Compare Sisera's mother's waiting to Psalm 27:14's call to "wait for the LORD." Sisera’s Mother Peering Through the Lattice (Judges 5:28-30) “‘Why has his chariot delayed in coming? Why do the hoofbeats of his team delay?’ The wisest of her ladies answer; indeed she repeats the words to herself: ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil? A girl or two for each warrior…’” • Time frame: Immediately after Israel’s victory under Deborah and Barak (Judges 4–5). • Posture: Anxious, restless gazing—eyes glued to the road. • Hope: Grounded in human strength—Sisera’s military skill and expected plunder. • Counsel: Carnal reassurance from her ladies, normalizing brutality (“a girl or two”). • Outcome: Futile; Sisera lies dead (Judges 4:21). Her waiting ends in despair. David’s Call to Wait for the LORD (Psalm 27:14) “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take courage and wait for the LORD”. • Time frame: David surrounded by enemies yet confident of “seeing the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (v. 13). • Posture: Steadfast heart—strengthened by worship (vv. 4-6) and prayer (vv. 7-12). • Hope: Anchored in Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness, not personal prowess. • Counsel: Divine—David exhorts himself and readers to courageous expectancy. • Outcome: Certain; God’s deliverance is guaranteed by His character (Psalm 27:5-6). Side-by-Side Snapshot • Object of waiting – Sisera’s mother: A human champion who cannot rise from death. – David: The living LORD who cannot fail (Numbers 23:19). • Source of assurance – Sisera’s mother: Idle speculation and sinful imagination. – David: Revelation—promises, past mercies, present communion. • Content of hope – Sisera’s mother: Spoils of war, sensual indulgence, pride. – David: Intimate fellowship (“to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD,” v. 4) and refuge. • End result – Sisera’s mother: Tragic silence; anticipated joy turns to grief. – David: Strength and courage while waiting, ultimate vindication. Key Lessons for Today • Waiting is inevitable; what matters is whom we wait for. • Earth-bound hopes collapse; hope fixed on the LORD stands firm (Isaiah 40:31). • Ungodly counsel feeds anxiety; God’s Word fortifies faith (Romans 10:17). • Courage flows not from circumstances but from God’s unchanging nature (Joshua 1:9). Practical Applications • Shift focus: Trade the window of worry for the sanctuary of worship (Psalm 27:4). • Replace vain conjecture with Scripture meditation (Lamentations 3:25-26). • Seek godly voices, not echo chambers that normalize sin (Proverbs 13:20). • Speak truth to your soul: repeat David’s refrain—“Wait for the LORD” (Psalm 42:5). A Closing Contrast in a Single Sentence Sisera’s mother waited for a corpse that could not return, while David waited for the living God who always comes through. |
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