They Did Not Come To Help The LORD

Judges 5:23
‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the LORD.
‘Curse its people bitterly,
because they did not come to help the LORD,
to help the LORD against the mighty.’

Israel was attacked by King Jabin of Canaan, Judges 4:1. Sisera was the commander of King Jabin’s army. For twenty years Israel suffered under Sisera and they cried to God for help, Judges 4:3.

Deborah was the leader of Israel at this time, Judges 4:4. Yes, a woman was a prophet and leader of Israel. She was appointed by God to lead Israel. There was no shortage of men, God just chose her.

Deborah invited Barak and informed him that God had chosen him to fight against Sisera, Judges 4:6. But Barak was reluctant and only promised to go to war if Deborah went with him. The reluctance of Barak was not pleasing to God. Because of his reluctance, God would not give him victory but He would give it to a woman, Judges 4:9.

In the course of fighting between Israel and the Sisera-led Canaanite army, Sisera fled and was lured by Jael into a tent. As Sisera rested thinking he was safe, Jael came in as he dozed off and killed him by driving a tent peg through his temples. Sisera was killed by a woman named Jael.

Judges chapter five is a song by Deborah celebrating the victory God gave them against Sisera. In this song, she mentions many critical points of victory and God’s actions in favor of Israel. In our text of consideration today, the song pronounces a curse against Meroz.

Meroz is one of the cities in Northern Israel that was expected to help Israel in their fight against Sisera but they did not help. Sisera’s army was a mighty army and Israel was the underdog. Meroz should have supported Israel and helped them fight but they did not help.

According to the song of Deborah, the Angel of the LORD cursed Meroz for refusing to help Israel. By refusing to help Israel they refused to help the LORD. If we do not help those who are weak, we are placing ourselves under a curse. If people are under oppression and we keep quiet about it, we are cursed. If we are in a position to help but we do not help, we are under a curse. They were cursed because they did not come to help the LORD.

If your contribution or vote could help a weak person against the mighty, you have an obligation to help the weak. If you keep quiet for whatever reason, you would have abandoned the LORD in His hour of need and a curse is on you. They did not come to help the LORD against the mighty!

We have the mighty and the weak in the family. We have the mighty and the weak in the neighborhood. We have the mighty and the weak in the country. We have the mighty and the weak in government. We have the mighty and the weak at the workplace. We have the mighty and the weak everywhere. God chooses to identify with the weak always. By helping the weak we are helping God. They did not come to help the LORD against the mighty!

The mighty still oppress the weak. The weak need our help when we are in a position to help. By helping the weak we are helping the LORD. May God help us to rise up to the occasion and without fear or favor help the weak, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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