Captain Lightning

Barak shows hesitation and ambivalence to God’s first calling but fearless courage in the battle. God uses that too and Barak even lands in the faith hall of fame. What does that say about faith?

Faith like Lightning.

Faith is not the absence of doubt, fear and questions. Faith is going forward anyway.

Untouchable Heroes

“Well… that’s you!” (kids don’t connect their experience with mine)?

Some of these heroes of the faith that we just can’t connect with.

That’s not true of most of the “heroes” in the Bible. The Bible is not shy about the fact that these are flawed people, deeply flawed people.

Did you know there is a super hero in the Bible called Captain Lightning?

Well, whether he was a Captain officially or not, but he led 10 companies of men into battle and his name means “Lightning” in Hebrew. This is my man: Barak.

We don’t get much background on Barak.

A Hero Nonetheless

1 Samuel 12:11 ESV

And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.

Hebrews 11:32 ESV

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—

Hebrews 11:33–34 ESV

who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.