It’s been a while since I posted on the blog, but I wanted to share a Bible story that has blessed me deeply over the years. It’s from Judges chapters 4 and 5, the story of Deborah and Jael. Today, I want to talk especially about Jael.
I remember the first time I read that story. Israel was facing many challenges and had to go to war against their enemies. Barak, who was the commander of the army, was afraid to go on his own. He told Deborah, the prophetess, “If you want me to go to war, then you have to go with me.” And Deborah said, “Okay, I’ll go with you—but the honor of the victory will go to a woman.”
When I read that, my first thought was, Oh, she must be talking about herself. I assumed that meant Deborah would get the honor. But as I kept reading, I realized I was wrong.
There was another woman mentioned in that story. Her name was Jael.
The Bible describes her as a tent-dwelling woman. But not just that. It says, “Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, blessed is she among women in tents.” (Judges 5:24). That stood out to me. She wasn’t just any tent-dwelling woman. She was singled out, just like when the Bible says Mary was “highly favored among women.”
To put it in today’s terms, you could say Jael was a stay-at-home woman, a wife, or someone who wasn’t out in public spaces like Deborah was. She didn’t hold any title, wasn’t known and didn’t have a platform. But she was different.
And I want to pause here and say: it doesn’t matter where you are right now. You can hold on to God and prepare yourself for His purpose. Maybe, as a tent-dwelling woman, she had learned to use a hammer, a peg, tools in her everyday life. Who knows what she had been doing with her hands all those years? But unknowingly, she was being prepared. She might not have even realized it. But she wasn’t ordinary.
When the commander of Israel’s enemies, Sisera, ran from the battlefield, he came to Jael’s tent. Of all the tents he could have entered, he came into hers. She didn’t panic. She didn’t say, “Wow, the person everyone is chasing has entered my tent, so let me protect him because I’m not Deborah. I’m not known. Nobody talks about me. I’m not important.”
She didn’t allow jealousy or spite to make her go against God’s plan and purpose. She was ready to do the will of God, irrespective of her position. In fact, I doubt she even heard Deborah’s prophecy about a woman receiving the honor. Yet, Jael knew within herself that even though she was just a tent-dwelling woman, she could be part of what God was doing in Israel. She gave Sisera milk, made him comfortable (perhaps she had a reputation for being hospitable), and when he was asleep, she did something bold. She picked up a hammer and a peg and drove it into his temple.
The strength! The courage! The boldness! She didn’t overthink it and didn’t let fear paralyze her. She used what she knew. And that’s something I’ll never forget: she used what she knew how to do.
She may not have been trained like a warrior, but she was excellent with her hands. She was good at what she did. And God used what she had. Her hospitality, strength and skill.
After that, she stepped out and told Barak, “The man you’re looking for is here.” Just like that. No drama. No trying to be seen.
So today, whether you feel like Deborah with a platform or Jael in a tent, I want you to remember: God sees you. Keep preparing, strengthening your hand, learning and showing up, even in the hidden places. Keep doing what God has placed in your heart. Because your moment will come. And when it does, it will not be by struggle. You won’t have to chase it.
Jael didn’t chase Sisera, he came to her. She didn’t beg for the opportunity, God brought it to her tent.
We’re still talking about Jael today, and people will continue to remember her name as long as the Bible is read. So don’t despise where you are. Be faithful. Whether you’re Deborah or Jael, God can use you right where you are.
Thanks for reading.
