4 v.2 'sold them into the hand ...' is a refrain in the book of Judges which is found once also in 1 Samuel. Judges 2:14 3:8 here 10:7 1Samuel 12:9 and marks chastening from Yahweh to cause Israel to repent and turn to him. In the book of Judges this happens every time the chastening comes. This is a mark of the long suffering of God. He knew hoe His people would respond and knew that they would turn away but He still loved them. A wonderful comfort for ourselves.
4 v.4 There are only two references to prophet / prophetess in the book of Judges [Judges 4:4 6:8]

Ch. 5 - Whereas chapter 4 gives little detail of the way in which Yahweh discomfited Sisera the song of Deborah in this chapter, if we are willing to take the languages she uses as describing literal events, provides great insight into what happened.
5 v.6 There are only two mentions of Shamgar in Scripture. It seems almost as if the mention of his being a judge is to provide an explanation to the words of Deborah. [Judges 3:31 5:6] It seems that despite Shamgar's exploits Israel were in dire straits until Deborah arose. See also verse 7.

Chapter 4
The circumstances surrounding Deborah and Barak are used elsewhere in Scripture

So this Psalm draws on the Deborah and |Barak incident to speak of a future deliverance.

Chapter 5
Here are a couple of interesting links with Proverbs

Whilst Proverbs was written after Judges the sentiments of Proverbs marks exactly the mind of Sisera's mother. He was seeking to pervert Israel in a similar way that the strange woman of Proverbs was seeking to seduce Israel.

4:3 We noticed (1:9) that Israel saw the chariots of iron something they could not contend with - so they failed. On this occasion confidence is placed in Yahweh - and Israel overcame their enemies. Surely a powerful warning to us as to where we should place our confidence.

5:12 The leading of 'captivity captive' draws on Deuteronomy 21:10. However it also forms the basis for Psalm 68:15 - Ephesians 4:8). The deliverance by Deborah forms a pattern of the work of Christ in delivering us from sin and death.

4:15 The Lord discomfited Sisera with a terrific rain storm and floods 5:21 so his chariots of iron were of no value to him. Hence he flees 'on his feet' 4:15,17

5:27 We noticed the emphasis on Sisera's feet yesterday. Notice again the mention of 'feet' twice in this verse. The mighty man, with bruised feet arrives at Jael's tent and his head is wounded by the woman at whose feet he is subdued.

4:15,16  Barak had ten thousand men, from Naphtali and Zebulun, who went against Sisera who was well-armed with iron chariots. The men of Israel routed them and slew them with the help of Yahweh.  They were slain by the edge of the sword. The term sword (Heb. chereb) can signify a knife, sword, axe or any other sharp implement.

Ch.5 is Deborah's song of victory.  It is reminiscent of other victory songs, e.g. the Song of Moses after Israel's deliverance through the Red Sea (Exo 15:1-19).  Here, Miriam, another prophetess, celebrated Yahweh's triumph (Exo 15:20,21).  However, Deborah is critical that other tribes did not offer to help Zebulun and Naphtali (5:16,17). 

We too must remember that we are one body and must be ready to help our brethren (1Cor 12:14-26).

4:11     In introducing Heber thus we see that he had a sort of loose familial connection with the children of Israel  by marriage. It seems that he had now associated himself with Israel..

4:11 Historians tell us that the Kenizzites and the Kenites were probably related.  They were nomadic metal workers who lived in the Negev.  Kenaz was a descendent of Esau (Gen 36:12,15). 

The Kenizzites were absorbed by either Judah or Edom before the conquest of the Promised Land.  We know that Caleb's father Jephunneh was a Kenizzite (Num 32:12).  Scripture tells us that some of the Kenites were also absorbed into Israel.  Rechab, for example, is considered from the tribe of Benjamin (2 Sam 4:2; 1 Chron 2:55). 

However, we see that Heber chose to separate himself from other Kenites. Nevertheless, Yahweh used his wife Jael (whose name means wild (mountain) goat or ibex), to subdue His enemies. 

4:2    In saying that Jabin was king in Hazor we must realise that Hazor must have reverted to Canaanite control as Joshua had conquered it earlier – Josh 11:1

4:4 The prophetess Deborah is described as being the wife of Lappidoth.  The meaning of Lappidoth is torches.  Some commentators suggest that this was not a proper name but indicative of Deborah's character - a woman of fiery spirit.  She certainly was a no-nonsense character, the first recorded woman leader of Israel.  She was not shy to lead her troops into battle, although, as a prophetess, her role was essentially to direct (4:8-10). 

This reading describes another woman of character - Jael (means mountain goat).  She became a national hero by killing Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army (4:21; 5:24-27).  Jael was not a woman with whom to butt heads!

4:3The Canaanites had had 900 chariots of iron (ESV).  The scary thing about these chariots, for Israel, was that they had iron blades protruding from the axles of both wheels.  As the chariots were driven, the blades would act like horizontal blenders, chopping up foot soldiers on either side of them.  And, of course, Israel’s army comprised infantry.

4:4 Deborah means honey-bee.  She was the queen bee in Israel at this time, and known as a mother in Israel (5:7).  As a judge in Israel, people flocked to her home for advice.  Deborah was a prophetess, and so her leadership was more directive than hands-on.  She appointed Barak as commander-in-chief of the army (4:6).  And so, the two functions of a judge in Israel - military leader and administrator - were split between Deborah and Barak.  Thus, the two could be considered as the fourth co-judges in Israel.  It is interesting that Barak is mentioned in the Hebrews' faith chapter, but not Deborah (Heb 11:32).

4:11 Hobab was probably Moses brother-in-law, as Jethro (also called Raguel) was his father-in-law (Num 10:29).  Moses had asked Hobab to join him on the wilderness journey.  Evidently, he did as his progeny is mentioned here.

5:6,7 Shamgar was the third judge in Israel who was under the subjugation of Moab.  The commentary here is that the country was in such chaos that the roads were unsafe to travel because of bandits.  For this reason, some villages were cut off and ceased to be.  

The following is perhaps a parable foreshadowing Christ's victory over sin and death:

1. The fruit of Mary's womb, Christ, was the fleshly tabernacle. "blessed shall she be above women in the tent" (Judg 5:24), in this we have a possible echo of Elizabeth's words to Mary "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" (Luke 1:42). John when describing the birth of Christ adds "And the Word was made flesh, and 'dwelt' [Grk. "skenoo" (4637) means "to tent, to tabernacle, encamp, dwell, a symbol of protection and communion"] among us, (and we beheld his glory...)..." and later John adds, "...he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell (4637) among them" (John 1:14;Rev 7:15). A Heb. word for "tabernacle" is "ohel" (168) and the Grk. equivalent "skenoma" [(4638) means "body, temple, encampment, tabernacle"] can refer to the fleshly body as a tabernacle (2Pet 1:13-14;2Cor 5:4).   2. Sin was destroyed in the tabernacle of Christ's flesh (Judg 4:18,21;Heb 2:14;Rom 8:3).   3. The seed of the serpent (sin - represented by Sisera) was dealt a blow to the head (mortal blow) by the seed of the woman (Christ - Jael represents Christ's tabernacle of flesh) which suffered a bruised foot (nonfatal blow - note Sisera fell at Jael's feet) by sin (Judg 5:26-27;Gen 3:14-15); this hammering of a stake reminds us of the crucifixion; as "Jael" (3278) means "wild goat" she may also represent the "scapegoat" (Lev 16:6-10) which lives on and is a symbol of the resurrection; we may even have an echo of Christ's fleshly body thirsting for natural water (Judg 5:25;John 19:28-29); perhaps we have an echo of baptism which is essential for deliverance and salvation yet buries, washes away sin (Judg 4:10,13-15;Judg 5:4,19,21;Exo 15:4,10,19;1Cor 10:2;Mark 16:16;John 3:5).

The following is perhaps a type of the last day Armageddon battle and Christ's return:

Judg 4:14;5:19 - "mount" [Heb. "har" (2022)] Tabor and the waters of Megiddo perhaps echos "Armageddon" (Rev 16:16).  Judg 4:14 - the 10,000 called out ones perhaps echo the saints that execute judgment (Jude 1:14-15);  Judg 5:4 - When the Lord marched out of Seir the earth trembled, the heavens poured, the clouds poured water perhaps echos the last day battle (Deut 33:2;Zech 14:2-4;Eze 38:22-23).  Judg 4:14 - "Tabor" [(8396) means "broken region"] and perhaps echos the stone (Christ) that breaks into pieces the kingdoms of man (Dan 2:45);   Judg 4:14 - "This is the day in which the Lord hath delivered"... perhaps echos that latter day of the Lord believers eagerly await (Psa 118:22-26).

The following names perhaps echo the great deliverer, Christ. Deborah means or comes from a derivative meaning bee or speaker (1Cor 15:54-57;Luke 22:33) and (Heb 1:1-2). With Deborah was Barak and his name meant lightning which is associated with the manifestation of the glory of God (Eze 1:1,13,15,28;John 17:1,3-6;Luke 10:17-18;Matt 24:27).

Some of the above gleaned from The Gospel in the Book of Judges by Ian Giles, pps. 67-79.

5:13 The dominion that God gave Israel typified the overcoming of the power of the serpent of Gen 3:1 and restored, typically, Israel to the position of dominion that Adam was given – Gen 1:26,28.

Whenever we read of thorns and briers, there is usually a reference back to the Garden of Eden, and Adam’s punishments. Isa 32:13 speaks of the punishments of Eden coming upon the “joyous city”. But that will end when “the spirit be poured upon us from on high” (Isa 32:15).

32:4  Jesus’ miracles fulfil Scripture showing him to be Messiah. The stammerers speaking plainly is fulfilled in Mark 7:32

Isaiah intersperses visions of the kingdom and its blessings with warnings of impending invasion.  He urges the people of Judah to snap out of their complacency because the Assyrians will be at their doorsteps in about one year's time (vs.9,10). 

Sennacherib did arrive (in 701 BC) and devastated Judah.  Although Jerusalem was spared, Sennacherib destroyed many Judean cities (2 Kin 18:13).  According to his own records, he destroyed 46 cities and captured over 200,000 inhabitants.

Before the kingdom is finally established, Israel will again suffer a devastating invasion from Gog, another northern host (Eze 38:16).

32:13 The ‘thorns and briers’ echoes the judgement that Isaiah has already spoken against Jerusalem – Isa 5:6

32:2 Peter was a ‘rock’ for his name means ‘rock’ and when his ‘shadow’ passed over the sick – Acts 5:15– the sick were healed.

32:14-15 Just a little point. Here is one example where the term ‘forever’ is qualified. Useful to help us to understand that God does not always talk about absolutes in the way that we might when speaking of time periods.

Vs.1-8 These verses describe prosperity that was realized under Hezekiah.  However, their secondary function is to describe the prosperous condition under Jesus in the kingdom.

V.8 the word liberal (KJV) is better translated noble (ESV).

Vs.11-14 This scenario of fear will be repeated Israel when is devastated by Gog and his confederates in the end time (Eze 38:16; Zech 14:2).

Vs.15-18 Yahweh saved Jerusalem from attack by Sennacherib. The angel of Yahweh destroyed the Assyrian troops (2Kin 19:35). Sennacherib went home and peace ensued. The same shall happen when the Lord Jesus saves Israel from the clutches of Gog (Eze 39:3-5). 

V.19 Sennacherib went home. Twenty years after his affront to Jerusalem, Sennacherib was murdered by his sons (2Kin 19:37; Isa 37:38).  Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 606 BC. It was Nimrod who built Nineveh, after he built Babel. 

In Babylon, Nimrod and his wife Semiramis produced a blasphemous and pernicious system of worship.  The Babylonian system of worship is alive and well today in the Orthodox Churches.  When Jesus returns, He will destroy this Babylon just as surely as Yahweh destroyed Nineveh (Rev 14:8; 18:21).

32:1 The ‘princes’ that are to ‘reign in righteousness’ (with Jesus) are the princes spoken of in Psa 45:16

Vs.1-4 The world plays favorites.  It is influenced by those who are good-looking, rich, or influential.  They are given pre-eminent positions and special attention.  On the other hand, the ugly and poor are shunned because they are not marketable and have no influence.  The world makes these judgements in the absence of any moral consideration of justice, right or wrong. 

Disciples of Jesus must be extremely careful not to show favoritism.  They must not let worldly values (or lack of them) dictate how we treat their brothers and sisters. 

Do we give more favored consideration to influential families in our meeting; good speakers; those who have contributed more money etc?  If so this is wrong.  Instead of concentrating on looks, clothes, money, fine speech etc. perhaps we should lower our gaze and focus on feet (John 13:5-16).  

2:1 That the way in which we hold our faith should be ‘without respect of persons’ follows a long Biblical precedent - starting in Lev 19:15. How easy it is to form judgments about others, maybe even thinking that such a person would not be interested in our faith.

V.5 Possessions can blind us to spiritual values, but while in the single hearted seeking of the Kingdom we often lose opportunities to become rich in worldly goods, such poverty constitutes true riches (Rev 2:9), and our poor condition is no indication of our standing in the sight of God.

2:7 Notice that the finely dressed that James speaks of persecute the brethren. They also’ blaspheme’. Doubtless in the context in which James is writing they would have been Jews. Paul describes his former behaviour thus, linking persecution with blasphemy – 1Tim 1:13

2:1     Here and in 1Cor 2:8 we find the term ‘lord of glory’. On both occasions it is a reference to the risen Christ. On both occasions the term is used to emphasise the status of the risen Jesus.  The implication on both occasions is that an appreciation of the status of Jesus should modify one’s behaviour.

2:1     Here and in 1Cor 2:8 we find the term ‘lord of glory’. On both occasions it is a reference to the risen Christ. On both occasions the term is used to emphasise the status of the risen Jesus.  The implication on both occasions is that an appreciation of the status of Jesus should modify one’s behaviour.

2:1 Talking of ‘the lord of glory’ and ‘brethren’ James highlights why we should not have respect of persons. ‘The Lord of glory’ – the risen Christ has condescended to us that we might be called ‘brethren’ so who are we to judge whether another is fit to spend time with!

Vs.17,18 Works alone cannot save, neither can faith alone save. First must come faith. It is gained by reading the Word of God and understanding its message of salvation (Rom 10:17).  After that understanding, baptism must be undertaken to come into a covenant relationship with Yahweh through His Son Jesus (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12).

Then, this disciple of Jesus continues his/her life in obedience to His commands (John 15:14).  Continuous reading of scripture is necessary for the disciple to advance spiritually (2Tim 3:16). This action is faith-building.  But, other actions are also required to demonstrate faith (James 1:22). A good place to start is by obeying the royal law (v.8).  But, don’t forget about the greatest commandment (Matt 22:37-39).

The Royal Law Of Love (v.8)

This wonderful law, called "the royal law", or the"over-ruling law", is so called because it reigns over all other laws. In the kingdom of God, there are no big "I's and little "you's", but the family of God is knit together in love.

Three little verses tie this concept nicely together:

Col 3:14 - "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness"

1Pet 4:8 - "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins"

John 13:35 - "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another "

2:16 James’ comment about speaking and not doing is picked up and re presented by John – 1John 3:18 indicating that this sort of practice was not uncommon in the first century – what about today?