Deborah and Barak
Judges 4:1-24; Judges 5:1-31 Old Testament PrincipleCourage
A cruel king with 900 iron chariots ruled over Israel. God told Deborah that Barak should lead an army against him, and God would give them the victory. Barak was afraid to go alone, but he went. God sent a storm, and the chariots got stuck in the mud! We can be brave because God goes before us.
Courage doesn't mean we are never afraid. We can be brave and obey God because He goes before us and He is with us.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 BSB
Christ Connection · Picture
God went before Barak and won the battle Israel could never win alone. Jesus is the "founder of our salvation" who goes ahead of His people (Hebrews 2:10). At the cross and the empty tomb, He defeated the devil and set us free from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 2:15). Because He has gone before us, we can be brave.
Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 2:15
The Big Story · Redemption
God's people kept turning away from Him, and enemies ruled over them. Each time they cried out, God sent a rescuer. Those rescuers point to Jesus, the final Rescuer, who goes before us and has already won the biggest battle of all.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- A map of where it happened
- Object lesson: Go first
- Ellie’s Lab (science experiment): Stuck in the mud
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Down the mountain
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
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Preschool (ages 3–5)
God goes first. I can be brave!
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Stuck in the mud, Color Deborah
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
A cruel king with 900 iron chariots ruled over Israel. God told Deborah that Barak should lead an army, and God would win. Barak was scared, but he went. God sent a storm, and the chariots got stuck in the mud! We can be brave because God goes before us.
Memory verse
“The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you.”
Adapted from Deuteronomy 31:8
Start here
Ask, "What's the scariest thing you've ever had to do?" Let a few kids share. Say, "Today a man had to do something very scary. Listen for who went before him."
Bible story 6 min
God's people stopped following God. So a mean king ruled them. His army leader was Sisera. Sisera had 900 iron chariots!
For twenty years they hurt God's people. At last the people cried out to God.
God had a leader named Deborah. She sat under a palm tree. People came to her for help.
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Act it out 10 min
You’ll need: A pillow or rolled-up blanket
- Choose Deborah, Barak and Sisera. Everyone else is Barak's army. The pillow is the mountain.
- Act out the skit.
- Switch so more kids get a turn.
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
For twenty years, Sisera's 900 iron chariots crushed Israel. God spoke through Deborah, a prophetess and judge, and sent Barak to battle with 10,000 men and hardly any weapons. Barak hesitated, but he went. God sent a storm that flooded the Kishon and trapped the chariots in mud. True courage comes from trusting that God goes before us.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Who won the battle?, Down the mountain
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, with friends, at home
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
Israel was oppressed for twenty years by Sisera's 900 iron chariots, the strongest weapon of the day. God spoke through Deborah, the prophetess and judge, and Barak led 10,000 nearly unarmed men down Mount Tabor. God sent a storm that turned the valley to mud and won the battle Himself. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is obeying because the LORD has gone before us.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Chariots or the LORD?, My Mount Tabor
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, online and on screens, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Courage
The same principle in other Bible stories.
The Church BeginsPeter and John Heal a ManActs 3:1-4:31; Isaiah 35:5-6Peter and John healed a man who couldn't walk, in the name of Jesus. When leaders told them to stop talking about Jesus, they bravely said, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."New TestamentCourage
Seeing God's WorldWhy Am I Here?Esther 4:1-17; Esther 5:1-3; Ephesians 2:8-10When an evil plan threatened God's people, Mordecai told Queen Esther, "Who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther bravely went to the king, and God used her to save His people. God made each of us on purpose, for good works He prepared ahead of time, and He gives us courage to do them.Old TestamentCourage
Elisha and the Chariots of Fire2 Kings 6:8-23The king of Aram sent a huge army to capture Elisha. In the morning, Elisha's servant saw soldiers all around the city and was terrified. Elisha said, "Don't be afraid! Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." God opened the servant's eyes, and the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire. God is with us, so we can be brave.Old TestamentCourage
To an Unknown God: Paul in AthensActs 17:16-34While Paul waited in Athens, he was upset to see the city full of idols. He talked about Jesus and the resurrection in the synagogue and the marketplace, and the city's thinkers brought him to a council called the Areopagus. Paul bravely stood up and said, "I found an altar that says, 'To an unknown god.' I will tell you who He is." He told them God made the world and gives everyone life and breath, and He raised Jesus from the dead. Some laughed, some wanted to hear more and some believed. God gives us courage to tell others about Him.New TestamentCourage
Esther Saves Her PeopleEsther 2:1-9:32; Hebrews 4:16Wicked Haman planned to destroy all of God's people. Queen Esther was afraid, but she asked her people to fast and pray, then bravely went to the king. God was quietly at work all along, and He turned the whole plan upside down to save His people.Old TestamentCourage
Baby Moses in the BasketExodus 1:15-2:10; Hebrews 11:23Pharaoh ordered that Israel's baby boys be thrown into the Nile. But Moses' mother bravely hid him, then put him in a waterproof basket by the river. God protected him through his sister Miriam and even Pharaoh's own daughter. God is with us, so we can be brave.Old TestamentCourage