Rule of Law: Creator Endowed Rights

A Lesson from the Prophetess Deborah - Judges 4-5

The Rule of Law is the legal foundation of protection of our Creator-endowed rights. Our Declaration of Independence states:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Deborah teaches a lesson about Creator-endowed rights

While many history and battle-buffs have studied the battle strategy and execution of Barak and Deborah and their 10,000 men of Israel against the forces of Jabin, king of Canaan who lived in the city of Hazor and his army commander, Sisera of Harosheth-hagoyim. ¹ and how the miraculous work of God delivered a well-equipped army with 900 iron chariots into the hands an army of mere foot soldiers, not much is mentioned about how the people of Israel had effected their drift from God and why Deborah called upon the men of Israel to rise up and engage their oppressor in battle.

What were the circumstances that moved Deborah, a Prophetess and Judge, to charge Barak with the task to lead men in a revolt against a superior force?

Judges 4-5 provides clues as how the people had strayed from God by gradually abdicating their Creator-endowed rights by placating a lawless, oppressive king and his gang of warlord thugs and how that loss became the motivating factor to rise up and fight for justice – the restoration of their sole worship of God and in the process, restoration of their Creator-endowed rights. As the area Judge, the people would bring their disputes and legal issues before Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, to receive justice. ²However, when dealing with an oppressive, lawless regime, Deborah was presented with instances in which no legal recourse could hold the individuals of that regime accountable. ³

Shepherds and herdsmen were complaining of loss of property as the oppressive regime would confiscate their herds and flocks without compensation. ⁴The trade caravans were robbed of their cash as well as their goods and so they avoided the area. ⁵ Because of the oppressive regime’s lack of fealty to any law, the people complaining to Deborah also were experiencing a loss of equality before the law. No one was being held accountable for these legal complaints.

Oppression is the loss of Creator-endowed rights. When legal recourse cannot be obtained to restore those Creator-endowed rights, war becomes a godly option. History records that God favors those who wage war to restore the legal foundation of protection of Creator-endowed rights.

“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord;

But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might.”  Judges 5: 31