Deborah

Deborah was a judge, a prophetess, and a military leader in ancient Israel — an extraordinary combination at any time, and remarkable in her era. She held court under a palm tree and the people came to her for judgment. When God commanded Barak to raise an army against the Canaanite commander Sisera, Barak refused to go without Deborah beside him. She went, she prophesied the outcome, and the army of Israel routed the enemy. Deborah then sang one of the oldest poems in Scripture — a song of victory and praise. She is called a mother in Israel, a leader who arose when others were too afraid. She demonstrates that God equips and calls those He chooses, regardless of what the surrounding culture expects.