Lessons from Jael & Sisera: The Branches of the Work

Signs of the Times, January 13^th, 1898 par. 9

The prophets of God spoke less for their own time than for the ages to come, and especially for the generation that would live amid the last scenes of this earth's history... "All these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

7MR 417.1

Each of the ancient prophets spoke less for their own time than for ours, so that their prophesying is in force for us.

Judges 4: 16-21

¹⁶ But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; [and] there was not a man left. 

¹⁷ Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for [there was] peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

¹⁸ And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. 

¹⁹ And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 

²⁰ Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. 

²¹ Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. 

Judges 5: 24-27

"Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 

He asked water, [and] she gave [him] milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 

She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 

At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead."  

DG 38.003

Jael was at first  ignorant of the character of her guest, and she resolved to conceal him; but when she afterward learned that he was Sisera, the enemy of God and of His people, her purpose changed. As he lay before her asleep, she overcame her natural reluctance to such an act, and slew him by driving a nail through his temples, pinning him to the earth…Deborah celebrated the triumph of Israel in a most sublime and impassioned song.

The Right Hand & The Workman's Hammer:

Jeremiah 23: 29

[Is] not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaketh the rock in pieces? 

John 17:17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

EW 63.1

There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is "present truth" that the flock needs now.

The Word of God is described as a hammer by Jeremiah and in turn, His Word is then described as truth. Therefore the hammer represents the truth contained in the Word of God. Inspiration tells us that it is "present truth" that we need at this time. If the prophets spoke less for their time than for ours then the hammer represents not precious truth but "present truth".

7T 59.1

Medical missionary work is the right hand of the gospel. It is necessary to the advancement of the cause of God. As through it men and women are led to see the importance of right habits of living, the saving power of the truth will be made known. Every city is to be entered by workers trained to do medical missionary work. As the right hand of the third angel's message, God's methods of treating disease will open doors for the entrance of present truth.

The right hand and the workman's hammer therefore represents the combining of medical missionary work and present truth (the third angel's message) by the last day church. This is one branch of the closing work.

The Left Hand & The Nail:

Ecclesiastes 12: 11

The words of the wise [are] as goads, and as nails fastened [by] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.

The words of the wise are represented by the nails. As the left hand held the nail, who holds these words of wisdom? The verse says that they are the words of the wise so therefore the wise hold these words. But who are the wise?

Ecclesiastes 12: 9-11
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs. 

The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and [that which was] written [was] upright, [even] words of truth.

The words of the wise [are] as goads, and as nails fastened [by] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.

The verse said because Solomon was wise, he taught the people. A characteristic of the wise is that they are teachers.

Daniel   12: 10
...none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.  

Proverbs 10:13          

In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found…

Proverbs 14:33

Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but [that which is] in the midst of fools is made known. 

To have wisdom one must have understanding; the two go together. David tells us who it is that have understanding in Psalms 119.

Psalms 119: 98-99

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they [are] ever with me. 

I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies [are] my meditation.

Job 27: 11

I will teach you by the hand of God: [that] which [is] with the Almighty will I not conceal.

The left hand and the nail represent the work of teachers. True education is another branch of the closing work.

The Feet:

After the work of the right and left hand Sisera bowed at the feet. What does the feet represent?

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 

PM 114.1

The Lord designs that through our publishing houses, our sanitariums, and our schools, bright beams of light shall shine to the world. Every branch of the work connected with or attached to these instrumentalities should be treated with the highest respect. . .

The publishing work is the third branch of the work. But the prophet Deborah mentions twice the bowing at the feet of Jael, "At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed..." This is because there are two feet on the human body, one representing the publishing work. What does the second foot represent?

Romans 10: 15

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The last branch of the work is preaching. So we have seen the four great branches of the closing work; medical missionary work, true education, publishing and preaching. 
But who exactly is Sisera? Who does he represent?

Who is Sisera?

In the Bible very little is said of Sisera. We know he was an enemy of God's people but, in all, not much known about him. However we have ONE distinguishing fact about him.

Judges 4: 2-3
And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host [was] Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.  
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.  

He had chariots of iron and mightily oppressed the children of Israel. At the end of time, there is also an 'iron nation' that mightily oppresses God's people. Iron is a symbol of the Rome in bible prophecy. 

So at the end of time, the church (Jael) will need to use medical missionary work (right hand & the hammer), true education (left hand & the nail), the publishing work (the feet) and the preaching of the gospel (the feet) to cause the Papacy (Sisera) to bow at her feet.





"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith.."