenite,

of tent-dwelling women most blessed.

 

I like the emphasis on Jael's feminine strength and the indictment it served towards the weakness of the men of that world. I like the song that Deborah sings about Jael following the incident that serves almost as a proto-Magnificat (just as Genesis 3:15 serves as a proto-Evangelium)

 

The Protestant Reformation will celebrate its 500^th anniversary this October 31st. Just like Jael drove the nail through the temple of Siscera, Luther drove the nail through the temple door. Just like Barak should have stood up for and protected Israel, Rome should have stood up for and protected the church. Jael's hand was forced. The fight came looking for her. Luther's hand was forced. The fight came looking for him. And when you decide to fight, you must also decide to win. If you start a fight, you must be prepared to end the fight.

Jael did not delay, frustrate or wound Siscera, she ended him. Luther did not delay, frustrate or wound Rome's rule, he ended it. Jael put the tent peg all the way through Siscera's head and into the ground. She decided to hit and then hit with all her might. Luther nailed more than a piece of paper to the temple door, he drove 95 stakes into the heart of the dragon. Jael and the church were both married to compromised husbands. The result of those compromises brought an enemy into the camp/church and the ones who were supposed to protect them, failed them at their greatest hour of need. Where Barak failed, Jael succeeded, where Rome failed, Luther succeeded.

 

Just some thoughts.