There is a Jael Inside Me – Ken Williams

The Canaanite warlord, Sisera, panicked after Israel crushed the Canaanite army. Sisera raced to get to the border, barely ahead of the Israelite army. (Judges 4:14-16)

A Kenite woman named Jael invited Sisera to take refuge with her. He was fearful, bone-weary, and accepted because the Kenites were neutral in this war. Hospitality in this culture normally included the host’s commitment to protect guests. He gratefully accepted Jael’s drink and place to rest. Jael waited until he was sound asleep and then took a tent stake and hammered it through his exposed temple, through his brain, and outside the other temple. (Judges 4:17-21)

Israelite Judge, Deborah, considered Jael a heroine, and wrote a song to honor her. Heroine? Sisera’s grieving mother didn’t think so. Was she a great patriot, a hero? (Judges 5:24-28). Some might say, “Such is war. A necessary evil.” Necessary? Jesus disagrees, but for a moment I’ll leave an “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth…” alone.

What was Jael’s motive for this gory murder? Vengeance isn’t part of Jael’s story. It wasn’t her fight, so why did she get involved? Is it possible Jael was 100% wrong? The following from Frederick Buechner sobers me.

“In view of the fact that her victim (a) was her guest and (b) was asleep and (c) had never harmed a hair of either her head or her people’s, it would seem that to call her deed heroic is to stretch the term to the breaking point. As for calling it patriotic, if she had done it for love of country—maybe. But (a) her country had no quarrel with Sisera and (b) if she killed him for anything but kicks, it was out of love for nothing more exalted than the idea of maybe getting a payoff from the Israelites the next time they hit town. It is not the only instance, of course, of how people in wartime get medals for doing what in peacetime would get them the chair.” Frederick Buechner’s book – Peculiar Treasures (Frederick Buechner)

Scripture doesn’t explain Jael’s motive, but being rewarded by receiving some of the Israelite spoils is possible. Israel benefited from Sisera’s death, so why wouldn’t they reward her? Imagine if Deborah toasted Jael at a celebration banquet, with Israelite guests enthusiastically shouting, “three cheers for Jael!”? But what then? What is left after fame and fortune fade away? Could Jael be so cruel, so stoney-hearted, so corrupted, that in solitude, in the middle of the night, her conscience would not torment her the rest of her life?

Once I reconsidered Jael and the method she used to brutally murder Sisera, I opened my eyes to see that she and so many of my past heroes and heroines were violent. I have pondered Jesus’ words in John’s gospel for years. “Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight…’” (John 18:36a NIV). Jesus, the Triune God’s incarnate self-revelation, is eternally Love by nature. He is the only true Hero there is! Jesus never harmed anyone and surrendered to human anger, hatred and lust, to save us from ourselves, from wars and rumors of wars.

Now I can see Jael inside me. I grew up with temptations to use violence on my enemies. By God’s grace, I haven’t literally murdered anyone, but it has affected my relationship with my fellow human beings. Today I pray, “Lord, God, have mercy on [enemies’ name], and be merciful to me, a sinner.”

An enlightening read that contrasts this worlds’ kingdoms with God’s Kingdom, is “A More Christlike Way” by Brad Jersak at Christianity Without the Religion/Plain Truth Ministries.

Hope for all us who have a “Jael” inside.

Ken and Nancy Williams served for some 25 years in pastoral ministry, and then almost another 20 years serving and mentoring other pastors.  With the heart of a pastor Ken continues to write and blog from upstate New York where he and Nancy live close to their grandchildren.